story

this is a story that I've been working on maybe it will all fit. I hope so.

The Coven
Austin Toney

“Darksome night and shining moon, Hearken to the witches' rune. East, then south, west then north, here come I to call thee forth. Earth and water, air and fire, Work ye unto my desire. Wand and Pentacle and Sword Hearken ye unto my word. Cords and Censer, Scourge and Knife, Waken all ye into life. Power of the Witches Blade, Come ye as the charm is made. Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell, Lend your aid unto the spell. Horned Hunter of the Night, Work my will by magic rite. By all the power of land and sea, as I do will, so mote it be. By all the might of moon and sun, Chant the spell and be it done.” He spoke these words as the candles flickered in the moon light in his fenced in back yard. There no one could see him, there no one could bother him or ridicule him, judge him for what he believed in. Jeremy knew that if anyone at his school found out about him doing this then it would be hell from here on out. Jeremy had to move several times for his ancient beliefs, and his love for the old ways and this spell was to help make things all better he could only hope.
Jeremy’s family was pagan, and believed in the ancient ways, this was a practiced passed down from generation to generation. His family moved several times in order to avoid the witch hunts of modern day American culture. Although in this day and age it’s become more accepting to be what lots of people would call a “freak” or Jeremy’s favorite term “Satanist” it was still challenging to find some where that truly understood their ways. His family did not seek to hurt any one; his family didn’t seek to sacrifice the virgins of the world in order to gain immortality. None of the high misconceptions of today were true…well besides the one about dancing naked around fires, that ones true but only to some covens (a group of practicing witches.) With all that being said this is the story of Jeremy and his family moving to West Haven, Utah.


It was a dark day, and my family had just barely reached their destination of the new hell hole we were to call home. I’ve moved so many times I’ve lost track and sick and tired of it, but I’m at the same time always relieved when we move because then it means a new start. Every other place that we’ve been to always ended up in a disaster. I usually ended up ruining the move for us some how. Like the last state in which we resided I had ruined it by being to open about the old ways. I revealed too much and ended up getting our family exiled from everything and everyone we had become friends with.
I was determined to make things better for us…. You see it was just my Mother and I, my dad died last year when I was sixteen, and my mom had to try and keep the family going. “Are you ready for a new start my son?” asked my mother Selene. “Well if by ready you mean wanting to die, then yes I’m ready ma’” she laughed tussled my hair and kissed me on the fore head. “We’ll start anew and it will all be ok Jer.” I smiled at her knowing that she was trying her hardest to make ends meet and to keep her self, and I together after Fathers death. After we were done unpacking, ma’ and I went to bed. Seeing how tomorrow was going to be a tough day with starting a new school and ma’s new job; we were going to need some good R&R.


The next day I awoke late for school! “Damn it! Mom I told you to wake me up when you left for work!” I sighed and rolled out of bed fumbling around in the dark for my wallet and keys. “Bloody hell, I don’t even have time for a shower!” I pulled on my pants and shirt, examined my self in the mirror decided it was good enough and headed to school. Luckily I knew where to go, the school wasn’t that hard to find, and Ogden was not that hard to navigate.
I walked into the school head held high and ready to learn, who was I kidding? I really didn’t want to be here let alone out side of my house. I was tired and already ready for bed. My first period was English, ok I can do this I thought. I walked into the class room the teacher wasn’t even there yet. “Thank the goddess!” I whispered as I sat down in an empty chair next to someone whose vibes were totally off the scale. She was dressed in all black, was pale as a ghost, lips as red as blood and thick black eyeliner. “Hi! My name is Ericka!” her voice was shrill and nagged inside of my head something wasn’t right about her. “Hi…my names Jeremy” I said not knowing if I should give her my name or not. “Oh! What a pretty name! You’re new here aren’t you” Ericka asked. I cringed at the sound of her incessant nagging voice. “Yes I am.” I took out my pentacle and starting rubbing it, wishing and hoping the teacher would get here soon so that Ericka would stop talking to me. For some reason she got really excited when she saw my pentacle, and let out a little squeal. “Oh my goodness! That’s such a pretty pentacle! You know I’m Wiccan too!” she reached out to try and touch it, as she did this I smacked her hand away and scolded her “Well if you’re Wiccan then you should know that touching someone’s magical things without asking messes with the energies!” her eyes widened as she started to speak her apologizes, her voice just drilled into my head more and more until finally the teacher came in, and began the lesson for the day.

