Black Medea

The first day of class for Medea Williams was… interesting to say the least. Not only was her schedule strange, ‘I mean what kind of school only has two classes per day, the majority of which was based in a homeroom?’ Magic school or not, she thought that was pretty slackerish especially for a school with the word Superlative in its name. The eery and cold stone walled room reminded her of a torture dungeon. The room was devoid of any color except grey, which sucked up any semblance of comfort. On the wall to the left on the door a line of brooms hung, beneath which were dustpans and to the side mops.  She was the only one who actually black clad there. Everyone else was dressed in red robes and most of them wore dreads that mimicked her long, puffy, twisted hair. She was glad she’d made time to tame her afro instead of wearing it in the afro puff ponytail usually wore at home. Most of the other’s dreads were like silken and ratty at the same time being caucasian or Spanish.  She counted quickly, not wanting to stare for too long, but needing to satisfy her curiosity to know how many red robed, dread headed white skin people surrounded her. There were twelve, and eight more who wore their hair straight and silky. Only two of them weren’t blonde. One of them had red hair and the other had dark brown hair.  The one with the red hair was taller than the rest of them and seemed to be the leader. Everyone had been crowded around her, listening to her speak as if she were the professor.  If she hadn’t met professor Enodia in the hall, she would have assumed that she was the professor.  The red headed, straight haired girl had a long straight nose and plump pink lips that made Medea feel slightly uncomfortable. Medea began to look away when the striking blue eyes of the girl met hers. She wore eye shadow and eye liner that made the blueness of her eyes stand out, especially against her rose red hair and pale skin. The girl stared at her as if she were reading her past and future, though there was hint of resentment in her eyes as though the present was still up for debate.  “Trust yourself,” The silken, soothing voice of Headmaster Knowles rushed her thoughts, just as she began to dismiss them and tell herself that she was overthinking. Medea smiled at the girl who gave a half welcoming smile back and then looked away.  Medea, finally out of the girl’s spell, walked to the back of the room and took a seat, careful not to look at anyone else.  “Ms. Williams, glad to see you made it to class just fine. Ladies of the snake, welcome, glad to have you join me again. Ladies of the rose, greetings. As you can see, we have a new student in our house. She’s a graduate of the Bronx superlative preparatory school of planetary science. She’s new to our system and I’d like you all to make her feel especially welcome. Now, I’m going to ask that, starting with Ms. Magdala, please stand and give introduce yourself to Ms. Williams.” Professor Enodia sat on the desk with her legs folded, looking down at the papers that had appeared on her desk. The tall, red haired girl stood up and turned towards Silkana, smiling. This time when their eyes met, Medea’s stomach didn’t do that irritable , flippy thing and she felt like she had free will over her thoughts, something that she hadn’t even noticed before, but now that she thought about it, felt like was an absolute fact. The girl smiled a smile that suggested that she knew what Medea was thinking and that it was true; she had controlled her mind, on purpose. “Hi- Ms. Williams…?” She paused as if waiting for something.  The tinkling in Medea’s ear and a tugging feeling in her stomach was barely noticeable, but her sudden eagerness to tell the strange, red headed girl her name was there and she couldn’t ignore it. “Medea.” She offered both eagerly and anxiously. A few of the dreaded girls laughed and Professor Enodia snapped to attention, “Ms. Magdala, shall I forbid you from visiting Granger’s road this weekend? Would that be funny to the rest of you all?” The Magdala girl looked annoyed, her voice was tight with not so hidden fury when she answered. “No, ma’am.” She turned back to Medea and squinted, “Sorry, sometimes I just can’t help it. I am a Magdala, after all, hegemony is my blood; a birthright.” “That’s nice, Ms. Magdala, but let’s get on with it , shall we? First name, last name for the rest of you, level of year, and subsection of house is all that’s needed please.” Professor Enodia was back to reading through the papers. Magdala looked annoyed, but smiled. When she spoke, she spoke with a measured calmness that made Medea think of sharp knives and pills in drinks, she didn’t want to think it, but she had a feeling that the girl came from a long line of lunatics who wore masks. “As you have been already, you can call me Magdala, however, my first name is Eve. As in the mother of all-” “Ms. Magdala.”  