Hungry from the long walk, both of you dig in greedily to the treats before you. As you consume the goodies, you find that you want more. After a while you finally begin to fill full, though somewhat bloated, from overindulgence. Both of you sit back in your chair, burping in spite of yourselves.
Miranda, who excused herself after serving you, re-enetered the kitchen with a smile on her face.
"How are you doing? Are my babies' tummies all full?".
Peeved by the pain in your over-filled stomach, you snap "We're fine, but we're NOT your babies!".
Miranda's smile melted like snow on a griddle and became a scowl. "Maybe not, but you sure gobbled my treats like you were".
"What do you mean?", Hansel asked.
"Just this", replied Miranda, "if you recall a so-called fairy tale about two children with the same names as you, then you'll realize my secret".
Hansel thought for a moment, and then it came to him; the story of "Hansel & Gretel". He'd never considered the irony of his and his girl-friend's names before. So, he thought, if we're the main characters, that would make her a witch.
Looking across the table at Gretel, he could tell that she, too, had come to the same conclusion as he.
"Run!", Hansel yelled to Gretel as he, himself, pushed away from the table in order to escape.
Unfortunately for the teens, their legs refused to support them as the tried to stand and they both fell to the floor.
"Ah, ah, ah", scolded Miranda, "you really shouldn't try to leave until I say you can. Unfortunately, I will never let you leave me".
"What are you going to do to us?", asked Hansel
"What, indeed?", retorted Miranda, "it appears I'll have to make your punishment fit the crime".
Miranda began a low chant, her finger pointing at Gretel, who felt a tingling sensation pass through her as....