A Girl Between (15 page)

“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.”

After Miss Cassie made the announcement about my big role in
past witch affai
rs, 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.”

Mercy added while looking at me anxiously, “After today,
you’re probably not in the mood, Tess, but I know my mom is right.  Things are
getting bad out there.  People’s lives are at stake.  I also think that Miss
Cassie is right about why you don’t have much of a witch sense.  It’s because
of the trauma you’ve gone through in past lives.  You have got to face that
stuff and then move on.  Once you let go of your fears, you can build your
witch powers back to what they should be.  The only way you can face your fears
is to continue to look at your past lives.”

Belinda glanced over at me.  “She’s right, Tess.”

“What are you saying?  Should we do this today?”  I
responded while feeling my sense of perfect bliss slip away.

“There’s still plenty of time today.  Why don’t we call your
mom and see if you can come over for a while?”  Mercy looked at me, her
eyebrows raised.

“All right, all right, but I’d rather stop by my house and
ask my mom personally.  I snuck out earlier so she may not be too receptive,” I
responded.

I turned to Belinda and asked, “What I would really like to
know is what happened during that Karmic Wiccan thing that Miss Cassie referred
to?”

Belinda said apologetically, “Tess, I don’t think we’ll get
to that today.”

“Why not?” I asked impatiently.

“Tessie, dear, it’s most important that we don’t rush
things.  Regression should be thorough and proceed in a definite order to be
meaningful.  I’m afraid there’s other information in your background that we
should continue to uncover before we get to the 1300s.  If it isn’t done
properly, you’ll still be plagued by doubt and fear.  It will probably take one
more session after this one, trust me on this,” Belinda stated firmly, her eyes
straight ahead.

With slight irritation I answered, “All right, all right.”

My aunt finally let me go to Mercy’s after I made a bunch of
promises about not overdoing it.  She knows how stubborn I can get when my mind
is set on something, so she finally gave in.  I felt bad about it but it
couldn’t be helped.  

I found myself seated in Mercy’s house as I was before. 
Belinda was facing me and I was lying back in their most comfortable chair with
a delicious cup of the earthy Pu’erh tea in my hand.

“There’s one more thing I would like to mention before we
get started.  There’s something I’ve been thinking about since the last
regression.  I believe that you skipped one of your past lives,” Belinda
informed me.

“Why would you think that I skipped a past life?” I
questioned.

“It was the way you hesitated as you went through the light
and the dark of
The Between
.  I sensed that you omitted something.  That
can happen if you lived a short life.” Belinda looked at me expectantly.

“What do you mean, if I lived a short life?”  I asked.

Belinda responded gently, “That is, if you died as a child.”

“Oh!” I didn’t think of that.

“I will talk you through the process a little more slowly
and I think we can get to the bottom of things, OK, Tessie?”  Belinda tilted
her head, smiling at me reassuringly.

“Now, put down your tea and then take a deep breath.  As you
exhale, close your eyes and feel yourself relaxing.  Take another breath and
slowly release it.  As you breathe, feel your muscles become loose and limp,
ever more so with each breath.  Your eyelids will become heavier and heavier. 
They are so heavy they are hard to open.”   Belinda continued speaking in a low
voice.  I was only vaguely aware of what she was saying until I suddenly heard
a snap.

I looked up at her.  I knew I was awake but I felt like I
was in some kind of twilight existence.

‘Hello, Tess. Are you feeling alright?” Belinda asked
softly.

‘Yes,” I answered quietly.

“We’re going to go into your past, Tess, just like we
discussed, OK?”

“That’s OK,” I responded.

“Tess, can you remember your first Christmas?” Belinda
leaned in to hear me.

“Oh yes,” I responded, my voice rising.  “I remember that
Santa scared me.”

“Why did he scare you, Tess?”

“Cause he was so loud and he had that big white beard.  He
was so funny.”  I grinned, thinking about how Santa looked.

“Did your mom sing to you when you were a baby, Tess?” 
Belinda smiled brightly as she asked me.

“Yeah, she sang the Nighty-night lullaby to me when I
cried.  I used to love it when mommy sang to me,” I answered wistfully.

“Tessie, we’re going to leave this time in your life.  We’re
going to your previous life. I want you to go back slowly.  Go back to the
light, then to the time of
The Between
.  After
The Between,
comes
the darkness and the light again.  Remember you can stop, rewind, go forward or
back.  You can control it.  Go back to a time that is very distinct in your
memory,” Belinda said while staring at me with quiet intensity.

I let myself slowly drift back.  I was less nervous about my
journey this time.  I could see the golden light and sense
The Between
. 
Then, I perceived a soft darkness and a sudden harsh light.  I let myself move
forward a little until I felt an urgency to stop and see what was around me.

I said uncertainly, “I can see big mountains in the
distance.  I also see what looks like huge fields of blue ice.  It smells bad
here.”

“That sounds like glaciers.  You must be in the far North,
Tess.  Are there any people around you?”  Brenda inquired.

“There is a little boy here.  I think he is my brother.  He
is known as Unnar.”

“What can you tell me about yourself?”  Belinda probed.

“I am Asa.  I am seven years old,” I said in a high voice.

“Can you describe what is going on, Asa?”

“We feel the very cold air in this place.  We are covered in
skins from a red deer.  Our feet are in the bear skin wrapped around with green
twigs.”

Brenda inquired, “Do you know when this is?”

