JOHN L. BISOL

Every war has its "stories". This is my story about a Cold War conflict, when at the time I served, had no clear end in sight. This story doesn't have any dynamic Hollywood gunfights, and it isn't an action thriller. It's a story of "... watching and waiting...", more akin to a firehouse routine than some grandiose military action "blockbuster" movie.

"... In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: '...Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's. clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves...". (They're always looking out for themselves at the expense of everyone around them).As much as we want to believe that everyone has the best intentions, it isn't always the case. Some people only do things to benefit themselves, and they don't care who they hurt in the process.White Witches can be found in almost every setting. You can't get rid of them, but if you can spot them, you can avoid falling into their traps ...

Dorothy Talbot had "dispatched" the Voelva (Thorbjoerg Litilvoelva), using a Fire Death Curse. The explosive eruption of fire had surprised, even her. The cave had filled with molten flames which incinerated anything in its path. The Voelva was turned into a mass of glowing ash, all her burial-goods destroyed in an instant. Dorothy was overcome with the power of the moment. Although she was untouched by the fire she was physically and emotionally spent.The cavern began to collapse around her, and her fate rested with Almattugur Verndari's nobility. As the ceiling fell, in burning chunks of rock and detritus - Dorothy lay on the cavern floor, her mind locking out the visions of Gehenna around her. A "knight" would save her; and her Sisters rushed to her side ...Recovery would follow, but with a new challenge - a coup atempt from a troublesome Goddess - followed by removal of the threat.

... There is no sense of time within a portal. All is what was. Bodiless spirits roam through endless fields of darkness. A few have purpose, but no means to accomplish anything ...One spirit ... that of the Witch Cadence Shadowsoul, writhed in eternal torture. She had never reached her goal. How long was it? Days? Years, Eons?... Apate pushed the twisted form of Cadence Shadowsoul closer to the edge of the portal..."... If you leave, the Witch Queen will challenge you. Defeat her and return to immortal life ...", Apate said."So, mote it be ... So, mote it be ..." Cadence screamed as she flung herself into the soul of a young woman...

Dorothy Talbot aka the Witch Fidelia Bloodworth, together with her familiar Moonstone, has moved from her mansion, leaving the VICTORIAN under the care of her coven sisters - for a time indeterminate. Realizing that the only way she can fully develop her powers is to seek the privacy of the forest and in seclusion, away from external influences, study and hone her Craft. The Woodlands House provides her the perfect retreat for the Witch to commune with new spirits and enter new realms. Her hope is to become "that which cannot be challenged."

Lilith, Queen of the Demons, challenges Dorothy Talbot (aka Fidelia Bloodworth) the Empress Witch-Queen regnant for the empire of the Coven of the Sisters (Worldwide). If someone asks you to do a favor, how far will you go? Would you cause a war between Witches and Demons for dominance? Or would you realize common ground and forge an alliance?

Some Witches have been known to have committed wicked deeds, (even) to cause harm and death. However, as members of a minority sector of society, most Witches simply lead their lives the same as everyone else. And many do a lot of good in their communities. Like the rest of society, there are good ones and bad ones. So, where does that lead us? Perhaps a Witch could be a hero. Perhaps a Priest could be a villain, (aka Child-Molester). I'm not going to judge based on a label...

Jokingly, people often quote: ..".It's good to be the Queen..." Well, depending on the traditions taught to the Princess, before she rules as Queen, the personality traits vary. Even then, each Queen brings bits of her own personality to the table. Some Queens were known for beauty, others were skillful in politics. Dorothy Talbot, aka Fidelia Bloodworth, would be a queen like no other. Combining the ancient wisdom of the Craft and a modern tact of the new world order, she would declare herself to be the Empress Witch-Queen regnant for her empire - the Coven of the Sisters (Worldwide).

The VICTORIAN, a house with a lengthy history of giving its owners more than they bargained for. Now Dorothy Talbot takes full ownership. Her choice, (to be a practitioner of the "craft"), gives her the confidence to challenge those who would destroy her sisterhood. Dorothy will learn all that she can about those who tried and failed to achieve their own goals. She will seek her calling and stay "below the notice" of those who would ultimately clash with her ideals.

The Catholic Church forbids secret societies and membership in them - yet the creation of a unique cadre to investigate and ameliorate the effects of paranormal events, witches, vampires and other entities that would act to corrupt humanity, carries no such stigma. The Charter of the Demonic paranormal Investigation Team details the work ..".someone has to do..." in the name of the Church. ..".For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake..." Romans 13:3-5 (NKJV)

Not every story has a "Happy Ending." Some stories begin anew the everlasting continuum of evil influence. Does evil live in a house, waiting to devour all who live within its walls - or is it only in the soul of the owner? The activities of evil spirits are so subtle, unbelievers easily explain away their handiwork as "just an old house," but at other times, phantom evils burst upon the scene with inexplicable, supernatural fury; making it impossible to find a rational explanation for the acts of havoc they wreak. ...The VICTORIAN was once again for sale. It had passed through the hands of many owners. There were unflattering rumors of the past owners, (always true), but now, the latest owner will face challenges that cannot be met with anything short of possession of her soul. Would a champion come to her salvation or would she choose to descend into hell? Just ask your Magic 8-Ball*... Magic 8-Ball is a registered trademark of Tyco Toys, Inc.

