Strange Magic
Hidden Depths
Such a lovely area living so close to the wildlife of the forest and if you were lucky, might have spotted deer, some snakes or other wildlife. The owls could be heard hooting in the twilight and sometimes could be seen high up in the trees around the school as if they were protecting it, as the birds did in the morning during the dawn chorus.
On the downside, it could be difficult getting the hundred or so children to and from school because sometimes the grit that the council had laid wasn't affective enough and made driving the school buses hazardous along the long, narrow, winding, country lanes, but of course the children would be happy when they were given a day off because of the bad weather conditions! The two school buses were organised by the local council which between them carried forty five young children.
It was three summers ago, that a new headmistress was appointed to the primary school There was of course a welcome assembly organised, giving the parents a chance to get acquainted with here. She was so different from the previous head that had to retire on medical grounds who was so warm, had a kind heart and always ready with a cuddle for an upset child. Now, it seemed initially, she had been replaced by what can only be described as a strict matron, although I have been taught never to judge a book by its cover. It did strike me odd, she was dressed in such dismal, dark colours of black and grey and she continued to wear these colours in various clothes for as long I can remember.
Hidden Depths
The small primary school in the deep, dark forest always looked so pretty
in the winter. The trees now start and devoid of autumn leaves, sprinkled with
the first snowfall of the season.
Such a lovely area living so close to the wildlife of the forest and if you were lucky, might have spotted deer, some snakes or other wildlife. The owls could be heard hooting in the twilight and sometimes could be seen high up in the trees around the school as if they were protecting it, as the birds did in the morning during the dawn chorus.
On the downside, it could be difficult getting the hundred or so children to and from school because sometimes the grit that the council had laid wasn't affective enough and made driving the school buses hazardous along the long, narrow, winding, country lanes, but of course the children would be happy when they were given a day off because of the bad weather conditions! The two school buses were organised by the local council which between them carried forty five young children.
It was three summers ago, that a new headmistress was appointed to the primary school There was of course a welcome assembly organised, giving the parents a chance to get acquainted with here. She was so different from the previous head that had to retire on medical grounds who was so warm, had a kind heart and always ready with a cuddle for an upset child. Now, it seemed initially, she had been replaced by what can only be described as a strict matron, although I have been taught never to judge a book by its cover. It did strike me odd, she was dressed in such dismal, dark colours of black and grey and she continued to wear these colours in various clothes for as long I can remember.
During one private meeting, it become clear that
she was a little edgy around adults, although she was very diplomatic, but nervous with parents if an appointment was made to go and see here for
one reason or another. She also spoke to the adults as if they were children
and she always showed the infants' chairs for the adults to sit down on, which
didn't go down too well, but on the other hand, the weaker parents would also
feel intimidated by her. We did
reason, now that she had made her mark, that if she did a good job with the
children, that's all that really mattered.
Over the months, it seemed obvious she had
her favourite children and made them feel special and secure and while the
majority of the children disliked her, we still reasoned that if not many
people liked er, as long as the children respected her and behaved themselves
that surely must be the right way to run a school?
Months went by and some new children started
their new school in the forest while older children left for secondary school.
As time wore on, it seemed that a lot of the
children somehow had their spirit a little dampened, but on their return home,
returned to be lively and happy again. The children met the weekends with a welcome zest and half tern
holidays a huge relief. Absentees were steadily on the increase, but surprisingly
the SATS results more than satisfactory which left a big
question mark over our heads.
Over time, I noticed some changes in the forest, too. The birds didn't gather
and sing as much as they used to near the school and seemed to be replaced by
angry squawking crows and greedy
magpies. There were hardly any bees,
butterflies, dragonflies or other pretty insects and instead, swarms of wasps
or hornets seemed to replace them and two wasps' nests had to be destroyed in
the eves and the brickwork of the school during one summer month. Even a dead
baby owl was found in the playing field by one very distraught young pupil one
morning.
