Entertainment and Fun Page: Stories

Author's Biography: DreamDancer posts stories to the internet when the mood strikes him and graciously gave his permission for any of his stories to appear on our pages.

Dana had always wanted to be a school teacher, to work with the little ones that she so loved, to show them the world and the beauty it contained, and to help them along the path to becoming decent and intelligent adults.

She threw herself into her books at school, all through high school and into college, but she didn't limit herself to this, for she knew that she needed to be a well rounded person in order to be the teacher that she wanted to be. She joined some clubs, she hung out with her friends and just did "girl stuff", even dated some boys, though they really weren't to her taste. But never, ever did she put aside her work, studying late into the night, and through some of her weekends, because she knew that's what she needed to do, and it was the most important thing in her life.

Dana wasn't the smartest student in the world, but she was smart enough, and her hard work payed off. She graduated near the top of her class, which made her immensely proud, not for the recognition, but because she had done that which she had set out to do.

With her grades and the rest, she could pick and choose where she went, and she found the loveliest picturesque little town in the hills, a town filled with gardens and playing children, with quaint little shops, and the prettiest old white churches.

The children loved her of course, since they could feel the love she had for them, and year after year, her excitement affected them like no other teacher did, and they became excited to learn. She taught them their Three Rs, but she also taught them about life and nature and people, not just dry facts, and they took a piece of her with them as they moved on.

Dana visited them when they were sick or injured, was an honored guest at many of their parties, and helped out with church functions though she didn't belong, just because she could. Everyone loved her.

But, Dana was a Witch. Not a witch like one would see in the movies, or read about in books, but she believed in her Goddess, she tried to be one with nature, and she believed in a magickal life.

She didn't hide this fact, for she put great stock in the saying "In Perfect Trust", but she didn't volunteer it either. It just never came up.

One saturday night, Dana and her honey, a pretty girl named Beth, were out together for a bite to eat. They didn't go out together much, not because they were trying to hide their love, for truth was important to both of them, but because their schedules allowed them very little time together, and that time they wanted to themselves.

While waiting for their dinner to come, they cuddled a bit, and got silly as lovers often do. Dana didn't notice, but a button came undone as well, putting her pentagram in plain view.

Joe Flanders, dad to Becky, one of her students was there that night. He saw Dana sitting there, and just wanted to say hi, and to thank her for making his little ones learning experience such a joy. Joe didn't notice them cuddling until he was right up on the table, and then didn't know what to do.

Dana saw Joe standing there, and brightened up even more. She was always happy to see a parent of one of her kids, and Becky always went on and on about her dad, so Dana knew he was more special than most.

Joe in the meantime had also noticed her pendant, and was almost in shock. He mumbled a greeting to Dana and Beth, and then made his excuses and left the restaurant.

Dana noticed his discomfort, but didn't know the reason for it, but it seemed like just a small thing, and she didn't wish to pry, so they just went on about their evening together.

Monday morning, Dana went back to school, but something had seemed to change. Normally sunny people seemed to cloud over as she came near, and the other teachers had little to say to her. She didn't like how it felt, but she couldn't let it affect her, couldn't let it affect her kids.

As the week wore on, it grew worse and worse, and more and more of her students stayed home sick each day as well. Dana tried to call their homes on her breaks, and when she got home from school each evening to see how they were, but their mothers and fathers were very short with her, and the conversations didn't go well.

And then, Friday morning, the bomb dropped on her. She was met at the door by the principal, and asked into her office. She was worried about her class, and being late for her kids, but she was told that another teacher would be teaching them that day.

The principal asked Dana about her pentagram, and of her relation with Beth. Dana answered quite honestly, and even went so far as to explain the meaning of her pendant. The principal did not seem to want to listen though, after hearing that Dana was a Witch.

She was told that the school board had her complaints about her, and that she wouldn't be able to work again, until they met with the parents and decided a course of action.

Dana was of course devastated, as her kids were her life. She tired to explain, even tried to plead, but the principal stated that her hands were tied. Dana left the school in shock.

