Whispering Tempest

Chapter Eighteen - Flames and Shame

Chapter Eighteen – Flames and Shame

I stare at the antiqued paper in my hands, rereading the address and heading over and over. August 24th 1996. Dear Loving Sister. My breath gets jagged with the emotional distress rampaging in my mind. Lisa wrote this so long ago from when we believed we could take on the world. How can I tell her it’s not something I want anymore?

But I read on knowing I have to. Tears tickle the brim of my eyes as they skim the curling script.

August 24th 1996

Dear Loving Sister,

If you are reading this right now then I know you have already seen what the past has to offer. Death, heartbreak, lies. Too many things have happened and we as sisters lost sight of what is important. I am so sorry Emily but I do this out of love. We were never meant to scorn Spencings and think ourselves superior. It was the insanity of Ivette that consumed us, her hatred filling our hearts and the innocence we held dear cast out as result. Once I learned of the Peridot’s prophecy, I knew we have to be stopped. But since there will be no way where I can follow through with my plan without alerting Ivette, I will be buried. She is the strongest of us with her craft and even still knows there is something I hide from her. Whether or not I feel differently from her, I must continue with your deaths along with my own.

I ask you not to be angry with me as I tell you this but the Emerald –the head witch of this area’s coven- has done me the favor of holding back the knowledge you have learned of the Phoenix powers. DO NOT think in asking her that she would be foolish enough to help you restore those memories. I want you properly trained in witchcraft before assuming the role of the Phoenix. You must learn to control you natural talents before those abilities which you wanted only in greed.

Remember our mother, dear Emily, and the love she wanted us to feel. I hope you will find me. Please let me convince you to join the side our Aunt, the woman you call mother, wants us to. Bind us in protection or let Stephanie bind our sisterhood in healing or let me bring peace so long as you do not give into the hate. Only then can we help the whole of humanity, both witch and Spencing alike. I will love you always and I wait for your return with open arms no matter what you choose.

With the deepest sincerity,

     Lisa Ann Murphy

 

My finger shakes as I trace her swirling handwriting. Lisa was always the kindest of us, taking on the eldest sister role as Ivette should have. I was so selfish back then it was easy to persuade me into hating non-mystics. I guess it was reliving my childhood (literally) that reminded me how naïve I was. Spencings are people like I am only they don’t bear the burden of these powers.

My back slides down the door frame until I am plopped down between the yard out front and the air conditioned house. Everything seems to be caving in and I don’t know if I can just take it and move on. It’s too much at one time. I inhale and stare at the ceiling, trying to manage my watering eyes.

“In or out,” Scott yells at me from down the hallway. I turn to him realizing that I’m letting the hot air outside invade our cool house. The letter is folded and stuffed into my pants’ pocket and I recede to my room upstairs.

‘Our Aunt, the woman you call mother…’ Lisa knew I would notgrow up with the knowledge of what I have already lived. I’m thankful I got to know but there is something I am still not okay with. And it’s the fact she is keeping my already learned knowledge away from me.