Anna Darling

by Angela Hall-Averre

  “She didn't wait until spring break, as it turned out. About a month later, she and I took a Saturday road trip to a town. I don’t remember the name. It was about an hour away. Our intentions were to shop at a vintage thrift store that she had discovered online. When we were there, standing outside at a Starbucks, she wrote a three-letter word down on a scrap of paper, showed it to me, then took a lighter to it and watched it burn, only dropping it into the gutter when the flames licked onto her fingers.”

  “What was its name?”

  “I'm not going to tell you the name,” he looked directly at Anna and said very sternly. “But, what was written on the paper can't really be burned. Demons don’t burn,” he sighed, and looked dejected, “even though my dad swears that is the only way to kill a demon.”

  “You’re freaking me out Mark.”

  “I had been too spooked to walk through the tunnel path alone in the weeks that followed our demon sighting, or whatever it was. I still walked it when someone else was with me. But I was always relieved to get to the end of it and out into the open. So, what happened a few days before that road trip might have been what persuaded her to tell me. It was another late-night walk through the tunnel. Only this time, Lee Ann and I walked through with her boyfriend,” Mark’s shoulders dipped just a fraction when he said it, and he looked down at his feet, and remarked, “who happened to be my dad; I’m embarrassed to say.

  “Anyway, on this walk with Lee Ann and my dad, though, I didn't start off scared. I had a really good day in class. I had gotten a check in the mail, which meant I'd actually be able to afford to go out on the upcoming weekend. I was happy and excited. I wasn’t paying attention and we were half way through the tunnel when Lee Ann stopped turned a complete circle and said she was no longer human. She was a servant of Satan. My dad started laughing, and she became angry and her voice deepened, “I swear to you,” and with that her fingernails began to grow. My dad totally freaked out. He started yelling that if she was becoming a Satan worshiper she could leave him and his family alone. She became a demon right in front of us.”

  “Oh my God, what did you do?” asked Anna.

  “I yelled at her. I yelled as loud as I could. I screamed at her to fight what had taken over her body. My dad started running away when she stopped and glared at me. I took a step toward her and she got me. She got me good.” Mark lifted his shirt and exposed a scar that went from the top of his ribcage to his hipbone.

  “You are lucky to be alive.” Anna gently ran her fingers down the length of his scar.

  “What happened to her? I mean is she still hurting people?”

  “Anna, Lee Ann ended up being admitted to a mental hospital for the criminally insane.”

  “Wow, maybe she needs an exorcist.”

  “I’m just glad she is in a controlled environment and is no longer a part of our lives.”

  Arriving at Anna’s house they stood still and gazed into each other’s eyes. Mark caressed her cheek and kissed her goodnight.

  She was too excited and bewildered about everything he had told her. She sat down to her Book of Shadows.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Book of Shadows

  ANNA PLANNED to eventually get a leather-bound book, bound with parchment paper pages. She was thinking something real nice. With nice metal embellishments and maybe even with a buckled strap around it would be perfect.

  For practical reasons she decided to start her Book of Shadows with a three-ring binder. After all, she had already started writing the spells from her dreams down in it. It wasn’t the most mystical looking but until she had her spell making and magical knowledge down, she thought, the binder was practical and perfectly suited for the job.

  She added divider tabs to keep the sections organized. And she liked the fact that she could move the pages around without damaging anything. It was the best place to start. She titled it Book Of Shadows, Book Of Light. And just before midnight Anna turned out the lights and lit a white candle and she wrote a written consecration on the first page.

  Goddess, Protect my Book of Shadows

  Protect my Book of Light

  From wondering eyes and prying looks,

  And fill it with your ancient power

  Morning Noon and Night.

  She put her right hand on her heart and left hand on her book and read what she had written out loud several times. The magick was inside her and she glowed.

  Goddess, Protect my Book of Shadows

  Protect my Book of Light

  From wondering eyes and prying looks,

  And fill it with your ancient power

  Morning Noon and Night.