Dana went on sunday to the church bake sale, just as she'd planned. They were raising money to help homeless kids, which touched a place in her heart.

She was met by Sue Flanders, Becky's mom, with a biting "what are YOU doing here. You have your nerve to some to the House of God".

Dana tried to ignore her, and to just move on with the cake that she'd made.

She next met the Reverend Smythe, a man she'd always liked and respected, but this time he had no greeting for her, and no smile for her on his face. "You're not welcome here" he said. "I'll have to ask you to leave".

Dana was shocked, but said that she'd go, and would just leave the cake on the table so it might be of use.

"We want nothing from the likes of you" he said. "Just take your cake, and take your foul self and leave". Dana left the church in a daze.

The next week was the hardest in her life. She missed her kids, she missed their bright eager faces, and she missed showing them her love.

Monday night came then, the time for the meeting, and Dana was finally glad. She knew that she had done no wrong, and that things would be set to right.

The board asked her only two questions that night, did she think she was a witch, and did she practice un-natural sex.

She tried to explain, to tell them what it all meant, and to explain that who she chose to love was a personal matter, and did not affect her love for her children.

They would hear none of it, and the crowd of parents in the school auditorium kept shouting her down each time she tried to make her point. She saw Joe, Becky's dad, being the most vocal of all, and was shocked to see the hatred upon his face.

The Board recessed to discuss the matter, but were back in less than five minutes.

The chairman looked into her eyes, a sad look on her face, and informed her that she would no longer be able to teach. This was a God fearing town, and people like her were a poison to their children. She tried to explain again, she even pleaded with them, but they were firm in their decision, and the parents showed their support one hundred percent.

She left the room in tears, her whole world had collapsed.

Weeks went by, and she started to recover her wits, just a bit. She appealed the boards decision, but they would not even consider the appeal.

As more time went by, she knew she wouldn't be with her kids again, so she decided to move on. She loved her kids, but there were other kids to teach, other kids to love, and she would help them, where ever she could.

She contacted other school systems, but after hearing the school boards report, and listening to their recommendation, no one else it seemed would have her.

Money started to run low, she hadn't saved much, spending much of it on her children, buying things the school could not afford, or just things to help them learn or to put smiles on their little faces.

Dana went around the town, looking for a job, just something to pay her bills. no one would hire her it seemed. They couldn't abide her kind.

Finally, Dana was able to get a job, outside of the town, as a night waitress at a small little diner on the interstate. Townfolk seldom went there, so she knew a bit of peace at least, daily serving those needing a break from their drives.

She didn't go hungry, but the money was tight. She had to give up her house, and the only place she could find to live was a room in a rundown old house, belonging to an ornery old widow. no one else would rent to her, no one else would have her under their roof.

During this time, she lost all her friends. Some would have nothing to do with her, after finding out what they did, and some, well, they just couldn't deal with the pressures others put upon them, so they just faded away from her. it was a very lonely time for her.

Even Beth it seemed, could not stand the heat. She became ostracized in the community, and felt physically threatened, all because of her lover's beliefs. She finally had to leave town, and move back home with her parents,in a bigger city, where she was at least allowed to be who she was.

Time went by, and while it didn't get good, it settled into at least a comfortable routine. Dana worked at the diner at night, and tried to sleep when she could, and spent much time out alone, just walking in the woods, trying to find answers to questions she didn't really know how to ask. She wasn't living, she was just existing.

One Saturday night, Dana was suprised to see joe and Sue Flanders walk into the diner along with an older man she had seen before, and remembered as Joe's father, Becky's favorite "grandpap" as she always called him.

Joe and Sue gave her a hostile look as they passed, but said not a word, and took their seats. Luckily, at least in Dana's mind, they sat in Joys section, so Dana would not have to deal with them. She didn't hate them as such, for hatred wasn't a part of her heart, but she hated what they'd done, and was glad not to have to speak to them.

They made their order, and ate it when it came, talking amongst themselves the whole while. Apparently they had decided at this point to pretend that Dana wasn't even there.

As the meal went on, Dana happened to notice that "grandpap" looked a little strange, a little uncomfortable, and seemed to be rubbing his chest.

