by Tonya Kappes
“Get in here.” Raven brushed her hands down her Wicked Good apron before she pulled her long black hair into a low-slung ponytail. “It feels great out. Just like Halloween.” She rubbed her hands together, and then gestured toward the glass counter. “Good afternoon, Mr. Prince Charming.”
Mr. Prince Charming trotted in with his tail waving as though he was in a beauty pageant. I followed him inside and rubbed my hands up and down my arms, and then folded the collar of my fur vest down.
“Oh.” My eyes lit up looking at all the yummy cupcakes decorated with googley eyes, vampire teeth, and spiders. “I absolutely love what you have done with the place.”
The lime green walls looked amazing against the jars of candy that lined them. The cake stands on each table held the most amazing assortment of cupcakes I’d ever seen.
The black and white checkered floor lead the way to a room filled with Victorian style dining furniture.
“I need to buy five June’s Gems.” I tapped the glass where the sweet treat was located.
“Five?” Her heavy black lashes that shadowed her cheeks flew up. “Okay, what’s wrong?”
Not that it was unusual for me to get a June’s Gem, but five was a steep order, even for me.
“Nothing,” I protested. I really didn’t want to tell her the truth because she knew just as much as I did that it was taboo to mess with the heart, good or bad.
Hiss, hiss. Mr. Prince Charming stood on his hind legs and batted at my bracelet, reminding me that interfering in this love thing wasn’t a good idea.
“Hush,” I hissed back, and ignored the fact that he was batting at the only thing that really protects me from any type of evil spirits---my charm bracelet.
The day he showed up on my tenth birthday with a turtle charm dangling from his collar, I knew he was special. It wasn’t until I had moved to Whispering Falls that I found out I was a spiritualist and he was my fairy god cat. And he had been giving me protection charms to keep me safe.
That didn’t matter now. He was all bent out of shape about Oscar and me, and now the love potion. He bolted out the door.
“What’s with him?” Raven tilted her head. We watched him bolt down the street and into Golly Bee Pet Shop. Nervously she bit her lip like she always did when a new spirit comes to her.
I shrugged. There was no way I was going to tell her about Oscar and me. No one knew, because we had decided to keep it on the down low until Halloween was over.
“Anyway, you never know who is going to want to eat one of those tasty treats tomorrow.” I smiled, trying to cover up any type of lie.
She eyed me suspiciously and didn’t say a word. She was a Dark-Sider, so I knew she had a good feeling that I was hiding something. But in my world, the fewer people who knew what you were up to, the better.
“Here you go.” She handed the hot pink box with lime green bow, that was filled with the tasty goodness, over the counter. Her eyes danced over my face as if she was trying to read me or someone else. “I hope they are put to good use.”
“You don’t. . .” I swirled my finger at the box, “…see anyone around me do you?”
Raven’s spiritual gift of being a medium was something that made me green with envy. I’m always asking her if she sees anyone around me, just in case my mom or dad did happen to seek me out.
“No, I’m so sorry.” She reached out and touched my arm. She gave me ‘the look.’ A look I knew all too well. The poor June lost her mom and dad look. But I graciously smiled. I did have a great life and didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for me.
As I said, Whispering Falls had a little touch of magic in everything. We knew the outside world was hard enough to live in. We just helped them cope with it a little better.
I grabbed the box. “Great! Thanks for the treats. I will see you tomorrow for all the festivities.”
I rushed out the door before I was going to give away any more details. The last thing I wanted was to be brought up in front of the Village Council, the elders in the community. There were many rules to follow and Halloween wasn’t the time to be testing them.
The quicker I got to A Charming Cure and injected the potion for Adeline, the faster I could get to the Gathering Rock for the annual Halloween Smudging Ceremony, where I had to make sure the community was cleansed and ready for the sacred night.
“Excuse me.” I darted in and out of the crowded sidewalk trying to get to the shop. It was unusually busy. I was sure everyone could feel the enchantment in the air.
“Business must be good, June Heal.” Constance Karima sounded snide.
The Karmina twins brushed passed me and continued to keep up with my stride. Their arms pumped back and forth as their short legs tried to keep up.
“Um, hmm. Must be good, June Heal,” Patience Karima chirped over my left shoulder. I didn’t dare look at her because I knew her green eyes would be glaring at me. And quiet frankly, she scared me sometimes. There was just something creepy about someone who constantly repeats everything you say.
“Good evening, sisters.” I waved my hand in the air, carefully keeping the box of June’s Gems balanced with the other one. “I can’t complain.”
“Well, we can.” Constance’s five-foot plump body stopped like a dead possum in front of me. Her grey hair was in tight little curls all over her small round head. She pointed her rather stout finger at me and shook it. “Business hasn’t been the same since you came to town with that. . .that. . .”
“Not the same,” Patience chuckled nervously and wrung her hands together as she firmly planted her feet on the other side of her twin sister.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I made my way around the Karima’s and down the street toward A Charming Cure.
“You can’t heal the world, June Heal!” Constance yelled from behind.
“No you can’t!” Patience chirped, looking in the other direction and then cleared her throat.