  SHE LABELED the first section SPELLS and then began writing:

  BY THE LIGHT of the moon

  Bless me soon

  Water and silver shine

  Let wealth be mine

  THE POWER I feel

  I use to heal

  Morning, Noon and Night

  All those that cross my path

  Will feel health at last

  BLESSED GODDESS FAIR and True

  I bring this silver to you

  Bless this ring and make it shine

  Bring Mark my lover

  To be mine for all of time

  ANNA SMILED as she read what she had written. She knew in her heart that Mark was hers forever. She continued.

  RIPPLES AND STRIFE

  Problems in life

  Mend the peace

  May troubles cease.

  WHILE THE CANDLE burns

  Open my thoughts

  Open my Mind

  Bring on my memories

  Of Lives lived long ago

  Show me what I’ve learned

  Show me what I need to Know

  Make it so!

  EVERY NIGHT before she went to bed, Anna would light a candle and read what she had written and add something new. When she finished she would blow out her candle and ask for blessings. “By the powers of the North, bless this book with the power of the Earth. By the powers of the South, bless this book with the power of fire. By the powers of the West, bless this book with the power of water. By the powers of the East, bless this book with the power of air.”

  GODDESS, Protect my Book of Shadows

  From wondering eyes and prying looks,

  And fill it with your ancient power

  Morning Noon and Night.

  I’M ASKING you Goddess

  Make it known

  I ask for an abundance blessing

  To bring further wealth to my home and me

  It's not from selfishness or greed

  But for needs that are my own.

  For wealth, abundance, success

  I ask the universe to bless.

  ANNA DECIDED that her Book of Shadows, Book of Light was basically like her private journal. She recorded all that was important to her as the High Priestess. She felt it was her responsibility to document the spells she cast. She also used it to record how they worked out. She added sections for Recipes, Sabbath celebration ideas and of course her dreams.

  One section she referred to often was entitled, The Phases Of the Moon.

  New Moon

  The sky is dark and we can't see the moon at all. This is the start of the lunar cycle and this is when the moon is lined up with the positions of both the earth and the sun. This phase is for new beginnings of any kind. Whether it is personal improvement or a new career. Spells for beauty, health and any type of opportunities have the most powerful influence during this time.

  Waxing Moon

  This comes next, and appears as if as the moon is getting bigger each night as it cycles towards the full moon. During a waxing moon, development and growth are best explored during this phase. Spells for Personal strength, inspiration, friendships, healing, motivation, or general good luck, work best during this time.

  Full Moon

  This is the easiest one to identify, as it sits clearly in the sky as a full round disc. Lastin
g only for a short time compared to the longer waxing and waning phases. Two days before and after the actual full moon is best for spell casting. The incantations for dealing with all things artistic or creative were her favorite. Psychic talents increase and divination for love, fertility, romance work best during the full moon phase.

  Waning Moon

  This is like the waxing moon, only when the moon starts to shrink each night heading towards the dark of the new moon again. Now is the time for endings spells. For banishing bad habits, breaking addictions, or ending relationships work best during this time.

  Normally there is one full moon every month, but since the lunar phases are a bit shorter than our calendar months, sometimes there will be two. The second full moon in any given month is called a blue moon.

  Enter If You Dare

  THE FIRST WEEKEND of October was fast approaching, but the haunted house team had worked feverishly every day after school, and finally they were ready. Everything and everyone was in place to scare the living daylights out of the guests. This was their opening night and Anna had the jitters. Mark strolled up to her with a big grin. “Hey, are you okay?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “You look a little pale.”

  “I guess I’m just a bit nervous tonight. I hope this Haunted Manor is a big success. The animal shelter is really counting on me.”

  “This is going to be great, Anna Darling. You have done a wonderful job and I must say this haunted manor has some very talented actors. So don’t worry about a thing.”

  “Thanks, Mark, you always know how to make me feel better.”

