Protector

“Look! There’s the witch!” The girl whispered to her friend. Margaret kept her head down as she walked, trying to ignore the girls. They pointed at her and laughed like she couldn't hear. Margaret sighed and walked faster toward her house. When she got home she was gasped at what she saw.
Spray painted in big red letters on her door was the words “Stupid Witch, Dumb Bitch.” Margaret began to cry. She slumped to the floor in anguish, sobbing on her front porch. The whole town thought she was a witch because she had purple eyes, dark curly hair, and sometimes wore mismatched socks. It aggravated her to know end. She wasn’t a witch, she was just different.
                The next morning Margaret was on her knees washing the red paint off her door. It began to stain her hands red, making it look like blood instead of paint. She tried scrubbing her hands, but they stayed red. “Why can’t I ever catch a break?” She thought to herself.
“Hello.” Came a voice from behind Margaret, making her jump. Margaret whipped around to face tall women with long brown hair and almond shaped eyes. Her pupils were the same color as Margaret’s; a deep violet.
“Uh can I help you?” Asked Margaret. The women smiled.
“Tsk darling, how can I help you?” Margaret stared at the women in confusion.
The women gestured to the door; the red words were smeared, but still visible.
“You seem like you’re having trouble.” She said. Margaret sighed.
“Yeah…kinda. You’re not from around here are you?” Margaret asked. She looked at the women’s clothes. They were long and dark, too dark for this hot weather and yet women seemed unfazed.
                “How could you tell?” The women smiled, looking down at her clothes. She gave a light laugh before stepping closer toward Margaret. “Listen Margaret dear-“
“Whoa, how do you know my name?” Margaret interrupted. The women ignored her, and continued on.
“Listen Margaret, I know how to help you.” The women slipped her hand inside her pocket, revealing a tiny brown and green seed.
“This is the seed of an Ash Tree. Plant it in your front yard and you will gain protection. No longer will you have to suffer from name calling or hurtful people.” The women said. Her eyes almost seemed to glow while she spoke. Margaret was enchanted. She nodded and took the seed from the women’s hand.
In one blink the women was gone, and Margaret stood alone on her front porch with nothing but the seed of the Ash Tree.

                That night when the sun had gone down and the air was cooler, Margaret planted the seed in her front yard. “Please help me, I just want to be treated like everyone else.” She whispered to the seed before packing dirt on top of it.

                Months and months went by and still nothing changed around town. Margaret wasn’t surprised; the tree hadn’t even sprouted yet. She knew trees took a long time to grow, but hoped the seed would at least help. She watered it every day, and at night she was sit on the grass and read by candle light next to it. She would even whisper secrets and wishes to the seed.
                One day when Margaret went to water the seed. She filled up her watering can and walked over to the spot that she had fenced around the seed. She gasped, dropping the can to floor. A young man laid naked where she had planted the seed. He was sleeping on top of the now broken fence.
                “Who the hell do you think you are?!” Margaret screamed. The young man awoke suddenly and jumped to his feet. He was very tall. “Put some clothes on will ya?” She said averting her eyes.
“I’mSorryI’mSorryI’mSorry” The young man said quickly. He ran over and picked up the water can, using it as coverage.
“Who are you and why are you on my front porch?” Margaret asked. The boy smiled wide, one eye was the brightest green Margaret had ever seen and the other was a dark golden brown.
“My name is Ash and I’m here to help.” He said. Margaret’s eyes went wide with realization. She had to be going crazy, because something like this wasn’t possible. But the more she thought about it, and how weird that women was, the more it seemed to make sense. Margaret looked closely at the boy’s face. His hair was a dark brown, almost black. But she could see that some of the strands were ivy green.
She sighed, letting her jaw fall open in amazement.
“And how is a naked boy, who is apparently also a living tree, going to help me?” Margaret asked.
Ash looked at her with a serious expression, stepping closer.
“I am your protector Margaret. I have been since the day you planted me in the ground. No one will ever call you a bad name, no one will ever hurt you again. I care more about you than anything in this whole entire world and from this day on, it will be my mission to make you the happiest girl on this earth.”