The school seemed to have taken on this dull
gloomy hue that didn't seem to make any difference during any season. It was almost as if its spirit had been broken.
Items from pupils begun to go missing and
always from the five children the headmistress took a shine to. Lottie's' Winnie the Pooh ruler, Thomas' P.E. jumper, Arthur's' Bob the builder eraser, Lucy's' personalised note pad and Georgia's' Sally Strawberry pencil sharpener. Just a few
items at first and then more from the same pupils
at different times.
Bullying wasn't dealt with properly and there
seemed to be more and more disharmony with pupils and very frequently and it
wasn't long before a handful of pupils were so traumatised by the bullying, it
was getting difficult to get them to attend school. Several meetings were held
and although there were plenty of suggestions and a large input of common
sense, it didn't make any difference
and the bullying continued.
By now, nothing really felt the same, but
couldn't explain why. It didn't help that the head wore such dull colourless
black and gray clothes. In addition, the uniform for the tiny children was so
bland. Gone were the pretty shoes for the girls and replaced with flat black lace ups. The little boys were not even allowed to
wear trainers. New stricter rules were enforced and the little girls were no
longer being allowed to exchange their friendship bracelets to their friends.
Playtime become nothing more than a dull routine as bikes from the play shed
had been removed, Monkey bars taken away and the sandpit in the reception class
had been replaced by a new table with a computer on which a four year old would
never really be interested in. The quaint old hand bell had been replaced by
buzzers that startled the children. School outings become a thing of the past,
so the children had noting to look forward to.
The PTA got less and less involved with the
school, as the Headmistress always had the last word and any new ideas or
innovation was never taken up by the suggestions from any of the parents.
Over time, many pupils left the school in the
forest to another primary school where they become a lot happier, more relaxed and in time
their spirit returned where they flourished and ever put a healthy bit of
weight on.
One more year dragged by and another winter
term, the school bus struggled up the hill. It was so icy, the driver felt it
too precarious to drive the remaining two hundred yards or so, so it was
decided that the children would be walked for the rest of the way.
As the children reached the gloomy school
gates, the headmistress, dressed in her usual dowdy attire, announced that the
other teachers were unable to drive to school because of the icy weather
conditions and that she, herself would contact the parents and take the
children home herself if necessary after a couple of hours when roads were less
dangerous and the weather might have improved.
Call it gut instinct, but when I felt it was
safer to drive, I hung around out of sight for a little while in the freezing
cold; some parents arrived to pick up their children but eventually, the
Headmistress appeared with her five favourite children and helped them into her
peoples' carrier. I followed discreetly in my car and we all drove very slowly,
deep into an other part of the forest. Even in the winter, the trees in this
part of the forest were so dense. I had never seen this part of the forest before
and become frightened that the Headmistress was lost. The roads become narrower, the snow heavier, until it felt as if we were
following a narrow bridle path having lost sight of the road. The trees denser
than ever, meandering for what seemed like miles in the hidden depths of the
forest. It seemed like ages had gone by and didn't have a clue as to where I
was. Eventually there was a small clearing with a tiny wooden run down house
with filthy broken windows and rotting front door, where the Headmistress
stopped and got out of the car and the five children who were completely
transfixed by her. She had the ugliest grimace on her face. My blood run cold
and felt as if I was going to turn to stone with her stare. I was gripped by
the most dreadful fear and terror, a realisation that the gray and black
dressed headmistress really wasn't what she seemed and must have somehow
groomed those five children for so many months.
Trying to think clearly and rationally, I
started to dial 999 on my mobile phone but couldn't get a signal and there was just no level of
reception at all! My heart was pumping with so much adrenaline and by now I was
shaking uncontrollably and the fear just got the better of me. I felt myself
going faint as I heard some cackling laughter coming from that house. The rest
is a blur because I couldn't remember anything until I woke up in hospital.
A nurse was hovering around me laughing at my
confusion, telling me my minor operation was a complete success and that the
anaesthetic would take another hour or so to wear off.
