SECTION III - THE CAULDRON
Spells for Teenage Witches, by Marina Baker - Review By ~ G. Rain
Maire's Solstice - LunaWillowsong
Abby - Mystickally
Mystic Moon - ~Rain
Michael and Beth Chronicles - Selene SilverWind
Who Are You? - L.J. Herold
The Witch's Master Grimoire, by Lady Sabrina - Reviewed by ~ G. Rain
Relationship Magick, A newsletter for the magickally minded - Review by Luna Willowsong
A Whisper In The Darkness - Antigone
Maire's Solstice
By Luna Willowsong
Maire's family lived upstairs in the building that housed downstairs, the village Post Office and the Bank. This morning when she had been awakened by the thump-thump...thump-thump of the post master downstairs canceling the stamps on the outgoing mail, she just knew that today was going to be a wonderful day and that something special was going to happen to her! She threw back the sheet and got out of bed. She had been so hot last night that she had taken off her pajamas and slept without her clothes. The morning was already getting very warm and Maire wished she could go outside without her clothes but Mommy always got angry when she found Maire with out her clothes on. Sometimes Maire just couldn't help but give into the temptation to feel sunshine, moonlight or rain on her skin. She dressed quickly and went to the kitchen to eat her bowl of cereal, anxious to go outdoors.
Every day was filled with new adventures for Maire, but today was sure to be a special day! Yesterday Daddy had told her that today was the Equinox; some called it the Solstice, the longest day of the year! Only Maire's baby brother Padraig was awake and in the kitchen. Dora, the housekeeper who came every day while Mommy and Daddy were at work, was feeding him his oatmeal. Maire gave him a quick kiss and hurried to the table to eat her cereal. Dora scolded her for drinking the milk out of the bowl rather than taking the time to use her spoon. Not even Dora's sharp tongue could make her feel bad on such a special day!
Maire went down the stairs to the back yard to swing on the swing set. After a while when she got too warm she lay on her back in the shade on the soft green grass in the yard and watched the leaves on the of the big elm tree dance in the morning sun. She thought about the things that Mrs. Fitzpatrick had told her last night when she sat on the stoop with her where it was cool.
She loved listening to Mrs. Fitzpatrick's stories of what it was like when she was a young girl like
Maire. Sometimes she sang to Maire. Some of them were songs that Mrs. Fitzpatrick had sung when she too was a little girl. Maire's favorite was the song about Lilies of the Valley.
"White Choral Bells upon a slender stalk,
Lilies of the Valley line my garden walk.
Oh, don't you wish that you could hear them ring?
That will happen only when the fairies sing!"
Maire believed in fairies! Last night Mrs. Fitzgerald had made little dolls out of pink hollyhocks from her garden for
Maire. She told Maire that hollyhocks were special favorites of the fairies who loved bright colors and sweet nectar. Sometimes fairies visited the hollyhocks disguised as butterflies, bumblebees, and hummingbirds. Maire loved hummingbirds the best of all the birds that she saw in her yard and garden. They were so little and flew so fast. Sometimes when she sat very still in the garden they would come right up to a flower beside her and sip nectar. She thought that their feathers were more beautiful than all the emeralds and rubies that Mrs. Malone the mayor's wife wore. Mommy said it was costume jewelry. Maire thought that hummingbirds wore much more beautiful costumes than stuffy old Mrs. Malone! Sometimes the little birds perched on the clothesline in the back yard and made such a loud noisy chatter for such tiny birds! Maire wondered what they found to chat about and wished that she could understand what they were saying!
Maire got up from the grass and walked to the hollyhocks that grew at the side of her building. She would make a hollyhock doll for her little sister Sheila like Mrs. Fitzpatrick had made for her last night! As she looked at the flowers to decide which to pick for the doll she watched an occasional hummingbird dart in and out, and the big bumblebees with their rumbling buzz, fly in and out of the hollyhocks. The bumblebees scared her a little bit but they were so pretty and interesting to watch that Maire forgot that she was afraid of the bees and reached to pluck a flower. Maire had trouble pulling the flower off of the hollyhock stalk but after a final determined tug the flower popped off the stalk and Maire's arm flew out. Her hand connected with a hummingbird who had been flying toward the flowers. The small bird was thrown against the brick wall with a sickening small thud and tumbled to the ground at her feet where it lay very still.
Maire stared in horror at what she had done. What should she do? She sat down and gently picked up the tiny bird, cupping it in her small hand. She began to cry, unable to see the little bird through her tears; she sat rocking asking The Lady to show her what to do. Maire often asked The Lady what to do when she was hurt or afraid or confused. The lady often spoke to her in a soft whisper that Maire heard in her heart. After a little while The Lady spoke to Maire and said, "You can help the bird, Little One, you know how to do it. Like the hummingbird you can do what seems to be impossible."
Maire was confused and didn't understand what The Lady meant, but the Lady spoke no more. Maire's tears fell like rain on the little bird, and she whispered "Be well little bird...be well little bird...be well little bird" She blew softly on the little bird and her hands became warm and tingly. Moments passed slowly but then she felt the small bird tremble in her hand. Making the tiniest of gasps the tiny bird lifted its head. Maire's eyes grew even larger in her pale face, when she realized what she was seeing. It was not a bird at all, but a small person, a little girl person, who was wearing a garment made of humming bird feathers. Her tiny eyes gazed into Maire's and she spoke in a musical voice. "Thank you sweet
Maire. My parents will reward you for your kindness to me." As the noon whistle sounded the little bird girl flew away on hummingbird wings.
Maire was very quiet the rest of the day as she sat thinking about the magical thing that had happened this morning. She wished she could tell someone but she knew that no one would believe her. Mrs. Fitzgerald had been working in her flowerbed that afternoon and after dinner brought Maire a small bouquet of Lilies of the Valley. After thanking the thoughtful old woman, Maire put them in a jelly glass of water took them to her room and placed them on the windowsill by her bed. Maire climbed into bed and for a while looked out the window watching the fireflies blinking in the back yard. Just as she was about to fall asleep she heard a beautiful voice whispering...
