Witch and Stick by Beth Cato seriously brooms are thin and hard not the slightest bit ergonomic even cushioned by my mighty curves how could anyone bear to ride a broom for more than a few minutes? and the splinters, ugh I want to look, well, powerful when I swoop across the night sky like a witch no one wants to mess with the only stick I ever want to carry is made for hockey so how else can I fly in magical style? sure, a spell can make a car hover but that weight tires me out fast flying bicycles cause people to make old movie jokes same with enchanted parasols then I think about my favorite kind of stick and laugh I pull out my old hockey skates white leather gone battleship grey I whisper cantrips into each blade sharpen steel with whetstone and pixie dust and calico cat breath I tighten magic into the laces when I push away from earth I cleave clouds with my skates my strides send me like a slapshot across the ebony sky my goal: anywhere everywhere the sky is mine |