She grew concerned for him, and decided, no matter what these people might think of her, that she needed to check how he was.

As she neared the table, Joe and Sue gave her sour looks, and Joe asked her what she wanted. She started to explain her concern, but he cut her off, and asked her to leave them so she wouldn't spoil their meal.

Before she could respond, "grandpap" suddenly went stiff as a board, made a choking sound, clutched desperately at his chest, and fell from the booth to the floor.

Joe and Sue simply sat there, they didn't know what to do, but it was fortunate that Dana did. She dropped down beside him, and checked for his pulse and his breath, but she could find neither. She called out to Chuck the fry cook to call for the rescue squad, and then she proceeded to press on granpap's chest, and to breath for him.

The rescue squad was far away, clear across the other side of town, and while they would get there as quickly as they could, it still took quite some time. Dana breathed and she pressed, becoming so tired she could hardly move, and Grandpap seemed not to respond, not to live, and she almost gave up.

Then she thought of Becky, that sweet little girl, and how she loved her grandpap so, and knew that this must be a very special old man. She must do all she can for him.

Dana paused, for just a second or two, and regained a bit of her strength. She asked the Lady for help, and she drew into herself the power of the world around her. And when she started again, she breathed a bit of herself into this old man, this grandpap that was so special to a special little girl.

The rescue squad arrived, and the medic checked for grandpap's pulse, a pulse that he quickly found. They hooked him up to their gadgets, and took him away to the emergency room, sirens wailing, lights flashing in the night.

Dana didn't hear much of this as the weeks passed, though she did call the hospital several times, and learned that he had lived, and was improving steadily.

One night Joe came back into the diner. This time he didn't scowl, nor did he pretend not to see her, instead he walked right up to her.

After fidgeting a bit, and with a sheepish look on his face, Joe thanked her for saving his fathers life, and that his father was now at home, and he was improving every day.

"I'm trained in CPR" she said. "I knew what to do, and it was the right thing for me to do. I would hope anyone would do the same if they could".

"Well, thank you anyway" he replied. "Oh, and I'd like to ask you something. Both Sue and I came to realize, after the shock of the situation wore off, that we both felt a funny tingling sensation, and that seemed to center around you, and pass from you to my dad. Do you know what that was?"

Dana gave him a sad smile. "That was some of the magick that we do, some of the stuff that the town is so afraid of. I felt him slipping away from me, and I couldn't let that happen. He was a very special person, to a very special child, and I had to put just a little bit of myself into him to try to bring him back for her".

Joe just looked at the floor for a while. Finally he said "We were very mean and hateful to you, we ruined your life with our actions. Why would you even care".

Dana looked him in the eye. "Your God has a couple of sayings, Love Thy Neighbor and Judge Not, Lest ye be Judged. My Goddess thinks he makes a lot of sense and just wishes that more people would actually listen to what He has to say".

Joe looked very thoughtful at this.

"And I'll tell you one more thing, and you can know I tell the truth no matter what, since it was admitting the truth that got me to the place I am now. Real Witches don't worship the devil and don't practice evil. We don't harm unless it's in defense of ourselves or others. In Truth, Witches Heal".

Joe just nodded his head, for understanding was starting to dawn on him.

"There's someone else out in the car that wants to thank you too, let me go and let her know it's okay". And he went out the door.

Within a minute, Joe was back, and with him Becky. She flew into Dana's arms and hugged her close, thanking her over and over for saving her grandpap, and that she loved her and missed her. She wanted Dana to come back into her life.

Dana felt so good to see and hug her little Becky again, but she was at a loss for words. How could she tell this special child that she couldn't come back into her life?

Joe saw the look on her face. " You're right about what my God says you know. I don't think that there's anything to be done about the school, but if you want to still be Becky's friend, you'll always be welcome in our home if you wish it, and maybe, just maybe, you could put on your teaching cap from time to time, and teach me again what I'm already supposed to know".

"I'd love that" she smiled.

And Dana felt that, maybe, just maybe, the world was a little better place tonight, for the understanding that was starting to grow.