Careful What You Wish For

9781626758049

Chapter 1

There are two sayings that come to mind when I start reflecting on my life. One is from William Shakespeare’s book Hamlet. That saying is there are more things on heaven and earth then dreamt of. The other I’ve heard all my life but I don’t know who originally said it. I really like it though. That saying is ‘be careful what you wish for."

I would read the newspaper and watch the news to see what people have done with their lives. Maybe they had made something of themselves. Helped the world or changed the world. Me? What had I done? I always thought I lived my life for me. I’m no one special. I can’t change the world. Hell I wouldn’t have known where to begin. I grew up in simpler times–safer times. Not all these crazies, wackoes, and terrorists. Kids could be kids. Kids didn’t have to worry about anything except those final exams and grades. Ugh!! I can remember, as a kid, not having to worry about the candy and treats when I went trick or treating at Halloween. Oh the good ole days! Today the world is totally different. I honestly would not want to bring a child into this world today. It’s too scary. I mean that in a bad way!

I have always loved Halloween and horror movies. I still do to this very day. I like scary things. Let me explain. I grew up on the old horror movies with Bella Lugosi, Lon Chaney, Vincent Price, etc. No computer graphics. No blood and guts. It was all just done in black and white. It was all done with lighting effects and music to scare the viewer. Some of the remakes have great computer graphics but that’s all that can be said about them. I love to be scared!!! That doesn’t happen too often. I’ll be honest, I can only remember two movies ever scaring me. One is Jaws, the first one, when Richard Dryfess was underwater checking out that one boat and a guy’s head came popping out. That honestly and truly scared me. Since that movie I never swam in the ocean again. I love the ocean but never will I be on a small boat on the ocean. The second movie is called Prophecy. Now there are two different movies by the same name. One is with Christopher Walken and the other is with Talia Shire, from Rocky fame, and Robert Foxworth. I’m talking about the second one. It dealt with mercury in the local lake in the mountains. When they showed the bears, that were attacking people, they had no hair. Just gross muscle–oozing muscle! It was scary but yet I’d find myself changing the channel back to the movie when they were done showing the bears. I especially did this if I was by myself. I usually was, but I’d keep going right back to it. I think of those days and chuckle to myself.

I haven’t made myself famous or done anything special. Hell I always thought that when I died no one would notice. I lived my life the way I wanted to. I loved my husband, my last one and the one I was with the longest, family, and my really dear friends. I could count my dear friends on one hand and maybe a couple extra fingers. Little did I know what lay ahead of me in my travels.

I’ve always loved to travel. I have a wondering soul. I love to see different places and different cultures. On some of my travels I could swear I’d been there before, but in reality I knew I hadn’t been. It would be kind of freaky to drive thru a town that I had never been to. Never been in that state or country and know exactly what lay ahead or around the corner. That would scare the people I was with.

Chapter 2

The trip that intrigued me the most, and, I admit, scared me some, was my trip to Transylvania, Romania. I often wondered if I had known how my life would change by going to Romania would I still have gone. It’s always been the same answer. Oh hell yeah!! Romania was awesome. The people. The countryside. The ruins. The legends! One can’t forget the legendary DRACULA. Nothing else compares to Dracula!! The tour that I went on was a Dracula Tour and I went the week of Halloween 2010. Thirty travelers were on this tour. We traveled all around Transylvania learning about Vlad the Impaler. We stayed in Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, and several other cities. I enjoyed checking out Bran Castle and staying at the Hotel Castle Dracula on Halloween night. We usually stayed together or in groups. I guess safety in numbers. Until this one night just days before we were to leave.

One day I decided to shop by myself. I was at this open market earlier when an elderly woman began talking to me in Romanian. She was handing me a necklace and pointing to a certain building. I tried to pay her for the necklace. This necklace fascinated me and I definitely wanted it. This male stranger came up to me and let me know that the elderly woman wanted me to have the necklace. She said it belonged to me. I was puzzled by that. I thanked her and when I went to talk to the stranger he was gone. The tour guide for our group came up to me and asked if there was a problem. The elderly woman repeated to our tour guide what she had said to me and then left. When I asked what she had said our tour guide replied that the old woman wanted me to go to the old museum and look at the paintings. That didn’t make sense but I thought why not. I began heading over there but our tour guide insisted we rejoin our group and we did.

