Philo's Stories
 

Witch Beach Episode

Alice puts the handle of her broom through the handle of the cooler, heavy with ice cream, drinks, and a brick of enchanted ice
with a snap of her fingers, a rope ties itself around the handles, lashing them together

she steps over the broom and tentatively kicks off, the broom a little heavier than usual with the cooler hanging off it

she soars toward the forest and mountains, accelerating in her excitement

she skids to a stop on the sand of the beach, her Doc Martens turning into sandals as she lands and sets her broom down next to Katy's
her clothes fade into a swimsuit and she giggles as she feels its elastics hug her body just right

her pointy black hat changes into her similarly colored sunhat, the thin ribbon moving from one hat form to another as they swap threadings and knots

Becca dives into the lake
she pushes her hand through the water, pulling herself forward

the shockingly clear water feels wonderful, cool, and smooth as it rushes over her skin
she kicks and the water is almost slippery between her legs
as she comes to the surface, the sun warm on her face, she thinks about how dysphoria stole this from her for years

bubbles appear in the middle of the lake, percolating up from the bottom faster and faster
from amid the bubbles, a witch appears, her leafy tattoos greener than the last time they'd seen her, as though her body was part of the bog's summer foliage

she floats over the water with ease, quickly landing on the beach

the conversation falls silent when she arrives
"I brought drinks!" she says, producing a glass bottle of something bubbling strangely and several shot glasses

she pours shots of earthy-smelling liquid for herself and Sophia, the only other witch brave enough to try it
"this is.. *something*" Sophia says, exhaling a cloud of smoke and floating a foot off the ground

as the sun dips behind the mountains, the witches lay pebbles in a circle on the sand
with a fallen log in the center, a cozy campfire rises and comfortable pajamas replace beach outfits
in its light, the trees around the beach cast shadows deep into the forest

the witches laugh uproariously as they tell each other stories
June levitates a marshmallow into the fire and floats its charred remains back towards her to make a s'more

laying together on the beach, Evelyn and Jessica look up into the clear night sky

the stars are beautiful against the backdrop of the milky way and the nearly full moon
she reaches for her girlfriend's hand and she squeezes back, their love as beautiful as the night sky
they're together, they're safe, and they're in love.

FIN.

Someday, I hope I'll have a beach day like this with my friends, with all of us getting to feel both hot and safe
I know this is pure escapism with no real plot and is somewhat self-indulgent, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it