Kaori
Essay title: Kaori
Kaori awoke and rubbed her eyes.Another weird dream.She didnt mind.They provided material for her writing.Dragging herself to the bathroom to get dressed for school,she noticed something.Somehing that hadnt been there when she fell asleep.Something she hadnt seen before.Something small,oval and dark,with a gleam of metal.Kaori leaned over the bed and picked it up from the table.An amuletor pendant.
It was large for a pendant.A stone of deep green,smooth and polished.A silver hoop for the chain was held in place by a crossed silver band,that wound like a holder around the stone.It han a small light blue stone at the heart of the cross.It was beautiful…
” Keep it safe,my love.Safe always… ”
Kaori calmly strung it on the siver chain around her neck.As if emerging from a trance she realized that she had never had a silver chain before.
. . . . .
At school.History.A dull stupor was over the class.
Whered you get that amulet?
A note from…Kaori scanned the faces of ther classmates.Crystal was gesticulating wildly.Kaori winced inwardly.Cheryl was…not quite a popularity queen.People mostly juat laughed at her.They said that she believed
in..magic,destiny…stuff like that.And it was social suicide to even say “Hi” to her.Deciding that shed risk it,a few words exchanged wouldnt matter,she turned back to Crystal and mouthed,”What?”.Crystal passed another note:Meet me after school at the cypress tree.Dont tell anyone…even Melanie.
Nonplussed at her knowledge of her friend an her favourite hangout,Kaori silently nodded.
. . . . .
Later,at the cypress tree,Kaoris hair whipped around her face as she waited for Crystal to show up.Then,just as she had almost given up,she noticed Crystals turquoise scarf waving as she walked toward her.Crystal smiled as she neared the tree and Kaori noticed in surprise that a thrill of energy rushed through her body…
. . . . .
Back at Kaoris house,the two of them were sitting in partial darkness,Kaori being too intrigued to protest at Crystals insistence.Crystal had drawn a white candle out of her purse and lit it.Its fragrant scent filled the room with an almost unnoticable mist.Lavender.
Abruptly,Crystal said,”Do you believe
in magic?Or anything like it?”
Kaori was…well, how would you feel if you were her?
She stammered,”I dont know.”
“Well,I do.Because it exists and I am part of it.”,Crystal said,pushing a stray lock of her blonde hair back.”Its more like just a part of us,you know…the people who control it are just feared because people…well,theyre scared of things which have anything to do with parts of them they dont know.Or understand.The people who do know and understand and embrace it are who they call witches.Or wiccans.Whatever.It doesnt matter what were called.It matters what we are,”
“We?Youre coming to my house,creating a weird,magical atmosphere and teling me that Im a witch?”Kaori demanded in a sudden burst of disbeleif.
“Listen,I know its hard to believe
.But logical.Why else would there be legends.Everybody knows Legends have their basis in reality.”Crystal