"Maire, come to your window."
She walked to her window and rubbed her eyes several times to make certain she was truly seeing what she thought she saw. There on the other side of the screen were a tiny man and a tiny woman, no bigger than sparrows, and the little bird girl Maire had met that morning. The little man spoke first, "You are a kind child sweet
Maire, we wish to reward your generosity by granting you fulfillment of a wish. What will it be? Pearls? Gold? Silver? Name it and it is yours!"
"But...But why? Who...what... are you? stammered Maire, gazing in amazement at the handsome man and the beautiful lady who held the hand of the little bird girl.
The beautiful lady spoke next. "We are the fairies in whom you believe young
Maire. You returned our daughter to us, and for that we will be ever thankful and watch over you as your protectors! We are giving you a gift that you will not really understand until you are older, but for now we wish to give you something as a gift to remember this day and as a sign of our gratitude for what you have done for our family."
"But it was my fault your little girl was hurt. I didn't mean to but still it was my fault," said
Maire.
"No sweet Maire, our daughter is inexperienced in flight and snuck out while we were otherwise occupied. It was an accident, and you healed her asking nothing in return. For that we insist on rewarding you. For what would you wish"?
Maire thought for a few moments and then said, "If it's possible, I'd like to hear you sing."
"Very well dear Maire, we shall sing you a lullaby and watch you as you sleep"
Maire climbed into bed and the small trio began to sing, a sound lovelier than anything she had ever heard. Maire smiled as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, certain that she was hearing the sound of dozens of little bells ringing from the bouquet of Lily of the Valley on the window sill by her bed. She was already asleep when the fairies kissed her goodnight.
Abby
By Mystickally
"So what do you think is worse; getting a lot of attention and having to answer a lot of questions, or being avoided and feared?" Cal asked Abby sarcastically as they walked through the campus grounds.
"I don't know. I don't think it was such a good idea at all."
Abby had regrets about the entire situation. It was no secret that she wanted nothing to do with the publicity that went along with the whole fiasco. She did it because she thought she was doing the right thing. Greg was fired and his education was disrupted because the "powers-that-be" disagreed with his choice of religion and lifestyle. He was a witch. He was a
Wiccan. Then the battle turned into something more. The Pagan community embraced it as a personal insult and fought to win a battle against "religious tolerance".
"Cal, this is a Christian university. A church does not fund it, but the religious department is predominantly made up of Christian leaders. What the heck did anyone expect would happen?"
"And that justifies intolerance?"
"Maybe not, but why did we turn it into such an event?"
That very question had divided the Pagan community. There were those that were disgusted by the way many
"outed" themselves. The whole "I am a Pagan/Witch/Wiccan! Look at me - I'm not evil!" proclamation angered many traditional practitioners of the craft, who felt that the privacy of every true pagan was compromised, thanks to the already overly advertised Neo-Pagan movement. An individual's religion and lifestyle are very personal things, and not something that should be shared with the entire world. On the other hand, many Wiccans found it to be a unique opportunity to prove to the town that they weren't all that bad, and that sharing some of their "secrets" was a good way to show it - and to educate at the same time.
Abby had done a lot of research since the very first time she was exposed to the craft. She found herself straying away from Wicca. There was a lot that disillusioned her. She continued to search for other thoughts and ideas and secretly, while not really realizing it, situated herself into a traditional path of simplicity. She had been happy and more at peace with herself ever since. But Abby never once shared her "revelation" with anybody; not even
Shaene. And it was somewhere in the middle of that revelation that Abby started to really question whether or not her involvement in the controversy was worth it.
In any case, Beltane was soon approaching and a public gathering was planned to take place on campus. It wouldn't be anything spectacular, but it was organized to signify the end of the craziness, and was hoped to be a means of getting everybody together to have a good time, regardless of his or her belief system. Maybe this would be the peace treaty that the school needed to move on.
The days preceding the Beltane celebration consisted of lots of excited preparation. The campus grounds were decorated to look like a spring garden. A pole had been erected on the campus, and most that passed it wondered, "Where's the flag?
The afternoon of the celebration, the campus was buzzing. People were showing up on campus with long, colorful ribbons and baskets of food. Confused onlookers watched on in amazement, wondering what the night held in store.
Abby and Shaene showed up together with food, ribbons, and a video camera. Kat showed up a few minutes later with several large blankets and more food.
The grounds became more and more saturated with people situated on blankets and surrounded by food and more people.
Shaene, Abby and Kat were eventually joined by the rest of the crew - Cari-lynn, Cal, and Mike, as well as
Cailey, Paul and Josh, three friends who had remained neglected throughout the entire Greg fiasco - and together they sat to talk and laugh and listen to the live music being performed by several different groups of people. You couldn't really tell apart the pagans from the non-pagans, and even the church officials that were carefully monitoring the events looked more at ease than they had in previous months.
The light gave way to darkness before anyone realized, and soon a bonfire was lit. People gleefully roasted marshmallows and many jumped up to dance around the may pole, their colorful ribbons wrapping around the pole as they danced around it.
"So is this where we all dance around naked under the full moon?"
The group turned around and found Tim standing behind them. Kat, Cailey and Paul's jaws dropped to the floor when they recognized Tim's famous face. Abby introduced Tim as a very old friend and after the initial shock, they shared stories of how their friendship blossomed and Tim's struggle to become a vocalist. "The next teen sensation" was his original goal, but that dream turned out to be more like "the next sensation for teens". Tim proved to be an excellent friend and a real down to earth person.
"I came here to support Abby. I just wish I could have been here sooner."
