All the students returned to the barracks after taking some valued free time. Marcia sat on her bed facing Naomi and Polina, who listened to the chatter of their classmates. The level of excitement and curiosity was high because of the packets they received before dinner. Marcia listened but felt remotely distant from all of it, lost in her world. Her mind puzzled over the two things she discovered in the forest and near the wall.

When she walked near the wall, she surrendered control of her body and mind to an external force. That force took control, and she became a part of something she could not understand. She felt the same force at the school, but on the island, it was stronger and more primal. At the school, the force pulled her into the magic circle, but on the island, it felt as if it was a cloud wrapping around her and a fog penetrating her mind. She felt strongly that something more was on the island, which would guide and shape her future.

When she walked on the path in the forest, Marcia felt a soothing calm descend around her. The calm was something she had never felt before and rather than fear it, she felt at peace with it. The closer she came to the magic circle, she wanted to curl up and be one with whatever was there. Marcia wondered whom could she talk to about the things that happened. None of her classmates would understand even if they saw her howling or followed her into the forest.

A door slammed, everyone in the barracks quickly quieted and turned toward the door. Kathy stood in the middle of the floor hands on her hips in typical drill sergeant stance. She looked harshly at the girls and walked between the rows of bunks. When she stood beside Marcia's bunk, she turned to the girls and barked out, "Lights will be out in 30 minutes. That means you must be in your bunk, washed up and ready to go to sleep. Once the lights go out, they do not go back on until morning, no exceptions!"

The girls grabbed their clothes and cleaning items and went to the bathroom area to wash up. Before Marcia moved to wash up, Kathy sat beside her and snatched Marcia's attention. She spoke softly to Marcia, "I noticed what happened to you as you approached the wall. Has that happened to you before?" Marcia nodded 'YES' and Kathy continued, "There are spirits here that are evil and try to take over sensitive subjects. Are you feeling them now as you sit here with me?"

Marcia paused before answering because something tried to prevent her from talking. Using her willpower, she pushed the spirit away and shook her head, "Yes, they seem to be always with me in the back of my mind, waiting to control me. I hold them off, but it takes a lot for me to succeed." Marcia looked at the floor and leaned into Kathy as if asking for her help.

"I am going to violate the rules tonight and do something for you that will keep the spirits away. When I turn the lights out, will you come with me and we will go to my home for a little while?" Kathy inquired touching Marcia's arm. Marcia nodded and felt a lot better and strengthened her resolve to fight.

Kathy sat with Marcia letting her lean on her for comfort and relief, as her classmates got ready for bed. When the din of washing up and giggling teenage girls died, Kathy stood near the door watching the stragglers that wandered to bed. When the last girl climbed into her bed, Kathy told them, goodnight and turned out the lights. She waited silently by the door for Marcia to join her, as her mind wondered how strongly Marcia succumbed to the spirits. Marcia approached quietly and stealthily opened the door ahead of Kathy's exit.

Kathy quickly walked across the tarmac toward the third house away from the barracks. As Marcia followed Kathy, the feeling of the spirits shrouded her and slowed her steps. Kathy turned to Marcia and grabbed her arm pulling her closer into her protective aura. Kathy hurried to her home keeping Marcia wrapped in her protective arms. When they entered the house, the shroud of spirits broke away and felt as if it tore away from them. Marcia's head started to clear, but the fog in her brain remained covering her thoughts.

Kathy brought Marcia into the kitchen where her husband sat sipping an evening cup of tea. He jumped up to help Kathy bring Marcia to the table and set her down. Kathy prepared two mugs of tea on the stove and with her husband's help, brought Marcia around. As Marcia recovered, Kathy sat next to her cradling her to comfort and support her. Kathy's husband watched from the other side of the table as his wife helped Marcia recover. He witnessed similar behavior on the island when the army was there.

"What happened? Where am I? I feel strange as if my mind succumbed to another person." Marcia quickly blurted.

"You are in our home and under the protection of the Eye of Evil and our Wiccan Clan. You are safe here and will remain safe from now on," Kathy softly spoke as she comforted Marcia. "The man across from you is Klaus, my husband. He will be taking care of the boys this summer. You can trust him."

Klaus went to the stove, picked up the two steaming mugs of tea and set them in front of Kathy and Marcia. "Welcome Marcia, it is nice to meet you. I only wish it were under better and happier circumstances. The tea will help you relax and remove the foggy clouds from your mind."

