New Beginnings

What is "impromptu" writing? It's a term I put together to describe this blog's style of writing. For this style of writing, I find a picture and then create a fictional story that accompanies it. It can be a nature photo where the story is driven by the setting. It could be a photo of people posing as I find a new story to parallel their picture. Any picture may evoke a new fictional story! Here's this week’s....

  

  

 Sure, I would smile for the camera, what did I have to lose? After all, this was probably the closest I would get to my parents gazing at me the way they were beaming at my sister. Saying that they were proud of my sister was certainly an understatement. They have pride oozing out of every pore on their bodies. What's worse is I know that there is nothing on this earth I could ever do to earn that pride from my parents for myself. I could discover the cure to some horrible disease, or invent something that would change life for the better and yes, they would be proud of me, but not like this. It's not their fault. It's magic.

Yes, my sister Helen has been invited to attend the best witches’ university in the United States. Did we know we had a witch in the family? Yes, my Dad was a well-known witch, so it came as no surprise that at least one of us would receive an invitation to one of the leading magical schools. My dad's time as a witch was short, but that's a story for a different time. As is the theme of the day, my attention is on Helen's story. I'm trying as much as I can to keep the green-eyed monster of jealousy away, but it's difficult when I continually question fate and the universe's decision to choose her...only her. My dad advised me that it would be to my own detriment to ask any "why" questions in this situation and trust that there was an equally awesome adventure for me, But if you ask me that sounded like generic "dad talk." You know, the stuff that all parents have to say to the "lesser" child.  

The steam engulfs my face as Helen climbs the steps onto the train. The excitement she must feel right at this moment, not to mention the wonderment she will encounter on her unique journey to the school is overwhelming. Dad has not only described this journey in bedtime stories, but he has sketched the fine fir trees that cover the countryside, welcoming students, and alerting them that they have almost arrived at their magical destination. That's only after traveling across miles and miles of track hovering above the glassiest water one would ever see. I spent my entire childhood closing my eyes to dream of these sights, but it will be Helen who witnesses these beautiful sights in person.

I can't help it. It should have been me. Helen didn't even like Dad's stories. She was forever rolling her eyes as he described his first days at the elite witches’ university. The only spells she was ever interested in were the spells that lessened her workload in some way. Of course, that means she would have to remember a spell. Then there's the issue she has of making the spell actually work. She is horrible at spells because she never wanted to listen to dad. 

Suddenly I hear the train whistle bellow and the engine hiss it's final puff of steam before the giant wheels begin their first rotation. I turn to find my parents and see a sea of adults waving, blowing kisses, and yelling their final goodbyes. I want to sprint back to the car so we can get that lonely ride back home over with. I already hear my mother recounting all the ways she is proud of Helen...how special Helen is, how intelligent Helen is....and as if that weren't enough, how beautiful Helen is, too. My mother's attitude towards Helen's "achievements" are especially infuriating to me. My mother is one of the main reasons my dad is no longer a practicing witch. That's right, my mother loathes that part of my dad's life and yet as soon as Helen received her notification of invitation, my mother was the first to spread the word with over-the-top pride. It's the ultimate in hypocrisy and if I think about it for another moment, I might turn her into something. 

Yes, I can do magic. Technically, I'm not supposed to cast any spells or enchantments for many different reasons, but I just can't help it. There are times when the magic seems to just flow from my fingers without any intention or purpose from me. Luckily, the few times this has happened nobody was around. I thought for sure when the invitation arrived at the house that it was going to be me boarding that train today, but no, it was Helen's name announced. After hearing her name and not mine, I probably stood in that spot…in that moment for hours, I was in such disbelief. I still can't believe it.

***************************************************************

Helen has been gone for a few months now. We receive weekly letters from her, reporting all of her new discoveries and adventures. She's not much of a writer, though, as her early experiences at the  university don't sound nearly as... excuse my pun...magical as I was expecting. I'm still debating if this is solely from the fact that she isn't much of a writer, or if my expectations, once again have exceeded reality. Either way, I don't have time to focus on Helen anymore. My life has exponentially become more exciting as my dad has not only started practicing magic again, but is teaching me more advanced magical skills! Previously, he had insisted that he could never teach me as his student because of my mother, but the impossible is happening. Only, I don't think he's happy about it. It's not that he's afraid of getting caught breaking his promise to my mom, it's something quite different. It's almost as if he feels something magically big will enter into our world and he's preparing me. AND, I think my mother already knows that he is teaching me the ways of the witch and is okay(-ish) with it. Whatever it is, we're ready. My dad and I are unstoppable.

Today, I'm practicing my potions. It's not one of my stronger skills, but my dad wants me to have a working knowledge of all the major components to magic, so here I am, bumbling around the kitchen. The upside to me practicing potions in the kitchen is that I can legitimately drive my mother from the area. Don't get me wrong, my mother does not spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but when the potion bottles come out, my mother tends to find even more excuses to leave the room, sometimes even the house depending on her level of frustration. Just like with my Dad, though, I have the feeling that there is more to her frustration. As if she knows why my dad is teaching me all of this and her frustration is founded more in fear.