Professor Enodia didn’t look up from her notes, but hid a sharp hint of annoyance. “Fine, if you want to bore her, I’ll just stick to the basics.” Magdala smirked at Medea as if she had taken something from her when she wasn’t looking.  “Thank you.” The professor moved to her desk and sat behind her computer, which Medea only now just noticed was Golden and glittery. “I’m 26, my level is advanced ascendancy, I’m a fourth year, I entered the academy right as soon as I finished my bachelors degree at Hopkins in advanced Brewing and Cannabis cultivation. My subsection, as you can probably guess, is the house of roses and I am the head of house.” Magdala sat, looking more than satisfied with herself. Sklana didn’t want to say that she would have better guessed the house of snakes instead, but she let it go, the thought shipping from her mind as the next girl stood up. The brown haired girl spoke in the same kind of measured tone as Magdala.  “My name is Ama Pisani, but you can call me Honey. I am a subdivision of roses and second in command. I entered the academy two years ago when I was 24, I too went to school for Cannabis cultivation.” She couldn’t be certain of it, but it felt as though Ama was trying to mimic Eve.  “It’s nice to have you and if you need to, you can always come to me and ask me anything, even if you end up in the land of snakes.” Magdala cackled and the dreaded girls smirked as if it weren’t at all an insult, but a compliment. Professor didn’t look up or chastise, she simply said, ‘Continue, ladies.’ They went on until all twenty girls had introduced themselves. As usual, Medea almost tuned out, but she snapped back a few times, especially after the third man introduced themselves; Georgia Newman, Antania Porchman, Elle Rickman, Bonnie Chaseman, Janet and Jo Borgman and then there was Derick Halliger- who technically wasn’t a man, but had a man’s name and that was also amusing to Medea because they all, ironically turned out to be dread heads and snakes. Then there was Lisa and Monica Lowe- no relation, who were both blonde with straight hair and both belonged to the Roses. Then Medea was asked to stand and do the same. “My name is Medea. I’m clearly, uh, in my first year and I um. I’m apparently the second oldest person here, I’m 27.”  Magdala snickered, but not in the I’m laughing with you kind of way. Medea ignored it, careful not to look at her in her eyes. She wondered if she could hear her call her a conceited and over privileged b***h in her head. “My family comes from behind the wall. Uhh. Sorry I know you wanted us to stick to the basics, but I don’t have as much to tell as everyone else.” “That’s fine, my love. Thanks for sharing.” Professor Enodia smiled and nodded in a comforting way. Medea sat back down, avoiding looking up at the prodding eyes of Magdala, who suddenly seemed much more interested now that she’d mentioned the wall.  “Now, until we have Ms. Williams set up in her proper subhouse, we’re going to maintain a basic study-”  Magdala groaned, Professor Enodia ignored it. “-in mirror magic. It can serve us all well to review the basics from time to time.” Magdala piped down and sat up.  “Our first class will deal with the basics of mirror protection-” “Mirror protection? Oh come on, those of us who got here on time already learned that, can’t we do something better? Can’t we show her something fun at least?” Professor Enodia paused as if she too thought the basics were super boring.  “Well, I have already protected the mirror we’ll be practicing in and it is a fairly simple lesson that I can teach in a free period. Ms. Williams, have you ever practiced with the mirror?” Medea shook her head, not certain if standing in her mirror and calling on bloody Mary when she was 7 years old counted.  “No? Then let’s show you a little bit of fun loving magic and then we’ll come together later to practice the protection rituals and incantations of mirror magic.” Before she could finish nodding,   Magdala and the other girls were standing up eagerly. “How about we start with a spell to to view the history of the self, Professor?” Magdala chalked up. “If ever there were a braggadocious-” “It’s not just for me to brag! It’s fun and it might be interesting for Medea?” She said her name as if it were a snail on her tongue, “To see all the wonderful, magical women she’s had in her bloodline.”   