Elemental Forces

Nicole Morgan really didn't want to be at this party. But Melanie Porter kept on insisting. She gave in and told her friend she'd make an appearance, but only intended to say until just after midnight. So that's how she found herself at Rihanna's house, surrounded by groups of people. Some were familiar faces. She had no idea who the others were or where they could have come from.

Nicole stood at the bar with a drink in her hand, all set to toast the New Year. What she really wanted was to be in bed sleeping. But as she knew all too well, nobody gets what they want all the time. She was glad this year was drawing to a close. She had experienced a rather unique twelve months...

In the Morgan family, there had been witches for as long as anyone could remember. Each generation inherited gifts from their ancestors. It always passed through the female line. Amber eyes and very pale blonde hair, further signified their status. When she was old enough, Nicole figured out the basics of her self- control. Her grandmother Cassandra then began to teach her all she knew about witchcraft.

The magic they practiced had nothing to do with demon worship or the black arts. One of the things the young witch learned, was to respect the laws of nature and exactly how to work with it. Her grandmother's books helped with her potion mixing.

Nicole knew it was wrong to work a spell or incantation for her own selfish needs. Using magic to cause harm was also not allowed. She did make notes in her journal and made sure to read them every night before bed. She loved these special lessons with Cassandra, who had stepped in to raise her.

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In the late eighties, Michell met a man named Jack Meyer. They were married within six months and couldn't wait to start their lives together. She kept no secrets from him. He accepted her totally. They wanted kids, but three awful miscarriages later made them both consider giving up. Cassandra suggested they try once more, offering a tonic of her own creation. Nicole finally came along.

It was time to move out of Michelle's small apartment. An abandoned house on the outskirts of Leven Dale Springs would become their new residence. The couple spent the money to fix it up properly. Soon enough, the house was brought back to its former glory.

Outside, the peeling white paint was now charcoal grey. The old red roof tiles had been replaced with a lighter shade of grey. The trims were white. The door was a navy blue with brass handles.

The furniture and walls were of the same color palette, with splashes of brightness here and there. You could even see the front and back gardens. There was also a small deck with outdoor seating and a BBQ.

Sadly Michelle and Jack never got the chance to really enjoy the results of their work. On Halloween, some drunken teenagers thought it would be a great idea to light fires up and down various streets. Nicole had been sleeping at Cassandra's so she was safe. Her parents had no such luck in getting away. Firemen tried to contain the blaze. It made no difference. The flames were burning too fiercely and trapped them inside. Michelle could do nothing but shield Jack to the best of her ability. Eventually her strength gave out.

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While brewing potions for her grandmother's home remedies store, Nicole heard footsteps outside. A series of rapid knocks on the front door followed. She opened it to reveal a pregnant girl standing there, shivering and wet. The poor thing couldn't have been much older than sixteen.

"Can you help me please? I have nowhere to go." "Come on in." Nicole knew Cassandra was not the kind of woman to turn down someone in need. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes. What is your name?" "Jane King. I used to be Liam Morgan's girlfriend."

The old lady pointed upstairs. "We'll talk more once you're dry and warm again. Go ahead and shower. My granddaughter Nicole can find you some spare pajamas." "Thanks." Jane came back into the lounge room, brushing her curly brown hair with some effort. Already she looked so much better.

She sat down in one of the armchairs. Cassandra gave the girls a little bit of information about a part of the family tree. Nobody really talked about them much. "Nora is my sister Belinda's niece. I don't recall if Nicole has ever met her before." "The name isn't familiar to me." "She renounced her magical heritage at a young age. Her powers went dormant and of course her son Liam doesn't have any."

Janet then told her own story. "When I missed my usual period date and vomited at random, I got kind of concerned. I visited my doctor just to make sure. Liam and I had only been dating since last summer. We're both seventeen. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by his reaction. I told him and he practically dumped me on the spot. There was no way I was getting rid of it.

My parents also turned their backs. My cousin took me in. At first it was working out okay. Trouble came when her boyfriend Jonathon tried to assault me. Caroline believed him instead of me, totally disregarding my condition. So again, I was without a place to stay. I wasn't sure who else I could turn to. Then I recalled Liam talking about his grandmother."

"Jane it's no problem. You are welcome in this house. I estimate you still have a couple of months left. Quite frankly, I feel ashamed of how Liam has behaved towards you. He should take some of the responsibility off your shoulders. I'm tempted to call that boy up and give him a piece of my mind." Nicole burst out laughing. Jane smiled through her tears. "I'd love to see you go off at Liam. He deserves it."

TWO MONTHS LATER...

The labor pains started on a Saturday night in June. Jane was absolutely terrified and in pain. Nicole called the midwife Cathy. She was a distant relative. Many hours passed and at last the baby was born, healthy and making a lot of noise. His mother already had a name picked out for him: Peter.

His hair was a very pale blonde. When he opened his eyes, they were another shock. No mistaking that amber color. As far back as the Morgan clan went, there had never been a male child born with the magic. Traditionally only girls carried this trait. Here was a genuine revelation, one that would no doubt change the family forever. The little boy had an unusual life ahead of him. It certainly would not be boring!

THE END