---

Image Credit: Picture purchased and licensed for use from

123rf.com. The model(s) in this image is in / and are no way connected with this story nor supports nor conveys the issues and situations brought up within the story. The model(s) use is solely used for the representation of looks of the main character(s) of this particular story. ~Sephrena

---

 
Previously:
 
As Glory set out to change him, she was wondering if a young Wiccan would have strange parts and markings as stories had reported. But no he appeared as a young boy...
Time passed and we were well into the winter when men came again in the dark. The Sheriff Hollins of our district was with them and they had a warrant for my father’s arrest.
Margie and I looked at each other and then looked up. The one angel looked joyous as well as disturbingly powerful.
 
 
Chapter 3
 
Carol sent a note to bring her bread and their wine as well as some potatoes to the dinner. Margaret and I prepared some of the food but Mom and Carol did most of the cooking. This happening gave a reason for our mothers’ friendship to renew its warmth. That would be good news for them as well as Margaret and me.

We usually didn’t drink much wine, but today we would drink and enjoy what was shared with us. Sunday’s meals were usually good, but today’s was extra good.

“I knew my Mom would want me to try; I hadn’t healed anyone before. You’re my classmate and I only knew you to be good.” …Margaret gave me a hug and asked, “Can we be more than classmates?” …“I think I am going to like being your friend.”

Glory and Margaret slept that night in the loft in the barn at the Evans’ farm. Their talk of boys was not limited to the few at school, but those from town and each knew a few boys the other one had not. Margaret has learned and used more of her gifts from her mother’s side than Glory has so far. Glory was looking forward to being with a girl her own age. Mom and her sister-in-law were the only two she ever remembered staying with.

Glory no longer readily remembered she had been a boy, but now found herself at odds with a friend she has come to love that she sees as a witch. “O God if this is you working in a strange way give me the wisdom to know it.” Her mother had given her permission to be at the Evans home. So she relaxed in trust that it was okay and maybe a time to learn, but learn what she did not know.

When morning came down from the loft as Mr. Evans readied to milk the cows. Shaun their son was not yet up and out and Mr. Evans was tickled a young lass was helping him. They had but six cows so they were mostly done when Shaun finally came out.

Shaun was embarrassed that Glory was doing his chore, but he also found Glory to be attractive. He did not know either way how to react. Like a bear he grabbed around her, lifting her from the milk stool. Glory had let out a yelp until she realized it was Shaun. She liked the strength of his arms and already liked how he looks. “So did I take the big boy’s spot,” she teased.

Dirk the father, looked around and teased Shaun as well. “The Lass helps you out and you treat her as a sack of potatoes. When they are ready for school, I want you to carry her books as well as your sisters to school.”

Shaun was upset for he had stopped going to school when he finished at the country school two years ago. “Dad, I don’t go to school anymore!”

“I know Shaun, it will be quite obvious that you are either enchanted with her looks or learning a lesson,” Dirk said with a laugh. Margaret had come down and joined in the laugh and asked Glory to come into the house with her. But Glory first got two more pails, one for Shaun and one for Mr. Evans, and took their pails to the other milk already collected; save one pail Margaret said they needed inside for breakfast.

Carole was now busy in the kitchen and asked the girls to help her. Margaret would help in the kitchen as Glory was asked to wake the other children. Little Dirk was not quite two and had wet his clothes during the night. As Glory set out to change him, she was wondering if a young Wiccan would have strange parts and markings as stories had reported. But no he appeared as a young boy.

When Glory carried little Dirk out to his mom, Carole smiled seeing he had been changed. “How are you little Trey,” she asked? “I am sorry Glory; it was not your job to change him. I forgot to hang him up in the loft last night.” Carole was now having fun with Glory as she knew one of the tales was that Wiccans slept as bats sometimes.

Margaret jumped onto the spoof, “Glory, don’t worry we do not do that when we have guests.” The other children either laughed or scratched their head.

Glory was confused by the name ‘Trey’, “Mrs. Evans why do you call little Dirk ‘Trey’?” Carole paused thinking Glory should have remembered her other son who had died four years ago.

“We named him Dirk after his father and Dirk, Jr. who died four years ago of whooping cough. ‘Trey’ is because he is the third Dirk and it is easier for me to know if I am talking about Dirk the little baby or Dirk my biggest baby.” Everyone laughed as Carole joked at her husband’s expense. Dirk Jr. was not the only one of the siblings to die young. The Evans had nine children but only six were still alive. Another son and daughter had also died one at birth and another in the outbreak of the Whooping Cough.

