The Arrival Not By Broom But By Grey Hound
"And when the rain comes down
She's never getting wet
And though the skies are grey
She'll still be smilin' yet
Because in the eyes there's no teardrops
In her heart there's no pain
She's got a love as an umbrella from the rain''
-Michael Lloyd (The Umbrella Song)
Today
The bus ride from her home town (population 500...499 now she guessed) was long but peaceful. Even though her twenty hour trip included several bus changes, a set of crying twin toddlers, a talkative grandmother, five unruly teenagers, and too many stops on the highway to count so the drivers could have a smoke with most of the passengers.
When she finally reached California she was relieved but when she saw the sign "Welcome to Sunnydale" tears of pure joy moistened her eyes and she needed to rifle thru her purse to find a tissue. She noticed her "map" in there too and took it out to have a look. This map was printed from the local library at the place she once called "home", but now was "that place I came from".
Soon she would be on the steps of the University Of California Sunnydale - Scholarships in hand, moving towards her new life. She wasn't going to miss out on anything in her new life even though her shyness and stuttering could possible dampen her already non-existent social life. But she cared not as she exclaimed with a smile, "I am alive".
Two Months Later
Tara left the English history class quietly, looking down at the floor as she walked. She glimpsed up occasionally to ensure she would not bump into anyone. Once at the quad, she sat and took out her Sunnydale U Gazette and scanned the social club ads. Wearily she looked at the Writer's Circles (Poetry not allowed), the woman's self defense classes (Its a must in Sunnydale!) and finally saw what she was looking for, "Wicca Group - Every Tuesday at 7pm at Mackenzie Hall Room 104-A" Tara smiled and circle it with her pink highlighter, and jotted down the info in her student day timer. "Finally...!" She muttered.
Although she was away from her family for a whole year with no contact at all, she still remained alone and isolated by her shyness. Spending so much time alone, she began to immerse herself in what she loved most, her beloved Wicca and its magicks. The magick's and Wicca came from her mother (Goddess rest her soul, she thought). Her mother felt empowered by the nature around her. It made Tara feel safe.
She could remember her mother standing in the small kitchen in the house Tara grew up in. She could remember how her mother labored all day cleaning and cooking for her father's approval. Tara could not recall her mother ever being angry or sad because of this lifestyle she led. Her mother would always smile and have time to teach young Tara something new every day.
The Magicks were an open secret within the family. Tara knew her father disapproved...no loathed Magick and the Wiccans in town. But Tara's mother embraced the earth and her power, and quietly groomed Tara in the ways of both until her untimely death.
After her mother's passing, she was expected to take over the household as her mother had done and she gladly did it. Her older brother, Donny made her life miserable with his demands that he would never have made of his mother. Donny despised Tara and she could never understand why. Maybe it was because her mother spent more time with her or maybe it was the power he knew Tara might someday have. "Get you punch in now" he must have thought after Mama's passing.
She knew this life she was forced into living was not for long for she worked very hard in school to maintain her grades and when her full scholarship arrived by post, she could remember the awful looks her father gave her, and how her brother swore up and done in a tirade that she couldn't possible leave for California, that her place was here taking care of him and Pa. How Beth, her mindless cousin from her father's side, had run from up the road to their house just to stand and watch Tara's father and brother verbally abuse her for receiving such a prestige's scholarship. Tara's father sneered at her as she read the letter aloud, trying to not stutter. Her father shook his head and walked out of the room. Donny pushed her into the dinette table and swore if she left, he'd hunt her down like the animal she truly was. Beth waited until the men had left the room and then stared at Tara with a frown, "You ain't even considering going there, are you? You know what'll happen. You don't belong there." Tara looked at Beth and smiled, "Damn right", and walked out of the room. Two months later she was attempting to live the life she knew her mother wanted for her.
So she hoped by connecting with the Wicca group on campus, she may connect with others who loved nature, like her beloved mother and to meet...well...anyone at this point...but maybe...
TBC