The Purple Vest

When I was a young man in Northern Ohio I was always close to home. My family was really tight knit and very careful to keep eyes on the children.

It never seemed odd to me, maybe all kids were watched this way, I always felt loved and was well cared for so there was no reason to talk to a teacher or friend about the goings on at home.

We had normal family gatherings, birthdays, holidays ect. but it wasn't until I was about 12 that I found out that other families did not have the weekly gathering we called (Circle time)

In the years when I was younger these gatherings were kinda like a picnic, kids running around in the yard, adults talking and playing music and amazing food all made in our kitchens and prepared with old family recipes... Nothing out of the ordinary, except each event there was a man who never spoke. He wore a suit and top hat, had a cane with an elephants head handle and he was really tall and pale with a black goatee and short black hair. The adults called him Hector and said we should not bother him because he was very important and needed to rest.

However around the age of 12 I found out about the circle, my mother had pulled me aside earlier that day and said that Hector wanted to meet me, she said that he was going to ask me some questions and I should answer him honestly no matter what he asked. She said that he had never done this before and I should be proud.

The picnic went the same way as usual, until the street lights came on.

That's when the kids were taken inside for the night and the adults stayed outside in the yard to talk.

Hector approached me and asked me to follow him, we went further back into the yard to where the fire pit was, all of the adults were sitting in lawn chairs in a circle in front of the fire.

Hector said "Now Jonathan, I have some questions for you, would you be so kind as to help me understand?"

I looked nervously to my mother, and she smiled nodding at me.

"Okay, I try" I replied

"Good, so are you happy in your home?"

"Yes sir"

"What about school, are you doing well?"

"Not really sir"

"Has anyone here ever hurt you in any way?"

This question surprised me, I didn't say anything at first.

"Did you hear the question Jonathan?"

"Yes sir I did, I have never been hurt by anyone here it just surprised me because the family has always been safe for me."

"Good, very good young man,

Final question, have you ever seen anything strange around the house or neighborhood?"

I didn't know how to answer that, I had been seeing things that my friends couldn't see for a few years but I had been warned not to talk about it. I looked at my mother and father, mom had said to be honest so I said

"Yes sir, I have been seeing strange things for a while, mostly shapes and colors floating around in the air or around certain people"

The family all seemed to breathe differently after that, it was calmer, less tense than before.

Hector lead me to the middle of the circle and raised my right arm in his left one, he said,

"On this day we are privileged to welcome our new member, Jonathan, who will become my replacement in the event that I am unable to continue our work"

"Jonathan" he said, "you are about to see and learn more about the world than most people ever care to know, are you willing to help your family in anything we might ask you for?"

"Yes sir" I replied... I had no idea how deep this rabbit hole would go, I felt like this was some kind of right of passage for the family.

Hector tapped his cane on the ground and two of the other adults came forward holding a box.

Hector said, "for you my brother"

I opened the box, inside was a purple vest just like his in every detail, no one else wore them, I took it out of the packaging and held it close. It had a detailed design of symbols and shapes embroidered all over it in silvery thread and was very light weight but felt like velvet. I looked at the family around us, it seemed like they were waiting for something.

Hector slowly took the vest from my hands and helped me put it on.

At once, I felt like I was floating, like my feet were on solid ground but I was somehow lighter. Something big had just happened, and I didn't know what it was, but I liked the feeling.

Everyone gathered closer to Hector and myself, they started a prayer that I didn't understand but when it was done, Hector's vest had turned black and his top hat was gone...

This was my first experience with the secret I have come to know as "The Greenfolk of Eerie"

A group of psychics who protect lake Erie from all manner of unseen forces, a group dedicated to protecting the spirits living within the lake and all of those that live around it.

Weather we are witches, psychics or just a group of crazy people, I have never felt more safe, more loved or more in control of my life than that day. Maybe one day when I am old and infirm I might be able to tell more, but I can say this... If you ever see Hector out in the world, don't stand between him and his goal, he is trying to help you, trying to protect you from things that you don't see or can't understand.

We all must learn to understand how connected we are to the earth and it's creatures, only when we stand together will a family like mine no longer be needed.

I wish you peace and good fortune dear reader, and I know that you are going to be fine, one day... We all will be fine.