Table of Contents

- Dedication

- Acknowledgements

- Chapter One: The New Witches

- Chapter Two: Two Months Later

- Chapter Three: Witches Night Out

- Chapter Four: Tea Leaves

- Chapter Five: Witch Hannah Returns

- Chapter Six: Danger! Keep Out!

- Chapter Seven: The Secret Message

- Chapter Eight: Witches Dragon Brew

- Chapter Nine: Spiral Dance Time

- Emma's Scrapbook

- The New Witches Club Website

The New Witches Club

Witch Hannah Returns

Debie Torkellson

Illustrations by Peter McAdam

eBook Copyright © 2011 by Debie Torkellson

© 2002, Ageless Publishers, Sydney, Australia

© 2005, 1st Yowbooks edition, USA

© 2009, Rev. 2nd edition, Jabberwocky Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

® 2005, The New Witches Club trilogy and website

Logo art by Krystal Stoner

Illustrations by Peter McAdam

www.newwitchesclub.com

DEDICATION

The New Witches Club Trilogy is dedicated to these six beautiful girls, who inspired the stories and to Hannah who brought the Magic to life.

Left to right, starting in the back row: Chloe, Emma, Emmy, Montarna, Isabella, Sarsha, and Hannah across the front.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I want to thank Michael, my husband, for all his love, support, and encouragement.

I also thank Patricia Gladwell, my mother, for a lifetime of inspiration; Peter McAdam, for capturing the girls' personalities with his illustrations; Hannah, for her friendship and for giving the girls so much time and energy; Emma and her girlfriends, Chloe, Emmy, Montarna, Isabella, and Sarsha, for always filling the house with laughter and fun.

Last, but not least, Emma, my lovely stepdaughter, for bringing so much joy and love into my life.

Chapter One

THE NEW WITCHES

It was five-thirty Sunday morning, the day after Emma's birthday party and her first sleepover. Montarna and Isabella awoke first, and soon afterwards, the others woke up, too. Even Emma jumped out of bed, and she never got up before ten o'clock.

Excitement and chatter filled the room when the girls noticed spell books next to their pillows. Emma, Sarsha, Chloe, Montarna, Emmy, and Isabella had always felt different from the other kids in school. Now they understood why.

Last night, they had discovered they were witches—New Witches—and they were proud of it, too. They couldn't wait to start their day. While still in their pajamas, they decided to cast a very important spell.

Quietly, they tiptoed into the living room to gather around the coffee table. Each girl added her own magical words until everyone was satisfied.

Emma picked up the purple spell bowl from last night that was sitting beside her. She carefully placed it in the center of the coffee table. Then, the girls filled the bowl with water. Next, they positioned six tea candles neatly around the edge of the bowl.

In the meantime, Emma's mom, Selena, rolled over in her bed, and she opened her eyes. The morning sun was shining on her bedcovers through the slit in the curtains. She sat up and smiled, remembering how amazing the girls had been last night.

Hearing the girls in the other room, she peeked around the corner from her bedroom door. Everything was under control.

Just last night those six girls made history, Selena remembered. They managed to break the ancient sleepover curse. Her thoughts continued as she quietly closed the door.

Witch Hannah had helped, and she recorded it in the Witches Book of History, under “Great Events.” She'd written:

Witches Book of History

Great Events

Recorded by: Witch Hannah

Location: Sydney, Australia

Year: August 2000

Time: 6:40 p.m.

Event: A gathering of six very special girls at a sleepover party. Let it be known that the ancient Sleepover Curse.10.1800/Salem was broken tonight by Emma, Sarsha, Chloe, Montarna, Isabella, and Emmy. They are the first of the New Witches to arrive. Their light will go out into the world, and they will create great changes for us all.

Selena did her daily stretches, then got ready for the day, and the girls continued with their spell. Selena put on her blue jeans and a long-sleeved pink T-shirt, combed her hair, and made her bed.

One by one, the girls added a fresh sprig of lavender and a drop of rose oil. For the final touch, they added a pinch of fairy-like glitter to complete the spell.

Then, one after the other, they lit their candles. When all six candles were burning, everyone joined hands. Creating a sacred circle around the table, they were ready to begin.

“Let's walk around the table three times to the east and chant our magic spell,” Emma said.

“Which way is east?” Montarna asked.

“I don't know. Just walk clockwise,“Emma giggled.

The girls quietly snickered as they tried to remain serious. Holding hands, they began walking in a circle around the table. Focused on the bowl, they repeated their magic spell:

We have as much luck as a four-leaf clover.

We keep the dove flying with our eternal love.

We know a ring is round and never ends.

And that's how long we will be friends—forever!

“We did it,” Montarna giggled.

“We'll be friends forever now,” Chloe added.

“The circle is open but never broken,” Emma said. The girls smiled at each other as they dropped their hands.

“We need a symbol for our signature,” Emma quickly suggested. “Let's sit at the kitchen table.” A small sofa separated the two tables, making it easy to move freely from one place to the other.

“I know—let's practice drawing a star,” Sarsha suddenly added.

“Remember, we'll always be friends,” Emma said, nodding to Sarsha with a gleam in her eye.

“Don't worry; we'll always be the best of friends,” Sarsha agreed, smiling back.

The girls grabbed their pens and sat down around the kitchen table. Excitement filled the room as they began drawing.

“Hey, how's this star?”

“That's cool!”

“Look at mine.”

“I know; let's draw one big star and all sign our names under one symbol,” Emma suggested.

“Yeah, that's a great idea,” Sarsha quickly agreed.

Each girl drew a big star under the spell in her own book. Quietly, they traded books until all six names were in all six books. The girls looked over their books with satisfied grins.

“Let's blow out the candles before—" Emma started to say, when her mother walked into the room. “Oh, hi, Mom,” she said as they walked back to the coffee table. “We wrote a spell!”

“Be careful that wax doesn't fly everywhere when you blow out those candles,” Selena said. “Breakfast will be ready in five minutes,” she added, walking to the kitchen.

The girls carefully blew out their candles, and they scrambled back to the table, laughing and giggling. After that, they eagerly dived into fresh muffins, eggs, and juice.

“By the way, where did your spell books come from?” Selena asked with a curious look on her face.

“We wished for them,” Emma said, and everyone started explaining at once.

“Just before we went to sleep ...”

"... we all held hands in a circle ...”

"... and we made a wish together.”

“Yeah, and when we woke up ...”

"... they were next to our pillows.”

“It was magic, Mom,” Emma said, shrugging her shoulders. “Hey, Mom, how will we recognize other New Witches?” Emma asked, changing the subject.

“Remember, witches are normal, everyday people, and they'll look like you or me. However, they will be special, like you girls. Very smart, talented, and full of inspiration,” Selena said. “For now, just be happy that the six of you have each other. You'll need to keep it a secret that you are witches.”

“Why?”

“Because you can't run around school yelling, 'I'm a witch!' You'll be kicked out of school if you do.”

“Why can't we tell?” Isabella asked.

“Yeah, why not? We are,” the twins, Chloe and Emmy, added.

“Because no one will believe you,” Selena said. “Besides, your parents may not want to hear that you've turned into witches overnight,” she giggled.

“What do we tell them about the party?”

Montarna asked.

“Go ahead and tell them what happened,” Selena said. “They'll just think you had a really good party, is all.”

“How do we act at school, Mom?” Emma asked.

“The best recipe for being a witch is to always be yourself, study hard, and have fun whenever you can.”

The girls thought this was a great recipe to follow. At school, however, they found it hard to keep their secret. Every day during recess and lunch, they sat together in a circle. They secretly talked about magic and spells. In fact, they wrote a spell that helped them do better in school, but they couldn't tell the teachers why they were doing so well.

Chapter Two

TWO MONTHS LATER

“Hi, Mom, I'm home,” Emma said, walking through the door.

“I was just thinking about you,” Selena answered. “Mom, could I invite my friends around for another party soon?”

“Well, Halloween is coming up in a couple of weeks. Do you think the girls are brave enough to try another sleepover?” she laughed.

“Yeah, that would be great. Can we wear costumes and go trick-or-treating?” Emma asked.

“Sure,” Selena said. “Besides, Halloween is a great time for witches to get together.”

“I'll make the invitation, OK?” Emma said, running to the computer. It didn't take long before she returned. “How's this?” she asked her mother.

On the front of her invitation, two skeletons danced together. Written across the invitation were the words “It's Halloween Time" and “Come to Emma's Dungeon for a Halloween Sleepover.”

Inside it read:

Wear: Halloween costume

Bring: Sleeping bag, toothbrush, and your flashlight

Date: Saturday, October 31

Time: 5.00 p.m. until noon on Sunday

“You're very creative, Emma. This is great. Can I add something, too?” Selena asked.