Later that night, before six pm, I left our hotel. I was unseen by the others and headed to the old museum. I was hoping it was still open. Upon arrival a man was locking the door. As I began talking to this man I saw that it was the stranger from the open market. He smiled and said that he was beginning to think that I wasn’t going to come. This stranger had black shoulder length hair, mustache, and goatee, with brown eyes, six feet tall, and a voice that I could listen to for hours.

After unlocking the door we entered the museum. Part of me was telling me to get the hell out of there and the other part didn’t want to leave at all. The lights were turned on and I noticed all of these old paintings and old books. This mysterious stranger directed our path to a certain area. Upon stopping he pointed to one of the paintings. When I looked up at this painting it was like I was looking at myself wearing the necklace the elderly woman had given to me. I was in disbelief. It was me with long brownish blonde hair down to the middle of my back, and with blue eyes. From the books my father had on our family history I knew I had ancestors killed in the Salem Witch Trials. Now I’m finding out something different. Something I had only dreamed of–or was it a dream? My stranger told me that I was a descendant from a Noble Romanian family and from gypsies. Both were extremely powerful families.

As the story goes, the son of a Noble Romanian family fell in love with a gypsy girl. Of course both families tried to break it up, but when that didn’t work the gypsy family helped the couple leave Romania and start their lives elsewhere. The necklace that I was given was the only thing the Noble Mother gave to her son and asked that he return some day. Several years later they returned. This time they were welcomed by both families-at least for a little while. This portrait was done during that time. When it was announced they were going to have a child the Noble father became outraged and disowned his son. The father had always hoped to break them up but now that there was a child on the way he knew his son would never leave the gypsy. The couple left Romania and was not heard of again. Years later it was rumored that they had gone to America. The Noble father sent men to bring his son home. These men had found the son but before they found him the son was warned of their coming. The couple took their son and daughter and asked a trustworthy couple to take care of their children for a while. At least until the danger had passed. They never returned for their children. The trustworthy couple raised them as their own but secretly let the children know about their real parents once they were of age to understand everything. Plus they gave the daughter the family necklace.

I told my stranger that this was an interesting tale. Somehow though I knew he was telling me the truth. I could picture all of it as he was telling this tale. Next thing I knew he was handing me a book and was telling me not to let anyone know I had this book. Plus if anyone asked me where I got the necklace to say I had bought it at some little shop somewhere in my travels years ago. I shouldn’t let anyone know it was given to me here. I wasn’t fearful of my stranger any more. I had no idea why. He got so close to me that I could feel his breath. As he looked into my eyes he tilted my head up and kissed me. The next thing I knew we were leaving the museum.

Back in my hotel room I put the book away in my luggage. That way no one would see it. I wanted to keep the necklace safe so I wore it underneath my clothing. I figured once I left Romania I could wear it with no problems.

For our last couple of days in Romania I felt like I was being watched. When I looked around no one was watching me. Or so I thought. I did not see my stranger before I left Romania and that disappointed me. I had questions I wanted to ask him. I never got the chance. Something inside me wanted to be with him.

I hated that our trip ended. I wanted to stay longer. I knew I couldn’t but I felt like I had to. I wanted to know more. I had always felt that I belonged in Romania. I felt like I had finally come home. How could I have come home when I never lived here before? My heart and soul ached to stay in Romania. I couldn’t.

Chapter 3

When I got back to the States and back home to Nevada everything was as it had been for about a month or so. I wore the necklace whenever I wanted. I received a lot of compliments on it. I had put the book away in a very safe spot and told no one about it. Then one night, when I was all by myself, I heard a voice talking to me. This voice was drawing me to the book. I decided to get the book and began reading. I kept reading ‘till the sun came up. I’d read a little bit every night. As long as I kept reading I didn’t hear that voice. I take it I was learning and doing what the voice wanted me to.

The next six months went by with nothing unusual happening. Work was work, nothing new there. Home life was great. Nothing new there either. The girlfriend that went to Romania with me, Sharon, wanted to go to Salem, Massachusetts with me for Halloween so we were planning that trip. Several months before we were to go to Salem I felt like someone was watching me again. Looking around I didn’t notice anyone watching me. It got to the point that even when I slept I felt like someone was watching me. I never did shake that feeling before I left for Salem.

