Meeting The Witch

NOTE: This is a section of a book I'm working on therefore some information may come across confusing.

It was my eighth day of school when I met my teacher. I decided I would take the long way home, avoiding Cadence and her band of cheerleading bitches. I didn’t bother telling Saint Greg that I would be walking home again, I didn’t have the patience to hear his reassuring or pleading rants about how he is here for me and “we’re a family now”. Please… they weren’t even married yet and he felt obligated to look after me like a worried sick mother.

After school I walked towards the dark allies and broken-down businesses; it’s the path everyone has told me not to take because the people you meet down those roads are crazy or out to rob you. At this point in my life, I had no care for my own safety. I just wanted to feel something other than grief, and maybe fear would be a good distraction. Besides, I’ve been around drunks and bars before. How can it be much different from Gualala? The further I walked the more the landscape changed. The walls became littered with graffiti, trash bins seemed empty while the streets were covered in waste. Broken glass was spread around like glitter and the people looked like sunken ships… lost, forgotten, beaten by the world. I kept my gaze down as I felt their eyes glaring at my shiny new clothes and name brand bags. This is why I didn’t want to dress like the popular kids, because being like them meant I was a target for hate. I was like this beckon of money walking through the poorest part of the city, just asking for trouble.

Suddenly, I felt like I was being followed. I wasn’t sure for how long, but I could hear footsteps getting closer and faster. I whipped my head around to see a tall figure wearing a white mask, covered in a dark gray hoodie. Even though his face was masked I could still see his eyes and they looked hungry. I stood still for a moment, like a deer caught between the head lights. I turned quickly to run from him but there was another tall figure wearing a white mask who stood directly in front of me. They smelled of trash and liquor, and they began to walk towards me. Finally, with a shaky voice I said “Please, I’m not trying to cause trouble, I’m just trying to get home. Please, let me go.” They laughed and my legs began to shake. “You’re one of those rich kids who live up the hill. I bet you eat gold plated toast and later throw it up to keep your figure. Must be nice to live the high life.” The one standing directly in front of me was speaking, he seemed to be the leader. “You can have my stuff, take everything! I have money too; you can have all of it!” I began taking off my backpack and throwing it to the ground when I realized that they both had knifes in their hands, and that’s when I knew they meant to have more than just my money. “Now sweety, that’s very generous of you. Who would think, that a rich slut could be so giving? I never would have thought that! What about you Franky, did you take her as someone who would be so cooperative?”

“No! Not at all! I thought we would get to chase her around and have some fun!”

“Me too! That’s okay though, we can still have some fun! Now, if you continue being a good little rich girl, I’ll let you keep your life. Just do as we say, and you’ll get to eat your gold-plated toast tomorrow morning.”

“Please don’t do this!” I was starting to whimper and inch towards a brick wall. It was like my body was giving up and my mind was freezing. Why wasn’t I fighting!? I cried uncontrollably as they began to take off my jacket and rip open my blouse.

“Look who’s starting puberty Franky! She’s practically a woman now! Better savor this moment then.” The leader had his hand around my neck and the other was beginning to cut my bra off when there was a gun fire overhead.

They dropped their knives and turned quickly around to see a middle-aged woman holding a shot gun at their heads. She was dressed in sweatpants and a flower printed shirt covered in bleach stains. Her hair was long and flowy like a river, but dark like a night sky with stands of silver hiding between its layers. With eyes of fiery she shouted “That’s quite enough! I won’t have a rape crime happen on my property, now get out of here before I make it a murder scene!” They took off running without a single thing more. I covered myself up as fast as I could and turned to thank the woman, but she was already going back inside her store. “Wait! Please! Can I use your phone? I need to call…someone.” She looked over her shoulder slightly “Yeah, sure, come on in. Bathroom is for paying customers only though, and don’t touch anything.” As I gathered my bags, I looked up at her business sign. It read “Madame Insightful Readings: Tarot, Runes and Scrying for the Broken”. I stared at it, watching some of the letters flicker and thinking that this wasn’t here a second ago, and driving around this part of LA with Saint Greg I have never noticed it. “Are you coming in or not kid?” She stood in the doorway with agitation all over her face. “Don’t mind the dust, it’s been a while since anyone’s been around” She walked through her store to the very back faster than I could manage to keep up. “Wait here, I’ll get the phone. Don’t touch anything” I didn’t want to offend her, so I didn’t touch anything, but I looked at everything I could. I was surrounded by various stones, gems, crystals polished or roughed up in all kinds of shapes. There were glass jars and bottles all around the store with strange symbols on them, things I’ve never seen before. The stack of books, newspapers and magazines were staggering to say the least, they nearly reached the ceiling. Boxes of random artifacts laid around lazily and contained strange dolls with no faces, jars of dried herbs, half burned candles, and scrolls that looked older than anything I’ve ever seen. The amount of dust was shocking, I honestly believe everything had a gray undertone because of the amount of dust that was there, otherwise I’m sure most of that stuff was vibrant in color. Incense filled the room, my mom used to burn incense. She said the smell had the ability to change your vibrations and send you to another realm. I just thought it smelled pretty.

