The Gingerbread House

   It wasn't that surprising when our stepmother threw us out of the house.  Why shouldn't she?  She clearly didn't love us.  We weren't her children, and it wasn't as if we were bringing anything to the metaphorical or literal table.  Yes, Hansel and I were basically useless.
   "Gretel!  Hansel!  Go away! Never come back!" our stepmother yelled ferociously.
   We meekly packed our meager possessions, but we didn't dare try to take any food.  Stepmother's cane was a very painful instrument of torture.  Hansel suggested we go into the woods.  Surely there would be food to find there.
   For day we trekked through the dense greenery.  My belly ached, my head pounded, and I felt as if I would faint soon.  Hansel was in slightly better condition, and he volunteered to carry me.  He claimed I was light for my age, which may or may not have been true.  I refused.  It was best to save our energy.
   Eventually I could hardly take a step.  I told Hansel to go ahead, and, if he remembered, to come back for me when he found food.  Not even five minutes later did he come back with a smile so big it looked as if it might split his face in half.
   "I found a house made of candy!" he beamed proudly.
   "Are you sure you weren't hallucinating?" I replied skeptically.
   "Yes!  Now come on!"  he screamed.
   I stumbled after him as fast as I could.  When we came to a clearing I saw every kid's dream.  It was a big beautiful gingerbread house.  The garden was filled with icing roses and marzipan daisies.  The door was made of one huge chocolate bar, and the windows were made out of boiled sugar.  The sight sent saliva flooding my mouth and it was all I could do to not drool.
   Without another thought I pounced on the house and started to shove the flowers down my throat with reckless abandon.  The icing roses were smeared all over my face, and the marzipan stained my dress.  I started to gnaw on the white chocolate fence when i noticed a little old woman staring at my piggish outburst.
   I smoothed out my stained dress, and wiped my face on a white handkerchief.  I motioned at Hansel to do the same, but he ignored me in favor of staring at the licorice laces on the woman's shoes.
   "We apologize for eating your garden and part of your house.  We didn't realize that someone lived here."  I said politely.
   "Poor dearies!  Don't worry! You look half starved! Come in, and have dinner with me." she cooed in an almost sickeningly sweet voice.
   I shuddered slightly.  Was it just me or did she emphasize dinner in a bizarre way?  Almost as if... No! I was being paranoid.  Hansel didn't seem to have any issues with the lady, but Hansel had never been the sharpest knife in the drawer.
   "Oh! How rude of me!  My name is Maria.  What are yours, pets?" she asked almost too innocently.
   "Umm... I'm Gretel, and this is my brother Hansel." I said awkwardly.
   "Oh! Please come in!" Maria smiled.
   Any suspicions flew right out of my head when I saw the feast on the table.  There was roast beef, a mountain of mashed potatoes swimming in gravy, and mounds of buttered corn and peas.  Delicate glass pitchers held lemonade, sparkling spring water, and juices of all kinds.  Mugs filled to the brim with hot chocolate and giant marshmallows sat on coasters.  Melt in your mouth biscuits with slabs of butter steaming on a big blue plate.
   "Well, dig in!  I already ate!" Maria cooed.
   We did dig into all the food.  I attacked the mashed potatoes, while Hansel inhaled the roast beef.  Maria watched with a satisfied, almost smug, smile.
   Both of us suddenly felt very tired.  We had walked through the woods for three days, and that much food was bound to make us sleepy.
   "Dears, why don't you spend the night?" Maria asked, and my suspicions returned.  There was just something about her expression.
   "Sure!" Hansel bubbled.  Was he really that stupid?
   "Good! Just go upstairs and pick any room you want."
   We tromped upstairs, and chose our rooms.  Mine was a bloody red, with a huge closet.  I thought that Maria might have some pajamas somewhere.  I opened the closet and struggled not to scream.  Inside was a corpse of a boy about Hansel's age.  We were leaving now!
   I grabbed Hansel and forced him out of the house.  We ran straight back into the woods and back home to beg our stepmother to let us back.  I know you were expecting Hansel and I to defeat the witch, but we are just kids.  Whether you find that surprising doesn't matter to me.