Chapter 4

Salem, Massachusetts-what a town!!! I loved being there. I felt so alive. I had a great sense of belonging. I even thought of moving to Salem. The only thing that stopped me was wondering if I could find work there. I was pretty sure my husband wouldn’t want to move there. I felt like I was absorbing all its history. In case you weren’t aware of it, Salem, Massachusetts parties and celebrates Halloween the whole month of October. Sharon and I usually stayed together when we were out about town. We were being typical tourists! Soon I was to find out that there wasn’t anything typical about this trip for me.

We dressed up for some gala event and I wore my necklace that I got in Romania. A lot of people complimented me on that necklace, but there were a few I got stares from. They made me uneasy. Now I felt like I was being watched more. A couple of times a small group of men followed us. We were able to lose them in the crowds.

Then one night outside our hotel I had an extremely strong sense of being watched but this was a familiar sense of being watched. I know that sounded odd. Maybe a better way to describe it was that I was being watched by someone familiar to me. I looked across the way and thought I saw my Romanian stranger. I tried to get Sharon’s attention but when I looked back he was gone. Was it wishful thinking? I had been thinking about him a lot. I felt safe when I was with him in Romania. I went to the room and went to sleep.

I had a dream that my stranger was calling my name. I never did tell him my name nor did he ever tell me his. I dreamt that I left the room and found him in part of the old cemetery. I dreamt he pulled me close to him, held me tightly in his arms, and kissed me ever so passionately. I can’t remember when I was last kissed that way! I dreamt.....

Then I woke up in that part of the old cemetery all by myself. Did I sleep walk? I’ve never done that before. It was still dark out but the sun would soon be up. I went back to the hotel room. Sharon was still asleep. I went back to bed and slept for a few hours. Those few hours were like nothing I ever experienced before.

I was back in Romania around a camp fire with a group of gypsies –my ancestors. I kept telling them that I was a descendant of witches not gypsies. They told me that it was time I learned who my real ancestors were. The time was now to learn the truth. My ancestors were Romanian gypsies. They were a very powerful family of gypsies. They were the King of the gypsy’s family. Some families feared them–especially those of Noble blood. They looked down at the gypsies. Thought they brought nothing but trouble. The regular townspeople liked having them around. The gypsies usually brought good luck and fortune to the townspeople.

One day one of the gypsy girls went into town alone. A male member of a Noble family walked into the girl and yelled at her for not watching where she was going. She apologized but he didn’t want to hear it. He slapped her several times until a young man came up and stopped him. This young man was from a different Noble family. The young man told the older man to leave the young gypsy girl alone. He was to never raise a hand against her again or he would answer to the young man. Angry the older man left. The young man tended to the young gypsy girl and escorted her back to her family. There was a commotion in the gypsy camp due to seeing the young man. Once the girl told everyone what had happened the gypsies told the young man he was welcomed there any time.

As time went on, the young man, Nicolas, and the young girl, Kateonia, became very close. Nicolas asked Kateonia’s father for her hand in marriage but the father said no. This marriage would cause too many problems between the gypsies and the Noble families. Though disappointed, Nicolas and Kateonia kept seeing each other.

One night Nicolas’ father with four men came to the gypsy camp and found Nicolas there. He told Nicolas he was forbidden to see Kateonia anymore and could not be with the gypsies any more either. Nicolas tried to argue but to no avail. Two of the men, that accompanied Nicolas’ father, physically grabbed Nicolas and put him on a horse. Nicolas tried to fight them but he wasn’t strong enough. Some of the gypsies tried to stop the two men but the other men with Nicolas’ father drew their guns on the gypsies. Nicolas yelled out for the gypsies to stop and they did. He wanted to protect them. Nicolas’ father and the four men rode off with Nicolas. Kateonia was in tears.

The alarm went off and the dream ended. I didn’t want to wake up. I wanted to stay asleep. I wanted stay in Romania. Stay with the gypsies. Stay with my family. That wasn’t going to happen.

