“You look great, I’ll give you a ride to work sweetheart.”
“I appreciate it. Thanks Mom, you’re the best.”
“I visited our new neighbor, Rose, earlier. Her husband Arash is the new superintendent at the school.”
“Yeah that’s what Mark told me. What do you think of them?”
“I like Rose. She’s unique. We had tea and cupcakes.” They grabbed their jackets and headed to the car.t Hanna chatted about their new neighbors. “Rose said she would be thrilled to help with the haunted house this year.”
“That’s great mom,” beamed Anna.
Hanna stopped in front of the store and said, “I hope you have a great time at work and I hope your headache stays away.”
“Thank you for the ride. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
CHAPTER SIX
The Silver Box
A nna walked into the store to find her sister Nadine down on her hands and knees. “What are you doing?”
“I lost my contact lens, come help me find it.”
Anna helped Nadine locate her contact, and after washing it with some saline, and getting it back in, she said, “Now that’s better. So, I’ve decided that I’m going to make the most out of the things that I got at the auction yesterday. Come and have a look-see.”
“What,” Anna hesitated, “did you find the masterpiece you were looking for?”
“Just come on in here to the back room and I’ll show you.” They made their way to the back room and left the door ajar in case anyone came into the store. Nadine picked up what looked to be a significant old jewelry box. “Is that silver?” asked Anna.
“Anna, it’s not the box that I wanted to show you, it’s what inside the box.” She opened the lid and to Anna’s surprise it was full of crystals, sparkling and pretty. “Oh wow, I’d say you scored big time. What kind of crystals are they?”
“There are several different types: rose quarts, amethyst, clear quartz.” Nadine picked up one that was a dark almost purple red. “I think this is garnet.”
“How many crystals are there?”
“I don’t know, I just found them this morning. I think I want to display them in the window. What do you think?”
“Maybe you should have them appraised first,” said Anna.
“I just might do that.”
“Why don’t you put them over here in this display case? Wait a minute. I have a good idea, I want to put that black velvet fabric down first. I bet the crystals will be stunning on the velvet.”
“Great idea,” Nadine said as she reached for the fabric that was on the second to the top shelf. She got it down and covered the shelf in the display case with it. Then very carefully, she emptied the box of crystals and handed the box to Anna.
Gazing down at the gems, her eyes lit up as she picked up a stone. “Would you look at this,” she said as she held up what looked like an emerald and handed it to Anna for inspection. Anna’s eyes glittered when she held up the stone in the light. “Oh my goodness Nadine, that’s beautiful.”
Anna set the gem down and turned the box over to look at the bottom to see if there was any kind of mark or date on it. A rolled up paper fell from the box. Anna shook her head and picked up the small scroll that had been concealed. “Mercy,” she said as she unrolled it and began to read it out loud. “Magical light by day or night, bring the coven home. Bring the coven home. Mighty light into the night, to whoever finds this, ye are now the one called to see the coven home.”
Nadine was mystified, her jaw dropped open. “Oh my God,” said Anna. “Nadine you are never going to believe me when I tell you this, but Mark’s family comes from a long line of witches, one was hanged all night and survived. At least that is what he said. He also wants me to show him around. Something about a new coven and a magic circle.”
Nadine looked around nervously, and in hushed tone said, “Anna, did he say anything about the dark one? Or did he say the highest power?”
Anna thought Nadine was joking with her, and replied through a smile, “I don’t know, I don’t remember. I really don’t know about that stuff.” With that, she picked up the crystals one at a time and held them up to the light inspecting them, oblivious to Nadine’s concerned appearance.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The Old Hippie Commune
THE NEXT DAY Anna got off early and met up with Mark. “Hey, you still want to see the sights here?”
“Yes, of course I do. Like I said, I still need to find our coven the right spot for the magic circle. To tell you the truth, my parents and I moved here for a reason other than my dad changing jobs.”
“Oh? Like…” Anna started to ask, before Mark softly touched her arm and gave her a look that made her feel as if she should stop talking.
“Like, there are other factors at play here, Anna. The spot for the magic circle is very specific, not just some random place that I’m looking for. There is a portal here that needs to be closed. We are supposed to locate and encircle it. If we fail….” he paused, looked around, then straight into Anna’s eyes, “then demons will come through and wreak havoc here.”
Anna, half-scared and half in disbelief, let out a small giggle. “Are you for real? That sounds like some scary movie. Honestly Mark, are you trying to freak me out?”
“I’m being serious, Anna. This is not anything to laugh about. We need to locate and prepare the magic circle. Then even after locating the portal and creating the circle, there is still the matter of the high priestess.”
“The what?” Anna was struggling to believe that he wasn’t just messing with her.
“I am the high priest. And our coven still lacks an active high priestess. Have you any idea what I’m referring to?” His pointedness finally reached a mark where Anna realized he was not joking.
“Well, I did have the strangest dream the other night. You and this, magic circle?” Mark nodded and she continued, “well this circle was created by many people wearing hooded robes, and I was in the center with you, and then, in my dream, you exclaimed that I was the high priestess.”