  The Manor loomed proudly behind creaky iron gates, and was edged by rows of skeletal trees with seven skeletal bodies in ragged clothing hanging from the branches above. The skeletons differed in size, some were big, some were small, but all were dead. Long, long dead, condemned with eternal hanging, gently swaying from the makeshift gallows, as the chilly autumn wind continued blowing colorful leaves from the branches.

  Teenagers and adults alike stood at the spooky ticket booth that had been made of pallet wood. The skull atop the Haunted Manor sign was indeed a nice touch. The wainscoting effect from the palette wood made it even better. One by one the guests entered.

  The actors playing the zombies lay in the grass next to the graveyard, waiting for their victims. All at once an eerie green light covered the graveyard as the guests passed. As the teens walked past the graveyard, an overwhelming sea of death stirred, as skeletons and green rotting bodies came out of their unkempt dirt homes. They were decked out in denim jumpsuits complete with bloodstains, and oozing from diseased bulbous lumps.

  All were grinning viciously, some had severed arms; others appeared to have flesh hanging like tattered rags from their shoulders. The horde of zombies slowly crept closer to the teens. Groans and moans came from their open mouths, wanting human flesh. Their deformed bodies were grotesque and their bloodshot eyes darted over the teens. Reaching arms, flesh peeling, groans and moans came from their open mouths. They were disgusting and horrid, and definitely frightening.

  The air filled with shrieks and the sounds of rattling chains before a stooped figure appeared from a fog and moved toward them the crowd of guests. He was dragging something behind him, something large and bloody. “W-whhat is that?” a young man stammered.

  Most of the teens recognized it for what it was. “It’s a corpse!” one of the teens screamed.

  The ominous stooping figure was the janitor at their school. Years of smoking and drinking made his voice sound gravely like sandpaper, “Come, enter if you dare." The hair on the teenagers’ necks stood up and they hesitated before they recognize the man. Once they saw the face of the friendly janitor, their anxiety waned a bit.

  They reached the front door and looked up at a gargoyle staring down at all that entered the house in the fading light. Its red glowing eyes pulsed. A warning of what was to come.

  “Welcome to our Manor,” said Ronny, dressed as the grim reaper holding his scythe. “I will be your guide. Have you ever heard strange sounds in the dead of night? Have you ever had the feeling that someone is watching you in an otherwise empty room? These are just some of the telltale signs that your house could be haunted. If you’ve ever experienced anything like this, fear not, you are not alone. Tonight, you will experience the scare of your life. I have been assigned to be your escort and I shall guide you through the passageways and rooms of this Haunted Manor. Here, you will encounter the spirits and demons that reside within these walls.”

  Instrumental music that was spooky and classical mixed with eerie noses and scream, and more played on a loop. Digital animation of ghosts and ghouls projected onto a netted sheet that hung from the ceiling. To the right of the dining room was Anna’s fortuneteller parlor, her altar extending to nearly a third of the space.

  A beam of light pierced the fogged entrance to the parlor. Upon entering, they were greeted by Anna the fortune teller, wearing a brown ruffle trim cotton dress, a silky blouse, a shawl, and a stretchy-metal-jeweled belt with a few faux stones. She had on big hoop earrings silver bangle bracelets on both arms, and beaded necklaces adorned her neck. Upon her forehead she was adorned with a silver lunar crescent, its horns extended upwards. Her hair was flowing and free. “Would you like your fortune read?” She asked as she slowly moved her hands over the crystal ball. “I can tell you stories. Who shall it be? I will tell you your past, your present or your future?”

  The room was decorated with old paintings, a chandelier and a table with a skull and crystal ball. There were lighted candles throughout the room. It was spooky. One by one the teens entered to have their fortunes read.

  “Be careful on Tuesday,” Anna said in a slight whisper, staring at the crystal ball.

  “Why,” he said with concern in his eyes, “What is going to happen on Tuesday?”