A book of information about my Book Series: "The House on South Street." Written for avid readers who are searching for more information on the books, the book covers, the sequence of the stories, and a "wee-bit" of insight into "what's going on here"?

...Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD, and a false scale is not good..." (Proverbs 20:23) When a witch is removed from one part of this world, there is a "void of evil" created, that must be filled by another. Cadence Shadowsoul had been removed a year ago... There were others who wanted her "space." An ancient witch was called from afar to claim the lost realm. The Owl is considered to be the Night Eagle because it is silent and deadly in flight, and is a solitary bird with all-seeing eyes. The Owl is generally regarded as a bird of sorcerers because of its association with - and abilities in-the dark. In most Native American tribes, owls are a symbol of death. Sometimes owls are said to carry messages from beyond the grave or deliver supernatural warnings. So it is with the Owl Woman...

From a newspaper article, circa 1900: ..".Many people regard the Claireborne Insane Asylum as their favorite building in Claireborne; it has soul, tranquility, and a brooding atmosphere, despite its grim early history. Reported causes for admission to the facility: disappointment, jealousy, menstrual irregularity, nostalgia, and religious excitement, brooding over sin, cigarette smoking, no desire to marry, fear of child-birth, fear of pregnancy, fright, hard-work, and nose bleed. The brooding 'water towers and chimneys' of that asylum warn against 'powers of resistance to our assault..."" Mix in some demonic possession, missing person, and you have a fine stew...

Continuing the journey to close the Portal opened by the evil Witch Cadence Shadowsoul. A clean start: fresh faces, new teams - new challenges, but the "smoldering embers of evil" remain. The Roman Soldier, Petronius Arbiter said it best in AD 65: "We trained very hard - but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we were reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing, and what a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while actually producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization..." Except for the lasting influence of the portal - once closed, never closed. "...Evil doesn't die. It never dies. It just takes on a new face, a new name. Just because we've been touched by it once, it doesn't mean we're immune to ever being hurt again. Lightning can strike twice..." Tess Gerritsen

Cadence Shadowsoul, onetime resident of the House on South Street. Her human death left her soul unable to pass through the veil. Her spirit desired to control a Portal to the netherworld and she almost succeeded. Mere mortals fell before her wickedness. The evil she fostered as an entity resulted in the last of the witch-hunter's losing a battle to her. The desire to become incarnate through her cambion proved to be her spiritual downfall - Cadence Shadowsoul was consumed in a cauldron of fire in the very house she once had ruled from. Yet, the curious mind of an ancient Greek Goddess, might allow the wandering witch's malevolent spirit to find the path home.

Electro-Mechanical Packaging is a "Hybrid" engineering assignment. Electro-Mechanical Packaging is a major discipline within the field of Mechanical Engineering and includes a wide variety of technologies. It refers to enclosures and the unique protective features built into the product itself, and not (only) to a shipping container. Electro-Mechanical Packaging applies both to end products and to components. Electro-Mechanical packaging of an electronic system must consider protection from mechanical damage, cooling, radio frequency noise emission, protection from electrostatic discharge, maintenance, operator convenience, and cost. Prototypes and industrial equipment made in small quantities may use standardized commercially available enclosures such as card cages or prefabricated boxes. Mass-market consumer devices may have highly specialized packaging to increase consumer appeal.

Just because my childhood home is now a parking lot doesn't mean I don't remember my "growing-up years." Neither does the parking lot erase the history of my family and their parent's struggles as immigrants. We all want to fondly recall the halcyon days of our youth, but I will only be able to visit "the place I grew up" through the pages of this book. Find the history and the stories of what my childhood life was like before the age of "Parking Lots."

My Third Rendition of the "...way of the world." Definitely a "fun" book! There are no redeeming qualities in the stories, they are just stories - written for the fun of it. The book should have had a hole drilled into the upper left-hand corner, for you to be able to "...hang it from a nail on the outhouse door." (NOTE: Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to drill nail holes into the corners of the almanac to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1919, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.) Plenty of silliness, a plethora of weirdness, and an explosion of insanity are all the attributes I can think of. Even my staunchest critics had to smirk when they read it and, in the immortal words of my wife: "Don't you have something better to do with your time?"