“That wasn’t a dream Anna. You are the high priestess. It’s an honor that finds you, and it finds you when you are ready. I knew you were the one the moment I laid my eyes on you.”
“What do you mean not a dream?” She paled as the realization hit her. “I- I awoke in my bed. The hem of my nightgown was wet like I had walked in the grass and soaked up the morning dew. This is all real?” her eyes widened.
“It is for another time. Now we must locate the portal.”
“The only place I think it could be someone wouldn’t have stumbled upon is at that old hippie commune I was telling you about. It’s on the outskirts of town and we have to cross the old Brandywine covered bridge to get there. No one has lived there in many years. I’ve always been afraid to go there.”
“Let’s go check it out.”
“Okay, as long as you’re with me,” she smiled at him, “I know I’ll be okay.”
Mark offered to drive and so they walked back to his house to get his car.
HE STOPPED his Mustang in the center of the bridge. “Why are we stopping?” Anna asked.
“I just wanted to say thank you for all your help and I’d thought I’d sneak a smooch before we get there. Is that okay with you?”
Anna’s face turned pink and she fluttered her eyes at him. First, he gently raised her hand to his lips, and then pulled her in for a soft kiss. They both had butterflies in their tummies at that point.
When they got to the old farm, it was obvious that no one had been there in years. The farmhouse was as tired as the landscape, dreary and beaten. It sat there with the weeds waist high in somber grays amid the green and the beginning of the gold, reds, oranges and yellows, of autumn. The leaves were fluttering and dancing in the breeze from the old oak tree in the yard.
Mark stopped, got out of his car and glided around to open the door for Anna. They walked over to the gate. Mark paused and rested one hand on
the gate that blocked the yard. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach. He opened the gate and grabbing Anna’s hand, they walked up the stone path to the old farmhouse.
They entered through the back door. The screen door slammed and caused Anna to let out a squeal. The furniture was sparse and consisted of a chair in the corner and an antique oak table with claw feet next to it. Sitting upon it was a bottle of old whiskey with a spider web connected to one up-turned shot glass full of cobwebs.
Everything seemed to pull slightly to the left as if the foundation were on a gradual descent from the opposite corner of the house. The old house was a cluster of rooms running into each other, with doors standing ajar. It was coming apart at the seams. “Maybe we should go check the barn?” Anna suggested. “I don’t like it in here. I feel like there are ghosts around me.”
“I’ve warned you about communicating with the dead. But, I also have the strangest feeling that some major stuff happened here. Spooky isn’t even close to how I feel. It’s obvious the portal is not in here,” he muttered solemnly.
They strolled to the barn. Upon entering, Anna caught sight of movement in the corner. “What was that? Did you see it?” Anna said as she grabbed Mark by his shirtsleeve.
“I don’t know. Let me check.” He walked to the back and found a black cat sitting there. “Hi kitty,” he reached down to pet it. Then there was a bright flash and both Anna and Mark took a step backward as they shielded their eyes.
The black cat became a woman!
“It’s about time you got here Makesh Sökmen. I was feeling as if you’d never find your way. We have to close the portal before the demons get out.” The woman was staring at Mark.
“You scared the crap out of me, Madeline. Do you know where the portal is?”
“I do, follow me and I’ll take you there. I’ve been assigned by the elders to watch and make sure not one demon enters this town.”
Anna didn’t know what to think. She had never seen anything like what she had just experienced in her life. “Uh, wait for me,” was all she could muster as she quickly grabbed Mark’s arm and followed them.
“I’m sorry. Anna, this is my sister Madeline, and this is Anna.”
“Where are we going?”
“There is an old well not far. That has become the portal. Even if we covered it with cement it still would not be good enough. We must use our powers and collapse the well.”
“I remember being told not to go near that old well. There are some scary stories associated with it. They say a small girl was looking into it and a monster came up and swallowed her,” Anna’s fear made it a chore just to get those words out.
“That was one of the demons, no doubt,” Madeline replied matter-of-factly and without looking at Anna.
“I always believed that is was made up. A tale to keep the town’s children away from this place.” Anna still felt unsure about anything going on around her or how to feel about Madeline.
When they reached the well Anna stopped a good eight or ten feet from it. “Do you hear what I hear?”
When Mark and Madeline stopped, everyone was quiet. Then they heard it. It was a distressing cry. It was coming from the well. “They are getting restless,” said Madeline.
“Who? And why are they in the well?” Anna inquired.
“According to our family history, they sent them to the well two hundred years ago….”
“Them?” Anna cut Mark off. “Two Hundred Years?”
Mark continued, “them: the demons. Demons that my family banished from Earth, and they have been trying to get out ever since.”
“What will they do if they get out?” Anna’s question almost trailed off as she could feel a lump in her throat blocking her words.
“Anna, the havoc that will engulf this town would be like nothing you’ve ever seen. They will try and kill every citizen and take over their bodies. The demons want to rule the world. We must stop them before it’s too late.”