Amala began to snicker and Magdala kicked her under the table. They were clearly up to something that would probably result in an attempt to embarrass Medea. Medea could feel it and tried not to allow the thought that was floating just outside the circumference of her conscious mind to come in. She was sick and tired of her skin color being a factor in anything. So she ignored it and the professor didn’t seem to catch on to it. So everything was all good.   “Okay, then. That certainly could be very interesting. Might even help us ease your subdivision. Okay, let’s do the spell of the history of the soul.”  “Good! I’ll go first!” Magdala said excitedly.  “Okay, well, before we do that, there are several precautions that we still have to take, you for one should know that Eve.” “Please professor, let’s try to set a good example for the new girl. Refer to me as Magdala.” The other girls snickered, but Medea was too shocked to witness such bold and blatant disrespect being given to authority. She thought of the girl from her old school who had gotten shot in her back for correcting her teacher in a lecture. She stared ahead, wide eyed and in shock.  “Magdala, I think you’re scaring the new girl.” One of the Spider twins said.  “I’m not- I.” She stared at the wide eyes watching her with curiosity, even professor looked kind of amused. “I heard that mirrors open up portals if you’re careful.” She said the first thing that she could think of to change the narrative and took the control away from Eve. Although that just seemed to give her more satisfaction. The smile on Eve’s face widened in it’s ridicule. “Oh you have nothing to fear, my love. I’ve been doing mirror magic for over 230 years not to mention much more complicated and dangerous a spell than the one we’re about to work on. Besides, that’s why we’re taking the necessary precautions now. Ladies, please, as we begin every lesson. Uh, Ms. Williams, you can have a seat here at my desk and I will take your spot on the floor, this way you may begin to learn the cleansing enchantments that we use, unless, it’s so very silly of me to assume that you have no holy enrootment. Are you at all familiar with the psalms?” Medea nodded. “Can you recite psalm 103?” “23, yes. 103, no, I’m sorry.” Medea answered humbly, amused that they were using the bible to cleanse. Although headmaster Roberts had mentioned it, she still found it strange for  a witch school to be using the Christian bible.  “This is not just a Christian bible, Medea,” She who must not be named started, obviously having peered into her mind or heard her thoughts. Medea noted that she could do that and vowed to keep her out of her head.”This is the cornerstone of the Superlative academy of mystery and root of the land of Sheba. This is the book that capitalizes from the curse placed upon the witches hearth. The book that frees us and a foundational point for my family. I hope you didn’t think that Magdala was a tool of decoration. It is a badge of honor and a indicator of my family's legacy, and I hope that you will show it and me some respect.” ‘So that was where her superiority complex came from.’ Medea took a great deal of care not to roll her eyes. She didn’t respond to the rant of Magdala, but instead turned back to the professor, who was doing her best to ignore- it seemed like- everything.   “Alright then, we’ll just show you this first time and then have you join in next time. Erica, you can be the horns this time, please.” Professor grabbed a broom as did the girls and they began to sweep, reciting Psalm 104 as they swept from the back of the classroom to the front.  ing in the  show Ms. Williams to the shower bank. You’ll want to use your frankincense and basil soap and follow up with the rue and myrrh oil and pray that Magdala at least six times-3 times in the shower and 4 times when you come out.”  The other girls took off towards the back of the classroom, where there was a white door that she somehow hadn’t even noticed. The door had red and black symbols painted on it that seemed to dance and switch positions every so often. When she went inside, she knew why they called it a shower bank.  This was no regular shower room, it was like a vault.inside of a bank. The room was dimly lit with candles, but Medea could still see that it was a wooden room with the same dimly glowing symbols on the wall as on the door.  Each shower had a padkey outside of it that with strange symbols on it. "Do you have your secret name with you? Headmaster Knowles should have told you to bring it." Jessica asked her, leading her to the last vault.  