“No, but the people are running to us.  They are screaming
and the smell is getting very bad.  The air is filled with some powder.  And I
see blood, bright orange blood coming from the mountain.”  I am breathing heavy
and my heart is beating so fast.

Belinda quietly turned to Mercy and whispered, “You can find
out when and where Tess is.  Look up where a volcano erupted in an Arctic
country in either the 17
^th
or 18
^th
century.  It would
have to be after the time of Salem.”

“Momma, my eyes hurt!  My throat is burning!  Momma, where
are you?” I screamed in a raspy voice.  I couldn’t breathe because the air was
on fire.

Belinda immediately took Tess’s head in her hands and looked
her in the eyes.  “It is time to go from this place.  Leave right now.  Go back
and travel through the brightness and then
The Between
.  Then, you must
go through the blackness and back to the light.”

Tess sat quietly, her eyes open but not seeing, for she had
the inner Sight.

Belinda continued, “We know about your time in Woodley.  We
wanted to hear about your life after you left Woodley.”

In a level tone, I stated, “As you know, my mother departed
from this life and I moved in with those who would have me, the Quakers. 
Mother left me with some coin so that I may travel to Maine to reside with her
relations when it was the right time.”

“Are you Elsa?” asked Belinda.

“Yes, I am Elsa,” I answered.

“You can continue with your story, Elsa.”

“At the age of thirteen, I determined myself to be old
enough to commence my travels to the cousin of my mother.  I was afraid of
traveling to the wilderness of Maine, but I knew it was time.  I rode on the
baker’s cart to Boston where I paid for passage on a ship to Prout’s Neck,
Maine.”

Belinda inquired, “How was your life in Maine?”

“Twas quiet and peaceful there, at least in the beginning. 
My mother’s cousin, Ezra, along with his wife, Virginia, were of a kindly
nature.  I was to assist them with the harvest of the fields and the care of
their young babe, Thomas.  After a time, I was able to forget the suspicious
and fearful looks I had hitherto endured from the Woodley townsfolk.”

“So you were happy in Maine?” Belinda pressed.

“Yes, but I had fears that a great calamity would beset us,”
I stated.

“What do you mean, Elsa?”

“I have always been a seer.  I knew something of what was to
come.”

“What happened, Elsa?” Belinda asked gently.

“One day I was scrubbing the clothes in the river when I saw
smoke arise in the sky.  At first it was not of concern, but then I heard the
screams and a shot.  Then I knew.  We were being attacked by Indians.  I
thought about running away, but I just could not.”  I paused and took a
shuddering breath.

“I took the path to the village and beheld a most hellish
sight.  Most of the menfolk were butchered and stripped naked.  The cruel and
barbarous savages were riding around, shrieking and holding the dripping scalps
aloft.  Cousin Ezra was lying down in his own blood, his head mangled.  The
women were scattered.  I saw the babe, Thomas, sitting there screaming so I ran
to take him.  A heathen rode to me and knocked at me with the back of his
hatchet.  That was the last I ever saw of my kinfolk.  When I awoke, I was tied
to a horse.  I was a captive of the Wanaki Indians.”  I stopped speaking, a
tear running down my cheek.

Belinda studied Tess and then said sympathetically, “I think
this session is over.  I am going to count down from ten.  When I get to one,
you will wake up.  Are you ready?”

“Yes ma’m,” I answered woodenly.

“Ten.., nine…, eight…, seven…, six…, five…, four…, three…,
two…, one.”

Blink, blink.  I sat there for a minute to clear my mind and
enter the present.  Mercy and Belinda were watching me with concern.

“So, how did I do?” I asked.

Belinda touched my arm and said in an easy tone, “You were
great, Tess.  We learned quite a bit about your past two lives.  What do you
recall?”

“You were right about another life, Belinda.  I was killed
by a volcanic eruption as a young child.  I don’t know where that was.  I
remember the huge fields of blue ice.  They were unbelievable, along with that
volcano.  It smelled like burning chemicals.”

Mercy cleared her throat and referred to her computer.  “You
were in Iceland near Laki, a volcanic fissure that erupted over an eight month
time frame in 1783.  You talked about ‘fire in the air’.  You were breathing
poisonous gases that were emitted from the volcano which must have been what
killed you.”

Tess responded in amazement, “So, I lived in Iceland in
1783?”

Mercy smiled and answered, “Yes, and that was a really nasty
volcano.  You didn’t have a chance.  It killed 10,000 people in Iceland and
because of the massive haze it spread out over the Northern Hemisphere, global
temperatures dropped, causing crop failures and droughts for a long time.  It
says here that 6 million people died as a result.”

I asked, “Did witches live in Iceland?”

Belinda chuckled, “Witches can live anywhere, although
Iceland isn’t exactly a witch hotspot.  I will point out that Iceland was
originally populated by descendants of Celtic people.  It is believed that a
relatively high proportion of Celtics have witch blood.”

“Do you know what happened to you after being taken by the
Wanaki Indians?” Mercy asked.

Tess answered with a sad smile, “Yes.  I was with them for a
while.  They ended up treating me quite well.  They learned that I had special
gifts and that I was a healer.  Unlike the white man at that time, Native
Americans placed a high value on witch powers.  It was the first time during
that life that I felt I had some value for other humans.  Unfortunately, the
tribe was affected by a smallpox epidemic.  I was able to save a few of them. 
Most of the others eventually died, including me.”