Marcia slowly sipped her tea and felt the clouds passing from her mind. As her head cleared, she looked around the kitchen and felt as if she was at her mom's place in New Jersey. She felt comforted and smiled at her new friends when she looked closely at them. "What overcame me out there? It felt heavy, deathly and foreboding, evil in some respects."

"Long before the school purchased this island for its use; there was a tragic accident that killed a lot of soldiers and some of the civilian population. The spirits of the soldiers and civilians roam the area. Some of the civilians and soldiers are angry about the accident. They want to come back through sensitive people. You seem to be very sensitive to their intrusion," Klaus told her.

"Why aren't the spirits in any of the buildings? What is holding them back?" Marcia looked at Kathy to Klaus and back.

"We are Wiccans and have set up spells to hold off the spirits in each building. There are talismans hanging in each building. You will have to wear one to keep the spirits away from you. I have a choker necklace of the Eye of Evil you can wear. That will protect you from them anywhere." Kathy told Marcia as she handed her the necklace. "You can stay here for the night. We have a spare room you can use, and I will wake you in the morning when I get ready to wake up your classmates. I am sorry you had to experience the spirits today."

"Thank you, your kindness is so nice to feel, and your kitchen reminds me so much of my home in America." Marcia relaxed as soon as the choker encircled her throat. It felt warm to her touch and gave her a reassured feeling of strength. "I can go back to the barracks tonight. I don't need to stay here."

"You must stay with us tonight. I locked the door to the barracks so no one can get in, but the girls can leave. I will not open it until morning. I would also like to get to know you a little more because the headmaster told us about you in particular. I hope you don't mind that. Klaus will stay with you while I prepare our guest room. Are you feeling better with the choker around your neck?"

"The choker is warm, but it helped lift whatever weight was left when I entered your home. Thank you, you are so kind. Do I have to wear this all the time? I think some of my classmates will ask me about it. What do I say?"

Klaus pondered that last question for a few minutes before he answered, "You could say it was a gift, and you feel better wearing it. That will be the truth, and you should not have to explain any more than that."

Marcia smiled and shook her head, "That is perfect. I like it." She yawned and started to lower her head on her arms at the table. Kathy came in and touched Marcia urging her to go down the hall to bed. Marcia stood and dragged her feet down the hall into the guest room where she fell into bed. Within a few minutes, she slept soundly and did not notice Kathy covered her with a quilt and tucked her into bed.

Just after the sun rose the next morning, Kathy woke Marcia and helped her get ready to go back to the barracks. Marcia looked well rested and genuinely smiled for what seemed the first time in ages. They left the house and quickly walked to the barracks, where Kathy unlocked the door and waited while Marcia slipped quietly inside. When Marcia sat on her bunk, Kathy opened the door and announced to the girls, "Time to get up, it is the start of your first day of summer school. Breakfast is in thirty minutes, get ready and meet at the dining hall doors."

Marcia stretched, acting as if she just woke up from sleeping in her clothes. No one seemed to care, but Daria and Franci noticed right away and looked questioningly at each other. They knew Marcia was not in the barracks during the night, but would wait for the right time to find out why. For them, it was one more thing to use against Marcia when they took her down while in summer school. They quietly moved to get dressed and leave the building before their classmates.

Polina jumped down from her upper bunk and sat on Naomi's bed waking her. Naomi moaned as she sat up, "Wha, what's going on? Let me sleep, it's too early to get up." She kicked her legs out but missed Polina and rolled out of bed onto the floor.

Polina stood up, grabbed her clothes and went to get dressed for the day. Marcia reached down to help her friend get up from the floor and sit on her bed. Naomi looked at Marcia and saw that she wore the same outfit as the day before, but with the addition of the choker. She stared at the choker as the Eye attracted her attention. She reluctantly looked away and gathered her clothes to dress for breakfast.

"Where did you get the choker? It is weird but attracted my attention to the eye stone. I like it. Are you wearing those clothes again today?"

Marcia looked at Naomi, smiled and replied, "I got the necklace as a gift and felt it was something I should wear while I am here in summer school. It is supposed to give me luck and good fortune. This summer school session will be a real test for it. Let's get ready and go out to breakfast."