once upon a time,
two childhood friends made a pact
to bring as many people to the hanging tree
they went into the village and promised the people enchantment and magic
at the stroke of midnight, the entire village met the children by the hanging tree
the villagers were so swept up into the children’s spell
that there was no return
the stroke of midnight came
and the seconds counted down
five
four
three
two
one...

death fell upon the town