  “I see a near fatal accident.” Anna said as she looked up, directly into his eyes. “If you are traveling, I suggest you wait until Wednesday to go.”

  “Oh my God,” whispered the teenager. “I’m supposed to go visit my grandmother on Tuesday. I guess I better let my cousin know that we need to postpone our trip.”

  The second teen was excited and jumpy when she sat down across from Anna. “First, I want you to give me your hands.” The girl did as she was told. Anna closed her eyes and received a vision of Abby with her childhood friend. They were old ladies. She let go of her hands looked up with a grin. “Abby, I see you have a very good friend. I think her name is Casey. You both will be together when you are old.”

  “Wow, thank you. Oh my goodness. I’m so happy,” exclaimed Abbey. “Casey is going to be ecstatic.”

  IN THE CHILDREN’S section of the haunted manor, the kids were having a blast. Bobbing for skeletons, that is apples the drama class had carved, was a major hit. The delectable spider cookies and ladyfingers were scrumptious and did not last long. The best part was the costume contest. Five-year-old Jillian Smith won first place in her pirate outfit. She was the Pink Pirate, fearless and sea savvy. She had on ornate jewelry (stolen loot) and wore a pink velour jacket trimmed in lace. The jacket extended just enough to cover the top of a black & white satin skirt with frilly tulle. She had on a dramatic pirate hat and a plastic sabre, and she was exceptional at saying ‘Aaarr, Shiver me timbers’.

  One mother insisted on taking her child through the teen and adult section of the haunted manor. It was going fairly well until the ghouls suddenly appeared. The child, Sam, stared at the faces around him. They were ugly, disfigured and unsmiling. People were moaning and carrying bloody knives. He turned and buried his head into is mother's knees. When she pulled him away and bent down to see his face, he was pale and shaking. "Are you cold little pumpkin?" she asked. Then the tears flowed. All he could get out was "m-m-monsters." Then he buried his head again. As he did so a passing ghoul rattled some chains in his direction and cackled. He clung tighter. His mother scooped him up and raced out of the manor
in the same direction they had entered, Sam’s tear-stained face buried in his mom’s shoulder the entire way.

  The evening progressed. Anna saw many things that evening. All her predictions, from one student getting an A on a science project, to another falling in love with the wrong woman, appeared to her as truth—not just her playing a role in a costume. It was emotional at times. She saw the death of one teen’s parents. The very next reading she saw the birth of twins. Anna had been so busy seeing everyone’s future that she was unaware when Mark showed up. He laid his hand on her shoulder; she jolted upright and let out a squeal. “You scared me!”

  “I’m sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I just thought you should take a break. I wanted to discuss a few things with you.”

  “Okay, it seems everyone from the last group has entered the mirror maze.”

  She stood up and stretched and said, “I need a drink. Lets go get a Pepsi or something. But first, I want to go see Principal Martin and get a picture.”

  Anna couldn’t help but hear what the people had been saying all night about the hanging principal in the upstairs bedroom, first door to the left. Principal Martin was pretending to be hanging in the middle of the room, covered in splattered red paint and ketchup to simulate blood. He apparently had turned in what appeared to be a masterful performance. The patrons did indeed get a kick out of the moaning, limply hanging principal.

  They slipped out of her fortunetelling room to get a picture of Principal Martin. They made a shocking discovery. Anna stared at the corpse with a grim and shuddering fascination. His face was frozen in a glassy stare of horror. Mark stood gawking at the corpse.

  The moaning and struggling principal hadn't been acting at all - the patrons actually witnessed the slow, painful death of Mr. Martin. He had slipped, causing the noose to tighten on his neck. They had witnessed the real and accidental hanging of their principal.

  Accidental, or so they both thought, until Anna cut him down while Mark held onto him. Mark laid him down on the floor. She checked his pulse. He was dead. Then she noted a small folded piece of paper pinned to his shirt. She removed the paper and unfolded it and began reading:.