I had three plates a day. I decided that the meat had to be pork. She doused it in spices and sauces. Ma promised to teach me the recipes.

Despite eating larger and larger helpings, I was ravenous. I paced the room, heart fluttering; my stomach snarled through the day, and I grew thinner. My arms became sticks. My face caved in. My skin grew gray and rough. When my hair fell out, I sobbed. Ma wrapped an arm around my shoulders and stroked the hard bone.

“It’s only natural, child. It’s the change. Your body craves human food still, but soon it will freeze. And then you’ll feel better.”

I moaned.

I woke one morning to bright light. I limped to the window. My dress slid off one shoulder, and out of habit I tugged it up. I flinched: the sun was hot. I closed my eyes and sighed. The warmth seeped into me.

My name is Theresa, and I love my parents.

My eyes flew open. My heart skipped a beat, and then accelerated. The room spun as I collapsed against the window.

My name is Danielle. I’m human, and I can’t remember what Mom and Dad look like.

My eyes swam with tears. I can’t even remember their voices. I held my breath. Mom. Dad. Where are you? Why haven’t you found me?

I held up my hand, and screamed. The nails were long, longer than Ma or Pa’s. The skin was gray, tight and scaled. I dashed to the mirror, whimpering. I screamed again.

A little Hag stared back at me. I raised my hands to my face, feeling the beak. Only the eyes were the same, brown and wide. Two red streaks ran down each side of my face. They were vivid against the paleness of my skin.

I drew a finger to the crimson tears. I tasted it. Copper.

Ma entered the room. “Do not trouble yourself, Theresa. We have elixirs to make ourselves gorgeous.”

I shook my head.

“Don’t you remember that one night I came to you? How lovely I was? That was how I looked before. Your old face is still there, my dear, waiting to be coaxed out by the magic.”

But my eyes are Danielle’s. I trembled. I sat on the bed’s edge. The red tears fell silently. I lifted an arm. It was easy.

The fatigue was gone. There was no hunger. My limbs thrummed with energy. Beneath my dress, something large tried to open. A thrill ran through me.

I gazed into the mirror. Were the eyes a little darker?

Ma drifted out. The door clicked behind her.

Maybe being a Hag isn’t so bad. It can’t be worse than being a Vampire.

What would Mom and Dad think?

My name is Theresa, and I love Ma and Pa.

My name is Danielle, and I miss Mom and Dad even though I can’t remember them.

I’m Theresa.

I’m Danielle, and my favourite ice cream flavour is chocolate.

My stomach seized. Dizziness seized me, and I crumpled to the floor. I used to like cheeseburgers, caramels, cucumber...

My mouth watered and burned. I gasped. Every breath hurt. But if I change...

I ran to the window. I glanced over my shoulder. The room was empty, the door locked. With a yell, I smashed the window. I dragged myself through. The thrill shot through me again. I heard the fabric tear, and then my wings unfurled.

The door banged open. “Theresa! What are you doing?”

I glared at her. “Goodbye, Ma. I’m moving out.”

I shot into the air. The wind sliced me. My hair rippled out. I soared over skyscrapers, roads, and little cars. The moisture of rain clouds dampened my dress.

Mom and Dad. But where do I live?

I veered around a building and there it was. They took me here.

I crashed to the playground, rolling over the ground. My wings shrank in on themselves and shook. I dragged myself to my knees, shivering violently. My teeth chattered.

My stomach seized, and I collapsed to one side. I tasted my mouth. So dry...

I shambled into the forest. My hair stuck to my face. I reached the stream, and sank to my knees. I gulped water back, my frame shuddering. I caught a glimpse of myself, and gasped.

I touched my face. It was smooth, but all bones and sunken hollows. I ran my fingers over my lips. I held my hands out. They were brittle, gray, and scaly. The nails remained long.

I ran my fingers through my hair. It was thin, and white, but thicker. Yes, it was thicker. It was smooth, not rough as it had been.

The face in the stream was human, but for the eyes: while one was brown, the other was black and glittered.

