This story is by Louisa Nufield and was part of our 2025 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
Felix sat down at his super-tidy desk. Opening his notebook, he wrote: June 6. 2022
“The witch made it back from Florida. Damn it. She was so sick last November, I thought she would croak. The ticks got her bad. Davinia came over to see me today. She said her forest has been surveyed. I don’t believe her, I think she’s lying. I haven’t seen anybody doing survey work around here. Where’d she get the money to pay a surveyor, and what does she care what happens to her forest, anyway? It’s worthless to her, I’ve stolen her access to it. I have plans for this place. Her forest is priceless! Priceless!
She told me “I won’t be taking back any land that legally belongs to you.” Stupid witch. She doesn’t know what land legally belongs to me; I’ve obliterated those old boundary lines. No surveyor can find those old lines from 1898. Davinia is totally unaware of property law. She can’t possibly know I plan to sue her son for adverse possession of her forest as soon as she’s dead. I’m certain any Judge would rule in my favor!”
One month later Felix waved a piece of paper in Dirk’s face.
“Hey Dirk. Look at this. I got a certified letter from the witch. She says you have to move your truck off her land asap. She says I have to take down my pallet fence. Not. Happening.
“Felix!! If she has a map, she’ll get my truck towed away! At my expense! I’m worried. Last week she said you’d been taking advantage of her. Are you positive she doesn’t know what we’ve been up to?”
“Nah, she’s just gone mental. Crazy witch. No surveyor will ever find the grandfathered lines. They are gone. If she wants her land back, she will have to sue me. I’ll force her to spend everything she’s got!!!!”
Davinia received a letter by post two days later, written in a neat cursive hand.
Davinia
I thought about a possible solution that could avoid a long and expensive court battle between us, one that I don’t believe either of us wants. Think about before you just turn it down. Here it is.
I am offering you $10,000.00 to buy your 60+ acres of rock ledge and flood plain. I believe that’s a more than fair offer for value-less and unsellable property. It instantly eliminates any property line issues in the future and links the two properties. $10,000 would be a good start for you to get a comfortable and more logical place for a 70+ old to live. What you are planning to do for living quarters makes absolutely no sense at your age. You should take into consideration the danger you are putting yourself in just to hang onto a chunk of worthless property. If something happens to you God forbid where you pass away. The likelihood that if it happens in your dwelling and your dog is trapped inside, you may not be discovered for days if not weeks and that will kill your dog in a very unpleasant way. Please think logically about this offer and what it can do for you and your comfort and safety during your later years.
No answer from Davinia. A month passed.
“This witch drives me NUTS. Not one stinking word from her. Today I got a call from Nate. Davinia’s fabled survey was published in the land records today. Christ, she wasn’t lying. How the hell did that surveyor get those old lines right? Dead on, the survey lines match the deed. This is terrible news.
Felix posted another letter to Davinia.
I am writing to offer up an idea for you and your son to consider. I am offering to buy back the land that you took from me for $5000. Naturally I would pay for the survey to redraw whatever boundary lines we mutually agree on.
Please respond by email or text me.
Two months later, Davinia’s lawyer responded with a contract proposal.
Felix journaled: “She hired a lawyer, counter-offered $8000.00, didn’t agree with the boundary lines I demanded, and demanded a response from my lawyer. I don’t have no thieving lawyer. She can’t force me to move anything. I’ve permanently changed the whole landscape, so nobody can see those new corner markers anyway. She wants her land back? I’ll drain her bank account and get all of her land. When she sues me!!!!
One year later.
Notebook: “Damn it. Now the witch has a new lawyer. She says she’ll quit claim me a thousand square feet of her land behind the house, with all Dirk’s junk, the patio, and the fish pond. She still isn’t giving me what I told her to give me. And she says she will build a wildlife fence on the boundary line once the new area is deeded to me. Like ducks she will. Time for Scully to set up military-grade surveillance.”
Felix accepted Davinia’s land offer. He said nothing about the fence. Eight months passed.
“Christ, when will that witch write my new deed? She wrote me a stupid letter saying my goldfish are in violation of state regulations. “Your fish go or the deal is off.” Time to write that bitch a scathing letter!!!
Davinia
You are obviously sick; you have no right to take your property away from me. My family has been using it for years. Your parents never had a problem with that. So, what is your problem? You’ll be spending tens of thousands of dollars and still lose it. Any Judge will look at the facts of this case and award your property to me. Get that deed written! The whole world will become a better place when you move away.
Dear Mr. Fisher:
“The proposed boundary line adjustment is abandoned effective today. Any items remaining on Ms. Cooperfield’s property after July 15th will be removed and the costs of disposal will be billed to you. After July 15th, Ms. Cooperfield will proceed with fencing the grandfathered line.”
Brian Wickfield, Attorney at Law
July 15th arrived, Felix got high. “Scully called me at work today. He said ‘The Witch is here. Shall I call the police?’ ‘No. I’ll be right home.’
”Hah. Scully believes everything I’ve told him about her. He’s so gullible. I totally blasted that witch! Davinia told me to call the police. I scorched her like my mouth became a welding torch. ‘You’ve gone mental! I’m going to bury you in that fish pond!’
Davinia called the police. Ten days later, the Judge issued a stalking order, A one year term. Felix accepted it, saying “It’s to my advantage.” Davinia’s nerves went taut, her voice vanished. She dared not challenge Felix’s words to the Judge, but she understood his covert message. “Beware of Scully.”
November 5, Felix journaled: “The game warden came by this afternoon. He says I have to put in a $10K secure fish tank on my own land or pay a big fine. He told me I have to tell Scully he can’t harass Ms. Witch anymore, cuz she has a legal right to build her fence. How Embarrassing! When that stalking order expires, she’s going to pay for this!!”
Davinia didn’t have to be told she was in danger. She wrote an affidavit, assembled a photographic exhibit for both Felix and the Judge to review. She filed to extend Felix’s stalking order indefinitely.
On August 12, 2025 Felix Fisher waited impatiently for the virtual hearing to begin. Davinia is seeing Felix’s screen, but not Felix’s face. It looks to her as though the computer’s camera is located half an inch above a green lawn.
“Your Honor, I’m sorry my computer screen isn’t working today, but I can see you and hear you.”
“That’s good Mr. Fisher. We can proceed.”
“Your honor, I have no idea what this is all about. This is stupid, I have no knowledge of her accusations, I am not a violent man, this is just stupid.”
“Ms. Cooperfield, the law does not allow your requested third-party violation amendment to Mr. Fisher’s stalking order, but I can extend the order another year.”
Davinia asked: “Your honor, can the order be extended for more than one year?”
“Yes. The maximum time the law allows is five years. Mr. Fisher has served one year, so I can extend the stalking order for four more years.”
The Judge paused, looked at Mr. Fisher’s green screen, and said “Will that be all right with you, Mr. Fisher?”
“Yes, yes, yes, give the woman what she wants. I don’t want to go through this every year! Give her five, ten, give her a hundred! Whatever!”
“Mr. Fisher, violation of this stalking order will result in criminal charges. I advise you to stop interfering with Ms. Cooperfield’s property. This hearing is closed.”
Davinia’s taut nerves let go. She smiled. She knew the Judge knew the Truth.
“Truth can’t penetrate the soul of a gaslighter.”
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