“What was that about?” Petunia Shrubwood walked out of Golly Bee and gestured toward the two angry twins. “You’ve got them all up in arms over something.”
“Oh, they are blaming me because their business is down.” I rolled my eyes. There was no way in the world that I, June Heal, had anything to do with the comings and goings of souls, especially the soon-to-be dead ones. “I can’t help it if they rely on people dying to make a living.”
I glanced back at Two Sister’s and a Funeral. A dark cloud loomed over top of it, which was very strange since it was usually sunny in Whispering Falls. But it was autumn, and this was the first time I’ve lived here during the fall season.
“Someone is always blaming someone,” Petunia scoffed, and tried to adjust the twigs sticking out of her messy up-do. “I see Mr. Prince Charming has come to visit Elroy.”
I looked into the front window of Golly Bee, and sure enough, Mr. Prince Charming sat next to Elroy under the living tree in the corner of the store.
“Elroy looks ready for business.” I smiled, looking at the brown canine that was sitting tall with his blue turban perched on his head. He was psychic in another life, according to Petunia.
“He really thinks he’s giving Mr. Prince Charming a reading.” She nodded as we watched Elroy and Mr. Prince Charming meow and bark back and forth as if they really were having a conversation.
Petunia had the spiritual gift of communicating with the good souls that came back in the form of an animal. She definitely had her way with all animals.
I snickered as the birds flew around Mr. Prince Charming’s head and squirrels jumped from limb to limb. Yes, Petunia was in her element.
A year ago I would have considered her crazy, and I would never have believed animals could live in harmony. Golly Bee Pet Shop had proven me wrong.
“Send him over when you are sick of him.” I took my box of treats into A Charming Cure. It was getting late and I still had to get my ingredients ready for the smudging ceremony.
“Hmm. . .” I looked down the line of spices to find th
e right ingredients for Adeline’s not-so-in-love man. I grabbed a few things and begin tossing them in the cauldron. “Oh… can’t forget the salt.”
I took a few pinches of such a basic grain, that meant pure love, and watched the murky bubbling substance spark, creating a puff of red smoke that hung over the pot.
With my hands held over the red orb, I began repeating the chant over and over in my head to help finish the cure.
Roses and candlelight
Come to me, come tonight
You shall be mine till I you free
This is my will, so shall it be.
I had to repeat it three times before the cauldron flipped off, letting me know it was finished. The clear bottle Adeline had picked out with the red glittery swirl glowed like fire. It was ready to house such a powerful cure.
With the bottle in one hand, I took the ladle and filled it with the red mixture, carefully filling the glass container.
Carefully I put a small hole in the side of each June’s Gems and injected a little of the cure in each one. Just enough to get the point across.
“There.” I was pleased with how you couldn’t tell I had messed with them. It would be a perfect Halloween treat for Adeline to give her man.
Voila!
Happily ever after.
I was such a sucker for love. . .true love.
Four
The chill in the Hallows Eve night air made all the elements come together for a perfect smudging ceremony. The light breeze created an almost harmonious tune as it hit the leaves in the trees.
Whoo, whoo. The owls let everyone know they were in the trees watching over us.
I looked around as I carefully placed all the ingredients I had gathered for the smudging ceremony on the Gathering Rock. I knew Oscar wasn’t going to be able make it. He never did. Besides, he had Sorcery class tonight and he had to make sure everything was safe while the entire community was at the ceremony. As if Whispering Falls were dangerous…it wasn’t. But I did expect to see Mr. Prince Charming.
Even though it really didn’t surprise me any that he would use this as a learning tool to teach me a lesson on not to interfere with love.
Regardless, the ceremony must go on.
“Good night for a gathering.” Eloise slid up behind me. Her emerald eyes glistened like the stars that were dotting the sky.
“Isn’t it fantastic?” I inhaled, deeply. It was really great to see her; after all, she was my mother’s best friend. I always felt a close connection with Eloise. She was part Dark-Sider and-Fairiwick, not to mention she was also Oscar’s Aunt. Only Oscar was completely a Fairiwick whose specialty was sorcery. “Have you seen Oscar lately?”
I acted as if it was no big deal that I had asked, even though I knew she knew about Oscar and me dating secretly.
“Actually, he did stop by today.” She used her fingertips to pick at the edges of her short red hair, her eyes looking deep into my soul. “He told me about the little kiss and. . .”
I tried to contain my smile, but there was no way around it.
“Please,” Madame Torres dripped with sarcasm from the bottom of my bag. “At least you didn’t have to watch it.”
“Zip it!” I loudly whispered into the bag, giving Madame Torres a slight reminder of her place.
“Oh, June!” Eloise’s cloak flew up behind her as she wrapped her arms around me. “Darla would be so happy.”
Oh, no! Everything I had feared about starting a relationship with Oscar was about to come true. Everyone was going to marry us off and we had just started dating.
“We haven’t told . . .well, anyone.” It wasn’t as if we were trying to keep it a secret, we just didn’t have time with us working so much. And we didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up.
“Your secret is safe with me.” Her eyes and shoulders lifted in approval.
