Her father prepared for the long hike. Taking a few roughly sewn dark canvas packs and carefully adding the things we would need for the journey.

He took a length of well worn thick climbing rope and two of his favorite hiking sticks and placed them by the well filled sacks.

"Carrie", he spoke in a soft tone and his daughter entered the room to add her own few things and some food goods from the kitchen neatly wrapped in clean cloth to the sacks. "You have never been to the forbidden villa up in the high hills, have you?"

Carrie was startled. "Of course not father! I would dare not go against your words on such a matter!", she spoke in a troubled voice.

"Carrie...the people of the villa are not like us. They stay to themselves and....well, there is much talk as you well know. Rumors and stories surrounding that place. Carrie,....your mother is of that household. She came from the forbidden villa...she...escaped from there."

Carrie could see her father was visible shaken. His words, although carefully chosen, were faltering an filled with hidden meaning. For the first time she could remember, Carrie was truly frightened. She almost didn't want to hear the truth about her mother if she was associated with he horrible people of the forbidden villa. Ever since she was a little girl she had been warned to stay away from the trails leading to the high hills. The dark villa could be glimpsed at times through the mist from certain areas but the stories she had heard had kept any childish curiosity of the place at bay.

They spoke no more until they had packed all they needed and closed the door to Carries their own pleasant home and began the long climb. A climb Carrie never thought in her wildest dreams that she would be making...toward the forbidden villa.

She looked back at the pleasant surroundings that had filled her with such comforting memories for most of her life. The tall sturdy structure that had surrounded her and filled her with comfort through trials and storms and somehow kept her safe through all of lifes hurts. She didn't want to be leaving now. She longed for the comfort of those walls. But she must know the truth. She may even see her dear mother again! Her heart leapt at the very thought.

"Father", Carrie broke the awkward silence. "Tell me of the people of the villa. Are the stories true?"

Her father spoke............

"Carrie, as I told you your mother is from that household. She never let the villagers know this for fear of what they might do to our family." Her father continued......"Fear of the unknown can cause people to panic and do things they wouldn't normally do."

"Why?....... the rumors aren't true are they?" Carrie was puzzled.

"They might have tried to kill us." her Father replied. "You see the rumors were true, your Mother was a witch."

"Oh my!" exclaimed Carrie, "Does that mean I could be one?"

"It is possible, that is what I'm hoping the man on the horse can answer."

"You see dear, your mother escaped from there, to see how normal people felt and acted about witches. She met me and fell in love, knowing how much I loved her she told me she ws a witch but only after you were born."

"Why did I have to wait so long to find this out on my 18th birthday?" said Carrie.

"Because"....... her Father replied, "That is when you "may" become a witch." You see since I'm not a Warlock your Mother wasn't sure if you would be a witch."

"Do you know if Mom is there at the villa?" Carrie questioned.

"I believe she is, the villagers were starting to get a little suspicious and I think she went back there." said her Father.

"Why would they get suspicious?" Carrie was gettng really interested now.

"Well once the village was without rain, for some period of time, everything around was dying crops, animals, except ours." said Father... "But that was just a start, other things occured, your mother couldn't help it, even tho she had been warned." her Father had a look of sorrow on his face.

"Don't worry Daddy I'm sure Mom will be there, and you can see her again." Carrie said in a cheerful voice.

The look of sorrow on her Fathers face was coming from the thought of losing his daughter forever..............