After all the bullying and awfulness that dear Witchy endured in the Transylvania Forest, an important part of her healing journey has been making friends. This hasn’t been easy, as she is adapting to a whole new life in England, where everything is strange.

It’s hard enough to heal from a major trauma when you’re in familiar surroundings with people who love you. But imagine how you’d feel if they were the ones responsible for the trauma and now you’re in a whole new country where you know no one.

In the Transylvania Forest, Witchy was like all the other witches. She was used to the vampires, the werewolves, and all the others who lived there and were her friends. And they were used to her, too.

That hasn’t been the case in England. She doesn’t look or act like anyone else here. She dresses differently and she speaks a different language (although she’s getting pretty good at English now). She’s had to learn to eat new foods, learn a new language and new customs.

It’s true, she’s not like anyone else in this country.

But so what if she runs through the woods in bare feet, even in the rain, picking berries and flowers for breakfast? So what if she talks to the birds and animals, and hears them answering her? So what if she has blue hair and skin? So what if her cauldron, Enchantra, is trying to help Witchy learn to cook, now that her magic is “broken”?

Underneath all of that, she is just as scared and fragile as anyone else on the planet ever gets. Even if they don’t want to admit it.

Besides, what’s wrong with being unique? Don’t all of us want to be seen for our individuality? Don’t we want to be recognised for what sets us apart and makes us special?

She’s sure been through a lot during her centuries in this life and especially because of what brought her to England. In fact, someone jokingly called her “a hot mess” (although she thought it was just a reference to something she had attempted to cook, and she had to agree).

For the most part, she’s an incredible inspiration for the way she’s handling this fresh start and all the changes it has brought.

But when people look at her with abject terror — and they don’t even know her — it breaks her sweet little heart.

In spite of that, when she faces every new morning she puts on a smile and embraces whatever will come, no matter how she’s feeling on the inside.

And every day, she prays that maybe this will be the day that people will stop fearing her. This has been most upsetting for Witchy.

It’s made it extra hard for her to feel safe and welcome, and to begin healing from all the terrible hurts after what happened in the Forest.

But Witchy is committed to finding happiness again.

She understands that in order to do that, she has to conquer her fears — or at least, not let them stop her from enjoying life.

Although many people have run the other way when they’ve seen her coming, others have given themselves a chance to get to know her. They have treated her with kindness (and Witchy does love kindness). They have discovered her sweet spirit, her childlike innocence, and her pure heart.

They see that although she puts on a brave face, she is frightened of many things.

And they’re honoured when she decides to throw a party to get to know her new friends a little better.

Or more accurately, so they can get to know her, too, and not be afraid of her — just because she’s different.

This Is the Surprise You’ll Find In Strangers…