Danger Deception Devotion The Firsts

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  Marcie blinked back the tears. “So much has happened. I need your help.”

  Sally rested her hand on Marcie’s shoulder. “I can see that. You were snared good, and it hurt to peel you out of that web of conflicted confusion. You made some wrong choices, and you’re all banged up. Well, come on in. I’ll put some tea on, and we’ll get started, see what we can do to fix this mess.”

  Richard and Sam faced each other, raising their eyebrows, obviously puzzled, but, to their credit, they said nothing. Marcie responded to them by rolling her eyes. Jesse popped on his dark shades and leaned against the hood of the truck.

  Everyone followed as Sally marched, head high, to a large cedar deck at the back of the cottage; which had a latticed trellis on one side, draping a mature wisteria over the center of the deck. Pink and white roses, in full bloom, extended down the other side, with fresh mulch piled around each of the beauties. To complete this paradise, flower baskets hung from tall metal posts mounted in the four corners of the spacious deck. The fragrance alone was one step from heaven. Well, it should have been; except Marcie couldn’t shake the building anxiety and the knots cramping her stomach with worries, and, what ifs, dogging her over what answers Sally would provide. Sometimes, the answers weren’t what she expected. Then what would she do?

  Sam and Richard appeared bored while they claimed old wooden chairs around the square patio table. Sally slid the screen door open and went in the house. Marcie listened to Sally rummage inside, the whistle of the kettle, clangs and rattles as she prepared for her guests.

  “She’s going to be more help than you think,” Marcie said.

  Richard cleared his throat roughly.

  The wood deck creaked when Sally approached. Her wrinkled round face was void of any emotion. “I’ve heard it all dear. You may as well just say, ‘Be quiet, the witch is coming.’”

  “Sorry, Sally. We’re a little on edge. I appreciate you allowing us to barge in.” Marcie felt as if something had changed between them. Her teacher, who had taken her under her wing to help her develop her ability to channel and hear Spirit, who helped her rise to a higher level and shake off all the darkness that had still lingered in her aura—now Marcie felt there was an uneasy separation.

  Sally smiled distantly and then put down the tray with stacked cups and a pot of tea. She reached across the table, patting Marcie’s fisted hand. “Relax. Breathe. Give yourself some credit. You’ve overcome a huge obstacle just ripping those blinders off and seeing that man for who he really is. Now, everyone, help yourself to tea.” She nudged the tray to the center of the table.

  Sally pulled out a stool directly across from Marcie. Everyone scooted their chairs closer while Sally lit a white candle, pulled a cloth bundle from her pocket, and unwrapped tarot cards from a paisley silk scarf. Sally passed Marcie the deck of cards. “Shuffle and cut. You know how, but this time, place three piles away from you and then re-stack with the last cut on top. Ask your question.”

  Marcie followed Sally’s instructions and handed the deck back.

  “Which is top?” Sally asked.

  Marcie touched the deck and then watched as Sally laid out three cards directly in front of her: the Fool reversed, the Tower, and the Eight of Pentacles.

  “Oh dear, it’s worse than I thought. Well, let’s just dive in, and then we’ll figure out what we can fix from this mess,” Sally said.

  Marcie leaned forward in anticipation and glanced at the others. Everyone remained quiet. Richard looked at his watch and sighed, then shrugged when Maggie smacked his shoulder.

  “You seem to think you have more important things to do, like chasing your tail in a circle, instead of getting a clear read from Spirit as to where you all stand. This may be Marcie’s reading, but you’re all part of this, by choice or not.” Sally never looked up as she spoke. Her tone was clipped, and, wisely, Richard didn’t respond. He crossed his arms and appeared to mope.

  “Young man, if you really want to have a good look at me, take off those shades. It’s dim back here. I’ve been around skeptics my entire life. Just be respectful.” She jabbed a bony finger at Jesse.

  Jesse yanked off his shades and popped them in his jacket pocket. “Meant no disrespect, ma’am. Just curious, is all, to meet someone of your talent.”