Was I dreaming..........was it a dream, was
it?
A week later on the national news, a
Headmistress had been questioned about fiddling the SATS exams, but when it was time for the papers and
national television to interview her, she had just simply disappeared. There was, of course a massive search for her, but
to no avail, but I often wonder about the rumours about the covens that we hear
so much about in our county.
The five children who the Head took a shine
to were expelled for their terrible behaviour - they were simply out of
control.
Copyright Linda Lawrence
I remember back to my childhood and all the magical and strange things that used to happen, but could never understand why I was chastised for telling the truth. I really upset me, of course and in the end, I had to accept that what I really felt and saw were just figments of my imagination and went through my younger years trying to convince myself that my telling the truth was wrong. I did not help that I was an only child and had no other siblings to confide into. My father was very strict and my mother just went along with whatever he said of done.
I must have been about five years old when one of fathers' regular friends, Jack, came over for a visit. I never felt comfortable with him, in fact I felt very uneasy around him but didn't know why either and being so young, didn't understand what kind of emotion I was supposed to be feeling. He always tried to make me laugh, but never found him funny. I also noticed he had a dark greyish colour over his head and a little around his body and asked him why he had such a dull colour hovering over him when most other people I knew all had pretty colours? Father didn't have a clue what I was talking about and I couldn't understand why nobody else couldn't see it. I ended up in tears after a smack about making up stories........yet again.
A few months later he bought his new baby son, David over and he too had the same greyish hue, but knew better this time not to mention it.
When I started to lose some teeth, I waited expectantly for the tooth fairies and they never failed to disappoint. Two very pretty fairies with tiny pink bodies and beautiful friendly faces with the most vivid colourful blue, green and pink opaque winds flew down t my pillow with such grace and collected their treasure for fairyland. In the morning, I would always find a sixpence under my pillow, but I new saw any of the fairies carry that sixpence and besides, it would have been far too heavy for them to bring to me. Mum used to ask me if I had seen my tooth and although I was always honest about my visitors in the night, she always gave me that look that said 'don't tell lie' although she never got cross with me like dad. Another mystery my dad could not seem to answer without getting annoyed with me.
It was the same as Father Christmas; I knew full well that he did not drink the whiskey that Dad put out for him, nor the reindeer's ate the carrots, so why did my parents lie to me about that? Father Christmas told me himself he disliked whiskey and threw away any that was left for him, so that any child might think that he had actually drunk it, so not to disappoint any children. He also told me that his reindeer's detested carrots as he left a small sack full of presents beside my bed, waved goodbye to me and told me he would be back next year in the early hours of Christmas day.
I must have been about seven when there was bad news about a local man, some burglaries and a shot gun involved. I did not understand the true meaning of what was happening, but all the same, made me feel very frightened and knew that there was something ominous happening because Mum was crying and Dad was on edge and kept sweeping back his flecked black and grey hair with his hand, which he always did when he fretted. I asked what was wrong, but for some reason they could not or would not tell me, other than a bad man who lived in our area, had to go to prison, whatever that meant, so we were all safe.
As the years wore on, I spent many happy hours playing with the little elves and the pixies danced with the fairies at the end of my garden, although we never spoke, we understood each other. My mother just used to raise her eyes to the ceiling in despair, wile my Father threatened to take me to a psychiatrist. Whoever this person was, I would have been so happy to share my thoughts with this psychiatrist; maybe they would understand, but the doctor just shrugged my father off and told him he should feel humble that he had a daughter that was healthy and had such a vivid imagination. I was so disappointed not to see this special person who might have believed everything I said just for once.
while I was still in junior school, about the age of nine or ten, I was playing on the playground apparatus at school and was quite high up, hanging on the top bar with my legs, when I completely lost m grip. Everything was hazy for a while, but I didn't hurt myself. I woke up in hospital with my parents by my side with a new yellow Teddy bear and the look of huge relief when I asked about my whereabouts. I found out the doctors where stunned that I had neither a broken bone in my body, nor cuts or bruises - just a little graze on my left shin. I knew by now that I dare not mention that three beautiful pure white angels with pretty pink smiling faces cushioned my fall by holding on to me.
