Birthday Magic.

              Eliza woke up the morning after her nineteenth birthday, she seemed frozen in her bed and the panic woke her with a fright. She woke up in a panicked frenzy each and every morning since she was nine years old and didn’t know why. With a sigh she wipes the sweat from her brow and sits up to sip her sup of midnight water on her nightstand. The old analog clock read 6:30 am. She thought to her self she might as well get up and start her day. She slips her jeans on and throws a sweater over her tank top eyeing the gift bags from lasts nights excitement. The last year as a teen, what was she going to do with it? “OH yeah.” She exclaims grabbing at one of the bags, and pulling out a lovely full-length coat. She slips it on realizing it is just too tight in the arms. “Oh, no.” she said sadly to herself. She loved the bright red with the pitch-black fur trim around the hood and arms. She puts it back in the bag and searches for a gift receipt, luckily for her there was one in the card that came with the gift. The coat was from her Aunty Sue, and with the card was a picture of her Aunty wearing a coat just like this one. She smiles and puts the picture on her dresser and grabs the gift bag ready for her day.

              Down the hall way Eliza hears her parents chattering from behind closed bedroom doors, they always got up early to cook breakfast for Eliza. She knocks on the door lightly and asks “Mom, Dad? May I please take the car?” Her father opens the door with her mother close behind. “Good morning sweetheart, you’re nineteen for a day and already trying to leave us?” her mother asks jokingly. “No, mom I just need to trade this coat in for a bigger size.” Eliza holds it up proudly showing her Mom and Dad. “Oh, that is lovely.” Her dad says. “It looks like the one my sister had when she was around your age. She loved that thing.” Eliza nods her head happily and her dark curls bounce around. “Yes! Dad, it was just like it, she put a picture in with the card she sent me. She got it from the old thrift store around the corner from your old house.

              They head into the kitchen, Eliza still babbling on about her favorite Aunty Sue until her parents handed her the car keys. “Alright but be back in time for lunch Eliza I’m sure your mother has some post birthday fun planned for us all.” Her dad looks to her mom with a grin. “You know I always go all out.” He giggles as his wife kisses him playfully. Eliza smiles at her parents, they were so sweet to one another and so happy. She was grateful to have such people in her life, her Aunty Sue only added to the fun, they had such a great family relationship. Eliza rushes out of the door to her parent’s car, an Oldsmobile, it even had ashtrays in the door. She always giggled at the thought of car manufacturers actually making cars with ashtrays in the doors. She places the gift bag in the seat next to her and adjusts her mirrors, her striking blue eyes looking back at her for a moment. Eliza tunes the radio to a popular station and keeps it low, she quickly gets lost in thought on her drive to her father and aunts old house. The house has since then become desolate and grim, it’s falling apart and has been condemned to live in. the thrift store however was in perfect shape, it sat right next to the old house for as long as she could remember.              

              Once the car was in park Eliza glanced at the house her dad and aunt made so many memories in, memories she has only heard stories about, and most of them included this shop. “It’s truly a magical place.” Aunty Sue would say to her. She even lived in the small apartment above the thrift shop while she worked there as a teen. Eliza loved these stories from her dear aunt, she secretly hoped that whatever plans her mother had in store for today, her Aunty Sue would be included. A small bell jingles as the door to the shop opens and Eliza is immediately greeted by an older man in a funny old suit. “Eliza! There she is!” He opens his arms wide and stretches them up as if greeting her to a crowd. “Hello Dr. Jack.” Eliza gives him a friendly hug and sets the bag down on the counter. “What’s this? Returning a gift?” He asked, shocked. “No, nothing from this amazing shop could ever get returned.” Eliza smiles and gestures to the odd clocks, nick-naks and suitcases lining the walls of the shop. “Aunty Sue, got me this coat, and it is a little to small.” He holds it up. “Too small for you? You’re such a petite little thing.” His cheery voice never looses a beat no matter what the situation is, his bald head gleams from under his fedora, Eliza could almost see her reflation in his head. Pushing up his glasses on his old grey face Dr. Jack examines the garment closely. “Oh, I see. OK, come on! This way.” Dr. Jacks gestures for Eliza to follow. He walks around the counter to a cabinet behind and pulls out a walking stick with a shiny silver ball on the top. Then the cabinet suddenly swings open with a thud! “I have been coming here my whole life and did not know, this place had a secret door.” Eliza speaks softly yet surprised. “The Thrift Shop of Adventure, has many secrets dear.” 

