Stolen Origins (Chapter 2)

“Are you guys sure you know what we’re doing? I mean, I’ve heard stories about Ouija Boards, they haven’t been all that good either…” Gabby said, a worried expression in her eyes.1

“It’s not as if it’s dangerous”  Sypress replied whilst rummaging under her bed for nail polish remover.2

“I think that it’ll be okay, I can’t see how we can be harmed, we just have to be careful about what we ask, the board, or whoever is on the other side, because if we ask a question about something that we really don’t want to know the answer too, something that could scare us…” my voice trailed off, it was going to be fine, besides, we just want to learn about our ancestors, our family.  3

My Mum once told me, when I’d ask about my ancestors that there was a big flood in our basement, that one of the water pipes had burst, not long after I was born and all the records were destroyed. If she thought that would stop me from finding out, she had another thing coming.  I just hope that my ancestors were Wiccans, that they’d given me some of my Wiccan blood.4

“Okay,” Satin started, looking up from where she’d been setting up the board, “We’re all ready”5

With that she took the lollipop stick out of her mouth and sat West to the board, Satin’s element is Water, it is always symbolized West. 6

Sypress, Gabby and I got up, and sat in our places.  Gabby, south, for fire, Sypress sat east, for air and I sat north, for the element of earth.7

Once we were all settled, we joined hands, all warm from the fire that was still roaring near us.  I looked around at my friends, in wonder of who would have enough courage to ask the board something.8

To my surprise, it was Gabby who spoke up.  She was usually very nervous when we did something new, but she seemed to be overcoming that fear.9

“Hello…is there anyone there?” Gabby spoke quite softly and slowly.10

We all placed our hands on the pointer in the middle of the board, unsure of what was coming next.11

Maybe I should just take my hand away, nothing was going to happen surely, this was stupid, I believe in magick, yes, but this, talking to dead people, there was just no way… suddenly, my arm jolted.12

The pointer started moving, Satin’s eyes widened as it slowly moved over to the word, YES, the pointer then stopped, the room was silent.13

‘There’s someone here!” Sypress said excitedly.14

“Frikkin’ hell” was all I could get out.  There was someone, something, dead, here with us…in Sypress’s room, it was kind of eerie.15

I gulped and then knew I should say something, I needed to know.16

“Who are you? Do you know anything about my ancestors?” I asked after we’d put the pointer back into the centre of the board.17

Almost immediately the pointer moved again to the YES, then an, I, K,N,E,W,T,H,E,M.18

“Yes, I knew them” Gabby repeated, she looked at me, “Rory, she knew them! This is your chance to find out as much as you can!”19

“Yay, I’m hungry” Satin said, “Can I get a lollipop?” 20

“No” we all said in unison.21

“Ror, why don’t you ask if they were Wiccans, that was number one priority, right?” Sypress asked, she still looked excited and amazed about what was happening.22

I nodded, “Were they Wiccans? Any of them?”23

Our hands, still on the pointer, moved, the pointer zoomed all around the board, in circles, before stopping on the word YES.24

Sypress and I stared at each other, we were the closest, for some reason she was just the easiest for me to talk to, she knew how much I’d hoped that my ancestors were Wiccans, that I’d be able to find some of their old Book of Shadows’.  Learning that they were Wiccans, it makes me one step closer in my search for the truth.25

“Would I ever be able to talk to them, through the Ouija Board?” I asked, hoping that I’d finally be able to.26

Shakily, I placed my hand, once again on the pointer, a tingling sensation crept into my stomach, I’m nervous…but why?27

This time the pointer screeched across the board, I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, the pointer was on the word NO.28

Sypress patted my back, as if in sympathy.29

“No,” I said to them, “I have to be able to”30

”Why not?” I asked the board, “I want some answers”31

Silence.32

Slowly, reluctantly as if who ever was on the other side was in a lot of pain, the pointer zoomed to the O the N, L, Y. Pause, Y,O,U,R. pause, S,I,S,T,E,R, another, longer pause then, U,N,D,E,R,S,T,A,N,D and finally S.   33

The pointer stopped.34

Only your sister understands, the phrase echoed around through my mind, I turned it over, looked at it backwards, but still I didn’t understand.35

