KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS
Steam whirled from the bubbling cauldron as Mandy swirled her spoon. She hummed as the day reeled in her head like an old movie…
…pictures of her helping students whipped through her mind. Her kind actions caught the attention of the coven’s leader Carly, the cruelest witch who cackled, “Don’t fool yourself. You’ll never be mean enough to be a great witch like me! You’re too sweet!”
The other witches chanted, “Cotton can-dy Man-dy! Cotton can-dy Man-dy!”
Echoes of their jeers rose and floated through the field where she sit a spell with the crows and field mice.
“Never make a great witch, huh?” she asked as she leaned over the pot. She peered in to see her reflection.
A glint glistened in her eye.
A sneer curled across her lips.
“Guess I’m not so nice after all.”
She reached down and plucked a hat as black as an eclipse and placed it on her head.
“Thanks for your hat, Carly,” said Mandy into the pot as the last bubble popped and the liquid stilled. “Looks like you won’t be needing it anymore.”
She hummed as she skipped back to school…ready to unveil her newly discovered darkness.
kellyswemba.com 
I was not expecting that! Best wishes for the contest.
Thank you for the wishes!!
Kelly I love it! You had me right from the title and the movie reeling reference. So good! Good luck 🙂
Ha, be careful or Cotton Candy Mandy will give you a tooth ache. Love this, good luck!
Ha! Thank you, Brittany!
Ah, I love this bit of wickedness! Such a great unexpected ending! Well done, Kelly!
Oh my gosh thank you for letting me know Alicia!
Thank you for letting me know Alicia!!
Not what I was expecting! Great ending twist.
So creepy and engaging! I enjoyed reading this. Great title, too!
Great title and love the Cotton Candy Mandy nickname. And I love the turn of events. I’m at the end of my seat waiting… What next? Nice work.
Wow! Thank you, Kelly! It was really fun to write and I’m glad you liked it. So kind of you to post a comment ♥️
Great use of language, and an imaginative story!
Thank you, Connie!
You deftly weave wonderful tension through this compelling story with a delicious contrast of sweet and mean, cruel and kind. Your description of “a hat as black as an eclipse” and Mandy’s diabolical expressions are devilishly good. And you write a wicked twist ending. @AnneLipton
Oh wow, thank you! That is so nice of you to say!
Ahhhh!! Kelly, this is “deliciously dark”. Don’t mess with Cotton Candy Mandy! I love the surprise ending 🙂
The more I read this, the more I like this……and the more I like this makes me wonder …… why you don’t write more like this.
I love the twist!
Thank you, Kelly!
Oh I loved this so much, Kelly! And wow, this is a whole new side of you, embrace it!
Thank you, Kaitlyn! It was surprisingly fun to write!
I’m so impressed and proud!