The adventures in Salem were calling to me. The old historic houses, the museums, the cemeteries, the town, and the countryside were all calling to me. This made me want to have lived back in the 1600’s. I enjoyed all the activities the town had to offer but a part of me wanted to sleep. To dream. To learn where I belong. All day I kept looking for my Romanian stranger but there were way too many people to find one particular person. Somehow though, and I didn’t know why, I could sense when the men that followed me before were near. It seemed like some of my senses had sharpened or become more finely tuned. I thought that odd but I didn’t dwell on it. I brushed it off to being around so many people and just naturally paying more attention to my surroundings.

I felt like I belonged in Salem but I also felt like I belonged in Transylvania. I was torn between two towns. I was torn between two pasts. I tried not to think about it much. I thought I’d figure it all out when I got back to Nevada. I still had a lot of reading in that old book to do.

In the early afternoon we went back to our room. We wanted to rest and get changed for the night’s activities. I was eager for night fall. I was eager to dream. As we walked past the front desk the clerk called out to me and said I had a package. That struck me odd. Who would be sending me a package here? I went and got it. The package was wrapped in plain brown paper and had my name on it. I opened it while I walked to the room. I found a note on top of the wooden box. The note stated: As with the last book I gave you, do not let anyone know you have it and put it in a safe place. Forever yours, ‘N’. Upon reading the note I wrapped the box back up. In the room Sharon asked me what I had. I told her that it was a plain handmade box I had seen and asked about. When I was asked if there was anything in the box I answered no.

While Sharon was in the shower I placed the box and book in a safe place. While taking a shower I reflected on the last dream I had. I realized that when I saw Kateonia in the dream she looked like a younger version of me. I wondered if that was true or just my wishful thinking. Then I remembered the painting. I wish I had seen a painting of Nicolas. It hit me then that I never really saw Nicolas’ face in my dreams. I knew I saw his face but it wasn’t crystal clear like Kateonia’s face. That puzzled me. Once out of the shower and dried off I decided to lay down for an hour or two.

When I did I tried to dream of Romania but that didn’t happen. I kept dreaming of Salem-present day. I dreamt that somehow I got separated from the group of partiers I was with and I was walking down a dark street. Halfway down the street I became uneasy. Something was going to happen, something not good. I quickened my pace to get into the light of the street lamp and I could see some people up ahead. If I could only get to them–if only! I heard footsteps behind me. I didn’t turn around but I knew someone was there. As I passed a doorway on my right I heard the door open and close. I could smell cigar smoke. Someone else had joined the person behind me. The same thing happened again when I passed a doorway on my left. I still didn’t turn around. I decided to just keep going. I’d be with people in just a few seconds. It didn’t work out that way.

I sat up in bed–wide awake! I was shaken and scared plus soaking wet from fear. I didn’t remember why I felt this way but I didn’t like it. I laid back down but there was no way I could rest any more let alone sleep. I got a change of clothes and took another shower. I was determined not to let that dream come true. Was it a premonition? Could I stop it? Could I change it? What happened at the end? I had no answers to any of the questions but I was bound and determined to do everything in my power not to let it happen. No dark streets for me while I was in Salem. Could I be sure it even was to take place in Salem? I had no idea but I felt it was to happen here.

When we went out to party I did not wear my Romanian necklace. I hid it and the book very carefully. Where I thought no one would look. I tried not to think about that dream. I tried to put it out of my mind until it was time to go back to the hotel. I figured that’s when it would happen but I wouldn’t be by myself. I should have known better.

Just as I began to relax at this gala celebration and dinner with the local witches, one of them came up to me to talk. As she took my hand to introduce herself a strange look came over her face. Once she regained her senses she introduced herself as Cassandra. Cassandra had long brown curly hair, beautiful green eyes, and was about five feet seven inches tall. She said she had lived in Salem all of her life. Cassandra pulled me aside and stated that she needed to talk to me. Cassandra told me that I needed to leave Salem right away. I should leave the party and get out of town now because my life was in danger.

