I have lived many lives. I don't question how or why I know this. It just is. I remember a few of my lives, but they all end the same way...tragically. The one I remember the best happened in the 18th century, during the salem "witch" trials. Those are my most vivid memories. If I close my eyes, I can still
see the mob and hear their chants. I can hear the roar of the flames as they sear my skin. I can feel the ropes digging into my skin, holding me tight to the stake. That life didn't start out that way. It was quite "normal" until I was 10-years old. That's when I noticed that I was different from most of the other children that I played with. Even my family knew I was different and cast me away, leaving me to fend for myself. I stayed in the woods on the edge of town, where a group of women took me in. I had heard rumors of this group, which the townsfolk had been pursuing for many years.   When they took me in, I had been on my own for a couple of years, and had learned the ways of the land, some of the basics of magic, though I didn't know that was what it was at the time. It had just seemed natural for me to do, and I was good at it. The first week or month or so, I just spent watching. I was fascinated. These ladies were just awesome. I stayed with them for many years, learning all they would teach me. I learned how to summon familiars, spirits, and energy. I learned how to invoke and evoke. I learned many spells to protect myself, spells for "luck", or perhaps I should say "good fortune." I learned quickly and easily, seemed to be just a "talent" for me, or my nature, if you prefer.  We lived in relative harmony until the summer solstice. The townsfolk had banded together to rid the town of those "whores of Satan." We were completely unaware of the comming events as we were so wrapped up in preperation for our rituals. Perhaps if we had been more aware, events would have ended differently. As it was, we were in the middle of our dance when the towns people rushed in to take us away, and "save our souls." Some escaped, but most of us were captured. I was chased for hours before I was finally taken. The good, christian men had their way with most all of us before we were brought to the fiasco of a trial. The crimes we were accused of were "a violation of god's laws."  We were kept in cellars around town so that we were seperate and could not band together to do harm. They took us into town in pairs to stand trial. We were, of course, prejudged guilty. When the formalities of the trials were over, they would take us to the center of town where they had set up three stakes. They tied us to the stakes at the rise of dawn. All day people piled wood and religious symbols around us. Some would throw stones or spit on us. Some would sit near by and pray for our souls. We were strong and did not show fear, or emotion.  When the night was upon us, the towns people gathered around us waiting. The towns preacher came out with his proclomations and lit torch. I heard three days worth of these "righteous exorcisms" from where I was held. The screams of the others as the pain became unbearable would just make me cringe. The day of my death dawned brightly. The towns folk were in an especially good mood as the easter holiday was approaching. We had strong storms roll in mid-day, dousing everything and flooding the towncenter. We were left bound to the stakes overnight as the towns people waited for the storms to pass.  The next morn, they came out to complete their "godly duties." As they said their prayers and lit the fires, a great wind came up, extinguishing the flames. The wood was difficult to ignite, as it was still wet from the previous days rain. When they had finally gotten their pyres lit again, many people had dropped to their knees in prayer out of fear of the natural forces around them. I could feel the flames lick the bottom of my feet and ignite my dress. As the flames grew, I locked my eyes to those of the preacher, keeping his attention until I felt conciousness slipping from my grasp. I felt my soul lift from my body as my heart stopped beating. I opened my other eyes, the eyes that truly see, and watched as the preacher fell to the ground dead.....