              The secret door lead passage down a set of stairs, through a hallway and into a room that looked like it was used for storage. There were shelves lining the walls, isles from floor to ceiling with shelves and tables full of odds and ends and items she had never seen before. Eliza notices a painting on the wall of a mountainside with and odd alignment of stars overhead, a tapestry hanging freely with patterns and colors she didn’t know could go together. As she follows Dr. Jack thru the isles and towards the back the grabs, fondles and feels items on the shelves as she passes. Almost as if she can’t control it. Eliza stops at a candle that was half melted, it has leaves and carving thought it’s body, next to it was an old metal ladle with the same designs. She picks them up and reads them over and over not knowing at all what she was even looking at. “Eliza?” she hears Dr. Jack call to her from the end of this long isle. “Dr. Jack how does this room even fit below the shop? It is huge?” she asks as she approaches him. “Well it runs over the house next store; the one Sue and John grew up in. Eliza looked surprised, her Dad and aunt never told her about this, and they told her about everything! “Is that why Aunty Sue and Dad worked here growing up?” Eliza looks to Dr. Jack for an answer. “Partly.” His reply was simple.  “OK, you see this cloths rack.” Dr. Jack asks as he spins it faster and faster. “I want you to grab the first coat that catches your eye as it spins by you.” Eliza smiled and giggled, he always made shopping here an adventure. She guessed that was why this place was called, ‘The Thrift Shop of Adventure.’

              Eliza watches as the cloths spin in a colorful fury before her and lifts her hand, there was a purple streak that kept catching her attention. Finally, she reaches in and grabs at the purple item and yanks it out, then suddenly the rack stopped spinning. She holds up the dark purple p-coat and smiles, it had dark brown fur trim in a similar fashion to her red coat, this one however spoke to her, almost calling her to wear it. “This one, this is the one.” She said with confidence, for she knew, she just knew this was the coat she was supposed to have. “Hahaha, that one is the one indeed, that is perfect.” Dr. Jack holds the coat to help Eliza put it on. It fits perfect. “How does it feel?” He asks. Her face was beaming, she was happy and comfortable and felt calm and serene in this coat. “It’s perfect, I feel so safe wearing this.” Dr. Jack smiles. “This coat, in particular belonged to my sister. I would love for it to see the light of day again.” Eliza smiles and gives him a hug. “Thank you.” “Also, I think this was the one your dear Aunty Sue wanted you to have in the first place, she knew I had to give it to you myself.” Dr. Jack leads her out of the basement and as she passes the isles, she glances at the insane objects that sit on them.

              Once they reach the front of the store and emerge from the shelf, Eliza notices a few shoppers off in the isles towards the back of the store. “Looks, like it’s time to work your magic Dr. Jack.” She says before giving him one last hug and exiting the store. On her way back home, she shimmies in the coat feeling its warmth. As she exits the vehicle In front of her home she places her hands in her front pockets, then side, and then she feels something in the side inside pocket of her new, old coat. “hmm.” She had felt the object the whole drive but ignored it until she could stand. Reaching in she feels a round object its cold to the touch, she pulls it out and sees a clear glass ball, slightly bigger than a golf ball. “huh, it’s beautiful.” She says to herself. She looks up and sees that the garage door was open and her dads work truck was gone, and in its place was Aunty Sues red bug. She places the glass ball back in its pocket and rushes inside. “Aunty Sue!” Eliza greats her Aunty with a big grin and hug. “I knew you would be here today.” Aunty Sue holds her niece away from her to look at her. “oh, look you got the coat. That is the one!” Aunty hugs her tighter. “Where’s mom and dad?” Eliza asks. “Mom had to go to work, some business meeting or something she got called in last minute, I’m sorry honey.” Aunty Sue explains. “That’s OK, mom always makes it up to me. So, Dads, here?” Sue nods her head. “Were gonna do something fun today.” Aunty Sue says as she examines the coat on her niece and feels at its furs. “You know I used to have on just like it.” Eliza recalls the old photo of her Aunty in a brilliant red coat, similar to her new purple one.

              Sue and John take Eliza back to the adventurous thrift shop and have her wait in the car. They come back with Dr. Jack who leads them over to the iron gates closing off their old home from the world. Eliza plays with the glass ball in her hand. She sees them go inside the old house and instantly worries, she was taught that it was to dangerous to enter, she might be killed by falling beams or get bit by rodents running rampant. As she waits patiently rolling the ball over and over in her hands, she holds it up to the light and it releases an illuminating sight of colors. “Wow.” She says alone. She rolls the ball in the light watching the amazing colors in awe. Eliza steps out of the car and holds the ball above her head directly in the sun and feels it warm up. She tilts her head back and watches as she spins creating an area of beautiful light. “Eliza!” Aunty Sue calls to her from the front steps of the house. Her white hair lightly draped on her old shoulders like the scarf she should be wearing in this cold weather. They were lucky to have any sun at all today, the way it has been snowing lately made sunlight a treat. Eliza rushes to her aunty and puts the ball back in its pocket. “I thought we couldn’t be here Aunty.” She says as she is lead inside.