“Only your sister understands?” Satin said, confused, “But Rory, you don’t have a sister’36

“Or do you? Have  you been hiding her?” Gabby asked, with the tiniest bit of amusement in her tone as if laughing at the thought of that ridiculous possibility.37

“No” I said quietly, “I don’t have a sister.”38

I lay awake that night, watching the fire crackling slowly. My friends were all asleep. Sypress in bed, Gabby and Satin in sleeping bags like mine, on the floor. I had so many thoughts, I’d stopped thinking all together. My mind was so noisy, it was raised to a pitch that I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t make sense of. Eventually, I knew I’d have to face things. I knew that the board hadn’t lied to me.39

Which means that I have a sister. The thought was strange. Me? Have a sister? I don’t have a sister...40

So many questions. Was she older or younger? Definitely older, or I’d remember. Unless we were the same age. Could I have a twin? But if I had a twin, why would my parents giver her away, and not me?41

Was she okay? What if... Too many questions without answers. Too many thoughts. And not enough sleep. 42

Then I had a thought. I could try scrying for her.43

Just one problem. No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I used, I couldn’t scry. Not with stones, not with runes, not with flame or a dark mirror. I couldn’t scry. 44

But I still tried. I had to know.45

I sat up on the mattress, then crawled forward to sit directly in front of the fireplace. I felt the heat warm me, and I let the firelight play over my face. It helped me to relax. 46

I sat in a medative position, and tried to clear my mind. It didn’t work, so I went ahead anyway. I stared into the flame, and concentrated on it, until my mind was full of happy, crackling flames. Then in my mind, using the flames to send the message, I called out to my sister.47

Then I got a little dizzy.48

Toledo, Spain49

The girl they called Orenda sat by the fireplace, shivering. She was certain Orenda wasn’t her real name, but she could never remember what it was. No matter how hard she tried to remember the name her mother had given her, it always seemed to be just out of reach.50

And so, in time, she accepted her knew name. Orenda. Meaning ‘Magick Power’. She sort of like it, too.51

A small group of men and woman stood in the next room, talking in hushed voices. Orenda caught snatches of conversation every now and then, but they spoke quietly, hurriedly, and in a mixture of languages. Most of which she didn’t understand. They did it on purpose too. 52

They were talking about her. She heard the word ‘special’ several times, but she already knew this. She was special. They needed her, for some reason or another. They needed her strength. Her psychic ability. And whatever else they wanted.53

They had stolen her from her home, not long after she was born. Taken her while her mother was sleeping. This much, she knew. A young man, who was supposed to watch her, make sure she was safe, had been kind enough to answer at least the question of where she came from. For this kindness, he was ‘disposed of accordingly’. But that was years ago, back in Russia. They’d been to so many places in her life, she couldn’t keep track of anything anymore. She was sure she’d lose her mind eventually.54

And as Orenda sat there, staring into the flames, she heard a voice. It sounded so familiar, yet she’d never heard it before.55

The voice called to her. She knew this. The voice didn’t call her name, but it called for a sister. Orenda glanced at the door. The group couldn’t hear the voice.56

Yes, it was definately speaking to her. And it seemed to come through the flames.57

She stared into the flames, and her head started to spin. Still, she called out. 58

"I’m here." She whispered.59

You are?60

"Yes."61

Are you my sister?62

"I don’t know. You seem... familiar."63

Familiar?64

"Yes. Maybe you are my sister." A sister. She had a sister.65

You seem like my sister. Can you see me?66

"No." Orenda replied.67

Close your eyes.68

A scene flooded Orenda’s vision. She could see a girl, her age, staring into a fire. Three girls slept around her.69

"I see you."70

I see you too... What is your name?71

"They call me Orenda. What is your name?"72

I am Rory. Where are you?73

Someone from the group was coming toward the door. She could hear the footsteps.74

"I have to leave you."75

Please! No! Tell me where you are!76

"I have to, they are coming for me."77

Who?78

"The people who took me." The footsteps were even closer, almost at the door.79

Orenda panicked.80

The fire went out, and Sypress’s room when pitch-black.81

Orenda had broken off the connection. Our link.82

But she had left me with another message. Faint and hurried. Desperate even. But she had said one more thing.83

I am in Spain.84

And I knew I had to find her.85