Chatper 6

"Now dearie, sit down and tell me about yourself," Mrs. Jenkin's said as she led Olivia to a seat at her small dining table, "what brings you to London?"

"I... I just always wanted to come here..." Olivia said, trying not to sound ridiculous for not having a reason for her visit to London.

"...Is that all...?"

"I.... I'm honestly not sure..." Olivia said, as she stared out into space, "For some reason, I just always wanted to come to London. Never anywhere else, either. I guess it is pretty odd..."

Mrs. Jenkins smiled knowingly at her. "You know, your mother didn't even want to come to London to have you- it's no suprise that she would frown upon ever letting her darling daughter come to London... Am I right?"

"Yes! She never did want me to-- wait, you know my mother?!" Olivia asked, shocked.

"Of course. You see, I'm a midwife, dear. I have been delivering babies since I was fifteen- my mother taught me and her mother taught her and so on. So I have seen many women and their newborn children in my day... And I've never forgetten one..."

"But I was just a baby! A newborn! I mean, I could have grown up any number of ways, so how do you recognize me?"

Mrs. Jenkins looked at Olivia as if she wanted to answer, but couldn't. "It doesn't matter, child..." She said, rising from her seat across the table from Olivia. She moved over to her fireplace where a large pot of something was cooking. As she stirred her concoction, Olivia took a look around Mrs. Jenkin's home. She saw herbs of all kinds hanging from the walls drying out, as well as bundles of burnt herbs lying around. Also there was a large broom that looked like a witch's broom. Wait a second... Olivia thought as she looked around. There were various candles all over her house; she spied a small clear ball resting on her mantle, and as Mrs. Jenkin's moved away from her fireplace, Olivia saw the light of the fire highlight a pentagram on the side of the pot.

"Oh God!" Olivia shouted, jumping up from the table, "Your a- a- a--!"

"Yes, dearest, I am..." Mrs. Jenkins said almost sadly. "Does that trouble you?"

"Yes! Your going to eat me, aren't you?! Just like in Hansel and Gretel!"

Mrs. Jenkins smiled at Olivia, a bemused smile playing on her weathered face, "Child, do you see any meat hanging from any corner of my home? Do you smell any lingering scent of cooked meat?"

Olivia looked around and sniffed; sure enough, there were no traces of meat she could see or smell.

"I don't like meat, child. Just doesn't taste good to me. I much prefer vegatables- things the good Earth gave us..."

"So your not going to eat me...?" Olivia asked, still scared, "But you'll turn me into a toad! I know it!"

Mrs. Jenkins laughed at Olivia's foolishness. "Olivia- where do you come up with these thoughts of yours?"

"I've read all about witches in books- I know all about them!"

"Do you...?" Mrs. Jenkins asked, feigning interest.

"Yes, I do! And I know all about giants, ogres, and dragons, too!" Olivia boasted.

"Well, then you must know about ghosts as well, right?"

"Yes!"

"Then you must have known about the one that's been watching you for the past twelve years, right?"

Olivia felt her blood run cold for a moment. "...What?"

"Yes Child, he's been watching you for some time. In fact, he's with you right now..."

Olivia slowly looked behind her, expecting to see an aparition of some sort. When she saw nothing she turned back to glare at Mrs. Jenkins. "There's nothing there!"

"Well of course you can't see him- I can, however... Not clearly, but I can make out his color."

"His color?" Olivia asked, forgetting her fear and becoming curious as to what the old woman had to say.

"Yes, Child- his color. Everything on this green Earth of ours has a spirit, and each spirit has a color. They show how you're feeling, as well as what kind of person you are. And I just so happen to be able to see them."

"Wha...What's mine...?" Olivia asked sheepishly.

Mrs. Jenkin's looked at her for a second and said, "Your color is a beautiful lilac color- your a sweet, smart girl; you love yourself, and your family. However, you have little pink sparks dancin' around you- that means your nervous. Probably because you have no where to go and your in the company of a witch- am I right?"

Olivia just nodded, feeling embarrased.

"You also have little yellow sparks, too. And that tells me your curious as to what I'm saying and what I know."

Olivia's eyes widened at the old woman's statement, "Yes! But how did you--"

"I already told you, I can see it. Now, on to your ghost," Mrs. Jenkins continued, "He's got a red color to him, means he's strong willed- willing to make risks for what he believes to be right. But he has grey sparks flying... Means he's upset about something..."

"What do you think he's upset over?" Olivia asked, becoming more and more interested by the second.

"That I can't say... And I can't make out his features, either... He's shrowded in black... I can't say he makes me compleatly comfortable, but he seems to be watchin' over you. As long as he's around, you'll be fine. But other people would probably benifit from knowing he's there..."

"Why can't I just tell them he's there? Or you tell them?"

"Because I don't want to be thrown in jail or burned," Mrs. Jenkins answered matter of factly. "There's been a long standing law put out for any practitioners of witchcraft- they've slowed down on burning and torturing those who are accused, but they do still throw people like me in jail until they die."

"But why...?" Olivia asked.

Mrs. Jenkins chuckled, "Probably because they think we'll turn people into toads and eat them."

Olivia looked at her feet, embarrassed and ashamed. It was so rude of her to assume all of that about witches- but how could she have known if her information was correct or not? She had never actually met a real witch until just now.

"Olivia... I believe you came to London for a reason. Ever since you were born I knew you were special somehow, and I'm still not sure how you'll be able to live up to that; but I think that your journey to discovering who you are begins here, in London."

"You do?" Olivia asked, confused.

"Yes. Every person has a destiny they need to fulfill. And I can tell from looking at you and talking to you there is no future back in your old home town with your parents... Everything happens for a reason- you wanting to come to London more than anything in the world; avenues opening for your passage here; ending up on my doorstep after twelve years- I think even your ghost has something to do with your future. I believe fate wanted you to come her, Olivia... And if you trust me not to eat you or hex you, I would like you to stay here with me, and I would like to teach you about yourself, your gifts, and teach you my ways."

"You mean I'm going to be a witch?"

"Only if you want to be, dearie."

"Do you think you could tell me more about this ghost that's with me? And maybe how I can work with him?"

"I may be able to help you with that, though I've never done it myself."

What's the worst that could happen? Olivia thought.

Stay and learn, Olivia. The voice in her mind said, We could be quite the team, you and I...

Olivia nodded. "Alright," she said, "I'll become your student."