A Girl Between

by Marjorie Weismantel

  Miss Cassie smiled, “Before we go on, I want to make sure that all of this is making sense to you. It is difficult for a soul-bound person to comprehend at times.”

  Mercy commented, “You’re sure right about that.”

  “I can offer you some proof if that would help,” answered Miss Cassie.

  “What is it?” I wondered how she could prove this.

  “My last life here on earth was when you were Elsa and you lived here in Woodley in the 1600’s. Mercy, you were also here. Your name was Faith at that time.” Miss Cassie regarded Mercy.

  “I knew about that,” Mercy admitted quietly.

  I turned to her in surprise. “You KNEW about that?”

  Mercy replied, “Yes, my mom saw some unusual traits in me as I was growing up. She had a feeling that it had something to do with my past. That’s why she learned about regression hypnosis. She hypnotized me also.” Mercy then looked gravely at me and stated, “We knew each other back then Tess.”

  Miss Cassie affirmed, “Yes, both of you suffered greatly. You were two of the accused.”

  “Accused of WHAT?” I demanded.

  “Witchcraft,” exclaimed Miss Cassie.

  29. Witches

  I had to admit that I wasn’t as surprised as I sounded about the witchcraft comment, remembering the regression session I had with Mercy’s mom, Belinda. My mother was a condemned witch at that time. Mercy wasn’t surprised at all. She just looked thoughtful.

  Miss Cassie took my reaction in stride and then she continued. “You know, witches have existed since the beginning of time. The original purpose of witchcraft was to help the human race survive. It was very difficult during the beginning; during the time of the ancients and the primitives. Much of the human population died of disease and starvation. Witches had practical magical powers for those days; that of healing with herbs, of the laying of the hands, of overcoming pestilence and tempests. Witches helped humankind through some very bad times.”

  Mercy quietly asked, “Have witches changed since then?”

  Miss Cassie nodded. “Yes. You see, in the beginning, all witches were noble beings. Their sole interest was in helping others. Unfortunately, that changed after a while. Witches were no longer necessary for human survival. From that point on, witches began to change. Their special abilities evolved over the years to suit their own individual inclinations. Of course, where a witch lived also played a role in what powers they attained. Many witches stayed in their helping role. However, some witches became corrupt. They viewed themselves as being ‘above’ others. They used their conjuring power only for self-enrichment.”

  “Additionally, some witches went beyond simply gaining riches. They used their powers to inflict pain and suffering on others. Anyone who stepped in their path would be destroyed. Unfortunately, the only ones who had the ability to stop them were the good witches, but the good ones ended up paying a price over the years. After all, they were busy helping humans. They weren’t watching other witches. During the past times of the battles between the witches, the good ones have always lost.

  “Is that why witches have earned such a bad reputation over the years?” I questioned.

  Miss Cassie nodded. “That is exactly why. I would say that the majority of witches over time have been working for the good of mankind. However, you only need a few bad witches to ruin everyone’s reputation. In fact, during the times of the big witch hunts, it was always the bad witches initiating the hunting. They didn’t want their powers challenged in any way so they preemptively went after the good witches. There were periods of time in human history that witches wouldn’t reveal any of their helping powers such as healing because they were afraid of being persecuted by the bad witches. Recently, we have been seeing more examples of witches who are unaware of their witch power. They just go around thinking that they’re crazy. That is an evolutionary development in reaction to horrific past life witch prosecutions.” Miss Cassie pointedly looked at me.

  “Are you referring to me?” I asked.

  “Yes, Tess, she is,” Mercy stated bluntly.

  Miss Cassie added, “Tess, I hope you know that you have the makings of a very strong witch. Have you admitted that to yourself yet?”

  “I guess. I just haven’t put it into words yet,” I mumbled, still not ready to commit. NEVER if I had my way, I thought.

  Mercy inquired, “So witches have different powers today than they did in past times?”

