(Esmeralda clears her throat.) Esmeralda: Excuse me; I am the matriarch of the Hare family, not the Carpenter. My daughter happened to marriy a Carpenter, but that does not change who she is or who I am. The matriarch of the Carpenter family took off with the visiting evangelist. You could try tracking her down, but I doubt you’d have any luck with that.
(Interviewer is flustered.) Well now, Mrs. Hare. Tell me about your family.
Esmeralda: You can call me Madame Esmeralda like my clients. Since you are so young, I might even let you call me Nana like my grandchildren do. My husband Buell and I only have one child, Maura. She’s exceptionally precious to me. Family is everything to the Romany. With Buell disappearing, I held my daughter and her family very close.
Interviewer: Your husband disappeared.
Esmeralda: Yes, he did. Left me a note about having to do something. Don’t get the wrong idea. He’s didn’t take up with some traveling evangelist like some. If he had to do something, then I believe it. Still, it’s been hard on me. Having the love of your life blink out of existence is a shock.
Interviewer: Did you search for him?
(Esmeralda glares at the interviewer.) Esmeralda: Do you think I would not look for my soul mate? I did. We did. Brought in the police, the ceremonial magicians, even a psychic who knew him well astral projected, but no sign of Buell anywhere. There was no sense of his essence.
(Interviewer covers heart.) Interviewer: Do you think he might be…
Esmeralda: Dead. I thought of it. Even got my friend, Trisha to do a séance. The spirits have not seen him, which means he’s not dead. My only explanation is he has slipped into another dimension or time.
Interviewer looks doubtful.
Esmeralda: I recognize that expression. You think the old woman has gone around the bend due to grief over her loss. Think again, missy. There is a lot that goes on in this world that you miss because you refuse to believe. Ever wonder about people who mysteriously disappear?
Interviewer: I always assumed they were victims of crime or simply ran away.
Esmeralda: Some do, that’s true enough. Others stumble into time portals that are scattered throughout the planet. Maybe you heard of Einstein.
Interviewer: What does Einstein have to do with your husband?
Esmeralda: Buell met him once, but that’s beside the point. He described time being folded on itself as opposed to being linear as most people believe. With that in mind, there are times when we can experience other times or even slip into it. I believe people leave emotional imprints. Have you ever visited a place of suffering like Alcatraz prison or a Nazi death camp?
Interviewer nods.
Esmeralda: You probably felt a sense of oppression or hopelessness pulling at you. Some are more sensitive than others are. I believe that need often pulls people in. That might have happened to Buell, but unfortunately, I don’t where he went.
Interviewer: That must be rough on you.
Esmeralda: It is. More so now.
Interviewer: Why is that?
Esmeralda: My youngest granddaughter, Leah, is being pulled back in the past. The Burning Times to be more exact.This was when thousands of women, and a few hundred men, accused of witchcraft were put to death.
(Interviewer looks shocked.) Interviewer: What are you going to do?
Esmeralda: I am not sure there is much we can do if it is her destiny. I bestowed protective amulets upon her. Amelia, another talented friend, is creating her an enchanted garment, but other than that, there is no alternative. We can pool all our intentions and focus on a successful conclusion.
Interviewer: It seems like so little.
Esmeralda: It is more help than most get. In the end, everyone has to walk their own path no matter their age.
Stay tuned for the release of Initiation in December 2013, the first book in the Pagan Eyes series. Want to be an advanced reader? Contact Rayna Noire at [email protected]