There was something that caught my eye more so than anything else there. It was a large, leather bound book, probably as thick as a bible and it read “Doors to The Unknown”. It was so old looking but was somehow calling out to me. It was set by her register so carelessly, as if it wasn’t important at all, so I figured it wouldn’t make any difference if I just flipped through some pages. The book was old, and the some of the pages were torn or scribbled on, but then I saw something that I couldn’t help but read. “Opening Doors to The Other Realm: Reconnecting with The Dead”. My heart skipped a beat and I gradually started remembering what my mom told me in my dream… that I would meet a witch and she would help me reach her… I had to keep coming back here somehow. I heard footsteps coming near and quickly closed the book, but a smoke of dust filled the room. “I thought I told you don’t touch anything girl. Ugh, whatever, it’s probably nothing. Anyway, here’s the phone, make it quick the battery is gonna die soon.” The witch tossed the phone on the table and went over to a chair to read a magazine and sip some beer. “I didn’t thank you… for saving my life. I’m-“I stumbled over my words as the Witch intervened “Kid… I didn’t save you from anything. They weren’t going to kill or rape you. Those guys like scaring rich kids that’s all. I just didn’t want cops patrolling my street again, because it drives away business. As you can see…” she made a hand gesture to indicate how slow her shop has been “It’s not exactly lively here these days”. She went back to her reading and seemed to forget I was there. I looked around once more and had an idea. “What if I helped… like clean up, organize for you, maybe even pass out flyers to bring customers in? I could even run errands for you if you’d like.” She looked up at me and squinted her eyes “You mean hire you? Kid, I can’t even afford to pay myself! Why would I hire a spoiled rich brat like yourself?” I was getting tired of people labeling me as this stupid rich girl. “I’m not a rich brat! Look… you don’t have to pay me anything. I don’t want money. I just want to be here.” She starred at me then with a suspicious look. “Why though?” I didn’t know what answer to give her. I either tell her the truth about my mom and my dream and how she’s destined to teach me how to reach her, or I make up some weird lie. “Because… I… want to be a witch. I want you to teach me everything you know, and in exchange I’ll clean up the store, do your chores, and anything you want.” The Witch laughed, she laughed so hard she nearly knocked over her beer can. “Wow kid, that was great. Thanks for that but I don’t need to be anyone’s teacher. I’m not the teaching type.” She pulled a cigarette out her pocket and began to light it. “I’ll pay you! Just let me help and teach me please! I need this, you don’t understand!” I went over to her and was literally on my knees begging her. I felt heat rise in my cheeks and tears swell in my eyes. I needed to find a way back to my mom and I would do whatever it took. “Damn kid… being a witch really means that much to you huh? Well, alright if you insist. I’m gonna need you back here tomorrow morning, which is a Saturday so that’s a test in itself, and you’ll need to dust… everything. Every Monday I’ll teach you something new, but until then… read this” She tossed me a thin book that read “The Door to Witchcraft” She continued to light her cigarette and took a big puff “Have it read in a week and I’ll give you another book for baby witches” I was so excited I sprung up and hugged her “Oh my god you have no idea what this means to me! Thank you so much… I didn’t get your name” She got up and peeled my arms from her waist “Okay first of all personal space is a virtue, second don’t gravel, a witch doesn’t beg for things she takes, and third I’m Macaria. Now will you please call your ride so I can get back to my weekend?”

Saint Greg arrived soon after, he rushed in the store panting. “Miss Solace! Why in heaven’s name are you in this part of town?” He immediately saw Macaria eyeing him “I mean… this is not a place for young girls to be walking alone. We’ll be heading out now, thank you ma’am for your help.” Saint Gregory stretched out his arm to pull me forward “Thank you again Macaria. Seriously, I don’t what I would have done without you.” The Witch nodded in reply “Not a problem kid, see ya around.”