  “Hmm” was all Sally muttered as she continued to study the colorful, worn cards. “This is you, my dear.” She tapped the Fool, pictured above the cliff, with her index finger and connected her light golden eyes directly with Marcie. “This is about choices, not seeing what’s before you but walking blindly, without care for the consequences. Your eyes are tiny and cannot see the pitfalls right in front of you. It’s been a carefree go for you, with no established roots. Do you see the knapsack tossed carelessly over the shoulder? It’s not even held with any conviction. There’s no firm grasp. Others followed your light, see? At the heels. You’ve led innocents along with you, believing no harm would come. Your eroded foundation has blocked your light. See the cliff reversed? It’s above you. The solid rocks, the icy blue, has clouded your sight. The light is below you. You can’t see because of the choice you made to follow blindly. Even the feather in your cap, the red is about power and volatile passion. The shirt looks like coins, pentacles, spokes of a wheel, but it’s false, not right or true. Easy money. For you, it wasn’t about the money. For him, it was.”

  Guilt warmed Marcie’s face. Did everyone know how right Sally was?

  “Now don’t you go feeling ashamed and sorry for yourself. I knew what you were doing. It’s about right choices and balance. What you take, you must give back. There’s no room for greed in the universe. You know that. You can lie to yourself and say it was for love, but, for you, it was an obsession. You got to look after his plants, to be near him. All of Dan McKenzie’s promises, you lapped them up. You were willing to do anything for him. There’s no honesty between you two. There can’t be honesty in darkness, and that’s all this is. He has so many dark entities attached to him, that the ‘real’ him doesn’t exist. The only way they survive is to feed off your goodness, and the goodness of others like you, until you’re destroyed. Your granny’s here, standing right behind you, hopping around, excited. You couldn’t hear her no matter how hard she tried. Dan McKenzie stalked you. When you met, it was no coincidence. It was planned.

  “Lance Silver always wanted a piece of you to toy with. Your granny kept him away. We scared sense into you about that evil man.” Sally glanced kindly at Marcie. “It was partly my fault; when my best friend, your granny, died—I got distracted, and I never saw Dan coming. He slipped past my radar and tracked you. Until I saw you two together, I didn’t realize the danger attached to you. By then, it was too late; you wouldn’t listen to me.”

  Sally closed her eyes, propped her left elbow on the table, and bowed her head, putting her hand on her forehead. She stayed silent for a few minutes and seemed to take in the conflict within the card. When she lowered her hand, she placed both in her lap, clasping them together. When she looked up, her smile was filled with love and gentle support. “It’s time this came out. This card is all about conflict and problems; from your family, their background—your background. But look at this.” She tapped the card with her index finger. “It’s the castle crumbling. The dictator’s crown is blown off, but the other retains his crown as he tumbles backward into darkness.

  “The lightning bolt and arrowhead are purposeful. They hit their target. Fire leaps out, burning through the windows. But you look at the golden leaves on each side of this tower, two sides of a family tree. The one side retains its crown. The other’s destroyed, a family predestined to destruction. See the three windows? Three is about change. The one with the crown falls backward, hands extended out in faith, falling into darkness. He can’t see. The blue gown trails behind. This blue speaks of healing, a gift. The one without the crown flounders, falling forward into the clouds, vision obscured.”

  She looked from Sam to Marcie. “The lightnin
g bolt represents the power behind this destructive force. This card speaks of going back generations. This power’s incarnate. The magic and control he wields is strong.” She blew out a quick huff of breath. “This is about an abrupt ending, a sudden change. If you continue on as you have, you will be destroyed, both of you.” Sally waved her hands in the air. She didn’t extend compassion. She dug right in, speaking about all she saw while she cupped her ear and nodded each time she heard from Spirit.

  “Ah, this is better, the Eight of Pentacles, a card of an apprentice, starting over. This is something new and good.” She tapped three times with her index finger into the center of this positive card. “All’s not lost. You do have something to get you in the right direction—diligent, hard work.”

  She reached beside her and patted Sam’s hand resting on the table. “Sam, you’re the target, always have been. Whatever you build’s marked. None of you here are powerless. Look around you at this table. Each one of you is here for a reason. And each one of you, together, is a powerful ally. Pool your resources… your strengths. Work together. Be honest with each other.” Sally looked at each of them, focusing hard on Richard until he squirmed in his chair, pulling on his jean jacket.