"Blast those darn 'touring around the world making mucho bucks' commitments!" Mike exclaimed sarcastically, with a snap of his fingers.
"I would watch the sarcasm with me ... what's your name again? 'Mike Rotch from apartment 69', was it?" Tim spouted back.
Abby giggled and explained that Tim was the king of sarcasm and that even Mike would be hard pressed to top him.
The night was an obvious hit, and at midnight, it didn't look like the festivities would be over in the near future.
A discussion about beliefs started with a small group of people, and eventually spread out to include everyone present. Some exchanged views from a Christian point of view as well as a Jewish, Buddhist and Pagan view, and each with several points to each religious group, to present differing opinions within each group. It was an interesting conversation that could have easily turned into a violent one, but instead remained a peaceful but heated discussion. It was a chance for outsiders to get a glimpse of what the pagan viewpoint of life was, without resorting to the usual, boring arguments like "We don't believe in the devil".
The most animated discussion brewed within differing pagan groups. One side argued the importance of the Wiccan Rede and the Law of Return, while the other side questioned its validity. At around 4 in the morning, the group finally dispersed, but not before setting up a date at the end of the week in order to continue the discussion. It left quite an impression on every attendant. Abby and the crew continued the discussion as they headed home. Abby hadn't yet gained a steady foot to join in the discussion, but she had a lot to think about. It was certainly time for her to really think about her life and where she stood with the set of beliefs she was supposed to be living her life by.
The second discussion turned into a third and fourth one, and eventually became a weekly gathering. A sort of "pagan student union" was unofficially formed, where week-to-week, different issues were addressed and debated.
Normally, this would be considered a good thing, except for the fact that it seemed to drive a wedge between Abby and Cal. Suddenly they began to argue frequently and never seemed to be able to stay in the same room without going at each other's throats.
The biggest argument started after Abby began to really think about The Rede and the Threefold Law of Return. The more she thought about it, the more she found herself defecting from both sets of beliefs.
"It's pretty and has a happy little message to it, but I don't buy it."
"What's there to 'buy'? An it harm none ... what thou givest shall return to thee ... those are basic tenets."
"It's hokey."
"It's hokey?"
"Threefold Law: watch what ya do or it'll come back to bite ya in the butt at three times the strength? I left the Catholic church because I didn't like being told that I was born with original sin, therefore I have to spend the rest of my life asking for forgiveness from a God that stands by, watching us suffer excruciating physical and emotional pain! Threefold Law is the same thing, only with a new age-y twist to it. Wiccan
Rede: Perfect Love and Perfect Trust? Puh-lease. It doesn't exist. Nothing is perfect. Everything in Nature is inherently flawed. That's what makes life what it is. The good and the bad is Nature. It's how things are."
Cal and Abby went back to that argument everyday for a week before they finally decided to keep their distance from each other for a bit. Kat and Shaene decided to stay out of it, even if they had wanted to intervene, neither knew what course of action to take.
Kat never followed a religion. She was raised in a household that disavowed the very thought of it. But what Abby argued was exactly how Kat was brought up: respect her environment, do what must be done to ensure her own and her family's safety, and respect only those that extends you the same courtesy. Anything more or less was unacceptable practice. Kat found herself siding with Abby, and thought it best not to speak with Cal about it, and Shaene had always been very guarded in talking about his beliefs in detail.
"I just don't understand why Cal is taking what Abby says as a personal insult." Shaene admitted to Kat.
"I don't know that he is taking it as a personal insult. He just can't see it from her point of view. He was raised with Wicca, and his dad follows a ceremonial path. They are definitely going to butt heads about it."
"Maybe so, but he is acting like Abby is dead wrong and another view can't possibly be the right one. Isn't that one of the arguments Wiccans have today, that they are not widely accepted and are expected to conform to the Christian belief structure? Whether Cal realizes it or not, he is treating this exactly the way he expects others NOT to treat him."
"I guess so. But who are we to say that he is wrong?"
"Who are we to say that she is wrong?"
Kat and Shaene agreed that neither person had the upper hand. They just hoped that Abby and Cal would get through it and still come out as friends.
Mystic Moon
Chapter. 9
O.B.E
By ~Rain
The whole week seemed surreal; working at Mystic Moon, the man who haunts my dreams, and now Jane is serious about becoming
Wiccan. The morning was crazy, but work was quiet. When I finished work, I decided to head to the market to bring something to
Shara's. I walked around to different sections, grabbed some flowers, yellow, the color of friendship. I figured I could bring something small maybe wine and cheese. I passed by the bakery and saw an apple pie. I immediately thought of Shara's sweet tooth and decided it was a perfect choice.
It was four fifteen when I got home. Jane was waiting on the couch with Ms. Morgana my familiar. "Where have you been? I have been waiting here, you're late!" She exclaimed as she stood up. She started to shove me out the door when I told her to wait. So she let me back in the apartment. I walked to the kitchen and unpacked everything. I freshened up and fed missy her dinner.
I was reaching for my coat, when Jane grabbed my car keys and pushed me out the door. "We can't be late, I'll drive!" She said running down the stairs.
"A few minutes don't matter! " I said seriously. I guess she had a reason to be excited. I mean she was starting her year of serious studies. Since I started working at Mystic Moon my mind traveled back in time quite frequently. We got in the car and my thoughts drifted.
I was thinking back to when I was performing my dedication ritual. I was in my room, and it was my first ritual ever. Not to mention I was alone. It took me five full minutes to get the courage to cast the circle. Now that I think about it, I was pretty young to be making such a drastic change. My thoughts were interrupted when the car stopped.
"We're here." Jane said. The ride had passed quickly. Somehow the building looked different today than it did in the dark on that wonderful night. It was a large twenty something floors building. We got out of the car, walked to the entrance, and saw the doorman, "Where to ladies?"