I thanked her but told her I couldn’t leave without my girlfriend, Sharon. I was looking around the party room and didn’t see her. Cassandra told me to leave without her. I replied I couldn’t. She handed me a charm. She told me that it would help protect me and to keep it on me at all times. I thanked her and rejoined the party. I still couldn’t find Sharon so I called her on her cell phone. Sharon answered and said that she had gotten a headache and went back to the room. I was glad she was alright. Now that meant I’d be going back to the hotel by myself. No dark streets for me. Finally I was relaxing and enjoying myself. I was having a great conversation about Salem with a group of local witches, including Cassandra.

All of a sudden everyone in the group became quiet. I didn’t need to ask why. I sensed danger. I felt very uneasy and so did not just the witches I was with but all the witches in the entire room. Everyone was looking towards the main entrance when four men entered. I recognized them as being the ones that followed me that one night. Cassandra stood in front of me and the other witches in our group stood alongside of her. Cassandra told me to use the back door and get out of there. I didn’t want to but I knew I had to. I tried to leave unseen by those men. I hoped I was successful.

I found myself in an ally way but it wasn’t dark. I quickly left the ally and found myself with a group of partiers. I stayed with them till I got my bearings as to where I was and what way I needed to go to get back to the hotel. Unfortunately this group wasn’t going my direction. I made it safely about half way to the hotel. I kept telling myself that I didn’t have much further to go and that was true. I became confident that I’d make it with no problems. I kept joining small groups of partiers. Now I was three quarters of the way to the hotel. I began to believe I’d be safe. I began to believe I had over reacted to the dream and what Cassandra had told me. I began to believe.....but I was wrong.

It felt like I walked into a wall. I felt the danger! I felt the panic! I felt the desperation! I felt the urgent need to run. I ran. I lost my bearings and wound up in an area unfamiliar to me. I wound up on a dark street. This was the street in my dream. I should have known better. I took off my shoes so I wouldn’t be heard. As I made my way I heard footsteps behind me. I heard a door open and close on the right as I passed it. I smelled cigar smoke. I heard another door open and close on the left as I passed it. All of a sudden there was a man in front of me. One man was to my right. One man was to my left, and a final one behind me. The men on each side of me grabbed my arms. The man in front of me told me to come with them. I asked if I had a choice. The man told me no! They took me thru a doorway in the building near us. They wanted my necklace. I took off the necklace I was wearing and handed it to him. He knocked it out of my hand. He became angry. He told me he wanted the necklace I was wearing the other day. I told him I didn’t know what he was talking about. I was slapped. The man described the necklace. I told him I lost it. I didn’t know where it was. I was slapped again. The questions kept being asked. The slaps didn’t cease. I wondered when this would end. I wondered how much more I could endure. I wondered when the pain would end. I wondered if they’d kill me. I wondered if I’d be found. I wondered if I’d survive. I wondered..... Then I wondered no more.

I felt like I was dreaming. I dreamt that someone found me. I dreamt someone was bending over me. I dreamt that someone was carrying me. I dreamt I was safe. I dreamt.....

The alarm woke me up. I realized I was in my bed at the hotel room. At first I didn’t move much. I thought if Sharon saw me she’d scream. I figured I was badly bruised, had cuts, and blood all over me. I didn’t remember being cleaned up so I must look awful. I rolled over in bed to see if Sharon was in the room. When I moved I barely hurt. I felt that was odd. I knew I had been beaten. I knew I had cuts, blood, and bruises. I was surprised to find Sharon not there. She had left a note. At least I knew she was okay plus I’d get cleaned up some before she’d see me.

I had to take a shower and when I did I didn’t look in the mirror. I wanted the water to wash the blood off me first. Maybe it’d help some if there was any swelling. As I moved around more I noticed I didn’t hurt. I just felt a little stiff. The water felt so good running all over my body. I sat down in the tub, with the water still on, and a wave of tears came over me. I can’t let this happen again.

I began to think. Should I do as Cassandra said? Leave Salem? I didn’t want to leave. This was my last night in Salem. We’d be leaving tomorrow in the early afternoon. One more night shouldn’t make a difference. I should know better than to think that way. If those men found me again could I endure another beating? Could I survive another beating? I was lucky this time. Could I be lucky again? Was it that charm that Cassandra gave me that protected me? Do I chance fate again? I must be crazy!! I decided to finish out my stay in Salem. I’d be a lot more careful tonight. I wouldn’t be caught alone again. I turned off the water and dried off. It’s time to