'The Magick Room'

I walked up the worn stone slab steps, flanked either side by two huge stone tiger sculptures and approached the thick heavy oak door. It was usually answered, as it was always shut but I just had to push a little and it slowly opened. It groaned and creaked under its heavy weight but the hall that was usually dark and unlit, was blindingly bright from a small round window at the end, reflecting and letting in the hot warm sun of the day.

Everywhere was illuminated and sparkling and so was I, as I stood in the hallway. It showed up places and corners that I had never even noticed before, even the cobwebs glowed and glittered.

What was going on? and where was she? I walked on a little further down the hall into the 'Magick Room'. Very carefully. I peeped around. It was still the same as I always remembered from a small child, the large crystal ball sat on the table covered in the dark green velvet cloth, the large comfy couch was buried as usual in a multicoloured mountain of cushions, that too sparkled and shone..

I looked around for her book, as it was usually locked but this time it was open on a double page. I could'nt quite read what was on the pages, but beside it were some dried herbs, an old thickened branch, that I remembered seeing before from when I was really little, on one of my ' roots' in fact I may have held it. Ooh, I could hear her coming.....she would..... too late....

But she was'nt annoyed, but pleased to see me, and pleased that I was already in the 'Magick' Room'; the room that was always so sacred. 'Did you have a good journey, dear?' and gave me a hug, 'This is a very special birthday for you and I have been very busy getting every thing ready and just right, so now you are here, open the drawer for your special birthday gift from me to you'

I was by now realy intriqued and because I was always discouraged from 'touching' anything, I was a little reticent.'Go on dear, it's OK'

I slowly opened the drawer and inside was something wrapped up in a green velvet cloth and bound in golden thread, tied off in a pretty bow with some sprigs of herbs and berries. Wrapped so nicly I did'nt want to disturb or upset it but I wanted to see what was inside.

It felt very heavy as I lifted it up and carefully unwrapped the covering, but what I saw puzzled and took my breath away all at once.

It was a book but not just any book. Heavily encrusted and laden with all sorts of beads and baubles, some of which I recognised and was familiar to me, 'Yes, that is one of your baby buttons and that is..replied my Grandmother..'

I turned the cover half listening now, the pages where all

blank. My Grandmother looked at me, my gorgeous lovely grandmother and said

' For your special 16th birthday this is your very own 'Book of Shadows'.
Libithina x