Cynthia's Comic Revenge!

Cynthia sat curled in the armchair by the crackling fire, scowling intensely down at a comic sheet that seemingly featured herself. BudgetPixel THE BAIT THE BAIT | panos budgetpixel.com "'The night! The night! Oh, so bright the night sun?'" she read aloud, her brow furrowing into a furious glare as she shook her wild blonde curls. "Does he mean the moon? I don't sound ridiculous like that, do I, Cali?" Absently, her fingers reached down to give the calico resting in her lap a gentle scratch behind the ears. But as her eyes scanned further down the page, her scowl deepened into an outraged pout. And is that Hazel portrayed as a cannibal ?" With a huff of utter indignation, Cynthia tossed the insulting comic straight into the hearth, where the flames instantly consumed the paper. Crossing her arms snugly over her chest, she grumbled, "I think that's quite enough of that!" The very next morning, Cynthia had a sudden, brilliant stroke of insight! If that dreadful wizard thought he could butcher their likenesses, she would simply write her own comic—one vastly superior to his insipid little drivel. Driven by a burst of pure, unbridled inspiration, she immediately set to work at the wooden table by the sunlit window. Colored pencils spilled across her desk as her lead flew fervently across fresh parchment. Her wide, gleeful eyes shone with manic determination. Naturally, her faithful little muse was right by her side, perched atop a stack of leather-bound grimoires, intently watching every single line take shape. Her first three panels were infinitely more realistic—oh, wait, best not give away that whole trap scenario! If he had met her in person, he would have never made such a foolish mistake! Besides, any proper comic needs Cali! And Cynthia could certainly imagine Hazel saying something just like that. Of course, Cynthia had never actually met the wizard in person—but based entirely on his dreadful work, he certainly seemed like the preachy, moralizing type! You know, maybe if he got to know all about us, he would completely agree—and perhaps even offer to help with the murder! Maybe the wizard wouldn't be so bad after all—maybe he'd even end up loving her comic, sitting right alongside them at the cottage table to share a slice of delicious blackberry cake with the whole coven! Finished at last, Cynthia eagerly leaped up and rushed to find Fiona. Fiona! Look! Look at the comic I made!" she practically cheered, shoving the spiral-bound sketchbook right under her coven sister's nose. "Oh, that's... um, good, Cynthia-I see Cali is in it."