Jane told him Shara's apartment number. We stood in front of the elevator. I hate elevators, always have. Flashes of scenes from various movies popped into my head... of course the scenes I was thinking all involved elevators getting stuck. In my apartment building Jane and I are on the second floor, so I always take the stairs. But Shara is on the very top floor. She says the view is fabulous.
"I don't care what I will see, I still hate elevators " I mumbled to myself and walked in. I gripped the poll tightly and held my breath.
"Two more to go. " Jane said. I told myself to just hold on. I felt a little dizzy, and then I realized I had been holding my breath for a while. I finally breathed but it didn't help. I saw spots, and then they melded into a haze. Eventually I saw only black. I felt like I was dreaming, more like floating. It was weird, that's all I could explain it as, a floating light feeling! The next thing I heard was my name;
"Gwen! " I opened my eyes to see Jane holding a washcloth over my head, and I saw Mona and Shara bending over me too.
"What?" I said. " Why are you all staring at me?"
"Oh my goddess, you fainted. Don't you remember? " Jane responded
We were outside the elevator and people started to gather around me as I lay on the floor. Jane held up her arms and said,"She's OK, nothing to see here, move along." Oh great I thought, my first time at
Shara's, and I faint. What kind of message does that send? I had fainted on the flowers and now they were crushed.
Thank the Goddess that Jane was caring the pie! Then they helped me to Shara's door. Shara pushed it within her hand and it opened up. My first reaction was just pure "wow" I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
I was still a little hazy and saw green everywhere. Jane refused to let go of my arm. She moved me aside to the left for a minute so Mona and Shara could come in. Eight cats came straight out of nowhere and sat down in a row in front of
Shara. She bent down and gave each of them a little treat. I couldn't believe it; they were in a perfect line.
My eyes cleared, and the dizzy feeling went away. I looked around. The green I saw before were plants. They were everywhere! Some were hanging from the ceiling; others on the floor, on tables and anywhere Shara could find a place with enough light.
It most definitely didn't feel like a city loft, more like a warm Victorian cottage. I inhaled the air, to refresh my brain and get some good oxygen. That same fragrance lingered in the air here, just like in the store, Egyptian flowers.
I was helped to a red velvet couch. Mona went to put on some tea. Jane stayed with me, as Shara disappeared to a back room.
"You just fainted, right there, and scared me half to death. " Jane said. Mona walked back into the room and said something I will never forget.
"No dear, she didn't faint, she just had an Out of Body Experience. " She put the old teacups down and poured the tea. " Drink this." I took a sip. It was bitter and sweet. I had never tasted anything like it. Yet, something about the tea seemed familiar.
"How do you know, it was an OBE and not a fainting spell?" I asked.
"Your mind is programmed to exhale after a certain point, it is almost impossible to hold your breath and not breath. Remember back to your childhood, didn't you hold your breath underwater? Every time you brain, gave you a message that you needed air, so you came up and took a breath." Mona stood by the couch, comfortably placing her hand on the edge.
"However, It is possible to faint if you keep taking deep breaths inhaling, and exhaling, but, then you would make a lot of noise. When Jane got me she said you made no noise at all. Plus if you factor in you extreme desire to be in another place, specifically not in an elevator, that could easily set of an
OBE. " Mona smiled and sat down.
I had read about out of body experiences, but I still wasn't sure that I could possibly have had one. Mona motioned for me to put my legs up on the couch. She took off my shoes for me. My mother used to do that when I was very young. She told me to put my bare feet on the floor. So I followed her instructions. The floor was wooden and cool. For some reason that helped. I drank my tea and looked around.
The walls were covered with old pictures, and ornate paintings of goddesses. Three brooms also hung on the wall, each a different size from the next. Everything was immaculate clean and shined. There were large picture windows with dark red velvet curtains. I looked up at the hanging plants and noticed that little silver moons danced across the ceiling. Everything was so beautiful. Especially lovely was an antique vase filled with live wildflowers. Cat statues leisurely laid on the tabletops and corner tables. I looked down at my empty teacup.
"More tea?" Mona asked, as if reading my mind.
"Yes, thank you. This place, its so beautiful, I just can't believe its real." I said.
"Sometimes, it has that effect on people. " Shara said charging in the room. She was holding black flowing fabric in her hands. The cats all followed her. "Oh silly me, I forgot to introduce the family." She smiled.
She put the fabric down on the dining room table, and sat down next to Mona. All the cats sat in a row, waiting for Shara to introduce them. She went from left to right, introducing each one as if they were human beings. " This Egypt, Chocolate, Sassafras, Pagan, Sesame,
Tabatha, Thistle and Aries. " She nodded her head and they broke up into little groups; some went to Jane, others to Mona, the rest to Shara and myself.
"You are Aries, right?" I asked the one closest to me. I picked him up and let him snuggle in my lap like Miss Morgana dose. "Why name him Aries?" I asked
Shara.
"Well, the doorman found him eating the garbage and he knew I could give him a good meal. So I adopted him into my family. I left him home alone one day and he tore up one of my curtains. The ungrateful, snake!" She waved her hands in the air and laughed. "Now, my other darlings never did such a thing, so I knew it was him! I could see it in his eyes, but we agreed not to do that again. Not a problem since." She smiled, " Anyway after a long day of sewing up that disaster, I thought it was only fitting to name him after the god of war!"
Jane and I exchanged glances. Shara is so very funny. Everything she does makes me laugh. She stood up, walked to pick up the fabric and then came over to us.
"This is for you." Shara said. She gave Jane her dress first and then gave me one as well. Mona smiled as she received hers as if she knew something we didn't. Shara draped hers over her arm. She was holding something circular and placed in on Jane's head. " A perfect fit. "
As she squealed in delight, I glanced at Jane's hair. She was wearing a headpiece with purple flowers and black ribbon. "Ok my dears go try them on!" Shara said, and motioned us to the back rooms.