  “Oh yes, witch magic has evolved quite a bit over the centuries, although it’s still very individualistic. Since witches have been so secretive about their power, over time some of their special abilities have naturally turned inward. For example, some witches can ‘scythe’, which means to read minds. Some have an ability to tell the future. In ancient times, I don’t think that was so.

  “Some witches today have great telekinetic powers. You don’t hear as much about love potions or spells today, although I presume some witches still use them. There are some witches who can affect the weather, by controlling lightning or bringing on blizzards and tempests. There are witches that have abilities with fire and some with water. Some witches can use transference. That means they can project their thoughts, feelings and wishes onto others as a way of controlling them. Some witches use transference with animals. As far as the ability to heal, that can be stronger in certain areas of the world than others. Any of these powers are generally referred to by humans as “magic.’”

  I asked, “Is there a way to tell the good witches from the bad witches?”

  “You can tell by one’s actions. By now, the ways of the witches have been set in stone. They have set their patterns of behavior over many, many lifetimes. We have names for the good ones and the bad ones. Good witches are referred to as ‘luminars’, since they bring light into the world. Bad witches are referred to as ‘diaboles’, because they bring evil into the world.

  “Those who are sensitive can also acquire a negative, cold or ugly sensation from the diaboles, and on the other hand, a positive, warm feeling from luminars,” Miss Cassie also offered. Yes, I thought, those were the positive and negative vibes people refer to.

  “Is it possible for someone to change, say, from being a bad witch to a good witch,” I inquired.

  Miss Cassie took a moment to answer. “I suppose someone could change. That would be very unusual. In fact, I have never heard of it.”

  I sat there for a minute, sipping my tea. Miss Cassie poured more into my cup. “Would you each like more pumpkin bread?”

  “Yes, I would, please.”

  “Thank you, me too,” added Mercy.

  “Miss Cassie, can you explain what you know about what happened at the Tri Town fair?” I asked.

  Miss Cassie looked dismayed. “We know what caused the destruction at the fair. It was done by a number of demonic witches. I presume they were able to affect the supply of electricity in some way. Some witches probably combined their telekinetic powers to influence individual rides. They even may have been trying to hurt certain people on those rides.”

  “But why?” I asked in a small panicky voice, even though I had an idea.

  “I’m afraid we may be leading up to some very bad times around here. This deliberate act of terrifying and hurting innocent people at the fair was a warning to all good witches. Stay away or there will be more death and destruction,” Miss Cassie stated grimly.

  I asked, “What do you mean by all witches? Are there other witches around here that we don’t know about?”

  “Oh, I’m afraid there are,” responded Miss Cassie.

  Mercy asked, “Why would someone from the outside get involved here?”

  Miss Cassie sighed and said, “My dear, I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation. Witches, all over the world, are very sensitive to certain events. Think about how different a witch’s background is compared to a regular human being. Remember that witches have lived all of their past lives as some form of a witch, whether
as a healer, a conjurer, or a sorcerer. Since the luminars and the diaboles have been battling it out over the centuries, their enemies aren’t created over a single lifetime. They’re built up over many lifetimes. After a while, a sense of karma, or payback, builds up into a frenzy of feuding and hatred that can only be dispelled in one way.”

  “I still don’t understand why they would come here. What would they DO here?” Mercy looked puzzled.

  “Witches are a crazy lot. When they have been seriously wronged as in your case, Tessie, or if they just believe they have been slighted in some way, THEY NEVER EVER FORGET. They keep their feelings of persecution under wraps for many lifetimes. They patiently wait until a time comes when they can seek their revenge. This may be one of those times. When witches sense a battle brewing they become like sharks smelling fresh blood.”

  “You mean that witches may be drawn here from all over the place in order to get revenge?” Mercy asked, eyes wide open.

  “Yes, and this could be the grandest of all battles. There have been a few minor witch skirmishes in New England over the past couple of centuries. Have you ever heard of the Hartford Circus Fire in the 1940s or the Boston Molasses Explosion in the early 1900s? When witches battle, humans pay a big price. Fortunately, that collateral damage was minimized. It could have been so much worse,” Miss Cassie stated shaking her head matter-of-factly.