I went through the next few periods with her, either she was following me or she actually had the classes, none of the teachers seemed to take role and if they did it wasn’t happening today. Finally it was lunch time, the air smelled delightful, as I started to wonder if it would be like all the other schools I had been too where the food looks so revolting, that it grew legs and walked off in the opposite direction. I kept throwing out my senses in a net trying to find someone to stand by or to help me figure out who to hang out with and who to not hang out with. I was immediately drawn to this girl with amazing hair, long and curly. As I got my lunch I followed her to her seat, I sat down with her. She looked at me and stated once again like a lot of other people had that day that I’m a new kid. And I responded just the same way I always had with a yes I am. “So I see you found a little follower have you?” this girl asked. “What do you mean?” “Well my dear I have first couple of periods with you and that Ericka chick has been following you around like a lost little gerbil or something. Oh by the way my name is Morgan, Morgan Rowland’s.” Ah! Morgan is her name! It was pretty. We continued to chit- chat about Ericka and how she needs to learn to keep her grubby little hands to her self. “So you practice?” she asked me. I took hold of my pentacle and replied with a head nod thinking that she would completely stop talking to me. Then I realized that she had just plopped out her pentacle. It was stunning a crescent moon for the circle and a purple stone in the middle of it. I for once was comfortable with a new person in my life.
After lunch was fifth, sixth, then seventh period, all of which was pretty boring with out my new friend by my side. Morgan…hmm what a pretty name. I had wondered if she could get me into the loop of where to shop for some magical goods and all that stuff. After all I did need a new censer. And maybe a new charm or two.
I jumped; I had just received a text. Who was it from? This was weird I had just gotten home and had received a text. I took out my phone and looked at the number; it wasn’t in my contact list. I wonder who it is; I extended my senses to the text and found that it was Morgan. The text asked how I was and if I was doing anything this evening. I replied with a simple greeting and a blunt answer; “Hello Morgan! Nothing! Nothing at all! How about you my dear?” I called every one dear and darling, all those weird little names. I pressed send and off the text went zooming through the air to her cell phone. I waited intently for a reply. I didn’t know why I felt such a strong connection with her, but I did. It could have been because of the fact that we both practice, or the fact that we both despise that white whale of a human being, Ericka. I sat for about five minutes waiting for the reply to my text. I was slowly drifting in and out of sleep because of boredom.
I jumped again! My phone was ringing, I grabbed the phone and with a groggy voice I answered “whaaaat?” a very excited voice masked by a sense of calm came from the other end of the line “well hello sleepy head!” it was my mother . “Hi mom….what time is it?” my mother Selene sighed and replied with “nine-thirty one on a Friday night! What are you doing home? Didn’t find any body at your new school to ‘chill’ with?” you could just hear the sarcasm in her voice. “Actually as a matter of fact I did mom, she just hasn’t replied to my text yet.” I checked my phone I had been asleep a grand total of an hour and abut fifteen minutes. “Oh really? That’s nice dear, well tell me all about your day when I get home, just thought I’d let you know I was on my way!” she said. “Ok Mom I’ll talk to you soon, love you!” “Love you too my boy!” We hung up and I started to roll out of bed. I checked my phone and sure enough there was a message from Morgan. “Well I was just wondering if you would like to join our circle for the full moon. Are you interested?” Oh yeah! It was the full moon tonight! I smacked my self on the head forgetting about it, mom and I were so busy unpacking and sorting things out in our new house that we both completely forgot!
I slide open my phone and started my reply to Morgan’s text. “I’d love too! I haven’t done one in so long where is it going to be?” I sent the message and in a couple of minutes I received a text back stating that it was going to be at her house and that I need to bring food and drink. Sounds good I thought, pretty legit, and it was something to do on a Friday evening. I grabbed my keys and jumped into my car. The address wasn’t hard to find at all, it was only a couple of miles away from my house. When I arrived at the address I hopped out of my car there were about 4 cars in the and around the drive way. I was walking up the stairs when the door opened and Morgan embraced me. “We’re so glad you could make it! We were getting a little worried! Was the place easy to find?” I nodded and followed her in. “You’re a man of few words aren’t