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Felix was in a hurry. The new afterschool activity was starting to get on his nerves latley. Mostly because it usually ended too late. It was around 6 pm when it finished, so Felix didnt waste a second and ran out as fast as he could.
He had a good reason! The sleepover is at his house today, and it isn't every day that every single one of his friends manages to meet up at the same place and time! Well, at least not as often as they used to. These sleepovers are special to him and he really wanted this custom of theirs to stay.
And this is why he wanted to return home as soon as possible. His legs carried him as fast as they were able but, alas, he still hasn't hit that fabled puberty growth spruit his brother Romeo has been talking about.
Felix managed to get a few blocks away untill he realised... He forgot to borrow the board game from school which he promised to bring to the party!
But he was already few blocks away. If he turns back now, he will surley be late. And school probably closed by now. So he continued on and crossed the road.
However another misfortune awaits him: road work. The usual path home blocked by a construction site. He knew another way home of course! It's trough the park and over the hill. But... He didn't really like to go there during the dark, and the sun was getting awfully low. But getting around by roads would probably take even longer.
And so all the circumstances aligned and led this young boy to find himself at the right place at the right time.
He ran trough the park and up the hill. Of course, all the running finnally tired him out so he slowed down just a little bit before he reached the top. The sun was starting to set and it was oddly windy when he realised that there is someone sitting in front of the tree at the top of the hill.
Felix was a bit scared. Stranger danger his parents used to say, but they also said to be kind to others.
As he slowly approached the hilltop he politley greeted:
- Good evening!
The old woman, wrapped in her cloak, greeted back:
- Good evening, child. Where are you headed?
The question took Felix by surprise. He didn't really mean to start a conversation right now. He was about to politley explain he's in a hurry when he noticed an old colourfull tent put up behind the tree. Looking back at the woman, he noticed the odd clothes and jewlery she was wearing. In front of her on the ground was a small charred area filled with burnt sticks and out of her pipe rose an odd colourful smoke.
Now Felix read enough fairy tales to recognise a witch when he sees one, or at least have a big enough imagination to think he sees one. He was also naive and polite enough to not assume this witch is an evil one. After all, evil witches went extinct in middle ages! Or so he heard at least.
So he was immediatley intrigued and ultimatley distracted. What was a witch doing in their town? He carefully answered:
- Home. Street is blocked by road work.
- Ah. Of course. - She coughed - Tell me, child, why in such a hurry? Let me guess, are your friends waiting for you to arrive?
- Y-yes! How did you know?
Felix got excited and even took a step closer to the odd woman. Something compelled him to stay and risk being late.
- Just a gift for knowing. - she took another sip from the pipe and continued:
- Aren't you forgetting something?
- What? - Felix was eager to know.
- Well, what will you do with your friends?
- Oh, well I did plan to bring a board game but... Yea. - Felix was a bit embarrased.
- Mmhmm... - the woman let out an agreeing noise.
- What would you do if they didn't like the game or got bored of it fast? - she asked.
- Well, I guess we'd have to play another game.
The woman laughed a bit, as if she was expecting this answer.
- Do you maybe have a suggestion? - Felix was curious.
- I have a solution. - she said and from her coat she took out a small box and tossed it over to him. He quickly caught it, he was great at playing catch.
- Cards? - Felix wondered as he observed the box.
- A game noone will get bored of nor be able to hate.
She explained and coughed a bit again.
- Now hurry on, you don't want to be late!
Her pipe went out as the sun had set.
Felix heard a church bell in the distance and felt a surge of energy in him. As if he didn't get tired of running in the firsth place. He checked the time and upon seeing that he is already late he started running again.
But then realised that he didn't say 'Thank you'!
- Thank you, goodbye! - he screamed as he was running downhill, not aware the woman was no longer under that tree.
As he came down and into the lit area under the streetlight, he stopped to breathe again a bit. His heart was suddenly pumping loudly again. As he was waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he looked at the box he was given.
'Summoning cards' was written on the front in a curved black font. Felix gasped a little.
'Magic cards? Are these really magic?' He thought.
Under the title, an image in black ink was present, a humanoid figure inside of a decorated rectangle.
All the illustrated black lines were reflecting the shine of the surrounding traffic.
Felix quickly turned the box around to see the back, but before he could read the text, the light turned green.
He continued towards home. His head buzzing with excitement.
'OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY MAGIC CAAARDSSSS!!!!'
Was the only thing ringing in his head the whole way back home.