As I grew up, I made more friends and begun to play outside our house and after leaving junior school, concentrated on homework and went through the teenage years and all the normal things that all the other kids went through. The fairies, elves, pixies and angels become a thing of the past and eventually accepted that they must have been my imaginary friends.
Having gone through my teenage years, I eventually moved out of my home and rented some property with a friend and shared many happy months. One evening I was very much alone, when I heard something unfamiliar outside in the garden. After this, everything happened so quickly. A man with a balaclava forced his way through the back door and although he never hurt me physically, I was absolutely terrified and petrified as he held a gun in his hand. He was after money and frightened of being raped or killed and never felt fear like this in my whole life and was threatened that if I involved the police, he would know and would come back and 'do me in'. The odd thing is, while he was threatening me, although he tried to keep me calm, I noticed this dark grey hue over his head and a little around his body.
A few days later, a man was arrested for a spate of burglaries in the area and I gave my evidence to the police as I felt sure it was safe to do so, even though he threatened to 'do me over' if I did go to the police. There was an identity parade and it involved three of us to try and recognise who might have been responsible for the rein of terror that had been inflicted over the last few weeks, in spite of him wearing the trademark of the balaclava. I couldn't help but notice the obvious grey hue that hung over his head and a little around his body and identified him straight away. After this, there was enough evidence to arrest and convict him.
I've since found out, that the burglar was the very baby that I met for the first time when I was five and is now serving his time in prison. His own father had also spent many years in prison for similar crimes, but the difference being he had used his shot gun and killed someone. The very same person my dad had befriended all those years ago.
Since the day of the identification, which led to his imprisonment, I have not seen any more auras.
Six years after that awful experience, I have a wonderful little four-year-old little girl with my partner. We often hear her in her bedroom giggling and chattering away, staring and smiling contently, looking up in the air as if she can see something we can't.............
STRANGE MAGIC
Grey Areas
Grey Areas
I remember back to my childhood and all the magical and strange things that used to happen, but could never understand why I was chastised for telling the truth. I really upset me, of course and in the end, I had to accept that what I really felt and saw were just figments of my imagination and went through my younger years trying to convince myself that my telling the truth was wrong. I did not help that I was an only child and had no other siblings to confide into. My father was very strict and my mother just went along with whatever he said of done.
I must have been about five years old when one of fathers' regular friends, Jack, came over for a visit. I never felt comfortable with him, in fact I felt very uneasy around him but didn't know why either and being so young, didn't understand what kind of emotion I was supposed to be feeling. He always tried to make me laugh, but never found him funny. I also noticed he had a dark greyish colour over his head and a little around his body and asked him why he had such a dull colour hovering over him when most other people I knew all had pretty colours? Father didn't have a clue what I was talking about and I couldn't understand why nobody else couldn't see it. I ended up in tears after a smack about making up stories........yet again.
A few months later he bought his new baby son, David over and he too had the same greyish hue, but knew better this time not to mention it.
When I started to lose some teeth, I waited expectantly for the tooth fairies and they never failed to disappoint. Two very pretty fairies with tiny pink bodies and beautiful friendly faces with the most vivid colourful blue, green and pink opaque winds flew down t my pillow with such grace and collected their treasure for fairyland. In the morning, I would always find a sixpence under my pillow, but I new saw any of the fairies carry that sixpence and besides, it would have been far too heavy for them to bring to me. Mum used to ask me if I had seen my tooth and although I was always honest about my visitors in the night, she always gave me that look that said 'don't tell lie' although she never got cross with me like dad. Another mystery my dad could not seem to answer without getting annoyed with me.