              Eliza looks around the foyer of the old house and notices the spiral double stair case, one side completely collapsed while the other looked brand new. A chandelier hung gracefully in the center of the room, covered in dust and cobwebs, she wondered what kind of light those crystal balls made when it was lit up. “Were taking you to the other half of the basement.” Dr. Jack says with his arms again wide open. “Dad?” Eliza looks to her father. “don’t worry sweaty, we all did this at nineteen, and Dr. Jack has always been there to help. Just how old was Dr. Jack she thought to herself. Following her Aunty, Father and Dr. Jack through the house towards the basement door, something about this place felt all to familiar. She felt comfortable like she did at home, she felt right. The ball in her pocket still felt warm as she clenched it, it made her hands tingle with energy, just like she felt when Aunty Sue was around. “Aunty, Dad what is going on?” Eliza asked while entering the basement. “This is an old Solis family tradition Eliza, we aren’t allowed to speak about it until our child turns nineteen, and yes your mother is aware of all of this.” Her dad places his hands on her shoulders for comfort. The basement seems to go on forever until finally, shelves with odd items begin to emerge. “Wow it really is all connected.” Eliza sighs. “Just as we all are connected dear.” Dr. Jack replies.

              In the center of the room Eliza sees a table with a small circle cut out from the middle, she sees colors and symbols and leaves and what looks like a pendulum directly over its center. As she examines this her Aunty reaches into her pocket and pulls out a decorative silver stick, to her it looked more like a wand. Her father reaches into his pocket and pulls out a silver ring to big to fit his finger, Dr. Jack reaches into his hat and pulls out a yellowed playing card, the queen of hearts. Dr. Jack spins the table and as he does this the pendulum begins to pace back and forth. Her father, aunty and Dr. Jack all place their items in the center of the table leaving the small cut out circle available. “Have you ever felt warmth when there wasn’t any around?” Aunty Sue looks at Eliza as she asks this. “Or have you ever wondered why you wake up in a panic?” Her father asks looking directly at her. “Have you ever been more curious about this house than you are right now?” Dr. Jack asks looking into Eliza’s eyes. She instinctively reaches into her pocket and feels the warmth of the glass ball. As she touches it a light appears from the circle in the center of the table. “Dad? What is going on?” She asks, they don’t answer, instead her Aunty Sue places her hand on Eliza’s and pulls it out of its pocket still holding the ball. The she gestures for Eliza to place it in the center directly over the light. Eliza does as she is supposed to and as she does the table spins faster and faster, the pendulum swings harder and the colors that fill the room turn into images of people.

 She sees a witch being burned at the stake, wearing a dark purple coat similar to hers. She sees a woman running for her life, and dropping a glass ball while her attackers finish her off. She seen another image of a man wearing a large silver ring dealing playing cards, the focus is on the queen of hearts, and finally she sees an old woman, bent over a fire place with a silver wand in her hand, making the smoke and flames swirl and twirl. Before the spinning and images stop Eliza realizes these are the dreams that cause her to wake up in a panic. As suddenly as the spinning started, it stopped and the room is left bright and colorful. Eliza feels energy pulsing thru her veins and realizes what just happened. “Those people, were our ancestors, these items were theirs.” She looks to her father for a confirmation. “Yes.” He says. Dr. Jack steps in and finishes explaining. “Your family Eliza comes from a long line of sources, witches. Whatever you want to call them. Those images are what happened to the ones who were caught. I have always been here to watch over the Solis family. That is why I have always been here for you.” He holds her hand. Aunty Sue and her Dad place their hands on her shoulders. “Were witches?” Eliza asks? “yes, honey we are.” Aunty sue says with a smile. “The glass ball, who’s was it?” The ball belonged to my great, great grandmother. The coat belonged to her sister, so yes Dr. Jack is your great, great, great, uncle.” Eliza looks to him and smiles. “I always knew you were family. But why wait this long? How did you hide it? I need to know more.” Eliza says frantically. “You will, your dream will fill in the blanks Eliza Beth Solis. Happy nineteenth Birthday.”