“Sure, Mom. What?” Back to the computer, the two of them went.

“Let's give the party a theme and call it Witches Night Out,” Selena said, typing. “Now, add a witch and riddle underneath.”

Witches Night Out!

By the light of the moon,

And witches' brooms,

It's Spiral Dance time,

Coming up soon.

RSVP: to Emma's mom

“That looks great, Mom,” Emma said. “I'll pass the invitations out at school tomorrow.” Emma spun around on her back foot.

“And I'll get busy making plans for the party,” Selena replied.

Emma couldn't wait to tell someone. She ran to the phone and called her best friend, Sarsha. They laughed ecstatically together. No ancient Sleepover Curse was going to interfere this time.

The next two weeks went by quickly. Before Emma knew it, she was helping her mother hang up decorations.

Chapter Three

WITCHES NIGHT OUT

“Emma, please hold up this end of the poster. I need to tack the other side to the door,” Selena said cheerfully.

“Where did you find the pictures of the witch and cat?” Emma asked.

“I found them on the Internet. I printed them out and took them to Sam the printer. He put the two together and made a poster for me.”

“It's really cool. In fact, it looks like the cat turns into the witch,” Emma laughed.

“You could be right. Nothing is impossible for witches,” Selena chuckled. They stood back to have another look at the picture.

The poster seemed securely attached to the front door. They turned and said “Yes!” together, giving each other a high-five.

Next, they decorated the front security gate with black balloons. Then, they twisted orange and black crepe paper together, making a long rope. They wove it in and out of the trees, creating a path to the front door.

Emma stood back and gazed at the decorations. She was pleased with everything, but she couldn't help thinking that something was missing.

“My pumpkin!” she remembered, and she ran back to the house.

Emma practically had to roll her large pumpkin out the front door. She had carved it with her dad the night before. It was her first one, and she was proud of it, too.

She couldn't stop grinning as she parked her pumpkin on the front porch. Spinning around, she looked for the matches so she could light the candle inside. That was when her mother told her to wait until it was dark.

Hanging pumpkins, skeletons, and floating ghosts decorated the house inside. A large “Happy Halloween" sign hung across the picture window that looked out over the city. In the center of the dining room table was a great Halloween display.

A purple tablecloth sprinkled with tiny orange pumpkins and black cats covered the table. Baby corncobs, rubber spiders, and tiny witch hats surrounded a large green pumpkin in the center. Beside each plate sat a miniature black cauldron, filled with chewy snakes and candy. Everything was ready, and Emma couldn't wait for the party to begin.

“What do I do for the next three hours, Mom?”

“Why don't you call Sarsha and see if she wants to play,” Selena suggested.

Emma ran to the phone. A few minutes later, she returned. “Mom, Sarsha's mom is going to pick me up so I can go over there. Is that OK?”

“Sure,” Selena said. “Take your costume. You can get dressed before you come back.”

Emma thought that was a great idea. She put the black dress she was going to wear that night into her bag. When she got to Sarsha's house, she helped her come up with an outfit.

Sarsha had a pair of devil horns, but she hadn't put together a costume. She tried to create a ballerina outfit and a princess gown. She even put a sheet over her head, like a ghost, but nothing looked right.

Finally, Sarsha found something she liked. It was a short red skirt with a black tube top. When she put on the red horns and red platform sneakers, the outfit was complete. After that, Emma and Sarsha couldn't stop talking about Halloween.

“Hey, Sarsha, do you believe in ghosts?” Emma asked.

“Yeah ... but I'd be really scared to see one.”

“Me, too ... but do you think we'll see one tonight?”

“Why would we see one tonight?”

“It's Halloween! Ghosts and goblins come out tonight.”

“What's a goblin?” Sarsha asked, trying not to show any fear.

“I think it's something pretty bad,” Emma told her.

“Let's not talk about it, Emma. Hey, what are the twins wearing tonight?” Sarsha asked, changing the subject.

“I don't know; they said it was a surprise.”

“Isabella and Montarna wouldn't tell me theirs, either,” Sarsha said. “I can't wait to see what everyone wears.”

“I've never gone trick-or-treating. Have you, Sarsha?”

“Nope. No one goes trick-or-treating in Australia. Do you know what we're supposed to do?”

“It can't be that hard to figure out.”

“Hey, Emma, I think my mom is calling us.”

They looked at each other, wide-eyed, and at the same time, shouted, “It's party time! Let's go!”

Quickly, they threw Sarsha's things into her backpack, and Emma grabbed her sleeping bag. The two of them dashed to the car, screaming the whole way.

Sitting in the backseat of the car, looking out the windows, they tapped their feet on the floor. It was as if they were keeping time to the music on the radio. Actually, they were just too excited to sit still.

Before the car came to a complete stop, both back doors opened and the girls jumped out.

“Wow, Emma, this looks great,” Sarsha said, looking around the yard.

“Wait until you see inside,” Emma said. She ran to the front door and swung it open, calling out to say she was home.

“Wow, Emma, where did you get all the decorations?”

“Mom found most of them at a party shop, and she made the others herself.”

“This is going to be so much fun. I can hardly wait,” Sarsha said.

A few moments later, Selena walked into the room. “Hello, girls,” Selena said, twirling around to show off her long black dress.

“Mom, where did you get that witch dress?” Emma asked.

“It's really cool,” Sarsha added, looking at it more closely.

“I twitched my nose and pouf! It appeared out of nowhere,” Selena said, joking with the girls. Before she could explain further, the doorbell rang.

“I'll get it!” Emma screamed, running to the door with Sarsha right behind her.

“It's Isabella!” Emma yelled.

Isabella couldn't stop grinning with excitement. “Hi,” Isabella said to Emma and Sarsha.

“Where did you get your hat?” Emma asked.

“Wow, it's purple,” Sarsha quickly added.

Selena arrived at the door, as the three of them were rapidly walking inside. She greeted Isabella's father with a smile. Together, they laughed about the girls' excitement, and they said good-bye.

As soon as Selena closed the door, the doorbell rang again. “It's party time,” she said, reaching for the door. Selena was pleasantly surprised once more when she opened the door. There stood the twins, Chloe and Emmy, with eyes twinkling and massive grins across their faces. No one said a word. They didn't need to because the silence was broken when everyone started to laugh.

The twins rushed inside, and Selena said good-bye to their mother.

“I don't believe it!” Sarsha screamed. “You're dressed like witches, too!”

The girls were jumping up and down with excitement. They tried to talk to one another. Instead, they didn't know whether to scream or laugh, so they were doing both.

“So this was the surprise,” Emma and Sarsha squealed. “Dressing up like witches, we mean.”

“We are witches,” Isabella quietly said.

“It's true!” they yelled at once, cracking up with laughter as they continued to talk nonstop.

“Mom helped us get the costumes together,” Chloe said.

“I don't think she knows that we're really witches,” Emmy added.

“Hey, Emma, I like your tight-fitting black dress,” Chloe said. “That's a cool way for a witch to look.”

“Sarsha, what are you?” the twins asked. “The devil?”

“Yeah, what gave it away? My horns?” Sarsha laughed.

“No, it's your red platform sneakers,” Isabella joked.

Selena walked into the room, and the twins and Isabella ran up to her. They stood there grinning at Selena, waiting for her to say something.

“Well, it certainly looks like it's Witches Night Out,” Selena said. Her smile told them that they had chosen the right outfits for Halloween.

“Where did you get your dress?” Isabella asked. “Is it a costume? It looks so real,” Chloe added. “Yeah, Mom, you started to tell me earlier. Where'd you get it?”

“I've never seen a proper witch dress,” Emmy said. “Is it real?”

“Where's your hat and broom?” Sarsha asked.

“One at a time,” Selena said. “Let's sit down. I can tell we have lots to talk about.

I got my dress two years before Emma was born. It was at the last Witches Convention I attended,” Selena said. “I was strolling back to my hotel one evening, daydreaming about witches from the past. I decided to take a shortcut through an alley. Everything was normal until I went around the next corner. Suddenly, I had stepped back in time.”

“What did it look like?” Sarsha asked.

“The roads were uneven, narrow, and made of cobblestones. The buildings were made of large stones and mud bricks. They sat so close together that only a mouse could fit between them. The shop windows were either arched or square and recessed back into the walls. Some had wooden shutters, others had iron grilles, and they opened up against the outside of the building. All the front doors were solid timber with iron latches bolted on the outside.”

“Were you scared?” Sarsha asked.

“No, I was very comfortable; in fact, it felt like home. When I looked down to watch my step, I noticed I was wearing different shoes and clothes. My shoes were laced up above my ankles, and my dress just covered my shoes. My reflection in the window showed that I had time-traveled to a past life.

