WITCHES WHISPERS
J.W. Jessup

Introduction

"New wine must be put into new bottles"
Mark 2:22

San Joaquin Valley, California 1939 Inanna Streghe, a striking woman in her early forties had shoulder length raven hair, neatly pinned beneath a gypsy scarf with a rainbow of colors.
Swathed in silken scarves, bathed in incense, she was an earthly beauty, her porcelain skin glows.

"May I offer you some coffee or tea, Mr...." Inanna offered to the stranger as he stood in the foyer.

"Bullock. Sidney Bullock. Black please." The man said as he lay a large shopping bag on the floor.

Bullock removed his heavy frock coat and scarf placing them on the coat rack. Bullock was impeccably garbed in a handsome three-piece suit, narrow Italian tie and imported wing tips from Europe. He looked the part of the businessman, a polished appearance. His pedicured fingers swept back his dark auburn hair. A quick glance at his gold wristwatch reassured himself of his status.

Bullock scanned the retro fitted studio loft. Jasmine and sandalwood incenses assaulted his senses.

Candles, hundreds upon hundreds of candles of varying lengths and girths in wrought iron holders lined the studio loft. Hundreds of books on; astrology, alchemy, herbology, mythology, Witchcraft and Egyptology stood proudly with their ridged, spines within the massive bookshelves. Many were handsome and leather binds, although a few were paperbacks. None of the books on display had any signs of erosion, dog-eared, splits, cracked or yellowing pages. To the left of the books a unique collection of collectibles; jewelry, ritual tools, attire and one of a kind items tastefully cluttered the modest loft.

To his rear a sleek nine-foot leather couch, trimmed in gold, added touch elegance to the loft. On the right an antique rocking chair, quietly rocked to the light breeze. A handsome hand carved coffee table, made of dark mahogany lay atop an expensive Persian rug.
Inanna returned with a polished silver tray with a silver coffeepot, fine china bone white teacups, saucers, a shiny creamer and sugar cubes. She offered him the steaming coffee.

"Thank you." Bullock said gingerly handling the coffee.

"Witch Hazel?" Bullock asked.

"No. I am her grand daughter. " Inanna said humbly.

"Is this business or pleasure Mr. Bullock?" Inanna asked.

Bullock noticed her faint European accent. Was it German? He mused as he sipped his coffee. Besides the accent, her voice was like his, cultured and articulate.

"I have a business proposition." Bullock said handing her a crisp business card.

SIDNEY BULLOCK FRUITION DEVELOPMENTS, INC "So mote it be." Inanna said as her fingers rubbed the printer's ink, which did not smear.

"Excuse me?" Bullock asked.

"Que. Sera Sera." Inanna mused, what ever will be, in mortal terms.

Next Bullock handed the perplexed yet guarded Inanna a large ancient leather and bound book with slipcover. At 1'5" long and 1" wide and weighed nearly nine pounds. If you were to put legs under it, it would be a coffee table! A six-sided star was inscribed on the Grimoires cover.

Ancient twig-like symbols written in gold were inside the circle. Immediately she keyed on the word and translated it in her mind's eye, Tetragrammaton1, the name of God. Above and outside the circle written in gold and the same twig like symbols the word waerloga.

A Grimoire or book of shadows came into heavy rotation in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The purpose of the Grimoire is conjure and control demons and spirits, who would then in turn grant the witch or wizard with great wealth and power. According to folklore the Grimoires were to be burned after the witches' death. In addition, when a foreign grimoire is "found" or captured many hours must be spent learning how the spells are encoded. Each spell inscribed the sorcerer or wizard with his own personal code or algorithm. Each Grimoire is to be opened only on the wizard's command. Anyone else attempting to open the Grimoire is prone to attack by the wizards most powerful offensive spell!"

"I am curious how did you obtain this?" Inanna said lusting over the power within the confines of leather and kidskin.

Bullock paused. He nodded, acknowledging the tap dance was over. He thought carefully over the words he was about to say.

"Six days ago, what was that called, a Grimoire? Anyway was unearthed at a construction site at Fruition.

Their is something shall we say metaphysical about the site. The workers say its haunted. Tools missing, machines with minds of their own, workers harrased and sights ruined. On the day we found the book, the Grimoire, a bulldozer flipped over, nearly killing the operator. Tragic." Bullock said with a tone of indifference.

"Tragic indeed." Inanna responded.

"If word were to leak out, the history of the Aiekens, black magic, pentagrams, devil worship..."

Bullock said unwittingly striking a nerve in Inanna. Blasphemy!

"Witchcraft. True witchcraft is transparent. True witchcraft has nothing to do with neither the devil nor his henchmen of evil. True witchcraft is a holistic religion that embraces all of life and a unity of all things. " Inanna said with the greatest of conviction.
"Perhaps there has been a misunderstanding." Inanna said as nausea swept through her like a chimney sweep.

"No mistake." Bullock said.

"Your organization was chosen from an elitist pool, in part because of your impressive back catalog and archives of witchcraft in San Joaquin. Your firm is also limited and yet sufficient in the field of genealogy. This and you are innocuous. Small enough to go largely unnoticed." Bullock smiled that toothy grin.

"When we unearthed it a few days ago we took it to a contractor who specializes in artifacts of shall we say "considerable historical significance?" Anyway your mothers name came up consistently through both formal and informal channels." Bullock watched as Inanna's mannerisms shifted, her face contorted.

"Is there a problem?" Bullock demanded again the tone of indifference.
"The Grimoire should never be opened by anyone other than the wizard. These attacks of Fruition are but forewarnings!" Inanna said.