The breakfast porridge was good and a little meat was served as there was a guest. And true to Mr. Evans’ word Shaun had to carry Glory and Margaret’s books. And sure enough other students were asking why. Only Marcus was a bit upset as he like both of the girls and had recently walked Glory home from church.

Shaun, however, had been advised by his dad to say something nice to Glory if he did like her. “Glory, I want to apologize how I treated you in the barn. I also thank you for the good work you did with my dad as well as helping my Mom.” Glory was surprised by Shaun’s words and how he behaved on the walk to school. She found herself hugging Shaun and thanking him. Her hug drew some giggles and talk as Shaun walked away.

Miss. Gail called us into the school with a hand school bell. Marcus was happy and sat close to me in class after Shaun left. Marcus walked me home from church and he was hoping I was his girl.

Miss Gail started the school day with prayer and asking our help with the younger students. Little Billy was upset as he had to share me with Suzy Evans as we read from a reader. Glory was confused as her memory as a boy, pictured country schools as he had seen on ‘Little House on the Prairie’ each with a large school bell and enough readers to go around. But near Salem in 1850s things weren’t as glamorous. It was, however, more enjoyable for Glory as she got to work with the little children.

Town schools were usually better supplied with readers, a library of sorts and things like maps, bigger chalkboards and a couple of their teachers were completely trained. Miss. Gail, however, had the best record of the country schools in the area. Come Wednesdays she had a choir for those who could stay longer. My voice as Glory was strong and melodious and I now enjoyed singing.

Thursday, I would be due to go to Abby’s to play, but wished I could go to Margaret’s, Margie as I was now calling my friend. She told me her Mom did not usually do bad potions or curses. It was usually determined by those who requested her help. “Mom tends to help most people, but she does threaten those who turn their backs to her or her family after she helps them. Snakes don’t often bite people, but those who break their word are more likely to get bit, my Mom says,” Margie said.

She did want to collect some of my blood the next time I had a period, “The blood of a virgin has power” Margie told me. I was not sure if I should let her have any or just say nothing when it happened. She told me her mom used a lot of roots, spices and things from nature.

I was spending more time with Mom as she was teaching me to pray as well as heal. Little Billy comes the end of the week was the first one I remember praying for. It is hard to know or prove if one made a difference as they have already had medicine and people caring for them. Billy’s tummy hurt plenty, Mom said something had burst inside and he had a bad infection. She expected him to die as his family was already angry at God. And they wouldn’t ask for help.

Someone in the church said we were not to pray for him, but that was after I had already prayed. Someone told me, “You should have waited. If you did it without God or someone asking you could be in trouble.”

I was very scared, but I knew I needed to ask my mother and I was happy I did. Mom said, “Yes, you should discern if God wanted to use you. But you do not have to worry about doing something good and asking God. God may have in fact answered your prayer, but right now all we know is little Billy Morgan is getting well.”

“One thing you might want to do is not to tell others unless God asks you. There are many people who don’t want or expect God to do good things if it is not their will,” Mom told me.

“I thought we are to do good, God’s will not our own and that we should love others as God has already loved us.” Mom hugged me and told me I was a very good girl.

“Glory, you should not be surprised that many people think they are doing God’s will when they are really doing as they want. They mistake their own will for God’s.”

“Mom, you said I am a very good girl but aren’t I an angel like you are? Being good is automatic for us, isn’t it”

Mom reminded me about when we talked about being a believer, “Think of it this way: You are a Christian in what Jesus did for you, but you are still becoming a Christian in the way you live. Being an Angel is mostly being whom you are, but there also is something about needing to grow as an angel as well.”

Mom told me, “Sometimes I just know I am an Angel doing God’s will and sometimes I am not so certain I am doing the right thing. I really get upset with myself if I think I did something wrong according to God’s will.” Then Mom asked me, “If you ever find in the Bible where it says angels are always right please let me know.”

“Well, I just thought you always are right, aren’t you?”

She said, “You know better than that! What you and I think doesn’t always match. Most of the times it is on small things, but sometimes we differ on things we think are very important. We even get upset with each other.”

“Mom here you are right, I guess I am not even close to being an Angel,” I was so ashamed. Mom hugged me, rubbed my back. “Honey, you are quite a good angel, Billy’s well isn’t he and I believe God is quite proud of you.”