“I was wearing a long, dark dress, belted at the waist, with long sleeves and a high buttoned-up collar. I also wore a hat with a sash that tied around my chin, and I had on a long coat. As I walked along the cobblestone road, I noticed how antique the stores appeared. Then I saw a large rag doll sitting in front of one of the shops. Her head was an orange pumpkin, and she was wearing a new style of clothes.

“I walked over to get a closer look and noticed a sign under her chair. On it was a red arrow pointing to the front door. It was then that I noticed my dress hanging in the shop window. It was strange, but at that moment I knew it belonged to me. When I tried the dress on, the whole shop lit up. At that moment, my body and the dress merged as one.

“Everyone at the convention wanted to visit the shop after they saw my dress, but no one could find the alley with the cobblestones. In fact, I never found the alley again. That's why this dress is very special, and I only wear it for special occasions,” Selena told the girls.

“Wow!” The girls went silent for the first time that night. They stared at Selena with their mouths hanging open. It didn't take Selena long to realize that she needed to bring them back to reality.

“Isabella, I love your hat,” Selena said. “Where did you find it?”

“My mom found it for me,” Isabella said.

“It's fantastic. I bet your mother stumbled into a hidden witches shop and didn't even know it,” Selena said.

This brought the girls back to earth, and they giggled.

Chapter Four

TEA LEAVES

“What time will Montarna be here?” Selena asked.

“She's always late because she dances on Saturdays,” Emmy said. “She will be here around six o'clock.”

“Hmm, that's still another thirty-five minutes,” Selena said.

“Can we read tea leaves while we wait?” Sarsha asked.

“I remember last time,” Emma laughed.

The others joined the conversation, talking as fast as they could.

“Yeah, me, too. We didn't have a clue.”

“Remember what happened?” The room filled with laughter as the girls recalled their last sleepover.

“We couldn't wait to drink our tea.”

“And you couldn't wait for yours to cool.”

“Remember what happened to you?” Emma yelled, pointing to Sarsha and laughing loudly.

“Yeah ... ha-ha. I spat out a mouthful of peppermint tea leaves!” Sarsha squealed.

“You were all impatient,” Selena added. “The idea was to drink the tea and when the cup was almost empty, to swirl the leaves around. Then turn the cup upside down onto a saucer and let it drain. After that, you turn the cup right-side up and read the remaining leaves, which appear as symbols,” Selena explained.

“Instead, we strained most of the tea out and drank the rest. Just so we could turn our cups upside down faster,” Sarsha laughed.

“I can still see it,” Selena said. “Six little heads, all trying to peek under their cups. Every two seconds someone was yelling, Is my cup ready? Read mine! Mine looks drained.”

“You could have heard a pin drop when we finally lifted our cups,” Emmy said.

“I know,” Chloe agreed. “One by one, we slowly turned our cups over, remember?”

“Yeah, some of us saw things right away, and some of us didn't,” Sarsha jumped in.

“That's when Witch Hannah told us to keep turning our cups slowly, until we could see something,” Chloe remembered.

“Then someone yelled, 'I see a witch!'" Sarsha roared with laughter. “And that's when we all ran over to look in the cup.”

“Who had that cup?”

“I think it was Montarna.”

“No, it wasn't,” Emma insisted. “It was one of the twins. I remember Sarsha couldn't see the witch.”

“But Emma saw it.”

“No, I didn't. I saw a cow.”

“A cow,” Sarsha repeated, cracking up with laughter. “There wasn't a cow in anyone's cup.”

“I think someone did see a cow,” Selena said. “Who remembers what she had in her cup?”

“I do. I had a horse in mine,” Sarsha said. “It was black and really beautiful. Remember, Selena? You said it ran so fast that it could fly. That's when everyone laughed at you. Because my daddy's a jockey, and they thought you were seeing him ride.”

“That's right, Sarsha,” Selena remembered. “Your horse is always there for you. In your dreams, you fly together through the darkness of the night to find the light. A horse can symbolize different things to different people. To some, it may represent freedom and to others, power.”

The room was buzzing with excitement as the girls remembered their fortunes.

“Do you remember my dragon?” Isabella asked.

“Yes, I do, and everyone jumped up at once to have a look,” Selena said.

“We wanted to see what a dragon looked like,” Emmy said.

“I wanted to see if it was breathing fire,” Chloe added, and the others laughed.

“I remember the dragon, because it wasn't one to fear,” Selena said, flashing back to the night. “The Chinese believe that the dragon shows the way,” she added. “You can create anything you want in life with magic like yours.”

“Then you picked up my cup,” Emmy said. “I was the one who had the witch.”

“But there were two witches. I was in your cup, too,” Chloe interrupted.

“Remember, Selena? You kept turning the cup really slow until you found two witches.”

“Were they flying side by side on broomsticks?” Selena asked.

“Yes ... and you passed the cup around for all of us to see.”

“There was a cat on one of the broomsticks, too,” Emma added.

“I remember now,” Selena said. “The two witches represented the energy you share as twins. The cat represented Emmy's psychic abilities and her gift to help others in trouble.”

“I had an angel in my cup,” Chloe said. “Do you remember my angel?”

“I sure do, and you fly with her in your sleep,” Selena said, remembering. “You cross over to her on a rainbow bridge and together, you shower the planet with love. That is because you are a healer.” Selena smiled. “Angels always bring love, love heals all, and rainbows represent happiness. In fact, all of you are healers, and there are many ways to heal. Someday, you might follow up on this, but for now, learning symbols is enough. Do you know why you girls love the stars?” Selena asked making eye contact with the girls.

“Because they twinkle?” Sarsha quickly laughed.

“They twinkle because your magic is connected to them,” Selena explained. “Go outside one night, lie down on the ground, and look up at the stars. Keep staring at them until you see one smiling back at you. When you do, listen with your hearts, and you'll understand how special you are. Your magic can connect you to anyone, anywhere in the universe.”

The girls didn't move. They carefully listened to every word. Slowly, they exchanged looks with one another. They began to accept the truth of what they were hearing. Soon, though, the silence was broken.

“What about Montarna? Who remembers what her tea leaves showed?”

“She had a lizard!” Emma yelled.

“Yeah, so she would pay attention to her dreams,” Sarsha said.

“That's right. The lizard tells us to keep our visions alive. That way, all our dreams will come true,” Selena said.

“You mean if we see a lizard outside, it's telling us the same thing?” Isabella asked.

“Yes, but not just the lizard. All of nature speaks to us. We just have to learn how to listen.”

“What about Emma? What was in your cup?” Chloe asked.

“I had a bird.”

“Who loves to sing,” Selena interrupted jokingly. The girls started giggling because Emma was always pretending she was a famous singer.

“Didn't she have a fairy, too?” Sarsha asked.

“I believe she had a leprechaun,” Selena said. “A wee bit of your dad's Irish magic,” she teased Emma. Then she asked everyone, “Do you know what leprechauns are?”

“No, not really,” they answered.

“They're nature spirits. They dart in and out of the third dimension so they can be with the humans they love.”

“What's the third dimension?” Isabella asked.

“We live in the third dimension,” Selena answered. “Nature spirits live in the fourth dimension, and that's why we can't see them.”

“Oh-h-h,” the girls all replied, nodding their heads.

“Didn't Emma's leprechaun love to make her laugh?” Emmy asked.

“Yes, he was a real trickster. He had lots of sly moves up his sleeve,” Selena laughed.

“When Emma laughs, we all do,” Chloe added.

“Hey, Emma, you're a real trickster,” Sarsha laughed, and the others cracked up laughing, too. Just then, the doorbell rang.

“It's Montarna!” Emma yelled, springing to her feet. The girls jumped up right behind her. All five of them ran to answer the front door.

“Hi,” Montarna said.

“You look great,” Emma said to Montarna. She wore a black skirt with a black top that had purple beads dangling from it.

“You haven't missed a thing,” Sarsha said.

“We've just been talking about our tea leaves.” Isabella added.

“I'm sorry I'm late,” Montarna added as the girls pulled her inside.

Emma's Leprechaun.

Chapter Five

WITCH HANNAH RETURNS

The girls showed Montarna the Halloween decorations. Then they all wandered into the kitchen to sit down. Without even thinking about it, each girl took a specific seat. Sarsha noticed that everyone had chosen the same chair as last time, except Montarna and her. The two of them scrambled out of their chairs, and they quickly changed seats. Now things were as they should be.

Like all good witches, they started talking about all the new spells they had written. Then suddenly, the conversation changed.

“Have you ever seen a ghost?” Sarsha asked. “No, have you?” Isabella replied. “What about goblins?” Emma asked. “Don't they come out on Halloween?”

“Do goblins hurt you?” Sarsha asked. “I don't know. I've never seen one,” Montarna quietly added.