you dear?” I laughed and replied with a head nod and a “Yup I sure am.” I was still afraid of getting persecuted so of course I was going to be silent! We walked into the living room where everything had been cleared away there was about 9 people there. All of whom went to our school; I didn’t know any of their names though. “Well before we start I guess I should introduce you to every body.” I followed Morgan over to the couch where three people were sitting chit-chatting; they all stopped and looked at me. I could feel them extending there senses to me to see if I was legit, I allowed them to. After that they all lightened up “Hey guys” I said and gave a little wave. “These three trouble makers are Jena, Paul, and Michael” Morgan pointed them out in order from left to right. “Guys this is Jeremy he’s going to be joining us in the circle tonight!” they all nodded and Paul, the one in the middle, shook my hand and asked Morgan how we had met “Well I saved him from the White Whale.” We all laughed, I assumed we were talking about Ericka, I didn’t know because I’m a ditz that way. We walked away to the three over at the fire place playing with some tarot cards and runes. Morgan introduced me to them, Patricia who preferred to be called patty, Phoebe, and Persephone once again from left to right. Then we made our way into the kitchen where someone was cooking. “And this is my big brother!” Morgan stated gesturing to a tall, muscular man with strong facial features and medium length curly hair. “How’d you do? Names Rick, Rick Rowland’s.” Rick held out his hand for me to shake, I did so. His grip was strong; I could feel him extend his sense, up my arm and around my body. Rick looked over at Morgan and nodded as if to say I approve.
We all gathered in the living room, and sat down in t a circle around the altar. It was a gorgeous altar. A large square table with a purple and black altar cloth which had the triquetra, the symbol of the three feminine goddesses: Maiden, Mother and Crone on it. This symbol was also the symbol of the three feminine elements Earth, Water and Air. Upon the altar there were two illuminator candles, a small bowl of salt for earth, water, a stick of incense for air a red candle, an athame which is a double edged ritual dagger and a chalice. Well at least they got that right, of course I was being skeptical, I mean I had been raised around this stuff, and raised with a group of practicing witches I was initiated so I was pretty sure I knew what I was doing. Rick, who I was guessing was leading the circle tonight picked up the salt of the altar and sprinkled some pinch by pinch around the perimeter of the circle while saying “with this salt I cleanse this circle.” He did so with each element. Ok so far so good I thought. Morgan then stood up and invoked the goddess by saying “I invoke the goddess three to aid us in our rite. So mote it be.” Everyone repeated after her “So mote it be” it was short and simple I liked it, however there were some flaws in it, but who was I to judge oh yeah, An Initiated witch that’s who.
Everyone joined hands and stood. “We gather here on this night and in this hour to call upon the ancient powers of the goddess and her consort, by the full moons light bless us in our magical rite!” said Rick. Once again every one stated “So mote it be!” we started to move clockwise, and Morgan started a chant “Earth, Air, Fire, Water” and one by one everyone joined in. I could see and feel the energy slowly coming up from the earth beneath our feet, and twirling around us becoming a great cone of power. I could see it the green, yellow, red, and dark blue energies and lights surrounding us. I wondered if anyone else could. I had never been so sensitive to magic like this in my life. Slowly we came to a halt; all of us breathing hard, all of us took our seats around the altar again. “Ground and center your selves.” I was lost I didn’t know who had said that, I looked around and realized that it must have been rick. Very carefully everyone laid back and grounded their energy. When that was done we sat up and centered. The full moon rite was almost at an end. Rick and Morgan thanked the god and goddess and opened the circle. Right as the circle was taken up I felt the rush of the energy we had raised explode, I collapsed the last thing I heard was my head hitting the floor and a gasp from the group.
While in my unconscious state I felt the earth below me pulsating with power, and magic. I have to move, I kept telling my self, I have to wake up, and if mom finds out I’m dead. Out of the clouds of my mind came a beautiful woman. The goddess, she had chosen me to lead this group of friends on her path, I knew it. She slowly walked, no glided over to me touched my forehead and said “do my bidding, lead them, teach them, help them grow, love them like a family my son.” I agreed, and as I awoke, my new family was hovering around me. This was my coven; this is where I was going to start my new life, right here with my new family.