Medea pulled the symbol out of her robe and showed it to her, even though in the back of her mind, she could hear Headmaster Knowles telling her not to show anyone. Jessica took a quick look, before looking away guiltily. “We all have our own shower vault, to avoid fighting and also because it’s just easier to keep clean than if we're all sharing. Especially when we're doing our independent studies." She pointed at the keypad, Medea recognized that the symbols were the same symbols the headmaster had helped her create her secret name with. She tried to remember what she'd called them. The scales of nekhbet? "I'm sure you already know, but these are the symbols of the Netjer. These are the same symbols that headmaster Knowles helped you make your secret name with. You just punch it in in the same order you used to create your name and your vault will open." Eve came up behind them just as she began to punch her name in. "The scale of Nekhbet? Interesting.  I use that scale myself." She didn't like her very much, but Medea was happy that she'd revealed her scale to her, it made the anxiety about showing Jessica her secret name lighten, though it didn't go away completely.  "I come from a long line of necromancers, do you?" Medea didn't know how to answer that question. She knew that her mother and father were root workers, but she didn't know. Either she read her mind or didn't answer quickly enough because Eve didn't wait for the answer. She continued smugly, "Well, I suppose you wouldn't know that. You'd have to know your family history. Although, I could be coming to false conclusions. Do you have a family book?" Medea didn't answer, sensing the undeniable smug tone of racism that she'd gotten used to behind the wall. "A count of legacy? Oh come on, tell me you at least have a family cookbook? Nothing? Well that's sure to make connecting with your soul passage a little tougher, but don't you fear. It won't be altogether impossible. I'm certain you'll connect after a few tries." She stressed the word few as if she really meant a hundred. She smiled at Medea before sauntering off to her shower vault and punching in her code and walking in fully clothed. "There's enough space in the shower vault to get undressed and dressed. It's really like your own personal locker room." Jessica offered. As if her soft and piteous tone of voice were  ointment to the blows Eve had just landed. Medea nodded, trying to not show her annoyance and hurt? but she could feel the frustration on her face. "Well, I better go get cleansed. Try not to take too long in there, we usually make it an in and out thing." She started to turn away but turned back to her. "Oh yeah, I know you haven't discovered your path of legacy yet, so you should stick to the general prayers. We all say some sort of prayer to cleanse. Since we each have our own path to walk it's usually different for each of us. There's a Latin prayer on the wall of each of the showers that you can say, but if you can't pronounce the words- it's nothing like the way they used to say it on TV- but you can use the psalms, I know a lot of you people-" her eyes got wide as if she'd said something terrible, Medea's own stomach bubbled with anxiety. "I mean, hoodoo workers of course. You all use the psalms so feel free to say psalm 23 or some other passage from the bible… if you want to." She turned and nearly ran to her shower vault then, leaving Medea steeping in awkwardness. Medea wondered if everyone's shower vault was red chrome and black marble like hers. Or if they had crystal quartz protruding from their shower head and out of the walls like she did.  Black tourmaline covered the  The professor didn’t protest, instead she said “Luzes apa.”  The lights went out. Medea looked around, a little bit alarmed, though she tried not to be. In her head she told herself that this was no big deal. Sooner or later, she’d be the one who’d be making the lights go out just by commandment.  “Incendio, o espelho” She heard professor Enodia say. Several candles around the room lit up, giving off a luminous and ominous glow to the girls, especially Magdala, who wore a crystal studded diadem and a white robe. The large mirror with swirling symbols was highlighted. “Okay, Eve-Magdala, you may begin.” The professor walked to the back of the classroom and Eve stepped into the circle. “Sanctum terra Cthonia. Sanctum terra Pege. Sanctum terra Pege Psychon" She showed her hands to the mirror. "Mirror outside of me." She showed the back of her hands." Mirror inside of me. Revaldo a mim." She brought them over her head as if in praise and then down below her waist as though she were a ballet dancer. Medea kind of thought that she did look like one. In fact, her long necked elegance was beginning to remind her of Zaza.  Suddenly her heart and stomach ached with longing and loneliness for her weird, imaginary familiar whom she hadn’t seen in nearly a month. Then she remembered that she had actually worked with mirrors before, with the aid of Zaza.  “Step into the garden of faith,” She remembered the large blue accented metal mirror. She could see herself stepping through.  She supposed that she was looking at Magdala the entire time, but nothing was registering. Nothing was registering there, nor here. She was in a blank space that seemed like a vortex of energy, sucking at her soul.  Everything was there and gone at the same time. Everything was Zaza’s grey-green cat eyes and the mirror. She was walking through it too quickly to be aware of what was around her. Though she did noticeemember red and pink and yellow and green swirling around her, sucking her in and the mirror. The mirror cool glass pressing against her skin.  Then she was standing in the class again. Magdala was in the circle staring at the mirror, which was shifting a million times. Different women of all shades and sizes, skinny, fat, tall, huge. Black skinned, white haired, yellow eyed. Red headed and pale were showing themselves to her until they blended into a shadow that took up the entire space of the mirror.  A bright, blue eye, just as beautiful and tantalizing as Magdala’s peeked through the shadow, like a child peeking through a woman’s skirt in a supermarket. The eye looked angry, curious and apprehensive all at the same time.  It stared around the room, as though it were making sure that it was a safe place and then, apparently satisfied with what it saw, a young woman with hair like a golden crown stepped forward. She held a staff with a flower at the top of it. She was all of 7 feet tall, just as tall as the mirror, or had it grown to accommodate the height of this giant woman? Medea couldn’t be sure of anything except that she was absolutely amazed at the woman and the magic taking place before her.  Blue rays shot out of the woman’s eyes and she held her hand out to Magdala. Medea could feel a gush of wind burst forth from the mirror. It was cool and warm at the same time. Warmth wrapped in coolness, like the headmaster’s hand had been yesterday. “Okay, Magdala, let’s pull it back now.” Professor Enodia advised, her voice edged with nervousness. Magdala didn’t seem to be listening. She was in a daze. She reached her hand forward., but didn’t touch the mirror. The woman in the mirror seemed displeased. “Daughter, come to me.” The woman rasped in an accent that blended and nearly mixed into another language.  “Magdala, you will close this gate, or I will.” Professor Enodia approached the chalk circle, frowning, pulling several crystals out of her robe.  The bright haired woman looked over at professor Enodia and smirked, “Be afraid woman, I have no interest in you or your peasant children.” “That’s not my concern, my concern is for your daughter, miss.” Professor Enodia spoke carefully.  Magdala seemed to be under the same spell she’d placed on Medea earlier. She was stuck still, hand still held up towards the mirror.  “Hera. My name is Hera and this is my daughter, she is safe with me. Even in this world of mirrors. You are but a mortal woman, I’ve nothing to explain to, though I do appreciate your concern for my daughter, so I will be patient for now. But you are to trust me, if you interfere with this connection, I will find you, mortal woman and end everything about you, even your child you never see, I will kill. Do you believe me?” The professor didn’t answer, but she didn’t move back, nor did she put her crystals back into her cloak. Hera looked back at Magdala and held her hand up again. Magdala moved forward this time, touching her hand to the mirror which began to ripple.  There was a second that nothing made sense, like the times Zaza appeared, everything seemed like a blur, and the next thing that everyone knew Magdala was in the mirror, shifting into Hera.  Professor Enodia held the crystals up and began to shout something in a different language, but the crystals exploded into dust.  Hera and Magdala merged, their blue eyes glowing so bright that Medea had to hold her hands up to block the light out, but she didn’t look away. She couldn’t. Hera/Magdala cackled, a strange feeling of power flowing through the mirror that touched Medea in her stomach. She felt slightly sick, yet full of something that she’d never felt, but wanted more of. She found herself moving forward, towards the circle.  Slowly, hesitantly, involuntarily.  Hera/Magdala’s hair glowed a strange rose gold color like Jamaican gold.  Then it was over.  Magdala and Hera separated and in the same moment, Magdala was on the other side of the mirror, standing where she had been before. And Medea was back in the place she had been before, in the back of the class, standing behind Jessica.  Hera stared at her, a smirk on her face before she stepped back into the cloud of darkness she’d come from. Her eye being the last to disappear.