It was the same as Father Christmas; I knew full well that he did not drink the whiskey that Dad put out for him, nor the reindeer's ate the carrots, so why did my parents lie to me about that? Father Christmas told me himself he disliked whiskey and threw away any that was left for him, so that any child might think that he had actually drunk it, so not to disappoint any children. He also told me that his reindeer's detested carrots as he left a small sack full of presents beside my bed, waved goodbye to me and told me he would be back next year in the early hours of Christmas day.
I must have been about seven when there was bad news about a local man, some burglaries and a shot gun involved. I did not understand the true meaning of what was happening, but all the same, made me feel very frightened and knew that there was something ominous happening because Mum was crying and Dad was on edge and kept sweeping back his flecked black and grey hair with his hand, which he always did when he fretted. I asked what was wrong, but for some reason they could not or would not tell me, other than a bad man who lived in our area, had to go to prison, whatever that meant, so we were all safe.
As the years wore on, I spent many happy hours playing with the little elves and the pixies danced with the fairies at the end of my garden, although we never spoke, we understood each other. My mother just used to raise her eyes to the ceiling in despair, wile my Father threatened to take me to a psychiatrist. Whoever this person was, I would have been so happy to share my thoughts with this psychiatrist; maybe they would understand, but the doctor just shrugged my father off and told him he should feel humble that he had a daughter that was healthy and had such a vivid imagination. I was so disappointed not to see this special person who might have believed everything I said just for once.
while I was still in junior school, about the age of nine or ten, I was playing on the playground apparatus at school and was quite high up, hanging on the top bar with my legs, when I completely lost m grip. Everything was hazy for a while, but I didn't hurt myself. I woke up in hospital with my parents by my side with a new yellow Teddy bear and the look of huge relief when I asked about my whereabouts. I found out the doctors where stunned that I had neither a broken bone in my body, nor cuts or bruises - just a little graze on my left shin. I knew by now that I dare not mention that three beautiful pure white angels with pretty pink smiling faces cushioned my fall by holding on to me.
As I grew up, I made more friends and begun to play outside our house and after leaving junior school, concentrated on homework and went through the teenage years and all the normal things that all the other kids went through. The fairies, elves, pixies and angels become a thing of the past and eventually accepted that they must have been my imaginary friends.
Having gone through my teenage years, I eventually moved out of my home and rented some property with a friend and shared many happy months. One evening I was very much alone, when I heard something unfamiliar outside in the garden. After this, everything happened so quickly. A man with a balaclava forced his way through the back door and although he never hurt me physically, I was absolutely terrified and petrified as he held a gun in his hand. He was after money and frightened of being raped or killed and never felt fear like this in my whole life and was threatened that if I involved the police, he would know and would come back and 'do me in'. The odd thing is, while he was threatening me, although he tried to keep me calm, I noticed this dark grey hue over his head and a little around his body.
A few days later, a man was arrested for a spate of burglaries in the area and I gave my evidence to the police as I felt sure it was safe to do so, even though he threatened to 'do me over' if I did go to the police. There was an identity parade and it involved three of us to try and recognise who might have been responsible for the rein of terror that had been inflicted over the last few weeks, in spite of him wearing the trademark of the balaclava. I couldn't help but notice the obvious grey hue that hung over his head and a little around his body and identified him straight away. After this, there was enough evidence to arrest and convict him.
I've since found out, that the burglar was the very baby that I met for the first time when I was five and is now serving his time in prison. His own father had also spent many years in prison for similar crimes, but the difference being he had used his shot gun and killed someone. The very same person my dad had befriended all those years ago.
Since the day of the identification, which led to his imprisonment, I have not seen any more auras.
Six years after that awful experience, I have a wonderful little four-year-old little girl with my partner. We often hear her in her bedroom giggling and chattering away, staring and smiling contently, looking up in the air as if she can see something we can't.............
Copyright Linda
Lawrence
16th November 2005
1 comment:
This was very spooky and can felt myself in the whole picture. Would make a good horror film.
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