

Pretty As Poison
THE LEGEND
Betrayed by her unfaithful lover, a Sorceress finds her heart shattered. Suffocated by the claws of misery and allured by the scent of revenge, she seeks solace in the dark arts. Her pursuit for vengeance leads her to a long forgotten burial ground, where a lone black cherry tree stands. She lays a hand on one of the tree’s gnarled limbs and pours forth her blackened soul, cursing the tree and poisoning the fruit it bears.
Knowing her lover's insatiable desire to cling to his youth, she spreads false tales of a mystical tree that may bestow eternal life. He searches day and night with no luck. But, just when all hope is lost, he receives a cryptic letter, hinting at the location. He seeks it out immediately, blind with greed.
Lightning cracks across the midnight sky as the heady scent of black cherry guides him through the ancient burial ground. He approaches the cherry tree, its low hanging branches loom over him and sway in the wind, caressing his cheek. Its roots reach out like skeletal fingers over the crumbling gravestones and the potent aroma tempts him. With a trembling hand, he plucks a single fruit and brings it to his lips, surrendering himself entirely.
As the first bite lingers on his tongue, the sinister nectar slides down his throat, slithers into his veins, and seeps into the rotten cracks of his soul. Invisible threads crawl over his limbs and tighten. He gasps as his body twitches, the half eaten cherry tumbles from his fingers. The Sorceress emerges from behind the cherry tree. She prowls towards her traitorous lover and with a flick of her wrist, his limbs buckle, sending him to his knees. He tries to plead, but his body is no longer his own. His screams reverberate within his mind.
While she savours the intoxicating taste of revenge, the Sorceress moves closer and gazes down at her lover. With a voice laced in chilling sweetness, she says with a smile, “remember when you promised… I’m yours?”