The townsfolk call her the Swamp Hag. She hasn't encouraged them to stop.
To be sure, on the rare occasions when she travels into town, they are nothing but polite. They call her 'madam,' or 'mistress,' and ask after her health. But she isn't fooled. She knows what they say behind her back. She knows the stories they tell at night. She is a witch, after all.
They're all rubbish, but fear of her keeps them away from the swamp, and the things far more dangerous than her that live there.
Fear can be a useful tool, when carefully applied.
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Everyday Drabbles
Short StoryA drabble is a very short story one hundred words long. No more, no less. They are designed for maximum impact in the least amount of space. For 2019, I'll be posting a drabble every day.