“Me, either,” Chloe said.

The doorbell rang, and the noise startled them, and they jumped and screamed.

“Who's at the door?” Emmy asked in a high-pitched voice.

“It's a goblin,” Sarsha said spontaneously. “Or maybe it's a ghost!”

“Emma, will you answer the door please?” Selena called out. “I think the pizza has arrived.”

“Wooo,” the girls sighed in relief.

Emma stood up to answer the door. The girls relaxed back into their chairs.

“Eh-h-h-h!” Emma screamed. The girls froze. Their mouths dropped open with fear. They glanced at one another.

“It's Witch Hannah, everyone!” Emma yelled.

Fear turned to excitement. They all pushed their chairs back at the same time. The girls dashed to the front door, laughing and shouting all the way.

“It is you!” they yelled as they jumped up and down.

“It's really you!”

“We didn't think we'd ever see you again.”

“Pizza anyone?” Hannah asked, walking through the front door with two large pizza boxes in her hands.

Selena walked into the room at that very moment. “Witch Hannah, what a wonderful surprise,” she said with a huge smile on her face. “Did you bring pizza?”

“Not really. I met the pizza man in the driveway. I thought I would just deliver them myself,” Hannah answered, handing Selena the pizzas. “Come here, girls,” Hannah said, squatting down as she held out her arms.

They didn't waste a second in running to her for hugs. Then the questions began. “Why are you here?”

“Did you see us at the mall the other day?”

“We thought we saw you.”

“Was it you, Witch Hannah?”

“Hey, your dress looks like Selena's.”

“Where did you get yours?”

“I can see you girls haven't changed,” Hannah laughed. “You still all talk at the same time, and you still have lots of questions. Let's sit down and have some pizza.”

The girls scurried back to the table, where Selena had put the pizza. Then, she returned to greet Hannah properly. They exchanged hugs and expressed how happy they were to see each other again. Selena asked Hannah what had brought her this time. Then they linked their arms to walk back to the kitchen.

“I was trying to figure out who to celebrate this day with,” Hannah explained. “When all of a sudden, your faces popped into my mind.”

“That makes sense, of course,” Selena said. “But I haven't told the girls why witches get together on Halloween.”

“Oh-h-h,” Hannah said, giggling. “Is this going to be a night filled with surprises again?”

“It looks like it's already started,” Selena said with a grin.

“I hope I'm not intruding,” Hannah said. “But I knew I would find witches getting together here. Are you going to have a ceremony tonight?”

“Of course! It's Halloween! I was planning to do it alone at midnight. Now it looks like I'll have company,”

Selena said. “Let's have something to eat. We can explain all this to the girls later.”

They walked into the room while the girls were passing pizza around. It seemed the conversation was all about preparing for trick-or-treating. After all, this was their first time, and they wanted to make sure they got it right.

They understood the basics. You dress up, knock on doors, say "trick-or-treat,” and you're rewarded with candy—except they couldn't figure out when they were supposed to throw the eggs.

“Oops,” Selena laughed. “We'd better clear this one up.”

Hannah and Selena headed over to the table to have a talk with the girls.

“I think you've been watching too many movies. You don't throw eggs or anything else,” Hannah said.

“When do we do our trick?” Emma asked.

“First, you need to come up with a trick that isn't going to harm anyone or anyone's property. Then we'll talk about when you do it,” Hannah said, walking away with Selena.

Between the laughs and jokes, they came up with a great idea. “Come on, let's practice,” Emma said. Everyone jumped up from the table to get into a single line. Screaming and laughing, they counted "one, two, and three!” Then, they jumped into the air, turned around, and landed back on their feet.

They showed their trick to Selena and Hannah, who agreed the girls could do it, but only if they had to.

Out the door they ran, holding paper Halloween bags in their hands. Hannah went along to keep an eye on them, but she planned to stay out of sight.

The first door they came to was opened by a cute, little elderly lady. She wasn't clear about what to do, because trick-or-treating was very new to Australia. When the girls said “Trick-or-treat,” she asked, “What is your trick?”

The girls paused, confused about what to do next. They counted "one, two, and three!” and then jumped into the air. Turning around as they landed on their feet, they bent over and flipped up their skirts. Hannah saw this and ran to their rescue, laughing her head off.

“I'm sorry,” she said to the neighbor. “The girls are confused, as this is their first time trick-or-treating. Girls, when someone asks, 'What is your trick?' you're supposed to dance or sing for them,” Hannah explained. “You only lift your skirts if no one is home to give you a treat.”

“Oh-h-h,” the girls said, a little embarrassed but not for long. They quickly understood and broke into one of their dance routines. Once they had their treats, they ran off to the next house.

“We've finished this side of the street,” Emma said. “Let's take a shortcut across the park to get to the other side.”

The others agreed, and Emma started talking about ghosts and goblins, but Montarna interrupted her by squealing, “What's that over there?”

“Where?”

“Over behind that tree. Look! Now it's over there,” she said, pointing to another tree.

“There's another creature!” Chloe screamed. The girls stopped in the middle of the park. They huddled together and stared into the darkness.

Suddenly, someone screamed, and they all took off running.

Hannah ran after them, but she couldn't get them to stop until they reached the other side of the park. There they stood, waiting for her under a streetlight.

“I saw a ghost,” Sarsha cried, hugging Hannah for protection.

“No, it was a goblin!” the others shrieked.

“You girls have great imaginations,” Hannah commented and the girls started talking to her at the same time.

“No, really, we saw something!” they yelled.

“It was behind a tree, and it kept peeking out at us.”

“What exactly is a goblin, Hannah?” the girls asked.

“Let's walk, and I'll explain,” Hannah said. She put her arms around Sarsha and Montarna, and the others walked close beside her.

“Don't be afraid of goblins. They're really harmless,” Hannah explained.

“What are they?” Isabella asked.

“Goblins are little nature spirits who like to be mischievous. They can change into different shapes and sizes. Remember, all they want to do is scare you.”

“Well, it's working,” Emma said. “What about ghosts?” Sarsha asked. “Can they hurt us?”

“Ghosts aren't real, Sarsha,” Chloe said.

“Yes, they are, Chloe,” Emmy argued.

“Let's not worry about ghosts and goblins right now,” Hannah said. “Here's another house. Are you ready to trick-or-treat?”

“Let's go home,” Montarna sighed.

“Yeah, I've had enough, too,” Isabella said, and the others all agreed.

They felt safe walking back under the streetlights with Hannah next to them. On the way home, they talked about what they had been doing since they'd last seen Hannah at the last sleepover party.

“We've been writing new spells,” Emma said.

“I've been making special potions,” Isabella told her. “But I don't really like calling it magic.”

“By the way, have you kept the secret?” Hannah asked. “You know ... about being witches?”

“Well, kind of,” Montarna answered.

“Everyone in school knows we're witches,” Sarsha said.

“That's because you tell everyone,” Chloe and Emmy said together.

“We didn't tell anyone!” Emma said, trying to explain. “It's because we sit together in a circle at lunch.”

“Yeah, and you talk about being witches,” Isabella blurted out.

“Listen, girls, it's really for your own good that you keep the secret. Don't talk about being witches, especially at school. You'll only scare the kids who don't understand. It'll also cause problems for you with the teachers and your parents.”

They had lots to talk about while walking back to the house. They discovered that Hannah's dress had been her grandmother's. They also found out why she wore fresh garlic around her waist. “Garlic keeps evil spirits away,” Hannah told the girls.

Chapter Six

DANGER! KEEP OUT!

“Hi, Mom, we're back!” Emma yelled.

“We saw ghosts.”

“And goblins too,” the girls told Selena. “But I wasn't scared,” Sarsha added, walking with confidence past the others, except they knew better.

“What's that smell? Are you cooking something, Mom?”

“Yes, it's a Halloween brew.”

“I think you'd better add a dragon egg,” Hannah whispered in Selena's ear as she passed by.

“Really?” Selena paused before she continued. “Witch Hannah, this arrived while you were out tonight,” she whispered. She showed Hannah the paper bag tied with a string. On the front was a picture of a black cat running on the moon. It was addressed to "the New Witches.”

“So that's why you started the brew early,” Hannah replied.

“Witch Hannah, they're so young. I've never heard of anyone younger than twenty-three getting this bag,” Selena said with concern.

“You have no choice. You have to give it to them.”

The girls were in the front room, dumping their treats onto the floor. They had mostly candy, although someone had given them a tin of baked beans. Pushing the beans aside, they laughed, because no one wanted to take them. Just then, Selena and Hannah walked into the room.

“Girls, this arrived tonight while you were out,” Selena said, holding up the bag. Intuitively the girls knew. They glanced at one another before the sound "ooohh" filled the room.