I went into the bathroom, and put on mine. It was black with purple fabric with appliqu‚s of little roses. The dress was beautiful, flowing and it fit me perfectly. I had never given Shara my measurements; I didn't know how she got it to fit so well. I wanted to see everyone's outfit so I ran to the living room where everyone gathered near the couches. We were all talking at once and joyfully laughing.
"Shara, Thank you so much! " Jane said and hugged Shara. I joined in too.
"Oh mother you really have out done yourself!" Mona said. She looked down at her stomach and started to cry.
Shara said "I don't know, its just perfect. You are my best friends. I am going to have a beautiful baby. I am just so full of joy." Mona wiped her eyes. We embraced each other in a sisterly hug. Our dresses molded together and the cats started to gather around us.
"When did you make these?" Jane asked Shara.
"I am an old witch, I have time. Oh dear, but we don't!" She said looking outside. The sun was starting to set. " It's time, grab the lanterns, basket, and ritual tools!"
She started to dance around the loft shouting, " Candle light burn so bright, let the
magick, brew tonight! " We all joined in. Four witches, chanting, dancing and gathering items for the ritual. The sun was setting and the moon was rising. The night had just begun!
Michael and Beth Cronicles
Home Sweet Home
By Selene Silverwind
SeleneSilverwind.com
(In our last episode: Gary and Mark found a new species of jellyfish on the beach. Angela's prayer group led a prayer in the courtyard. Marisa joined in. Angela and Kyra agreed to teach each other's kids about their religions.)
The shouts of her children drew Angela to her apartment window. Jennifer and Andrew were in the courtyard pounding on Kyra's door.
"Kyra!" Jennifer screeched, panic riding high in her voice.
Angela threw open her door and raced down the two flights of stairs to the courtyard. "She's not home, Jen! What's wrong?"
"Marisa--" Andrew panted.
"Marisa's been hurt," Jennifer finished.
"Take me."
The three of them ran back down the block. Marisa was crumpled on the ground by a tree just at the end of the block. Angela knelt down in front of her
GoddessChild.
"What happened Marisa?"
"A boy threw rocks," Andrew said.
Marisa looked up at Angela, tears pooling in her eyes. She was hurt, humiliated, and a little angry.
"A kid from the eighth grade," Jennifer said.
"Do you know his name?" Angela asked. Marisa nodded. She knew him all right.
"Okay, we'll deal with him later. For now, let's get you home. Can you stand?"
"Yeah," Marisa said, pushing herself off the ground. "Ouch."
Angela carefully helped Marisa to her feet, then they walked slowly home. Jennifer and Andrew followed behind until they were all safely inside Angela's apartment.
"Jennifer, get me the first aid kit. Andrew, get me a cold washcloth."
While her kids raced to get the requested items, Angela walked Marisa to the couch, told her to sit down, then sat down next to her to examine the injury. Marisa closed her eyes, wincing as Angela gently tugged at the skin around the abrasion. Jennifer returned, clattering the first aid kit open on the floor. Band-aids, gauze, and antiseptic wipes spilled out.
"Am I gonna need stitches?" Marisa asked.
Angela shook her head. "It looks like a surface injury. There's some dirt from the rock, but I think you'll be fine. I do need to clean it, though." Andrew returned with the cloth. He stood quietly behind Angela, holding it out for his mom, who reached behind her to grasp it. She carefully dabbed at the skin around the cut. Jennifer handed her an antiseptic wipe and she gently pressed it against the sore. Marisa bravely tried not to grimace, aware that Jennifer and Andrew were watching with great concern.
"Could I have some water?" she asked.
Angela sent Andrew into the kitchen to fetch the water and some cookies for Marisa, then she turned to Jennifer. "Go leave a note on Kyra's door."
Jennifer left the apartment, returning a moment later with Kyra in tow. "I just got home. What happened?"
Angela applied a bandage, then Marisa lifted her gaze to her mother. "A boy threw rocks at me." Another rush of tears filled her eyes as she remembered the hate on his face when he'd picked up the first rock.
Kyra rushed to her daughter's side and took her in her arms. "Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry. Why?"
"He tried to kiss me. I pushed him away because I don't like him so he accused me of casting a spell on him. I said I didn't. I wouldn't Mom, you know that. I don't even like him. Anyway, he called me a liar, then he threw the rock. When I got hurt, he ran away. I hope something really bad happens to him."
"Don't worry, Marisa. He'll be in plenty of trouble."
"What are you going to do?" Marisa asked, briefly hoping her mother would break her rules against hexing and made his face break out in huge, puss-filled pimples, but she knew that her mother would only use mundane means to extract a punishment.
"I'm calling your principal tomorrow."
"Mom," Marisa whined, now feeling the sting of embarrassment more than the sting of her cut.
"No, Marisa. You can't let him get away with this. If he's forcing kisses on you now, he knows what he'll do in a couple years."
Marisa sighed, rolling her eyes far back in their sockets to indicate her annoyance with this plan.
The phone rang, halting any further protests from Marisa. Angela went to answer it.
"Yes, this is Angela....That's great....Thank you....We'll be in tomorrow to sign the papers."
Kyra looked up at her best friend, who turned to face her with a fantastic grin. "They accepted the offer on the house!"
Jennifer and Andrew screamed with excitement. Kyra jumped off the couch and dashed over to her friend, twirling her into a hug. Forgetting her pain amid all the joy, Marisa leaped off the couch and joined Jennifer and Andrew in jumping up and down.
"We have to sign the papers tomorrow. If all goes according to plan, we can move in about six weeks!"
"I'll consider this your notice," Kyra teased.
Angela pulled back and looked her friend in the eye. "Thank you, Kyra. I couldn't have done it without your support."