Time passed and we were well into the winter when men came again in the dark. The Sheriff Hollins of our district was with them and they had a warrant for my father’s arrest. The Sheriff knew what my father did was right but he arrested him anyway.

Mom and I could have always been near my Dad as angels in spirit. But because we had the farm and many chores with animals we had to be human and do things as the farm required.

I soon became angry with prayer and good thoughts and took some money to see Margie. I was angry thinking the real Glory had lost her real Mom because of injustice. And now hatred was seeking to take my father as well. I would not stand by and let that happen.

Two days later my Father was still in jail and nothing had happened. Toward evening when it was getting dark Carole and Margaret came to visit. Mom and I were close to being finished with the milk cows when we heard Laddie bark. Mom went out as I had two cows yet to milk and then I heard Carole and Margie speaking. I worked to be done as quickly as I could.

I was milking the last cow and all I did was to look at Margie and she knew, ‘I wanted to know why nothing had happened?’ Margie spoke and her mother was with her, “I can’t do what you have asked, my mother says it is not right. You need to act with your own gifts and power.”

My Mom became sad as she understood what Margie was indicating. Carole asked my Mom, “Susanne would you mind if we showed both of these young women their next lesson at the same time?”

We finished in the barn, left Laddie at the farm and started to Salem, but we were no sooner on the path and we were arriving in town. Both Margie and I were stunned. Mom pointed toward the jail and asked me what I saw. I saw the jail but was not impressed. Margie was told to do the same and she saw a bit more but not everything. “There is a glow over the jail, but I do not see what causes it,” Margie told her Mom. My Mom asked us both to “Look at the hotel and tavern, but use more than your eyes to see.”

We looked at the tavern and hotel and this time I saw the glow of colors and within the glow, I saw two spirits. Carole acknowledged the same. I looked back to the jail and shook Margie as I saw her glow and two more spirits. Mom now asked, “Do you think those men can defeat those angels?” I looked again and now saw the angels with drawn swords.

Carole told us, “Once I sought to do what was right but almost died and would have if Susanne had not protected me. That could have happened tonight or yesterday to Margie if she tried to go after those bad men.” Carole hugged me and Mom hugged Margie and then we were in one another's’ arms, the four of us.

Margie could have been killed trying to help do what I asked. I tried to manipulate other powers when I did not trust my own. Mom waved to the angels but asked me not to speak to them. I asked her as she turned back, “Are we not going to see Dad and make sure he is alright?”

“You should already know he is alright. But now that you do, we can see if Sheriff Hollins is there.” We were yet fifteen feet from the jail when my Mother called in, “Sheriff Hollins are you there?” The Sheriff soon made himself known and he smiled when he saw the four of us.

“Susan and Carole are under the protection of two forces,” the Sheriff smirked?

Carole joked back, “We know your prisoner is protected and we hope you are being protected as well.” Margie and I looked at each other and then looked up. The one angel looked joyous as well as disturbingly powerful. We were glad when we went in to see my Dad and the angels were out of our site.

What I thought was Mom’s scarf she gave to Dad as an extra blanket, along with two eggs she pulled from her pocket. She looked at Sheriff Hollins as she pulled out two more eggs. “I hope I am giving the right ones to my husband’ she joked, I would want him to have the ones I intended for you.”

The Sheriff tapped all four hard-boiled eggs on his desk until they cracked. He threw one egg to his assistant. The Sheriff told Michaels his assistant “If either of these women is on your side, you can feel a little bit safer, but not fully safe.” I was upset with the Sheriff but my mother took my hand as she asked if we could be in with Dad.

“Daniel, the Cook women are here to visit you, please step back.’’ Mom gave Dad a big hug and kiss, it had not been my experience before that husband and wife really loved each other and showed affection like that. Being Glory Cook was a neat change. I too gave Dad a hug and wished him home soon. Dad was surprised to see Carole and Margie there and Mom told Dad about the Angels over the jail and hotel. Dad looked out his small window toward the hotel and could only see a dull glow over it. Mom’s saying it, however, was enough for Dad.

We would have stopped and eaten at the restaurant at the hotel but the Sheriff asked us not too. There was another tavern, but Mom wouldn’t allow us to go there. We bought some cheese rolls and sausage at the mercantile and ate it on our way home. Mom had the Evans take Laddie home with them. They would release Laddie when they were home safe.