“It's from the Witches Committee,” Emma and Sarsha whispered.

Emma, Sarsha, and Chloe seemed connected at the hip. They responded to everything at the same time. Isabella, Emmy, and Montarna were right behind them, only seconds later.

Slowly, the girls stood up, leaving their candy on the floor. Then, they walked over to Selena. Emma took a gulp and reached for the bag.

As Emma put it on the floor, the girls knelt down around it. Slowly, she untied the string.

She reached in and pulled out a card. “Yep, it's the Witches Committee, all right,” she said, holding up the card so everyone could see. It was obvious to them because of the witch flying on her broomstick.

“What does it say?” Sarsha asked, as Emma opened the card.

Witches of the New, come out tonight,

Come out ... come out ... into the light.

“What are they talking about this time, Mom?” Emma asked.

“I'm not sure,” Selena answered. “Is there something else in the bag?”

Emma looked but couldn't find anything.

“Emma, what's that on the floor?” Chloe asked, pointing to a piece of paper that sparkled.

Emma picked it up, unfolded it, and started to read.

We've been watching you,

For a month or two ...

To find out more, follow the clues.

Clue 1: What hangs on telephone wires?

Hint: When you start something new, throw away your OLD SHOES.

“Let's go find an old shoe!” Emma yelled. Off they ran, first to Emma's father's closet, then to her mother's, and lastly to Emma's.

“Here's an old shoe, and another clue!” Sarsha yelled, pulling a folded piece of paper out of Emma's old sneaker. Promptly, she opened it and read:

Witches Brew,

“Rosemary, too ...

Another clue just for you.

Clue 2: What do Witches GROW close to the house?

Hint: It's for healing and good LUCK.

“The garden! Let's go!” they yelled. They ran out the front door, screaming all the way. They scrambled about in the front yard, looking for another clue.

The all-knowing Witches Committee watched the girls in a large crystal ball. With their thoughts and the motion of a finger, they quickly moved the next girl into place. Making sure each girl found the exact clue meant for her.

“Here it is, with the lavender!” Montarna shouted. The other five girls stopped searching and ran over to her. Montarna couldn't see to read it, so she ran back to the house for more light.

“Return to sender, address unknown,

No such person, no such zone.

Clue 3: What was Elvis Presley singing about?

Hint: The LETTER came running back.

“The mailbox,” Isabella called out. There was a race as they dashed out the door and down the driveway. They didn't stop running until they reached the mailbox. Isabella opened the lid. She found the next clue, took it out, and started to read.

Noodles, cakes, and rice, too,

Soups, oats, and tins of stew ...

Clue 4: What do we all have in common?

Hint: some like us COLD and some like us HOT.

“What?” Isabella asked, confused.

A few seconds later someone called out, “It's food!”

“The kitchen. Come on!” yelled Emma. She started to run back to the house with the others behind her. When they reached the kitchen, they started flinging open cupboards until someone called, “I found the food.”

One after the other, voices sang out, “It's not here ... or here ...”

They looked under tins of soup, behind the crackers, and under the rice, but they didn't find another clue.

“Isabella, read it again,” Emma said.

“Yeah, we missed something,” Montarna added.

Isabella read the clue again. Then she got to the last line—“Some like us COLD and some like us HOT.”

“Cooking makes it hot! Check the pan cupboard!” Emmy yelled.

Another shouted, “No, look in the oven!”

“I found it, everyone!” Chloe screamed as she opened the oven. Five girls scurried over to hear the next clue.

Birdie, birdie in the sky,

Sing to me so I can fly ...

Clue 5: What spins a million times and never gets dizzy?

Hint: You can play MUSIC on me.

“The CD player!” Emmy screamed. She ran to the CD player, opened it up, and found the last clue. She read it aloud:

Spirits come and spirits go,

But some get stuck, you need to know ...

Last Clue: To experience the Truth of Halloween, you must go beyond fear. Follow the trail of candy until you find us hanging here. Good luck!

The excitement cooled down. “Are we looking for ghosts?” Sarsha quietly asked.

“I'm not too sure,” Montarna softly replied. “It sounds like it to me ...”

“Well, it's your clue,” Isabella interrupted. “Let me know what you find. I'm waiting here.”

“We have to stick together,” Emma instructed everyone. “Witch Hannah, will you come with us?”

“Sure, let's find out what this is all about,” she said. “Where should we start?”

“OK, did anyone see any candy on the ground in the front of the house?” Emma asked. The answer was clearly no. “Then let's start at the back door,” she suggested.

Bravely, they walked out the back door and onto the deck. A moment later, a dazzling light caused Emma to look down. She found the trail of candy, and it started next to the potted plant. “Look, it goes down the steps,” she shouted.

Emma and the girls followed the trail of candy. It led them into the backyard, around a bush, and back up the steps again. “Girls, I need a better light,” Hannah said, excusing herself to go back into the house. “Go on ahead. I'll be right back.”

They kept following the candy, walking around in circles, until they came to a sign that read “Danger: Keep Out" that hung on the closed garage door in front of them.

“What should we do now?” Chloe asked.

“Emma, is your garage safe?” Montarna questioned.

“It used to be,” Emma said.

“Then you open the door,” Sarsha told her.

“Yeah, you go first, Emma,” all the girls said together.

Emma slowly opened the door. Nothing happened. She opened it farther and walked in, with the girls trailing behind her. The garage was full of eerie blue clouds, like fog. It was hard for the girls to see.

Haunting music played in the background and a bat flew across the room. Suddenly, the girls screamed with terror as they found themselves entangled in something.

The door swung open, and Selena and Hannah came running to the rescue. “It's OK, everyone!” Selena yelled, turning the lights on.

As soon as the girls could see, they all started laughing. They found themselves tangled in a giant fake cobweb.

“It's the Witches Committee's good old Halloween pranks,” Selena told everyone. She looked around the room.

“They've really outdone themselves this time,” Hannah said to Selena.

“They certainly have,” Selena agreed.

The girls were busy talking and giggling as they untangled themselves. “Look at this place!” Isabella said, and everyone started looking around the garage.

Hanging from the ceiling were two large papier-mache witches, flying on brooms. Life-sized plastic skeletons hung from the rafters. Toy bats flew in circles, and fake goblins peeked out from behind everything.

“There must be a secret message somewhere,” Hannah said, glancing around the room.

Chapter Seven

THE SECRET MESSAGE

“Look! Up there, on the back of that broomstick,” Emma said, pointing. Everyone ran over to the flying witch on a broomstick. Screaming, they jumped up to try to knock the message down, but they couldn't reach it.

Finally, Selena got it for them by standing on a stool. The girls gathered around her, eager to see what it had to say.

“It says you have to bob for apples and wrap the mummy. Only then will you understand the true meaning of Halloween,” Selena read.

Selena glanced over at Hannah. They nodded their heads, for they understood what to do next.

“I'll get the tubs and apples,” Hannah said.

“I'll get the flour bowl, candy, and toilet paper,” Selena added, and together they left the garage.

“How do we bob for apples?” Emma asked, but no one answered.

“And what's 'Wrap the Mummy'?” Sarsha asked next.

The girls laughed as they walked around the garage. They could finally take a closer look at everything. They couldn't get over the skulls, ghosts, and goblins that filled the room.

Hannah and Selena returned with all the items needed. Selena filled two small tubs with water, and Hannah added three red apples to each, with the stems removed. Next to the water tubs went another bowl, which was filled with white flour and wrapped candies.

“Break into two groups,” Selena instructed. “First, don't be afraid to get your face wet. It's all a part of the game.”

“How do we play?” Emma asked.

Selena smiled. “Here are the rules: Two girls start together, one from each team. First, you must grab an apple with your teeth. Once you have the apple, you drop it next to the flour bowl. Then, you must grab the wrapped candy in the bowl of flour. When you have the candy in your mouth, the next girl on your team begins,” she explained.

Her instructions sounded easy until she added, “You do this with your hands tied behind your back! The team that finishes first wins.”

The girls took their positions, and Selena rang a bell to begin. The cheering started.

“Faster!” “Hurry!”

“Don't drop it!” the girls screamed, encouraging their teammates.

Emma was the first to get her apple. She moved quickly to the second bowl, dropped her apple, and went for the wrapped candy. Lifting her face up, she showed her candy to everyone so the next girl could start.

The girls roared with laughter, pointing at Emma. Her face was as white as a ghost.

The flour had stuck to her wet face. When Emma noticed her reflection in the mirror, she screamed with laughter, too. She couldn't stop laughing, even while she cheered on her teammates. She knew everyone was going to look like she did when they finished. And they did, too!

The girls rapidly cleaned their faces with the towels provided. Now, they were ready to learn how to wrap the mummy.

