Witches & Warriors

One of the famous lines in recent movie history is “Luke. I am your Father”. An echo of a young man’s search for his identity, who he is and who he’s likely to become. Such is the case of 17 yr old Craig Mackey, nee Nolan. It’s 1990 as tries to create a profile of his biological father, Lieutenant Frank Nolan, who survived Vietnam only to succumb to his PTSD fueled alcoholism when Craig was a baby. Coping with his family’s relocation to a small Massachusetts town, Craig’s struggles to find links to a man for whom he has no recollections. Inspired by photos of his Father from Vietnam, Craig’s senior project is an ambitious contrast between San Francisco’s 1967 “Summer of Love” contrasted with the fate of young men swept up by the military draft. Craig’s experiences disturbing dreams foreshadowing events that will shape his understanding of the man who exists in his imagination. Ironically, it’s the family’s move to Lynnfield, a short drive from Salem, that places Craig in proximity to the dark magic needed to go from the present to the past. Lynnfield’s local history claims witches fleeing Salem celebrated their satanic rituals at The Witches Oak. The Oak defies natural laws. It erupts in fireballs. Yet no leaf, branch or bark burns. Its crown creates lush canopies yet no birds nest there. In winter, it refuses to shed its leaves. Locals believe it’s possessed by witches and is a portal between different times and dimensions. Craig accidentally triggers the portal and vanishes in a snow squall. He awakens in San Francisco General. Released into the gigantic psychedelic maw of Haight-Asbury, he encounters Riley, an exemplar of “tune in, turn on, drop out”. His hippie family adopts Craig who experiments with drugs and falls in love in “La”, a family member. He discovers the purpose for his magical change of fortune. He joins the Army and requests deployment to his father’s company, located in the deadly Iron Triangle. He’s immediately “adopted” by “Three Eyes” Moreno the company scout as the descendant of shamans and medicine men, possesses a rare inner vision that allows him to see Craig is protected by magic. Craig’s tested when 4,000 NVA soldiers attempted to wipe out the 262nd Light Infantry Battalion. Craig’s skill with the M60 machine gun breaks the enemy’s advance. Three Eyes is killed while protecting Craig. That death breaks the spell. He’s wounded severely in a subsequent encounter and while waiting for evacuation, he calls out to his father and attempts, unconvincingly, to reveal his identity. He returns to the Family, Now, nearly three years into this new time and place, he experiences time-shifting rumblings his continued presence causes. If he does not find his way back what unknown and irreversible harm may follow? His research into the occult reveals Mission Park contains enchanted trees like The Witches Oak. Craig, Riley and La venture to Mission Park to cast a spell to send Craig back to 1990. A mini-tornado envelops him and he disappears. Craig awakens in Lynnfield Hospital. He tells his parents this fantastical story about life as a hippie, combat and meeting his biological father. The reality is he was found unconscious at The Witches Oak a mere four days ago and been hospitalized since. Everything he attempted to bring back with him…photos, momentous, etc. are either destroyed or missing, So, is what happened to him real…or the product a feverish dream of wishful thinking? A dangling set of Army dog tags nestled in the Oak’s crown reveals the answer.