 ***************************************************************

  

Something very weird happened on my way to school this morning. Something tried to grab me. That's right...something...not someone. As I turned the corner out of sight from my house a grey cloud surrounded me. It reminded me of the steam from the train on that awful day Helen left for school, but then I felt something tugging my entire body. Without thinking, my hands went into motion and I heard myself reciting a protection spell. I chanted it over and over again increasing my volume until the cloud dissipated. I didn't know what to do after that so I continued on to school. I tried calling my dad, but it went to voicemail and I didn't want to leave details of what had happened on a voicemail. I'm going through all of the normal routines of my school day, but I find myself being extra cautious. Peaking around corners instead of using my quick, just-get-me-through-the-day stride. Of course, I'm continually questioning myself as to if the events of that morning really even happened. Maybe I was daydreaming? 

I called my dad again before walking home from school, but just like this morning, I only reached his voicemail. I actually called my mom just to make sure nothing else had happened (why hadn't I thought to do that this morning?) and she said he had been in meetings at work all day. He came home for a quick bite of lunch and then back to work for more meetings. Dad warned me that if something were to happen it would be when I was most vulnerable...does my dad being in meetings all day count? Well, I'm ready for whatever weird event may happen on my way home, especially after this morning. 

The wind stopped, that's funny. The wind has been steadily blowing off and on all day and now nothing. It's funny the things we notice when truly paying attention to our surroundings. I see a jack rabbit sitting in a garden...he better run before Mrs. Fletcher comes out and catches him in her award-winning flower bed. I see a squirrel on the side of the tree. He must have heard me and decided to freeze until I pass. Once I walk by a bit, I turn around and expect to see the rabbit hopping off and the squirrel in motion either up or down the tree, but to my surprise neither animal has moved. I stay motionless for a couple of minutes, but nothing has changed. What's going on? I look up and see a bird in mid-flight, but frozen...wings not moving. Something is here, but what?  I try to turn to run home only to find that I too am frozen. I immediately start my protection chant, but I have to do something more. I have to find a way to move again. My fingers start to wiggle as I alternate my protection chant with a will to move spell. I can't panic...I can do this. I can now move my hands and arms and continue to gain control of more of my body until I can finally run. I continue chanting until I get home. 

Where's my mother? She told me during our phone conversation that she would be home when I arrived, but I can't find her. What's that noise? Somebody is on our roof! Before I can think about investigating from outside, I hear someone upstairs. Whoever or whatever it is, is getting closer! I start my protection chant again as I slowly walk up the stairs. I can hear rummaging upstairs like someone is going through my drawers. As I turn the corner to head towards my bedroom I notice Helen's door half closed. Ever since she left for the university we keep her bedroom door closed. I try to distract myself from thinking about what could be in Helen's room with remembering what excuse my dad gave as to why it is smart to close off her bedroom...heating efficiency...air conditioner bill...it's something like that. All out of excuses and steps, I force myself to push the door open to its entirety. 

I see a body of light, but it's not a brilliant light. It's a grey, dull light. I try a dissipate spell, but it doesn't do anything. I try a couple more spells, but only manage to annoy the being. I feel my feet leave the carpeted floor as I slowly fly up into the roof and then quickly back down. Luckily, I land on Helen's bed. I feel the grey steam cloud from this morning and before I can start chanting, it's gone.

I sit up and see my dad walking out of Helen's closet. 

"What was THAT?" I demand.

"That was my past catching up to me." my dad says shaking his head.

"What does that mean? Where's mom?" I ask.

"Your mom is safe with Helen." he says. "Magic like this isn't supposed to be practiced in our world, but as with anything in life you have people who don't agree with the rules and have their own agendas." dad explains. "That being wants something that isn't theirs and will do anything to get it. They have their own set of rules and therefore believe they shouldn't have to abide by ours, regardless of the fact that they are in our world. This is why I have started to train you and why Helen was invited to the school of magic."

What did he mean... this is why Helen was invited to the magic school?? I can’t make sense of what my dad is telling me. I sit down with a dumbfounded “thunk.” As if my dad could read my thoughts he continues to explain.

"The officers of magic knew that these beings wanted something in our world. They weren't sure which exactly so each of us took a suspected magical relic and hid it. Knowing that our families would become targets, Helen was "invited" to one of the magic schools for protection. The officers knew you have natural abilities when it comes to spells, so I talked your mom into letting me train you, secretly, in this world. I placed extra protection enchantments on your mother so at any point she thought she was in danger she would be transported to Helen at the witches’ university, no matter what happened to me."

"Why didn't you explain any of this before? Everything would have made so much more sense." I wonder out loud.

"We all thought it would be best if you didn't know the details. We didn't want you to spend these months in worry about what may or may not happen. We didn't know if, or when these beings would come to our world. This way you could live normally for as long as possible. I know you were upset when Helen was invited to the witches' university and you weren't. I thought I could make that up to you by training you here at home." answers dad.

"Will those beings come back to find what they're looking for?" I hesitantly ask.

Dad shakes his head and replies, "Only time will tell."

END

...can y'all tell what kind of books I've read? I have to end this week's blog with some nonfiction. The woman in the picture is my beloved mother-in-law. No, I'm not being sarcastic. I truly love my mother-in-law. Unfortunately, we lost her this past summer. She was quite a human, for sure. According to my daughters, their Grandma was magical, and I one hundred percent believe that, as well. Knowing her, I could have gone in SO MANY different directions for this week's short story. It comes as a huge surprise that I ended up with this type of story. I have written in a lot of different genres; however, fantasy hasn't really been one of them. I almost didn't publish this version, but my husband (a very talented D&D Dungeon Master and "me-appointed "expert in this genre) said I need to use this version of the story as long as at some point I continue it. I hope you enjoy it as well, and as always, I welcome comments.