“Break into two teams again,” Hannah coached the girls. She explained that one girl from each team would be the mummy. The rest of the girls would be the wrappers. The object was to be the first team to finish wrapping the mummy.

“However, there are a few rules,” Selena said. “First, you can't break the toilet paper while you're wrapping, or the mummy's spirit gets out. If you do, you must grab a new roll of paper and start over. Second, each wrapper must use the whole roll of toilet paper. Third, you can cross over each other's paper, but you can't leave any spaces in the wrapping. In spite of this, you must not cover the eyes or nose.”

Both teams picked the smallest girl to be their mummy. Sarsha and Montarna, the chosen ones, each put on a large plastic witch nose. This reminded the other girls that the mummy had to breathe. When they were in position and ready, the bell rang and the game began.

The mummies were shaking with laughter, and the wrappers were giggling with excitement. It looked like it was going to be a tie, when suddenly a muffled voice cried out, “I can't breathe.”

“I can't, either,” another muffled voice said.

The girls looked up and noticed they had covered the plastic noses! Laughing, they quickly tried to make openings so their mummies could breathe.

However, Sarsha couldn't wait. She threw her arms out to the side breaking the toilet paper. Then Montarna started breaking out of her paper, too.

“It's a tie—no winner,” Selena announced. The girls laughed, pulling the mummies free. Toilet paper flew everywhere, and Hannah started chasing the girls around the room.

“Save your apples. You're going to need them for later,” Selena told the girls.

“What for, Mom?” Emma asked.

“For the Halloween celebration, later. Apples go back to the first Halloween ceremony,” she said.

The girls looked at one another. Emma turned her hands over in front of her and shrugged her shoulders, letting everyone know that she didn't have a clue either. Without a complaint, they picked up their apples and held onto them.

“Witch Selena, let's go check the Halloween brew,” Hannah said.

“Good idea, and I think I'd better get that dragon egg,” Selena said. “I hope I still have one.” She turned to the girls. “Come inside when you're ready,” she said, as she walked back to the house with Hannah.

“Did you hear what your mom said?” Sarsha asked, tilting her head as she glanced at Emma.

“What was that about a dragon egg?” Montarna said, popping her head up.

“I don't know,” Emma replied. “I heard it, too.”

“What are they cooking?” Chloe and Emmy joked.

“Does your mom really have a dragon egg?” Isabella quietly asked.

“Let's find out,” Emma said, jumping to her feet.

Quickly, they scrambled to their feet and raced back to the house.

Chapter Eight

WITCHES DRAGON BREW

“I see lots of flower petals, feathers, herbs, tree bark, and oils, but I don't see any dragon eggs,” Hannah told Selena. She was searching the spell pantry while Selena looked in the cabinet drawers.

“Witch Hannah, I found one,” Selena said, turning around to show her.

“That must have been a big dragon by the looks of that egg,” Hannah remarked, taking a closer look.

“It's the best. It came from Dragon Island, Indonesia,” Selena told her. They hadn't noticed that the girls had crept up on them. The girls had been quietly watching, ever since Selena found the egg.

When Hannah and Selena turned around, they saw six pairs of eyes staring at them in shock. They smiled at the girls and started to stroll back to the kitchen. The girls followed.

“Is that really a dragon egg?”

“Can I hold it?”

“Where did it come from?”

“What's it for?”

“I'll check the brew,” Hannah said. She kept walking to the kitchen and Selena stopped.

“Please let us hold the egg, Mom,” Emma pleaded.

Selena passed the egg to Emma. The girls huddled around her for a closer look. At first, they didn't know what to think. Each girl had a chance to hold it, shake it, and hear the rattle inside. After that, they were convinced it must be real. One after the other, they started asking questions.

“Is there a baby dragon inside?”

“Why does it rattle?”

“What's the Halloween brew for?”

“Do all witches keep dragon eggs?”

“Let's sit down,” Selena said. She sat on the sofa, and the girls flopped on the floor in front of her. “It's time I clarify the true meaning of Halloween. Halloween has always been one of the biggest holidays that witches celebrate,” Selena spelled out. “In fact, witches from all over are drawn together on this night. They want to be with those who feel like family to them.”

“Is that why Witch Hannah returned?” Emma asked.

“Yes,” Hannah said, walking into the room. “I knew I'd find family here tonight.”

“What's so special about trick-or-treating?” Emma asked next.

“It's not about trick-or-treating,” Hannah said. “It's about All Hallow's Eve, better known as the feast of the dead.”

“Let me tell you how trick-or-treating began,” Selena said. “It started long ago, when witches gathered together to celebrate this day. They always brought an apple for the offering. They would bite into the apple, leaving their energy in the teeth marks. This was supposed to give life back to the dead. In return, it was believed that the departed would bring their loved ones sweets.”

“That's scary! Hey, Witch Hannah, have you ever seen a ghost?” Sarsha asked.

“No, but I've felt them,” Hannah said.

“What about you, Mom?” Emma asked.

“Yes, dear, I have,” Selena answered. At once, the girls started firing questions at her.

“What did it look like?”

“Yeah, was it foggy or gray?”

“Could you see right through it?”

“Did it scare you?”

“What did your ghosts look like? You know, the ones you saw in the park tonight?” Selena asked, planting a seed for them to think further.

The girls looked at one another without saying a word. After a long pause, Selena continued talking about the true meaning of Halloween.

“Halloween starts when it first becomes dark,” she said. “At nightfall, witches light a candle and leave it burning in the window. This keeps away unwanted spirits and welcomes those from the dead who want to join the festival.”

“This is where the candle in the pumpkin tradition comes from,” Hannah added. “The brew that is bubbling away in the kitchen is for the celebration at midnight.”

A hush fell over the room. The girls were uneasy about the dead joining their Halloween party. They weren't convinced that they wanted anything to do with this social gathering. They were positive about one thing: they didn't want to hang out with a bunch of ghosts all night!

“Remember tonight when you thought you saw ghosts and goblins in the park?” Selena questioned. “Well, girls, you really did.”

“But I thought Witch Hannah said it was in our imagination!” Emma shrieked.

“I was hoping it was, but the Witches Committee knows all, and that's why the Witch Hunt Bag appeared,” Hannah said.

“Wasn't that just for fun?” Isabella asked.

“Ah, yes. It was their way of having fun with you, all right,” Selena said. “However, the games were preparing you for the truth about Halloween. Ghosts and goblins are real, and the apples are for the feast.” Selena's face grew somber. “When the Witch Hunt Bag appeared tonight, I was really worried.”

“Why, Mom?”

“The bag is given to the one who must gather the lost spirits for the midnight ceremony. This is how the spirits, or ghosts, find their way home. Part of the ceremony is the spiral dance at midnight. This is when the spirits can dance, too. As they do, they find their way to the other side.

“However, in your case it was different. You don't have to gather the lost souls. Instead, the lost spirits found you, and they followed you home.”

The girls started squealing. They spun around to see if there were ghosts standing behind them.

“Can you see one?”

“No, can you?”

“I'm scared.”

“Me, too.”

“Don't be frightened; they won't hurt you,” Hannah quietly said, calming them down. “They came to you because you're special.”

“It's true,” Selena added. Your light is so bright that they were attracted to you. You didn't have to hunt for them. Because of this, you are the only ones who can set them free,” she told the girls. No one responded, and then Sarsha broke the silence.

“My dad saw a ghost throw something across a room once,” Sarsha said in a disturbed voice.

“That ghost must have been trying to get someone's attention pretty bad,” Selena giggled.

“Can a ghost really do that?” Montarna asked.

“Yes, but it's not common,” Hannah calmly answered.

“How do we set the ghosts free?” Emma questioned.

“Will it be scary?” Sarsha quickly added, and the others started talking, too, all at the same time.

“What happens if we don't set them free?”

“Will they haunt us forever?”

“What's that dragon egg for?”

“The dragon egg will help lead the way,” Selena said. “I don't believe it's going to be scary, but every year is a new experience.”

“What will we have to do, Mom?” Emma asked.

“Join us for this very old ceremony at midnight. Help honor the loved ones and pets that died during the year,” Selena told the girls. “You'll also need to write a spell to set your spirits free. Then, cast it just before midnight. This is when the veil between the two worlds, the living and the dead, is the thinnest,” Selena explained further. “After the spell, it's Spiral Dance time! We all dance together. Our lights merge with the light of the fire, and your spirit friends will find their way home—if your spell works,” she quickly added. “Are you ready, girls?”

“Ready for what?” Emma answered.

“To add the dragon egg to the brew,” Selena said.

“Oh-h-h,” all of the girls whispered. Immediately they went into a huddle to discuss this matter further. They agreed that they were the New Witches and this was a major event. Also, the Witches Committee trusted them, and they must face their fear and help.

