This is a work of fiction. It is straight out of my imagination, except for most of the pagan practices mentioned. This is written for adults and if you are not supposed to read this where you live, then please don't.
Part 24
That evening we went to Danny's for our first fitting. His fat black cat was a little fatter than she was last time I saw her. I sat petting her as Ryan tried on his muslin suit. Danny made a few tucks and marks. It was pretty close, but Danny was a perfectionist. He had Ryan walk in the suit to see how it moved. He was pleased with it and had him take it off.
"Alright, Cais, up and to it. Try this on for me." He handed me the muslin suit with my name on the tag, and put Ryan's away.
"So, is Toots pregnant," I asked taking the trousers first.
"Yeah, whats'is face's cat down the street got a hold of her. I still don't know how she got out of the house. Usually I am so careful. I suppose she slipped past me when I was on my way out. I found her on the doorstep when I got home. I guess that all it takes is one afternoon."
"I wouldn't know Danny. I have never gotten anyone pregnant." I thought about the time Cecilia and I had a pregnancy scare. We had decided to deal with it and have the baby when she finally had her period. I have to admit I was relieved. It wasn't much longer after that, when we broke up.
"She has never had kittens before, and I am getting her fixed as soon as I can. She is such a good cat, I guess it is only right to let have some kittens. They will probably be good cats." Danny spoke as he went about this business. Ryan took over for me, and petted Toots in his lap. He looked up at me and smiled. He raised his eyebrows asking a silent question. I smiled and nodded at him, with my consent.
"Danny, do you think we could get one from you when they are ready," Ryan asked, still petting the pampered kitty.
"I don't see why not. I will have to find them homes. I couldn't imagine a better set of parents." He tapped me on the butt and told me to hop down and walk. He watched the suit move and was happy. He took the pieces from me and put them with Ryan's. " I guess I will have the suits ready for the last fitting next week Thursday. The ball isn't until a week after that so you are in high cotton. Well, silk actually," he said and laughed. "And boy was it high. That reminds me, I need to write out the bill pretty soon. Can't let you skip out on the check," he said with a mocked look of suspicion.
"Damn, and I thought you were going to comp me on this one," I said walking over to share Toots with Ryan.
"Are you crazy, do you know how much that fabric costs," Danny said laughing.
"Wow, I don't know if I want to know," I said looking back at Danny.
"Aw, you are rich enough," Danny said. We put the kitty on the floor and were on our way out the door. We headed down to River Street to have dinner at The Olympia Café. We bought some candy next door and were on our way back home.
I cracked the whip and sent Ryan to study. We had been slacking off, and that was not good for either of us. I fixed some tea and took Ryan a cup. He was sitting in only a towel, reading from one of his books. I forced myself back downstairs and onto the porch. I took a sip of tea and leaned against a post.
I felt a cold breeze blow past me nearly moving me from my spot. I looked out in the yard and noticed something strange. The trees were not moving. Not a leaf fluttered in the wind nor did the Spanish moss sway. I grabbed my tea and moved quickly to my computer. I signed on to my instant messenger and found her online.
"I am happy for you," she typed.
"Happy for me, why," I asked.
"Silly," was her reply. "I have something to tell you. I have seen a dark woman. She is intending to hurt you. I am not sure why or how, but she is not someone to mess around with," she typed. I sat back and absorbed what she had written. "She is into dark magick and is very dangerous."
"Are you crazy," I asked.
"Yes, but I am not wrong. She is close. She is very close to you, and I don't know how to stop her, yet."
"When," I typed, not knowing what else to ask.
"Soon," is all she wrote. I saw a file transfer window pop up on the screen. It was from Marina, so I downloaded it. It was a recipe for a vision tea. I told her I already had a recipe for that. She insisted I try it. I thanked her and signed off. I printed the recipe as I tried to think of who could be out to get me.
I went to the kitchen and poured out the tea I had been drinking. I mixed the ingredients in the recipe and prepared it as it was described. I went to the parlor and sat on the sofa. I sipped my tea and sank into the cushions. I sat looking into the empty fireplace across the room. I felt my head get a little light and my eyelids drooped.
Flames began to flicker in the stone hearth, soothing and calming me into a meditative state. A blue light began to swirl from the depth of the fire. I tried to move but felt paralyzed. Though I couldn't move, I didn't panic. I looked into the blue light as it expanded and filled my field of vision.
The center began to darken and I was able to make out movement and blurry forms. As it focused I recognized one of the forms in the vision. It was Ward. He was downtown in Savannah, looking in the window of an antique store. He was looking at a compass in the window. I remembered that he had told me he had seen the compass, and thought of buying it. That was the day he died.
I struggled in my mind. I was afraid of what I was going to see. I didn't want to see him die again. I saw him smile as he looked through the window and I calmed down. I watched as he turned and ran into a woman. She seemed familiar, but I wasn't sure who it was. I watched as they spoke to one another. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I understood. Ward apologized and bent down to pick up the items she had dropped.
I watched in confusion as she waved her hand over his head and mumbled something to herself. I couldn't hear the words, but I knew it was a curse. I watched helplessly as my lover was cursed by a stranger. I struggled in my haze, but still couldn't move. I saw her put on a smile as he handed her the items. He nodded and moved along down the street.
The view before me began to fade into blue light and I struggled to see more. The light spiraled into the fire, and was soon gone. I was slowly able to move again, and I jumped up off of the sofa. My teacup crashed to the floor and the handle skittered across the room, stopping in front of the cold hearth. I looked down at the broken china. I realized that my love had been murdered and that I didn't know who had done it. It was not like I could call the police. I would have been carted off, due to the general public's disbelief in my world. I had never felt so helpless. I focused on the woman in my mind. Who was she, and why would she kill my lover.
I picked up the broken china and took it to the kitchen. I would fix it if I could, or I would dispose of it in the morning. I went upstairs to bed with tears in my eyes. I tried to put the image of my lost lover being cursed before my eyes out of my mind.
I walked past Ryan's room without stopping. I didn't think about him being there. I heard him call to me as I entered my room. I crawled in the bed and curled into a ball. I heard Ryan call me again, but I was too far away in my mind to respond. I felt the bed move and his hand rested on my back. I heard him whisper my name in my ear. I rolled over and looked up at him. I loved Ryan, but right now I needed to be alone. I tried to smile, and opened my mouth to speak. He put his finger on my mouth to silence me. He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead and then climbed off of the bed. He left the room, turning out the light as he went.
(To be continued)
The next chapter will be submitted soon.
I welcome comments, twinkchaser@excite.com