The plane engines roared to a start. Out the window to my left I saw the turbines on the wing turn to be perpendicular to the ground below. We rose directly up into the sky. As soon as we were above all of the trees, Abe looked back and said “you ready for the boom?” to Jonathan. Jonathan lifted his right hand and set it against the wall of the plane. He closed is eyes and nodded in Abe’s direction. Abe faced forward. “Hold on e’rybody,” he mused. 

    Just as I was checking my seatbelt, I felt a force shove me into the back of my chair. It started out light and gradually increased. Then, as the force neared its height in power, the plane shook. It wasn’t much, but it felt like a lot to me. I panicked in fear that the plane would buckle and explode. I looked over at Jonathan and Desma. Jonathan’s face was stern in concentration; Desma had her head resting on the seat and her arms relaxing on her lap. Neither one of them shared my alarm. Abe hadn’t said anything either. 

     I heard a sigh from Jonathan. He let his had down from the wall and was now resting in his seat. “W-what was that?” I sputtered, noticing the trembling had stopped. 

     Jonathan turned his head towards me, and said “Do you mean the shaking? That was just the plane reaching Mach 9”. 

    “We broke the sound barrier?” I exclaimed. He said it so nonchalantly. “Just” reaching Mach 9. As if it was nothing! 

     “Yup,” said Abe who was now standing beside me. “This is probably the nicest hypersonic passenger plane I’ve flown. Not much room fur too many people, but I think it makes it cozy.” He smiled. 

     I looked back to the cockpit. “Oh my God no one’s flyin’ the plane!” I yelled in disbelief. Abe chuckled. 

     “Relax, lil’ lady. The course is programmed into the system an’ radar’s running so we don’t kill any birds. We’re gonna be just fine.” 

      Desma turned around in her seat and said “kinda makes you wonder what we need you for, huh?” 

     “Hey. You lemme know when you can fly a plane all on yer own. I been a pilot fur twen’y years. Far as I know, you ain’t been a pilot at all,” Abe said back confidently. Desma smiled, unfazed and faced forward. “Anyways, we’re flyin’ safe. I jus’ came back here ta rest.” He took the seat behind me and leaned back. “Wake me if I doze off.” 

     I nodded, still shaken from, well—from allot of things. Oh my gosh, what am I doing here? I thought. Then, as if answering my question, Jonathan said “I suppose you must be wondering what you are doing here—where you are going.” Yes. Yes I am, I thought, the words filled with attitude. 

     I wished what I thought was what came out of my mouth, but instead I meekly stuttered out “w-well, ya-yeah. That’d be nice.” Jonathan sat back and sighed. 

     “Where to start,” he muttered. “Do you mind long stories?” He asked. I shook my head. “Well then. Let us begin with the history of our race. Witches are relatives of humans—but as are chimpanzees. You should have noticed that witches, in our appearances, are almost identical to humans. There are many scientific theories on the matter, but that does not concern us at the moment. There exist genetic traits, unique to our species: white hair” he gestured toward Desma, whose head, covered in white hair, was visible over the back of her seat. He went on, “violet eyes, and, most noticeably, the ability to perform magic. We have lived on this earth for as long as humans have. Centuries ago, they knew of our species and were threatened by us. In an effort to avoid extreme violence on either side, we migrated to the continent known as Atlantis. Once every witch was on the land, the gods helped us push it slightly out of shift with the dimension, keeping unwanted humans from ever discovering us again.” 

     “Gods?” I interrupted. 

     “Yes. The gods of Old. Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and the others like them. We do not worship them. The term ‘god’ is simply a name that is retained from ancient times when the simple humans mistook them for their ‘creators’. Do you understand?” 

     “Mm-hm,” I said. I was starting to get the feeling that Jonathan had it out for humanity.

     “Then, were was I? Ah, yes.  So Atlantis is not just a myth or the stories of Plato, you see. It exists and it is where the Wiccan culture survives to this day. You should enjoy your stay there. 

     “Now, why are you going there? Because, as I told you preceding our take-off: you have Catherine’s reincarnated soul.” 

     “And Catherine is…?” I pushed. 

     “I’ve told you,” Jonathan said, somewhat unwilling to “repeat” himself. I leaned forward in my chair and gave him my most inquisitive look. He let out a soft grown and continued. “Catherine is famous in Atlantis. And the fame is more than deserved. She sacrificed her life to defeat the most evil and tyrannical creature this world has ever seen. She practiced the Craft when no one else dared. Many magical skills and tricks are of her invention. She had the most creative mind I had ever seen.” 

     “You talk about her like you knew her. Didn’t you say she died like, hundreds of years ago?” 

     “Oh, so you were paying attention before,” he remarked slyly. “And did I not mention my age?” 

     “No, I don’t think you did.” 

     “I hardly know my age anymore. I forget my own birthday sometimes, I have had so many.” He paused and then said “I believe I am around eight hundred years old. If you want an exact number I will have to do some calculations.” I was shocked. He has to be lying. That’s impossible. How can a person be that old? Jonathan smiled, as if my astonishment gave him great pleasure. He looked at me and said “yes, it surprises me sometime too.”