  “It could have been WORSE?” I shrieked.

  Miss Cassie looked at me with dismay. “Tess, I’m being honest with you because it’s important that you know everything in order to protect yourself. I do understand your fear. I want you to know that I am getting a bad sense of what will be coming. One indication was the train accident you encountered on your way here. I’m afraid that was no accident. Diaboles did it to be rid of you. That kind of foresight and planning does not indicate to me that one quick tragedy will satisfy the witches looking for revenge. No, no . .”

  “Oh, my, God! That train accident happened because of ME? So they were after me before I even got here? They almost killed my cousins and my aunt!” That was almost too much for me to bear.

  Mercy quickly jumped in, “Why else do you think there will be witch trouble here?”

  “There are a few reasons. We are seeing a close planetary and lunar alignment with Jupiter, Saturn and Venus. The cosmic forces from such alignments can magnify the powers of witches. The last time that happened was in 1345. And, we’re also hearing of unusual witch activity happening recently around the globe. It’s because witches sense something is going to happen.

  “We also get information when witches are in their soul states during the time of The Between. They have warned us that hostility has been building between the different groups of witches for centuries. We believe events may be coming to a head.

  “In retrospect, there were similar ominous signs in the early 1300s that something big would transpire at that time. As it turned out, an event of great magnitude took place in exactly 1345. That event of witch retribution occurred 666 years ago. ” Miss Cassie watched us, waiting for the information to sink in.

  “What big event are you talking about?” I asked even though I felt like bolting out the door.

  “That was the time of the Karmic Apocalypse of the Wiccans,” Miss Cassie said softly, her troubled eyes staring at me. “Does the date 1345 mean anything to you in regards to events of human history?”

  I tried to think. I’ve read about early medieval times but I’m not sure what that date would mean. “Does it have anything to do with witch persecution?” I ventured.

  Mercy shouted, “I know! It has something to do with the Black Death and the bubonic plague. I’m always reading about the medieval times and they’re always talking about the plague.”

  “Yes, you are correct Mercy. The dates for the Black Death were 1345 to 1353. You are also correct, Tess. It was an important time for witch persecution,” Miss Cassie affirmed.

  I wanted to know about that karma or karmic apocalypse she was talking about. That sounds awful. “What about that karma witch thing?” I asked.

  Miss Cassie sighed and then continued, “This is what happened in the early 1300’s. There had been extreme witch prosecution in the 13th and 14th centuries. The general population was led to believe that all suffering was caused by witches who were in league with the devil. This sentiment was usually initiated and promoted by bad witches who played on the fears of the humans. They did it because they were constantly afraid of losing their riches and power. Thousands of good witches were hunted down and murdered in horrific ways.

  “There was another creature that was hunted down with witches at that time, as well. It was the population of domestic and feral cats. They were thought to be ‘familiars’ with the witches. It was believed that witches could not carry out their spell work without the cats. We know that for most witches, this was simply not true.”

  Mercy piped in, “What happened to the poor cats?”

  “In parts of Europe, they were almost completely exterminated. Hundreds of thousands of cats were tortured, burned, hung, or drowned,” Miss Cassie answered and then she turned back to me. “Anyway, to answer your question, the good witches who had remained hidden out of fear decided that they had to do something because so many of their kin were being murdered. They secretly met and decided on a plan of attack. We don’t know all of the details, but we do know that they fought fire with fire. They turned the tables on the bad ones, accusing THEM of consorting with the devil. The good ones used their power to create huge tempests against the estates of some of the most powerful. They caused great torment and affliction to their family members and their animals.