"Oh sure you would have, it just would have taken longer. Let's have a dinner tonight to celebrate the news."
"Great. I have the night off."
"I'll tell everyone." Kyra turned toward her daughter. "Marisa, want to help me make a chocolate cake? You can lick the bowl."
Forgetting her pain entirely, Marisa bounded toward the door. "Thanks Angela, Jen, Andy. See you later!"
Later that afternoon, Gary raced in the front door of his apartment, his smile wide. Mark met him in the entryway and hugged him tightly before he even had a chance to set down his briefcase. "So what did the ranger say?" he asked.
"How did you know?" Gary asked, pulling back to set down his bag and take off his jacket.
"He called here too."
"He said it is a rare species, possibly endangered. They're going to file for that status. I'm going to help them by applying for a temporary restraining order against construction."
"Awesome! We have to tell everyone."
"Later, for now let's celebrate just us."
Mark stepped to the fridge, opened it, and grabbed a chilled bottle of Chardonnay. He pulled out the cork and filled two glasses with the shimmering gold liquid, one of which he handed to Gary. "To you," he said.
"To us and everyone in the building," Gary corrected, clinking his glass against Mark's.
Michael and Beth were upstairs enjoying the first day of semester break. Finals were over, they now had a week to relax without any distractions. Right now they were cuddled up on the couch watching a cheesy early sixties romantic comedy and eating ice cream. It was one of those movies the classic movie channel put on in the middle of the day when they didn't think anyone would be watching, but Michael and Beth were and enjoying every moment of the horrible film.
"You should dress like that," Michael teased, referring to the pedal pushers and tube top ensemble the lead wore in the beach scene.
"You know that look is coming back in," Beth said, shooting him a serious look.
"I know. And you'd look faboo in it." Michael smiled down at her. She looked faboo in everything she wore, and even better in nothing.
"Be right back." Pushing off the couch, Beth went into the bedroom. After a quick change, she re-emerged dressed in an outfit very similar to the one in the film, except that the top was tighter and hugged her curves perfectly.
"Yowsers," Michael said. "Forget the movie. I want to watch you."
A knock at the door interrupted Michael's lascivious thoughts. He went to answer it for Beth. Kyra stood on the other side. "Mid-week dinner party tonight."
Beth stepped to the door. "Did something happen?"
"You'll find out at dinner."
Kyra's guests arrived exactly on time. Tonight the whole gang had gathered, including Angela, James, and the children. Normally their work schedules kept them away. Marisa was seated in the living room watching TV, Kyra having graciously given her the night off her homework due to her pain. Each of Marisa's neighbors showed sympathy and asked for an explanation. It was agreed that Kyra was doing the right thing telling the principal and if he didn't do anything, then a letter-writing campaign would be organized.
Marisa loved and hated the attention at the same time. She didn't know if telling the principal would do her any good, but her mother was adamant and maybe at least that rotten boy would learn not to go around kissing girls who didn't want to be kissed.
Kyra served dinner in the dining room, then asked who had good news to share. She hadn't expected more than Angela's hand to shoot up, but Gary's hand went up too.
Gary went first, informing the others that the jellyfish was indeed endangered and that he would be filing for a TRO and things were looking up. A great cheer went up around the table.
"The power of magick," Michael said.
"And prayer," Angela added.
"Tell all your friends thank you," Mark said to her.
"I will, while I'm telling them that our offer on the house was accepted."
Another cheer went up around the table.
"Congratulations. Let us know if we can help you move," Gary said.
"Yeah, after all the help James gave me, it's the least I can do," Beth echoed.
All the neighbors offered their assistance as well.
"Great," James said from his place beside Angela. "We accept any and all offers."
Kyra closed the good news round by announcing that things were going forward with her company. She and Adam were planning a major press release in conjunction with her magazine spread. With any luck, her products would get featured on Oprah's holiday show.
"Don't get ahead of us there, sweetie," Adam warned. "I don't think we're ready for production on quite that scale just yet."
Kyra laughed. "I know dear. Just wishful thinking."
"I can say I knew you when," Anacati said. "And of course, my office will only carry your exclusive line of pet products."
Kyra laughed, then ordered the people she thought of as friends as well as neighbors and tenants to shut up and eat.
After dinner, Michael and Beth went back up to her apartment to watch another cheesy movie. As the husband and wife on the screen bickered good-naturedly, an idea popped into Michael's head. He sat up, muting the volume with the remote control, then looked at Beth. "Let's move in together," he said.
"What?" Beth asked, surprise in her voice.
"We've been together awhile now. I think it's time we moved in together."
"I don't know Michael. I mean, I lived with someone before. It didn't work out. Plus, it's only been three months."
"Long enough for me to know how I feel. I'm not Kurt."
Beth raised a tender hand to Michael's cheek. "I know you're not. Can you let me think about it?"
"Sure." Michael leaned back against the sofa cushions and turned the TV's volume back on. "Just don't think too long. I might change my mind." He'd tried to say it with a threatening tone, but when Beth laughed, he knew he'd failed.
Beth curled up against his chest, then craned her neck to glance at him. "I love you," she said.
"I love you, too." Even if she didn't move in with him now, Michael knew that he and Beth would eventually be sharing a home. That was in his future plans.
Who Are You?
by L.J. Herold
Jenna was disgusted. Going to work on a weekend, and for what? Did they ever really notice? Were they ever going to reward her dedication and hard work? She laughed bitterly. "Screw them," she said, tossing her shoulder-length hair, and she hesitated for a moment at her car, looking at the beautiful day and seriously considering getting back in and driving home. She was young yet, and there were better things to do on a Saturday afternoon.
But she had told them she would get this done, and, damn it, she was nothing if not responsible. Even as a child her teachers had written "conscientious and diligent" on her report cards. She had always been reliable, the good girl who did the right thing. Yet she was beginning to realize that there was no big payoff for the one putting in the most effort and trying the hardest…nothing other than decreased quality of life, that is.