“Ready?” Emma asked the girls.

“Ready,” they said together. They stood up to follow Selena and Hannah to the kitchen.

Everyone watched carefully as Selena opened the egg with a sharp knife. She showed the girls the inside. It really did look like a dried-up baby dragon.

“Think only good thoughts as I add the egg,” Selena told the girls. “You don't want to upset the dragon.”

Selena dropped the egg into the brew. Giving the spoon three turns to the right, she and Hannah sang out:

By the light of the moon,

And witches brooms,

Its Spiral Dance time coming soon.

Spontaneously, Emma walked up to the brew. She took the large spoon in her hands, gave it three turns to the right, and chanted her own verse:

Dragon egg, lead the way,

I stir the pot with love today.

Each girl followed Emma, one by one. Each repeated the verse until all had stirred the pot with love. It was obvious to Selena and Hannah that the girls played an important role in this Halloween celebration.

“Girls, you'll need to write that spell,” Selena reminded them. “Let us know when you're finished. We're going outside to set things up.”

Emma and the girls raced into the other room to write their spell. Putting six pens to paper, the girls came up with verses and ideas. They shouted them out as they wrote them down.

“How about ... dragon eyes, beady eyes ...”

“Witches brew, rosemary too ...”

“Moon, moon ...”

Finally, they were all satisfied with what they had written.

“I hope this works,” Sarsha said. “Me, too,” Chloe added.

“Don't worry; we're really powerful, so it'll happen,” Emma said convincingly.

“Hey, Emma, can I borrow a black dress?” Sarsha asked.

“Sure, go ahead,” Emma answered, and Sarsha skipped down the corridor to Emma's closet. Her hands quickly found another black dress, and she changed her clothes.

Chapter Nine

SPIRAL DANCE TIME

Hannah and Selena headed back to the house after setting everything up. The girls were also ready for whatever was going to happen next.

“We finished our spell, Mom,” Emma said with confidence.

“Good. It's almost eleven o'clock, so we'd better get started. Grab your apples and hats,” Selena said.

“Oh, Sarsha, I have an extra hat in my bag,” Hannah said, magically pulling one out for her.

Everyone was dressed in black, and they all wore their hats, known as the Witches Cone of Power. It's believed, that the shape of the hat, or the cone, is what connects them to their magic. Putting on their hats, they patiently waited for Selena's instructions.

“Let me explain the events for tonight's celebration,” Selena quietly said. “We'll do the ceremony barefooted. Witch Hannah and I will carry an apple and a candle. You will carry only your apples for now. You'll pick up your candles before we cross the bridge. On the other side, we will cast our sacred circle. Witch Hannah will open the ceremony with the traditional Halloween chant. After the chant, we'll sit down at the table. That's when the feast of the dead begins. Just before midnight we'll close the circle again. This is when you cast your spell to set your spirits free,” Selena explained further.

“Do the ghosts have to stay until midnight?” Emma asked.

“Yeah, can't we do the spell earlier?”

“What if we see a ghost?”

“I hope I don't see one.”

“Are they going to talk to us?”

“I'm not talking back if they do.”

“Me, either.”

“Sh-h-h! Let's get into single file. I'll lead, and Witch Hannah will go last,” Selena said. The girls followed her instructions and got into line.

The ghosts gathered in single file behind the girls. “I wonder why no one wants to talk to us,” a friendly spirit laughed nervously. “After all, the celebration is for us.”

“Exactly! It should be common knowledge that we communicate with one another,” another said. “However, they can't see or hear us, so we'll just have to follow along.”

“Before we go any farther, we need to protect ourselves from unwanted spirits. Otherwise, they might want to interfere with tonight's ceremony. Please close your eyes and visualize along with me,” Selena told them.

Anxiously, the girls shut their eyes, and Selena began. “See in your mind's eye the light of a candle. See it swirling up, becoming larger and larger. Now bring this light down, creating a bubble of protective white light around all of us,” Selena said, pausing briefly so they could visualize. “The shield is now complete, and we can go forward.” Selena turned around to head toward the back door.

The sound of knocking knees and whispers of concern came from the girls.

“Emma, stay close to me.”

“Hold onto my dress, Sarsha.”

“Yeah, let's all hold on to each other.”

“Here, grab my dress.”

“Got it. Grab mine, Chloe.”

“Let's make a chain so unwanted spirits can't join in.”

Feeling safe and connected to one another, they headed out the back door together. Emma's backyard was the perfect place for a Halloween ceremony. It was completely fenced, private, and very safe. Tall shrubs hid the fence line, and the large trees scattered throughout made it look like a fairyland.

There was a secluded picnic area designed for family gatherings. It held a long rectangle-shaped picnic table and chairs. Nine large outside candles surrounded the courtyard, and an open-pit fire sat in the center. The only access was across a wooden bridge over a large fishpond.

Selena led the way with Emma right behind her. Together, they walked outside onto the deck. Then, they went down seven steps to another landing. Turning left, they continued down another few stone steps until they reached the backyard. Emma could see the light of the fire and candles burning on the other side of the bridge.

The moon was shining, making it easy to see as they walked along, but an uneasy feeling crept over the girls as they marched toward the nine burning candles in the distance. Tonight's festival felt like an ancient, mystical ritual to the girls, rather than a celebration.

Across the grass they walked, one behind the other, until they reached the pond. A woven basket sat on a small table beside the bridge. It held six black candles, one for each girl. Selena stopped. She turned and looked at Emma.

Emma knew she had to figure out what to do next. She chose her candle and lit it, using her mother's candle. Each girl did the same, lighting her candle from the one held by the girl in front of her.

Patiently, they watched for some kind of direction. Hannah picked up the basket and walked over to Selena. She closed her eyes and held the basket near her heart for a moment. Then she offered it to Selena.

Selena put her apple in the basket. Then she took a step onto the bridge. Emma went next, doing exactly as her mother had done. The girls followed one by one. Hannah held the offering at her chest with her eyes closed. When she counted seven apples, she opened her eyes.

Hannah added her apple to the basket. She stepped onto the bridge so they could all cross together, and the spirits followed. As soon as they were on the other side, Hannah placed the offering of apples on the ground. Then they cast a sacred circle around the apples. With their individual candles burning, they walked around the basket, one behind the other, three times.

“Place your candles in the holders on the patio, and all join hands,” Hannah quietly instructed. “Repeat after me the opening chant. The festival of the dead is about to begin.

Moon, moon, mother moon,

Cats eyes and witches brooms,

Spirits here with us tonight,

Feast with us by candlelight.

“The circle is open but never broken,” Hannah said. “Leave your candles burning, and let's celebrate.” They all dropped hands.

A slender English spirit spoke up. “Before I say anything more, let me try to get a handle on tonight. We are with them, and they cannot see or hear us, right?”

“Right. Sit here, next to me. My name is Holly,” she smiled, patting the chair with her hand.

He accepted Holly's invitation and sat down beside her. She was wearing a floral-print summer dress and sandals, and her long brown hair was tied back with a brown ribbon. “Thank you. I'm George,” he said, smiling at her. He wore a casual suit, no tie, with an open collar. The other spirits began gathering around, too.

There was a lady in her twenties, wearing rolled-up blue jeans and a white T-shirt, with a long red sweater tied around her waist. There also was an older lady with short blonde curly hair, a nice-looking gentleman with a straight nose and short dark hair, and a middle-aged woman in business clothes.

“Mom, you have thirteen settings,” Emma noticed.

“Yeah, there's only eight of us,” Sarsha said, as everyone grabbed a seat. “Who else is coming?”

“They're already here,” Selena quietly answered.

“The spirits will share the other plates,” Hannah added.

“Oh!” Sarsha said, trying not to sound stupid. “I knew that.”

The Halloween brew was in the center of the table. Platters of marshmallows, honey crackers, and chocolate pieces were on either side. In celebration of the dead, Hannah lit the two black candles next to the platters. Apple cider sat on one side of the table, with the roasting sticks on the other.

“Girls, use your imaginations, and fill those extra plates with goodies,” Hannah said. “Remember, this is a feast for the dead. Let's celebrate the departed in style and wish them on to a finer place.”

They imagined all their favorite foods—strawberry cake, chicken wings, chewy snakes, pizza, and more. Giggling and talking with excitement, the girls piled food onto the spirit's plates, using only the power of their imagination.

Even though the spirits did not communicate verbally, they felt accepted by the girls. They sat around the table, watching the girls laugh and tell jokes. They piled food onto their plates as they shared their own stories, right down to the smallest detail of what kept them here.