  “And the most important thing to remember is that times have changed. You have rights and resources you didn’t have before. This played out before in another life with Jerome.” She winked at Marcie, who felt as though a sledgehammer had struck her. Everyone whispered and fidgeted in their chairs. “I asked for help for you, and it was sent by the legion of angels around us. Jerome’s your spirit guide, and he’ll lead you away from Dan and his trap. Those letters are to teach you how a dark entity manipulated and destroyed two lives. What each of you needs to do now is use the resources available to you, legal and spiritual. Document your facts, keep a paper trail, and work together.”

  “Sally, how do we stop Dan?” Marcie asked. “He tried to set Sam up by planting drugs in his locker, and he went to Maggie and said he had a witness that Richard burned down a house. He said he would expose Richard if she didn’t help me get his marijuana.”

  Sally reached over and touched Marcie’s hand. “Listen. Dan’s a monster. He’d have killed you by sucking your energy from you until you withered away. He’s not done with you yet. He has plans. That’s what he does. He preys on the innocent. He’s a wizard, and he’s known since he was a child that he was different, that he had gifts, but he has so much darkness inside of him. It was attached to him when he was born. He knows how to use the elements to benefit him, and, yes, even to harm others. You send love.” Sally jabbed her whole hand at Marcie. “You know this. Flood him like a fire hydrant spraying a hose of love at him. Those dark elements will scurry and hide. Love overcomes darkness. Have you forgotten that? Stay in the present and start listening to your angels around you. They’re bouncing behind you, with your granny, but you’re still not listening to them. Get all that clutter out of your head. Start meditating again, every day.”

  Sally shuffled her deck of cards. “Now, tell me about these special needs kids you found when you delivered the marijuana.”

  Maggie’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. “How’d you know?”

  Sally pulled back her lips in a tight smile, flashing unusually clean teeth for an eighty-five-year-old woman. “Spirit told me.” She pulled a card from the center of the splayed deck, holding it close to her face. “Well, interesting. What are you up to, Dan? He’s hidden the truth and distanced himself. Smart, but cowardly. It’s all about money. He has no feelings. Ask for help for those kids from your angels. You turn it over to them. Something’s happened to one of them already.” She shoved the card back in the deck before any of them could see.

  “You’ve got enough to do. Go back to your granny’s place. It’s time for you to stay here on Las Seta. It’s where your battle will be fought. Surround yourself in light, and you’ll be protected. Do this the right way, with love, and bring an end to this man. Then you turn your evidence over to the right authorities, and you walk away. You let them deal with Dan. There are others like him; bigger, more powerful.”

  She focused stern eyes on Sam. “Young man, you start listening to this girl beside you. Listen to the answers she gets from Jerome, to what comes in her dreams. That’s all I can help you with today, my dear. This battle’s yours. Dan will come again. Follow your instincts. You’ve got one more shot to get it right.” Sally’s voice trembled. She cleared her throat and pasted on a stiff smile.

  “Just remember, difficult times present themselves for things we have no control over, but this,” she sketched a line with her finger past each of them to form a circle, “the snare Dan’s caught you in, it’s time to turn the tables and change the outcome. Whether you know it or not, by coming together, as you have, you’ve already begun.”

  “Just remember that time’s not on your side. You’re running out. Keep your heads together, your faith strong. Absolute trust and honesty is important from each of you. Now, I’ve a garden to water.” She rose from her chair, busying her hands with her bundle.

  Marcie knew Sally had held something vital back. She’d become reclusive and touchy, not focusing on anyone. Marcie whispered to Sam, “Can you take everyone to the truck? I want to talk to Sally alone for a minute.”

  She caught the possessive male light in those brilliant, blue eyes, and they warmed her like a tropical beach down south. It was unsettling, to say the very least, to have a man letting her know, with a simple look, that she mattered.

  “You’re trembling. I can feel it.” He placed his hand over her shoulder, and the touch sent her blood humming.

  “You do that to me.”

  He cupped her cheek and gave her a soft look, sending her pulse scrambling, and he said, “Call me when you’re done. I’ll come and get you.”

