Serafina Giovanni

Background:

In 1894, Father, Domizio Giovanni, arrived at Ellis Island with mother, Chiarina. They had left Sicilia because one of father’s relatives had written to him and assured him would be able to help his mother get started in the New World.

I am told it took a couple of years but eventually father managed to get himself and mother set up in a small apartment in North End in Boston’s Italian quarter. Soon after, mother was pregnant with their first child, a boy, my oldest brother named Niccolò. Father worked for uncle Raul, taking part in the Family business. I am not entirely sure what father did in those early years, but it was important enough that he became a powerful member of the Family and made a living good enough for him to move himself, mother and my three brothers and my sister into a house before I was born in 1910.

I do not remember much from my early childhood. The first memory that clearly stands out to me is when Niccolò was saying goodbye to the family. Father was as always stoic but mother and Lucia cried a lot before he left for Europe. I was told that he had been drafted into what they called “the Great War”. To me it did not seem so great because I never saw Niccolò again after that but I remember when father received a letter that made him very angry and mother sad all over again.

In 1920 or there about, when I was 10, father suddenly had to move out, leaving mother alone with my brothers, sister and myself. I am not entirely sure why, but at the same time uncle Raul dies in some trouble down at the docks. I do sometimes see father, when mother takes us to his new house out in the countryside, for long weekends or small vacations, but he no longer comes to Boston.

The next thing that I remember clearly, other than the usual school and the friends I had in the neighborhood, was when I was 13 and received a package at the house. It appeared to have been dropped off since there was no postage or anything and it was wrapped in linen and held together with string. When I opened it, I found what looked to be quite an old book, as well as a note written in a feminine hand. The note instructed me to read and understand the contents of the book, and nothing more. It was signed, Aunt Isabel, but had no other information. I tried asking my mother about the package, but she had no explanation, but just told me to follow the instructions given to me, as well as any others coming from this strange aunt I had known nothing about before.

From then on, whenever I had finished a book, I immediately received another package with new materials for me to read. Everything from how to conduct a seance, attune one’s self to the supernatural and other occult practices. It was all quite interesting and I did sometimes feel like I could sense the presence of something strange. I never managed to get the rituals to do much, but about a year ago I received a visit from a woman, mid thirties and very very pretty. When she appeared on our doorstep, she told mother to take my sister to the bedroom, and then she and I sat down at the dining table. Then she began asking me many many questions about the things I had learned from the books, quizzing me on every topic. I managed to answer almost everything she asked me about, though I was not really able to tell from her if she liked my answers or not, she was so hard to read.

When we were done, she took out a silver hair needle, and put it on the table. She told me that it was a very special family heirloom, and that she wanted me to have it, and to keep up with my studies because I would be contacted by what she called a young cousin soon, who would have a way for me to serve the family.

Then she rose from the table and left.