She opened the door to the building and went up the stairs to the office where she flung open that door and flicked the switches that flooded the suite with artificial light. She walked past the receptionist's desk, turned the corner, and walked through the forest of cubicles to her desk.
And that was where she saw him.
Seated in her chair with his feet propped up on her desk was a man she had never seen before. He was shockingly attractive, naked, and had a set of antlers on his head that would have been the envy of any grown buck.
In any sensible world she would have run from him screaming, but instead she just stood there gawking. His face was beautiful in a masculine way, and his body was finely sculpted but not overly muscled. He was deeply tanned with a generous amount of hair, but his skin looked smooth. His hair was long and disheveled, and his eyes were shining and dark. And atop his head were those antlers, seeming to grow right out from under his hair.
He smiled and then laughed, and her paralysis was broken…yet she still didn't run. "For God's sake, cover yourself!" she said.
He laughed again, but lowered his feet from the desk to the floor. "I don't carry clothes," he said in a deep, sensual voice.
"Are you some kind of pervert?" she asked. She pulled off her jacket and tossed it to him. He laid it over his lap with a smile.
"Is my appearance so repulsive?" he asked.
She could think of many terms to describe him, but repulsive was not one of them. "Who are you?" she asked.
"That's a matter of debate," he said.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked.
He smiled again, a gentle grin that curled his lips pleasantly. She could tell that smiles and laughter came easily to him. "Interesting choice of words," he said. "Some say that's where I'm from, or where I belong, or where I rule, or some such thing."
"Where…hell?" she asked. "You're the Devil?"
He shrugged. "People will call me as they will," he said.
"Now that doesn't surprise me," she said. "I always thought this place was suitable for the Prince of Darkness."
He raised an eyebrow. "You think I rule in darkness?" he asked.
She surveyed his tan. "Well, I think the darkness part is supposed to be metaphorical," she said.
"Oh," he said, smiling again in a gently mocking way. "That's the metaphorical part."
"Who are you really?" she asked.
"Matters who you talk to," he said.
"I'm talking to you," she said.
"Who do you want me to be?" he asked. His tone was clear and straightforward.
She swallowed. "Whoever you are," she said.
"I am who I am," he said. "I think you're the one who's pretending."
"Really?" she said, feeling anger flow into her with something else that might have been self-awareness, or maybe shame. "Well, I'm not the one in the costume," she said, looking at the antlers.
"Go ahead," he said. "Give them a tug. You wouldn't be the first one."
The come-on came naturally to him. She stepped closer and gently gripped part of the antlers; her hand tingled. She tugged carefully, well aware that she didn't want to hurt him. But how could she hurt him? The antlers couldn't be real. They couldn't be…his.
"Why not?" he asked.
She stumbled back from him. "You read minds?" she asked.
"I have various talents," he said. "Things have been attributed to me over time in different lands for different reasons. I have been everything from the Lord of the Sacred Flame to the fallen angel in flames, God and demon, light and dark, hunter and hunted, good and bad."
"Which is the truth?" she asked.
He laughed. "All of them, of course," he said.
"But how can that be?" she asked.
"Because all things are as we believe them to be," he said. "To those who wish it, I am the Horned God, the Lord of the Hunt, the liberating king of nature known as Pan and Herne and Cernunnos and other names known and yet to be known. Others wish to see me as the Devil, Satan, the Prince of Darkness, the snake of Eden, the one who tempts and tortures." He seemed to sense her confusion, and he smiled. "It's not so hard to understand," he said. "I give myself as a gift. How that gift is interpreted is left to the needs of the interpreter." He stood and handed her jacket back to her. "I can't make that decision for you. I only came to tell you that you must choose the path that is right for you," he said.
"But how do I know what's right?" she asked.
He smiled. "First of all things, be honest with yourself," he said. Without another word he turned and walked away.
She watched until he disappeared around the corner. Then for a moment she looked in silence at the empty cubicle with its sterile desk and chair and its piles of books and files. The dark computer screen reflected her image, and she looked into her eyes. She knew that the person she saw there was not who she was.
Be honest with yourself, she thought.
After one more moment of hesitation she put on her jacket, smiled, and headed out of the office.
The Witch's Master
Grimoire: An Encyclopedia of Charms, Spells, Formulas, and Magical Rites
by Lady Sabrina
Reviewed by ~ G. Rain
The Witch's Master Grimoire is a unique book that not only contains spells but helpful correspondences and magical properties throughout. The author covers topics rarely talked about in other magical texts such as
poppets, animal Magick, and the fairy realm.
Lady Sabrina's writing is exceptional. Her comments are helpful and genuine. She states; "You must have faith, otherwise you block the flow of energy, and impede your progress."(Page 17) The information ranges from Gypsy Magick to Shamanism, giving the overall feel of the book a sort of ancient twist.
The spells (for the most part) contain easy to find ingredients. Lady Sabrina utilizes everything from crystals to cords to candles. All spells are in accordance with the Wiccan Rede and there is a strong warning about love spells stating; "Love spells work well to get someone's attention or give a relationship a chance, but it is unwise to use them to try to hold people against there will." (Page 121)
I really enjoyed this book, with every turn of a page something new and exciting pops up! As a reviewer I read some books that are stuffy& boring or they repeat information. The Witch's Master Grimoire completely over comes this "syndrome" and easily entertains the reader.
My favorite part of the book wasn't a spell, but a beautiful, poetic, Drawing Down the Moon invocation (page 69). Lady Sabrina has a perfect balance of seriousness and wit, making me laugh out loud when I read, " According to some ancient
Grimoires, with the right magickal potion you can become invisible, fly on a broomstick, be forever young and beautiful, or turn your neighbor into a toad. (I like that one, and I'm sorry to say that it isn't available at this time. In fact, it may be that the powers of our ancestors have been slightly exaggerated.)" (Page 165)
There was one spell that I didn't particularly care for because it involved a lambs tongue. The spells purpose is to stop gossip but it may gross you out in the process!