Laddie was home probably fifteen minutes after the Evans let him go. It was a great day, but an emotionally tiring day, and I was glad to have done. I was back from the outhouse when I sat down and Mom held me; I shook and cried. When I saw the angels and thought how Margie could have died if she unknowingly went against the men the angels were guarding. She would have gone to get at the men because I wanted her too. I was sadly surprised at the thought of angels being powerful and with swords.

Mom asked what my image of angels was and she giggled when I talked of glorious white radiant angels with halos and wings. Instead of colors, they were always a sterile white like good cowboys or white knights. Seemingly Susan hadn’t seen our TV programs and movies. Her idea of good angels was not so pretty, “Didn’t you ever wonder why Mary and others were scared to see Gabriel or other angels?”

“People in 1960 say that God is not mean and angels are just good human messengers,” I could see Mom was not all that happy when I told her that. “A lot of people go to church back at my old home. And on TV the good guys wore white and the bad guys wear black. God’s just a voice or an old guy with a white beard.”

“Mom, why did you wave at the angels? Were you just trying to be nice or did you know them?” I inquired.

“I didn’t know all four but I know Meric and Ruach. I suspect one or all of them will dine with us sometime after your Dad is home.” “How was it that Aunt Carole almost died and how did you save her?”

“The Angel Joan saw Carole as a young Wiccan going after a person that Joan was charged to protect. I knew Carole went there to help her friend Martha; like Margie tonight was trying to help a friend, a believer I also knew and loved. Martha would have been sick if Carole had died, so I needed to protect her.”

“The Angel Joan had knocked Carole down and was ready to kill her when I stepped between them. Joan knows me and cooled her wrath until I could explain. Some angels do not like my friendship with Carole but God and angels like Joan are comfortable and trust me.”

I asked Mom, “How come we don’t hear of Joan or women angels as being warriors?”

Mom told me, “You do, you have heard of Joan but you call her Joan of Arc and think of her as a saint who was, but she’s an angel. God doesn’t like people to be ignorant, but God allows you and people to dwell in ignorance if the world so chose. Did you know that Joan was only captured and killed because it was done by people of faith? God would not have allowed evil to have done it alone.”

“Is that really true Mother,” I asked? Mom explained “That many of the divisions of God’s Church are manmade. Distinctions like nations, language and skin color should be seen like colors of a rainbow that glorify the sky and the Creator. God used Native Americans to help Pilgrims to live in America peacefully. But then you become strangers and ideas like ‘us and them’ and soon made killing ‘them’ as acceptable and even good.”

I was tearful in my mother’s arms but that night she did not console me by wiping away my tears. Instead, she increased my compassion and heart for those who died. When I finally went to bed my mother slept with me. I fell asleep in her arms.

Getting up for morning chores did not come easy, but they needed to be done. When we went out to the barn there were two pigs there. We did not know if they were lost, having strayed from another farm, or left as a payment. I would stay home from school today so we could make a strong pen for them next to the barn.

Sheriff Hollins sent a message out to us that Dad was to be before a judge this afternoon. He wasn’t sure what was going on, stressing it could be good or bad news. However, it wasn’t business as usual and he hoped Susan could be there.

I strongly wanted to go but Mom insisted someone needed to stay at the house insisting it was not a good time to leave the farm unattended. I made Mom an early lunch of cheese, bread and the broth from the night before.

Mom had taken a good amount of time in thought and prayer. It was the first time I could see a strong glow around her. The glow was not a timid pink but a vibrant mixture of color. When I gave her a hug to say goodbye she was very warm; excited about something, yet she gave her attention to me. “Glory, I trust you to be strong, your Dad and I will be alright as God’s charge will be with us.”

It was high noon as Mom left for Salem to make sure she was there in time. It was early afternoon when four men left the trail near our place. Not recognizing even one from being in our area I called for Laddie to be at my side. The men were within earshot when I yelled for Meric, “Meric please come and bring another warrior with you!”

One man had a mean laugh, “O you keep your own army of warriors do yah. Too bad no one seems to be showing up.” The lead man spoke, “We thought none of you would be here, we had hoped we wouldn’t need to hurt anyone. You should run off quickly; I am sure your Dad would not want you hurt or spoiled… who knows it could even be worse than that.”