“What secret?” Hili brushed her long blond hair behind her head. Raven walked up behind her. Hili had her pen and pencil out ready to take notes for the new local newspaper for spiritualists, or to take notes so she could read my cards in the comfort of her new apartment that she and Raven share above Wicked Good Cupcakes.
I brushed her off. “Everyone always wants to know what’s in the smudging sticks,” I lied and looked away.
“This is our first smudging ceremony!” Raven seemed to be excited to see me perform.
“Good Hallows Eve, everyone,” I kept my tone level and quiet. “Let’s gather around the rock. The Gathering Rock. The place we have long used as our alter of good things.”
Slowly, everyone walked into a big circle facing the rock in the center. Mr. Prince Charming was nowhere to be seen. There was no dancing tail in sight.
Everyone watched as I picked up the Bald Eagle and Blue Jay feathers and tied them together.
“As in nature, I will use these two feathers to help spread the uplifting smoke from the ceremony to cleanse, protect, and continue growth in Whispering Falls.” I held the feathers above my head, and then proceeded to break the Larrea Tridentata into bits and pieces, along with the Desert Mistletoe. Using natural hemp string, I tied the bundle together and laid it on the Gathering Rock, our alter. “Here is a Rose Quartz stone,” I walked around showing everyone the beautiful pink stone, “The Rose Quartz opens up the fourth Chakra, the heart. I will set it on our alter to help with healing so we can continue to move forward in our village.”
The nods and smiles let me continue.
“This is my green stone,” I held it between my fingers in the air, “meaning balance and growth renewal as we move into the Orange Moon Phase of our village.”
Until reading the village manual, I had no idea that spiritualist’s community calendars run Orange Moon to Orange Moon, meaning Halloween Eve to Halloween Eve.
The world views Halloween as a time for children to dress up and get candy. Whispering Falls comes together to celebrate our heritage, which was a perfect time for a smudging ceremony.
Carefully I lit the bundle and laid it back on the rock. Picking up the feathers, I fanned the smoke that was beginning to rise.
“Give thanks to the Universe,” I called into the night air, “Take slow deep breaths as the smoke comes near you. Smell the clean fresh scent all the way to your core.”
Slowly I walk around the use the feathers to circle the smoke around the bodies of everyone gathered there.
Before putting the bundle back on the Gathering rock, I circled the smoke around each of my limbs thinking of Oscar and cleansing his spirit. Opening my eyes, I saw him standing beyond the smoke, outside the circle, with a smile on his face. Our eyes met. He knew I was thinking of him.
“Everyone have a seat and let the bundle burn out, with all your cares being released.” Everyone took a seat as we waited for the smoke to clear, focusing on each of our needs and growth for the upcoming year.
Caw, Caw. A Bald Eagle swooped down into the smoke, gathering it on its wings, and then carried it across Whispering Falls, taking everyone’s cares away.
I glanced over to where I had seen Oscar, but he was gone.
Five
Bang, bang.
“Madame Torres, go to bed.” I rolled over and automatically pushed the globe clear to the other side of my bedside table.
Bang, bang, bang!
“It’s not me.” Madame Torres red glow lit up the black room…red like lava. She was pissed. “You know I have to get my beauty rest!”
Bang, bang, bang!
I grabbed the cell and quickly dialed Oscar. “Oscar,” I whispered into the phone when I heard him click the ‘on’ button before he even acknowledged me,” someone is beating down my door and trying to break in.”
“June, it’s me. I’m at your door.”
Silence.
“There isn’t an open bedroom window to crawl through like I did when we were kids.” He laughed, reminding me how many times I woke up with him hanging out in my room while I slept. Creepy, right? But not really. We were best friends w
ith weird family lives. “I knocked and called, but you must have been fast asleep.”
“Oh.” I pulled the phone away from my ear and noticed there was a missed call notification.
“Were you having a dream again?” He asked, referring to my nightmares that had a tendency to come true in some form or another.
“No.” I bit my lip trying to remember if I was having a dream or nightmare before the banging.
“Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Are you going to let me in or not?” He asked. “I have to talk to you right now.”
There was desperation in his voice; the same tone he used when he told me I was the number one murder suspect in a spiritualist’s death. Not a good tone.
“Oh, yeah.” I hung up the phone, grabbed the sweatshirt off the chair in my bedroom and put it on.
I ran my hands through my short black bob, and fluffed my bangs, hoping that I looked somewhat attractive.
Funny, I’ve never had to think this way before when he would come over. Before we were trying to be a couple.
“Please. . .” Sarcasm dripped from Madame Torres. “Am I going to have to watch this?”
“Go to bed!” I shut the bedroom door behind me, and padded down the hall. Oscar’s shadowy figure was coming through the door by the light of the orange moon.
I glanced over at the clock on the wall, just as Mr. Prince Charming ran past me to the door.
“Midnight!” A giddy joy filled my soul. It was finally Halloween. The most celebrated day in Whispering Falls. I swung the door open, and flung my arms around Oscar’s neck. “Happy Halloween!”
When we first moved to Whispering Falls, we had no idea there was a spiritualist bone in our body. We thought they wanted us because I made such amazing natural homeopathic cures and he was a great cop. We always knew that we really didn’t fit in with the kids that we grew up with, and we accepted that.