The Witch's Master Grimoire is great for the semi-beginner who is looking to advance their magical skills! Whether your looking for a love-drawing potion, to learn about guardian spirits, or divination by runes you'll love this book.
Enjoy the Magick found within the pages of The Witch's Master Grimoire.
Rating: 5 out of 5 wicked broomsticks!
RELATIONSHIP MAGICK
A newsletter for the magickally minded
Review by Luna Willowsong
In this issue, Cauldrons and Broomsticks is going to do something a little different. We haven't traditionally reviewed or plugged other newsletters but in this instance we are proud to present for your consideration, a publication about which we are very proud because it is the creation of our own staff member Selene
Siverwind!
RELATIONSHIP MAGICK is a new publication, first published on Feb 19, 2001, by Selene
Silverwind, a love witch and relationship intuitive. Selene is a very talented writer who has delighted our readers with the love stories of "Fiona and Julian", and more recently "The Michael and Beth Chronicles". She is, as I write this review, on a cross-country book signing tour promoting her new book "Once Upon a Beltane Eve", and conducting relationship magick workshops.
Each issue contains a tip for enhancing or building your relationship as well as a relationship ritual. As a mental health practitioner who has done relationship counseling, I am particularly impressed by her suggestions for building emotional and spiritual intimacy with your partner. Suggestions given for building intimacy as a prelude to making love are worth their weight in gold! Sensuality and Spirituality are closely intertwined. While not excluding the importance of passion, Selene does a marvelous job of presenting the idea of love making as a spiritual experience to draw lovers closer. The relationship ritual that she includes in each issue is well written, seasonal and solid.
On a practical note, the length of the newsletter is large enough to offer some real meat, yet not long enough to clog up a mailbox. You can subscribe to RELATIONSHIP MAGICK in two ways. Check out Selene's web page
http:///www.selenesilverwind.com. where you may link to the newsletter, or you may subscribe through Yahoo Groups by sending a blank e-mail to:
RelationshipMagick-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
If you are considering a relationship with someone special, or if you are currently in a relationship which you wish to nurture and sustain or heal, this publication can be very helpful in offering suggestions for growth as a couple. I highly recommend this newsletter and give it 5 out of 5 cauldrons!
A Whisper In The Darkness
By Antigone
Brynn didn't know how to get through to Jakob. He just couldn't seem to understand that there would be days that she would need to be alone with her thoughts, that there would be good days as well as bad ones. Jakob was persistent in pressing Brynn for responses to questions she had no answers to. And to make matters worse, he had it in his head that his presence was the cause of any unhappiness lingering throughout the house.
Aria and Whisper spent a lot of time not interacting with either of them, but seemed to brighten up when handling the newborn kittens. Brynn crossed her fingers that each kitten would survive despite being separated by their mother at such an early age.
"I just don't want to be the cause of your heartache…"
Those words – Jakob's words – echoed in Brynn's mind constantly. She truly loved the man, but what if he was right? What if he is the cause of her depression? Or is it the baby? Maybe both? In any case, Brynn managed to avoid Jakob for the next three days, and the tension mounted.
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
Jakob became convinced that he was at fault for everything bad that went on. It was his fault that Aria and Brynn were so miserable. It was his fault that the mother and daughter were no longer able to be in the same room together.
He feared for his unborn child … would he make a good father? Could he provide a happy and healthy home?
Jakob was preoccupied at work with these very thoughts. He completely missed his lunch break and worked like a robot in front of his computer for 6 hours straight.
Suddenly, a ringing phone jolted him. He stared at the phone for several seconds before picking it up.
"Hello?"
"…Jay?"
Brynn's shaky voice asked.
"Oh my God…"
"Please come home…"
Jakob quickly hung up the phone and without saying goodbye to anyone, sped home. When he pulled up to the driveway, an ambulance was already parked in the driveway, and neighbors surrounded the front yard.
Jakob ran up the stairs and into the house. A neighbor stood in the living room, pacing the floor.
"What happened?"
"Jakob … Ariane is over at my house with my daughter. She's OK, she never saw a thing and doesn't suspect anything."
"What happened?"
"She's hemorrhaging."
Jakob peered into the kitchen, where he saw Brynn laying on the floor while three paramedics hovered over her.
"Can you watch Aria for me while I go with her to the hospital?", asked Jakob.
"Yes of course. Just call me and let me know how she is doing …"
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=
Jakob followed Brynn in the ambulance truck with his car. He was too shocked to think. It never occurred to him that the baby was gone, or that Brynn was in any danger.
Once he got to the hospital and the doctors came in to speak with him, he realized the severity of Brynn's condition: the baby was miraculously alive but Brynn would not be able to remain as active as she had been before. She would have to avoid stairs and unnecessary movements. She would need to confined to bed for most of the day, and towards the end of her pregnancy, she would probably need to be completely bed ridden and admitted into the hospital.
He also found out that they would be having twins … a girl as well as a boy.
Jakob called the neighbor to let her know the news and to check on Aria. Aria was completely oblivious to the day's events, and concentrated on caring for the kittens and Whisper.
Brynn was sound asleep when Jakob finally gathered up the strength and outrage to enter her room. Everything was silent and still. A tiny beam on sunlight highlighted Brynn's dimple. She slept so soundly and peacefully.
Jakob brushed a strand of hair away from Brynn's face, and he quietly whispered,
"I promise to bring the light back into your life …"
Jakob reached down to kiss Brynn on her forehead, then left the room.
…When she was sure that Jakob had left the room, Brynn opened her eyes and a single tear rolled down her cheek.