I had a pitchfork in my hand and Laddie growling at my side. There was dad’s rifle just inside the door. There was an aura around the men but I could not tell if any other being or thing was there. My fear was growing, but I kept my focus on prayer and my eyes open in expectation. Two of the men were now less than twenty feet from me. I had my back to the door of the house but had decided to stand my ground outside. I felt safer in the open, and the fear of what might happen subsided. My heart was growing warm with a courage that I did not know.

Then a light came quickly into the yard and separated to become two. First I made out the colors of Meric; then I saw him and another angel. The leader said, “Girly it is time to leave or you will treat as trash with the rest of the place. The only difference being we will enjoy what we do to you much more.”

“You will regret your respect for women and I am sorry for the way you will come to know that God is real.”

With an angry laugh that caused me to shudder the man said, “Sorry, B* but I’m the answer to your prayer.” His grin was nasty and he raised a hand with an awesome club. With his next step, there came a howling wind and a dead branch flew toward him, impaling in his side. Dirt flew into the eyes of the men and debris from the wind wounded the foul moth scum who had first threatened me harm. There was a flash of light as Meric passed judgment on two. They appeared to be struck by lightning but I knew better.

Meric smile at me, “You are not the Glory I have known, but I am glad we meet. We thank you for calling me. Your power would have been sufficient, but now you can truly say you did not harm them. Send your dog for help as someone needs to go for your sheriff.”

I sent Laddie to the school path as Marcus, Margaret or others should be going home. Volvi bound the leader and the scum-bucket with a vine and threw them into the air and said, “Go before the Lord!” I saw those men no more. We went into the house as a rainstorm was passing over.

Meric excused their selves when I heard Laddie returning. Marcus and Margaret came together and I welcomed them into the house as they were now wet and cold. Marcus was more into the gruesome sight of the two dead men.

Anything I tried to tell Marcus was discounted as the imaginings of a hysterical girl, so when it came time to send for the sheriff and to tell my Mom I sent Marcus. While I wasn’t sure what he would say; I knew the Sheriff would come and my Mom would know: something happened and I was alright.

I found more comfort in Margie staying than with Marcus. Margie and I giggled as we talked. I told her, “You and Marcus have the makings of a good couple.”

“Yeah, he’s a hard worker, nice looks and I can send him on an errand when I need him out of my hair. But he is a believer like you, except not understanding that could be a problem.”

I gave her a hug, “You are a wise woman Margie.”

“That’s strange words coming from someone who does not believe as I do.”

“I don’t, but I now know you are a precious friend and believe you are good,” I said. “I am glad we have Moms who are strong enough to teach us better than most.”

“Glory, I have known you for years but it is only recently you have spiritually awoken to who you are, I do not know what has changed. What happened to you,” Margie finally asked?

“I literally woke up one morning and I was a new person,” I laughed as Margie did not know how true it was.

“Do angels travel through portals and move as time travelers?” Margie threw out the idea perchance but noticed my expression change. She also knew I was not about ready to tell her.

Carole Evans, Margie’s Mom came to the house with Shaun, after Margie’s little brothers and sister made it home without her. Carole had no trouble understanding what transpired. The Sheriff came next and later Mom and Dad were to follow.

Sheriff Hollins not only saw the two dead men, but weapons that had fallen from the men who Sheriff Hollins said must have been wounded and runoff. His explanation was, he was not likely to find the men since the rain had washed their tracks away. Mom told me, Hollins knew more happened but as far as public records were a concern, unexplainable things ceased to happen around Salem almost 200 years ago.

The Sheriff had found bullets lodged in the door and house behind me. They were discharged when the men were struck by lightning. He said, “By where they were struck down and where you were standing bullets traveled within a foot of you. You were well within your rights concerning whatever you did to the others.”

When Mom and Dad arrived home it became a joyous occasion. Seemingly Dad’s adversaries sought to have him transferred to a federal prison. “One of the men against dad broke on the witness stand in fear of something and revealed the evidence was false.” Mom was the only one who could explain his fear as she was the only one who could see Ruach’s sword ready to kill him.

Mom said, “Ruach lost his patience when Meric was called away.” Dad did not have the vision to see or the ears to hear, but he was becoming a believer in what he did not know.

It was not funny but that evening Margaret and I both began our periods and what was strange to me was Carole saying, “It is a sign you are sisters.” I looked at Mom and she agreed and explained the phenomenon to me and Margaret…

---

 
 
To Be Continued...