I exhaled.

I flexed my wings. They felt smaller, weaker, but they were there. I reached around to touch them. I drew one forward and stroked it. It was like a crow’s, covered in black feathers. I burrowed my face into it and sighed.

I always liked birds.

I returned to the park. The rain fell harder and I hugged myself. My heart thundered as a thought came to me.

Ma and Pa could find me here.

I stood up.

But where do I go?

“Mom! Dad!” I splashed across the road. I darted down streets. I crashed into stores, and rushed out again. I peered into windows. “Mom! Dad!”

I caught myself against a streetlamp. Maybe Mom and Dad are the dream.

A man ran up to me. “My god. Kid? Hello?”

I stared at him.

He gasped. “You need to go to the hospital.”

“Where are my parents?”

“Who are they?”

I shook my head.

“What’s your name?”

“Theresa.” I shuddered. “No, it’s Danielle. I like chocolate ice cream.”

“Danielle?” His brows mashed together. “Danielle Greene?”

He caught me as I sank forward. When I woke up, I was in a bedroom with blue walls and stuffed bears. A needle ran into my arm, and a woman hovered over me. She had brown eyes and black hair. She placed a dark hand over my gray one.

“Danielle.” Her eyes watered. They were like the ones I’d had. “Where have you been?”

“Mom?” My voice was a croak.

A man entered the room. He was pale, muscular, with green eyes. He sat on my other side, eyes watering.

“Oh, Danielle.” He stroked my face. “We were worried sick. The police thought for sure that you were-”

Mom made a choking sound. She held my head down and stared. “Your eye. There’s something wrong with your eye!”

My back ached. I moaned and sat up. The wings batted against my thin nightgown. Mom screamed.

“Mom, it’s okay! I’m alright. I’m a...”

But I can’t be a Hag. I raised my scaly hands. Not completely.

“What is...”

“I’m just different now.” The room spun. I sank against the pillow. “I’m hungry. Can I have some chocolate ice cream?”

After gasping a few times, Mom murmured to herself. She nodded to Dad, and left. He took my hand between both of his. He sang to me until Mom returned, bearing a tray and a bowl of soup. I bolted it down. Slowly, the clenching in my stomach receded.

I sighed.

“Poor girl.” Dad winced. “When was the last time you ate, honey?”

“I don’t know.” I placed a hand to my forehead. “There was the meat...”

“Meat?”

“But I was still hungry.”

“The doctor will look at her.” Mom squeezed Dad’s shoulder. “She’ll be okay.”

Remembering the meat, my mouth watered. I rolled to my other side. Drool dribbled over my chin.

When I was alone, I ghosted to my vanity. A ring sat among the jewellery. I snatched it up; my breath caught. Quickly, I sliced my forearm. Blood beaded there. With a gasp, I sucked at it. I licked it, and my body shook. My mouth watered and watered. I sucked at the wound with a moan.

I thought of chocolate ice cream, and my stomach growled.

I thought of the meat, and I drooled. I licked the last of the blood away.

I put on slight weight, but remained painfully thin. My hair thickened, but was perfectly white and glowed faintly in the sun. My skin darkened slightly, and my cheeks reddened with their old blush, but the scaly texture remained.

No doctor came. It was just us, Mom and Dad and I. I remained in the house. When I was alone, I lapped the blood from my arm. In the dark, I sucked the rats dry. By day, I chugged back pop and crunched carrots. I had all the chocolate ice cream I wanted.

Within the house, with Mom and Dad and I, I had my fill of ice cream and death. One night, they visited...and I opened the window for them. I embraced the only parents who could understand. Though Danielle remained with Mom and Dad by day, by night Theresa soared with Ma and Pa. Through clouds turned silver by the moon, we flew and I tasted the green of the air.

It felt so good to be hugged by Mom and Dad.

It felt so good to fly, and know that Ma and Pa loved me.

I am Danielle Green. I love my Mom and Dad, and I adore chocolate ice cream.

I am Theresa, and I am a Hag. Ma and Pa love me, and I love them too.