  “Of course, the bad ones retaliated and it became a never ending spiral of vengeance. THAT is what we call, The Karmic Apocalypse of the Wiccans. It was such a costly war between the early wiccans. There has never been such a violent confrontation between witches since then. It finally ended, but there was a horrible price to pay. Humans ALWAYS pay the highest price. ” Miss Cassie stopped talking, a frown creasing her forehead.

  “How did it end?” I asked impatiently.

  Miss Cassis was still for a minute and then finally responded, “There is one last piece of magic that witches can perform for the good or for evil. Good witches will work to rid people of pestilence. Bad witches may promote pestilence. During The Karmic Apocalypse, a bad witch used magic to endow some fleas with the Yersinia Pestis bacterium as a way to escalate the war. The Yersinia Pestis is otherwise known as the bubonic plague. Of course, fleas spread quickly and they live on rats. The rats carried this plague pest everywhere they went. Very little could stop them. After all, the natural enemy of the rats, the cat, had all but been exterminated during the witch hunts. The rats would be roaming free, carrying the pestilence everywhere. As we now know, the results were devastating for humankind.”

  “Are you saying that bad witches were responsible for the Black Death plague?” asked Mercy in astonishment.

  “I’m afraid that’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m sure it was initially performed for revenge in a fit of temper and it quickly got out of control. The witch or witches who had performed the deed probably had no idea how badly it would turn out. The Black Death caused the demise of 25 million people in Europe. Millions also died in North Africa, China and India. Included in those deaths were many witches. In those days the plague was almost impossible to cure, even for witches. The aftermath was horrific for the humans. Anyone who was viewed as being different was blamed for the plague. The persecution of good witches along with countless other innocents continued for many years.”

  “So you’re saying something like that could happen today and it might happen here?” Mercy asked in a panicky tone.

  “It is highly possible. We’re seeing all of the signs,” replied Miss Cassie.

  “What I want to know is why are they bothering with me? I don’t want anything to do with it!” I said on the verge of hysteria.

  “I am so
sorry, Tessie, dear. You are viewed as a threat.” Miss Cassie looked sadly at me with her luminous golden haze. “There is nothing you can do at this time except prepare yourself. Many good witches love you. You have suffered greatly with them. The others are afraid of you, Tess. They are afraid of your influence and your power.”

  “WHAT influence and WHAT power?” I cried.

  “The power and influence that you demonstrated during the time of Karmic Apocalypse of the Wiccans.”

  30. A Revisit

  After Miss Cassie made the announcement about my big role in past witch affairs, I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself. There was no sense in getting too anxious about all of this otherworldly information because it wouldn’t get me anywhere. I just had to take it step by step. First of all, I needed more than Miss Cassie’s word about this. I’ll have to verify it from another source and I think I know who that source will be - my own soul memory.

  We heard a horn beep so Mercy got up and peeked out the tiny front parlor window. It was her mom, so we proceeded to thank Miss Cassie and then get up to leave. Miss Cassie made a point to hug Mercy and I before we walked out the door. As her golden haze encircled me, I felt a tingle from the tips of my toes up my spine to the top of my head. The feeling was all encompassing, delightful, warm, soothing and velvety all in one. I could even perceive the taste of chocolate and honey on my tongue, my favorite flavors. It left me with an indescribable feeling of happiness. She must have affected Mercy the same way because she had a loopy look on her face.

  When we first got into Belinda’s car, Mercy and I just sat there quietly. I didn’t want to break the delightful spell that Miss Cassie left me with and I’m sure that Mercy felt that way. Finally, Belinda spoke up, “Well, are you going to tell me what you guys talked about or are you going to sit there like two zombies?”

  I finally took a deep breath and proceeded to tell Belinda everything that Miss Cassie had told us. Mercy occasionally jumped in to add something. When we were done, Belinda turned and looked at me sympathetically. (I was hoping she would look at me with shock or disbelief!) I knew what she was going to say next. “Tess, if you’re up for it I think it’s time for another look at your past life regressions. After all, we just touched on it during the last session of hypnosis. It’s very important that you have a complete understanding of what has happened to you.”