Gobsmacked

[alleyalligator]

“He said what?”  Meg’s jaw dropped and she looked aghast at what she’d just heard.

“That there’s a coven in St. Alban’s that deliberately impregnates women according to the right phase of the moon and then when the time comes, cuts them open and sacrifices the baby before getting her pregnant again.”

“Seriously?”  Meg couldn’t help herself.  Once

Comments

[i_17bingo]

Well that sure took a sharp turn into Crazy Town. Hilariously so, in fact.

[alleyalligator]

Believe it or not, it's based on a real life conversation. I knew someone once who swore blind there was a local coven which got women pregnant so that they'd give birth at the right phase of the moon and then sacrifice the baby when it was born. Didn't matter how much I pointed out that you can't guarantee when a child's born, that no one's going to just blithely admit to murder like that and the whole concept was ridiculous, he was adamant that his friend was part of the group and took him to where they carried out the rituals...

Didn't take much to extend that into something just as ridiculous!

[i_17bingo]

And, of course, apply basic Darwinism.

[ashgaelsonaria]

Interseting, you are so going to get a lot of flack from the Wiccans.
Lot and lots and lots of flack.
I hope you have your asbestose armor in order and on.
Good story otherwise ohhh, I did not say that no flames my way please.

[alleyalligator]

I can't see why an initiate would have a problem with this. There's nothing Wiccan in it.

[i_17bingo]

My wife is a card-carrying witch, and she thinks this is pretty funny. She doesn't speak for all witches, I understand, but most of those she associates with have a pretty thick skin.

And honestly, if Charmed doesn't offend them (many are actually fans), then it would take a lot.

[alleyalligator]

To be fair, bad Willow got quite a few people up in arms, although I never really understood why. Aside from the fact that witchcraft has quite a lot of dark history (it's only recently that it's been massively associated with 'good' magick), the simple reality is that any good thing taken too far is dangerous and if witchcraft has any power to it, then of course there's a danger associated with abusing that power.

Plus, you know, there's a difference between Wiccan and witch ;)

[notodette]

This is one of your best, imo.

[alleyalligator]

Thanks. I must admit, I'm rather fond of it.

[m_malcontent]

Jarring twist, but quite enjoyable.

[alleyalligator]

Thanks.

[java_fiend]

People really will believe all sorts of things about witches. I cannot believe that this was based on a real life conversation. Wow. As you point out, you can't guarantee anything when it comes to a birth among other problems with the whole scenario. Clearly somebody was pulling this guy's leg and he fell for it. Truth really is stranger than fiction. Really nicely done.

[alleyalligator]

I'd love to know who told him that. I bet they were genuinely in and laughing their heads off that he believed them.