In Harm's Way

Truth is a wild creature uneasily tamed.

“What do you mean, you don’t want to be a witch? You were born one.” Eady's mom was a traditionalist. Her family journal spell books went back generations, and she expected Eady to live the same way.

“I never wanted to learn Latin. Where would I find frogs tails or an eye of a Newt? Grow up, mom. The world has changed. It doesn’t need witches like it used to.”

It was fun to cast little black spells on stupid teachers and snotty cheerleaders, but Eady had plans no witch had ever dreamed of. She was going to become the first woman president of the United States. “What?” She asked her mom. She hadn’t been listening just then.

“You need a lesson in humility, young lady. I’ve heard what you’ve been doing at school. You think you can have it both ways, being a witch and not being one when you don’t want to be one? Think again. You are grounded. Go to your room while I think up a way to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”

Eady felt her feet fly out from under her as her mom mumbled some Latin phrase, waved her warms, and flew her daughter back to her bedroom. The door slammed shut behind her and locked itself as Eady was deposited on her bed. “Boy, is she mad.” Eady floated herself an inch above the mattress until her bed settled down.

Being grounded was no big deal. Eady knew enough spells so she could deposit herself wherever and whenever she wanted. Of course, she’d have to be careful or her mother’s revenge could be twice as bad as what it was now.

The hours dragged on. Eady found herself yawning. All the excitement of standing up to her mother had worn her out. “I wish I lived in a different place and time. I hate it here. I’ll show them.” Finally, she slept.


“What a crazy dream. Where am I?” The room she was in had unpainted walls, one small window, and little furniture. The air was filled with wood smoke, the scent of dried herbs, and salted meat.

“How did you get in here, in the parsonage? My father, Reverend Parris, will be mad. I’ve never seen you before. Who are you?”

It was so dark that Eady had to use her second sight to see the child quivering in fright sitting up on a hay mattress bed. “I know who you are. You’re eleven year old Abigail Williams. Your fits started the Salem witch trials. I’m dreaming I’m living in 1692.

“You sound funny. I know how you got in here. You’re a real witch.” It looked like Abrigail started trying to climb up the wall rising behind her. Her eyes opened wide as she choked on her own vomit and started having a fit.

“What’s going on here!” Into the room stomped the good Reverend Samuel Parris. Eadie knew him right off from the family tales spread down through generations.

“She’ll choke to death. Let me give her the heimlich maneuver. Stand aside.” When the preacher grabbed and started to choke her, Eady cast a one word spell that threw him aside. Samuel Parris found himself dangling in the air.

It took only a minute to save the young girl’s life. “See? Not all witches are bad. Now go to sleep. When you wake up, you’ll think this was only a bad dream.”

“If and when the witch trials start, Mister Samuel Parris. Remember I was here once and I can return again. Behave yourself and don’t condemn the innocent.” With a snap of her fingers, the preacher dropped to the floor, hitting his head, and becoming instantly unconscious.


When Eady woke up in the morning, the dream was still alive in her head. “What the?” She stared down at the pieces of straw ticking clinging to her that had escaped from Abrigail’s bed.

“I warned you that you were grounded. You shouldn’t have left last night.” Eady’s mother said as she appeared out of nowhere.

“The past can’t be changed, you shouldn’t even have tried, but you may alter the present or the future. If you would do it wisely, you’d best learn how to master becoming a white witch.”

What she’d done that night haunted Eady. One hundred innocents had died in the witch trials. The witch living nearby at the time, had never been noticed for what she was. Was Eady’s sudden visit the key to what went wrong?

Eady had wondered why that witch hadn't intervened and saved lives. Now she knew why. People believe what they want to believe, it doesn’t matter what may be true. She had saved a life and in doing so destroyed others. You can be the best of witches and it may not matter. Truth is too often revealed after the damage is done.

There can be truth in two sides of an argument, wisdom only in one.

“Have you learned your lesson, Eady?” Only time would tell. Her mother sat down with her on her bed.

Their eyes met and held. Eady wondered, had her mom sent her back into the past or had Eady dreamed this idea up herself? She had wanted to go. Perhaps it had been both.

Eady's mother patted her hand. "I learned something from watching your dream take you back to that early day. It was like living the moment through your eyes. I felt that connected. I'm sorry we had that spat. That young girl wasn't creating mischief like all our family journals taught. She and her father had reasons for believing how they did. No matter how old I get there is something always to be learned about people and what makes them tick."

I learned something about myself, mother. Being right doesn't mean being wise. I'll make a promise to not be so impulsive with you and test the waters before thinking I know everything there is to know."