They all had one thing in common: they had died suddenly, without saying good-bye to family and friends. They wanted someone to understand that they were well, and when no one listened, they became frustrated. This was changing as they sat around the open fire, laughing with the girls.

“Doesn't it feel wonderful to be appreciated for who we are?” Jeanne said—she was the middle-aged lady wearing black slacks and a white business shirt. She'd been hit by a bus during her lunch hour. She'd been in a hurry and hadn't looked before crossing the street, and the bus hadn't been able to stop in time.

“Yes, it feels like they are thanking us for being a part of their life tonight,” George added, picking up the imaginary greasy chicken wings and taking a bite.

“The food they dreamed up for us is so sweet. I feel happy for the first time, and I know my girls will be OK now,” Holly confessed with a smile on her face. She was a young mother of three, taken suddenly in a car accident.

“Who wants to roast marshmallows?” Selena asked.

They grabbed their sticks, and the roasting began. Hot apple cider filled each cup, and the girls started sharing scary ghost stories around the open fire.

The ghosts wanted to grab sticks, too, but couldn't. Content with watching the girls, they stood over them, wishing for marshmallows instead.

Without even thinking about it, Emma put one of her roasted marshmallows on a spirit's plate. “She heard us,” the spirits laughed with joy. “Someone finally heard us!” they all shouted with glee.

“Hey, Emma, the ghosts can't eat real food,” Sarsha laughed.

“Oh, ha ha ha,” Emma laughed. “You never know; maybe someone wants to try.”

Although no one heard, a ghost really had asked Emma for a marshmallow. The laughter continued. Even the ghosts were laughing.

Then Selena noticed the time. “Girls, it's almost midnight. Are you ready to cast your spell?”

The girls looked at each other. They all took a deep breath before standing up. They wanted the spirits to be happy, and they wanted the spell to work. Putting their hats on, they walked over to the fire and joined hands in a circle. Emma led the chant, and they all repeated it after her, three times.

Dragon egg, lead the way,

From the witches brew.

Spirits here with us tonight,

We say good-bye to you.

“It's Spiral Dance time!” Selena yelled. “Swirl your arms high in the air in a circle like this,” she said, showing the girls. “Let your arms spin your body around and around, and sing out. 'Spirits dance with us tonight, spin with us in the light.'"

They sang repeatedly, and the Spiral Dance began.

In the center of the circle, the spirits danced with joy. They spun around and around in the light. The more the girls danced, the more joy and love the spirits felt.

Everyone was dancing, singing, laughing, and spinning. Then, the center of the circle exploded with light at the stroke of midnight. The girls fell back, landing on the ground. Stunned and dizzy, they looked at one another.

Laughing, they started talking as fast as they could.

“Wow ... what was that?”

“It was a blast of energy.”

“Did anyone see a face in that light?”

“I thought I did.”

“It looked like an old man with a white beard.”

“And he was wearing little round glasses.”

“Someone you know?” Hannah quietly asked Selena.

“Yes, it's Dr. P.,” she whispered back. “He's a wonderful spirit friend of mine. He was there to welcome the spirits to the other side. They'll be OK now. They have moved on to a happier place.” Selena looked at the girls. “Let's close the ceremony.”

Everyone jumped up to hold hands again.

“The circle is open but never broken. So it is, and so it shall be. Job well done, girls,” Selena added with a smile.

“We did it! We did it!” the girls said, jumping up and down.

“We sent them to the other side, where they belong!”

“That was so cool!” Emma shouted.

“Look, what's that on the ground?” Sarsha and Chloe said at the same time, pointing to something sparkling.

“It looks like a firefly.”

“It's moving. Let's follow it.”

Off the girls went, one behind the other. The firefly led them back over the bridge toward the house. With their eyes focused on the ground the whole time, they hurried along. Waddling like baby ducks, they giggled and laughed the whole way.

The firefly guided them to the back steps and onto the lower deck. After that, it quickly disappeared into the night.

The girls noticed a note pinned to the large tree that grew through the top and bottom decks. Swiftly, they ran over to read what it said.

The New Witches are here to stay,

We celebrate you on this day.

Look for us hanging around,

At the end of a rope or on the ground.

Good luck! WC

Six girls started squealing. They ran around the deck, looking up and down for the end of a rope. “Look, everyone, I think I found it,” Montarna called. “It's hanging off the deck into the garden below.”

They looked around to see if there were any other ropes. When they didn't find more, they started helping Montarna pull hers onto the deck.

“What's on the end?”

“I don't know.”

“Hope it's not something dead.”

“Stop it!”

“Here it comes.”

“Look, everybody, it's a big box.”

“Let's take it into the house,” Emma said.

Everyone agreed and headed up the stairs.

The box was so large that it took two girls to carry it. Emma lost her footing for a moment and leaned against the door. With one hand still holding the box, she opened the door with her other hand. Carefully, the girls placed the box on the floor.

Kneeling down beside the cardboard box, the girls slowly opened it. Excitement filled the room as the contents were revealed as six magical presents. Each one was tied with a large blue or purple ribbon.

The girls squealed with anticipation, pulling them out one by one. Ribbons and paper flew everywhere as they ripped into their gifts.

Selena and Hannah walked into the house, and paper covered with golden stars flew toward them. At once, they recognized the Witches Committee wrapping paper.

“Wow, look everyone! It's a magic wand,” Emma said holding hers up. “It's as long as my arm,” she said. “It looks like a branch of a tree, only smooth and straight.” Seconds later, "oohs" and "aahs" filled the room as the others opened their gifts.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Selena said.

“And be careful what you touch with those wands,” Hannah quickly added.

“Hm-m, I believe it's time for you girls to take the Witches Oath,” Selena said. No questions were asked. The girls knew what to do next. Casting a sacred circle one more time, they joined hands so they could repeat the pledge after Selena.

I vow not to hurt anyone

Or be cruel or say bad things.

Remembering that what I send out

Comes back to me times three.

And so it is and so it will be,

I confirm my oath now with a squeeze.

Selena started the squeeze, squeezing Emma's left hand. Then Emma squeezed Sarsha's hand, and Sarsha squeezed Chloe's—in this way, the squeeze traveled around the circle and when it came back to Selena, she knew it was complete.

“And so it will be,” Hannah and Selena said together. The girls dropped their hands and picked up their wands.

The evening was coming to an end. The girls gathered their things and said good night to Selena and Hannah. Slowly walking across the living room, they headed to Emma's room. They felt they had touched on something special tonight. The laughter and joy they shared with the spirits felt beyond this world to them. They didn't know how to express it, but it felt like they had touched a star.

“Let's make up a really good spell in the morning,” Emma quietly said as they wandered off, talking about dragon eggs, ghosts, and magic wands.

“We can cast a spell using crystals, herbs, and ...” they chattered as they disappeared around the corner.

“I love seeing them in action. Everything comes naturally to them,” Hannah said to Selena.

“I know; it's like seeing magic on a new level.”

“Do you remember your first wand?”

“I sure do,” Selena said. “It was so special.”

“I loved mine, too. I decorated it with ribbons, crystals, and feathers,” Hannah said, reminiscing.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Thanks, I'd love one,” Hannah said.

“I've been thinking—we need to upgrade Emma's room. Those girls are going to need lots of privacy if they are going change the world,” Selena said, with a grin.

“They already have changed the world,” Hannah giggled.

Before it became Emma's room, it had been her mother's office. That changed after the first sleepover party, which was during school holidays. This gave Selena and Emma a perfect excuse to remodel the room downstairs.

All the office furniture and computers were moved into the spare guest room. As soon as the room was empty, the creativity began. First, they painted the walls, one yellow, another pink, and the two end ones blue.

Emma used stencils to draw large stars on golden paper. After cutting them out, she stuck them on the walls. A spare table and chairs sat in the middle of the room. A rainbow curtain decorated the single window, and this was the beginning of Emma's magic room.

About one month later, while Emma was in school, her mother hired a skilled artist to paint the ceiling. Emma returned home from school and was so excited when she noticed the large moons and stars painted inside her room.

Hannah continued her conversation with Selena. “What a great idea to develop her room further. We could paint the ceiling orange so the moon and stars stand out more, and install new carpet.”

“How about painting the different moon phases on the wall?” Selena said. With that, Selena and Hannah disappeared into the kitchen to share a warm cup of tea before bed.

Emma's Scrapbook

Don't miss what happens next in BOOK THREE: The New Witches Club and the Power of Love, Magic, & Friends..

The New Witches Club Website

Discover the beauty and magic of who you are. You can create anything you want in your life. The power of magic comes from you and starts in your heart.

The New Witches Club has a motto: Ask, believe, and receive, and remember to always have fun first!

Check out the New Witches Club storefront and start wearing and using your magical affirmations today.

Family-friendly website: www.NewWitchesClub.com