Madeline opened the sack that she had brought and took out some salt. “We need to make a circle around the well with this salt. It needs to be no more than two feet away from the well. It will protect us until our coven can cave it in and demolish it on Samhain.”
Anna watched everything Madeline was doing and asked, “When will that be?”
Mark put his hand on her shoulder; she turned to look him in the eye, and was entranced by everything she was seeing.
“The hold is getting weaker, according to our family legend the demons will be set free on the Samhain…. Halloween, Anna, on Halloween.” he said.
After they spread the salt encircling the old well, they went back to the barn. Madeline turned herself back into the black cat. Then she zigzagged in between Anna’s legs.
Anna laughed and said, “I think your sister likes me.”
“Madeline prefers to be a cat. At least that is the opinion of all the family.”
Anna petted Madeline until she meowed and turned and walked away. They walked back to the car. Mark opened the door and Anna grinned and got in. When he walked around and settled into the drivers seat, Anna blurted, “I’m kind of freaked out Mark.”
“There really is nothing to freak out about Anna. You have been chosen as the High Priestess and it will be up to you and I to lead the others. We must all use our powers to get rid of the portal.”
“Mark, I have no idea how to be a High Priestess…or even what that is. I don’t know what powers you think I have. But, there is something I want to show you. Its at the antique store.”
Intrigue caused his brows to rise and his eyes to bulge. “Well, lets go.”
The bell jingled when they entered the store. Nadine was in the back of the store squatted down going through a box of treasures. At least she considered the contents treasures. One person’s junk is another person’s treasure, she thought. She was humming when she heard the bell jingle. She stood up and yelled, “I’ll be with you in a minute.”
“No hurry sis, it’s just us.”
“Who is us, if you don’t mind me asking?” Nadine said as she waltzed into the room.
“This is Mark. Remember, my new neighbor I was telling you about.”
“Of course I remember. It’s nice to meet you Mark. I’m Anna’s sister, Nadine.”
He gently took her hand and said, “The pleasure is all mine.”
“Sis, I want to show Mark the scroll that was in the silver box from the estate sale you went to.”
“Okay, follow me. I decided to keep it in my safe.”
They followed her into her makeshift office behind a big shelf in the storeroom. She crouched down and turned the old, chrome-plated combination lock a few times. They heard several clicks with each turn and then something unlatched from deep inside the iron belly of the thing. She pulled open the heavy door, reached in and picked up the silver box. She paused, looking at it from this new perspective and low light. There was a small symbol on the top. It was worn so she could barely make it out. It was a pentagram. She handed it to Anna, “Look, there’s a pentagram on the top. I never noticed that before now.”
Anna stared at the top of the box. She could barely make it out. “I do see it. This must be an old box for the star to be worn so much.” She handed it to Mark, “Take a look.”
Mark examined the silver box and said, “I do see it.”
“I have always wondered the significance of the pentagram or pentangle. They look the same but I have heard both terms,” Nadine offered, speaking as if she was talking to an appraiser.
“The terms Pentagram and Pentacle are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. A Pentagram is the drawn symbol, a Pentacle, is an object in the shape of a pentagram, like a necklace or a ring. The pentagram is not always the straightforward five pointed star in a circle, sometimes it is disguised within more intricate shapes to hide its significance from the uninitiated. At least this is what I have been taught,” stated Mark.
“Thanks for clarifying that,” Nadi
ne smiled.
He opened the box and took the scroll out. He unrolled it and began to read it out loud. “Magical light by day or night, bring the coven home. Bring the coven home. Mighty light into the night, to whoever finds this, ye are now the one called to see the coven home.”
He was astounded, and gazed up towards the two girls. “See I told you, Anna. You are destined to be our High Priestess. Where did you find this?”
She looked at Nadine. “She bought it at an estate sale a couple days ago.”
Mark peered at Nadine waiting for her to answer. “Yes, I bought a lot of stuff. It was the big old Federal style Manor on Manchester Street. It has been empty for quite a few years. The bank that owns it decided to fix it up and put it on the market again. Everything I got from there was high quality and dirt cheap.”
“Manchester Street?” He turned and gazed at Anna, “Is that the same location of the haunted house you asked me to be a part of?”
“Yes, it is. The bank generously offered it to us when they found out all the proceeds are going to our local pet shelter, Save the Fur. They help expand the no-kill refuge, providing protection, shelter and care to animals in need with a full-service animal adoption center.”
“Outstanding, I think this is my kind of town. I wasn’t sure how I would like it when we moved here,” replied Mark. “I’ll definitely ask my folks about this silver box and the Manor on Manchester Street. It is possible it belonged to one of our relatives.”
“Mark, about the Haunted Manor…” Anna paused, taking it in that this Manor could have belonged to his ancestors, “I guess I should call Tom and tell him to find someone else to be in charge.”
“That’s completely for you to decide. Was the haunted house just going to be on Halloween?”
“It will be open every Friday & Saturday night in October, and then throughout the night on both the 30th & 31st.”
Anna Darling Page 4