  Marcie leaned into his hand and shut her eyes, absorbing his touch right down to her toes. “I will.”

  “Come on, guys. Let’s go,” he said.

  Everyone offered a brief goodbye right before being ushered off the deck by Sam, and around the side of the cottage. His voice purred like warm whiskey, causing a tug in the center of Marcie’s belly, as he made some distracting comments on the vast array of early autumn color filling the gardens around the tranquil property.

  Marcie hobbled around the table, her crutches lying on the deck behind her.

  Sally frowned, pursed her lips, and crossed her arms, resembling an irritated witch. Marcie felt as if a stern lecture was sure to follow. “Marcie, I’ve known you and watched over you since your granny, my best friend, rescued you from the cesspool you grew up in, so I’ve the right to say some things to you.”

  Her eyes bore into Marcie’s. “You screwed up. And it took an act of God to turn the tide. You lied to me on the phone. You think I didn’t know you carried something illegal? Drugs! You’ve been asking your entire life for your knight in shining armor to come in and sweep you off your feet. You were fooled by Dan. You’d make excuses, and you compromised your values—yourself. I hope you know that good man who’s waiting for you now is who you asked for. He’s the right one. You need to stay strong. Don’t allow Dan’s ability to get past your defenses to seduce you into doing anything for him. His shadow still lurks around you.”

  Marcie bit her lower lip, feeling herself slip toward a good sulk. She knew there was a lot she needed to atone for, but having it cast out in her face wasn’t helping.

  Sally continued: “Lose the pity party. You did it. It’s done. But I need to be harsh because you have no idea of the power that’s coming down on you. He got his hooks clean into you. I’ve seen innocents carried out on a stretcher when they’ve done battle with a dark entity like Dan. He knows how to tap into you, when to do it, and you let him in.” The top of Sally’s head came no higher than Marcie’s chin. She reached her wrinkled bony hand up and squeezed Marcie’s arm. Dirt coated her fingernails, a familiar sight that was so Sally.

  “You weren’t ready
to go out into the world without protection, but you’re going to start here and now. Every day from here on out, you bathe in salt and carry it in your pocket. Take this silver hematite and keep it with you. You pull that gold cord down from the universe and wrap yourself in it. Do it now, and keep it there, and you fill your heart with love and hold on to it. Answers will be given to you. Ask your angels. Jerome is with you. Call on him for help each step of the way, and you listen to the peaceful feeling in your gut and the wariness that comes over you when something’s not right, because that’s him. Then you’ll know which choice to make. Keep everyone focused. Temper your attitude, and believe what you hear and see in the messages that come to you.”

  Marcie felt her stomach pitch as a chill shot up her spine. She hugged Sally tight. “It’s going to be bad, isn’t it?”

  Sally held her away, just as a mother does to a child she’s about to scold. “You know better than to allow fear in. Darkness feeds on it. Surround all that fear, anger, hate, and doubt with love and light.”

  Marcie winced when she heard the crunch of gravel. She didn’t have to turn to know it was Sam. “The letters, I need help with the letters and Jerome. He keeps coming to me in my dreams.”

  Sally cut Marcie off quite briskly. “What’s this? I just told you, and you’re not listening. When you walk the right road, the answers will be given to you. Hold up the palm of your hands. Close your eyes. Call on St. Michael, call on Jerome, listen, believe, and follow the messages they give you. Jerome’s here with you now. He’ll guide you one step at a time. You’re being tested in your faith right now, Marcie. Whether you believe it or not, you’re making steady progress. Ask yourself: When you’re alone, do you believe? Yes, or no, Marcie?

  “Do not be lured by darkness. Jerome was snared. His wife became a victim. Those letters are to help you see from another angle. He needs you to understand how dangerous this entity is. You’ll be given the answers as you need them, no more and no less. Listen and act upon them. If you do not follow through with what Spirit’s telling you, the repercussions will be severe. I know you understand that much. There’s no black and white. Everything’s an illusion. I can’t tell you what steps to take. I can only help you hear what you’re ignoring. Jerome’s letters are his story, a history linking you and Sam. Haven’t you listened to what he’s told you so far? Work together with your friends, honestly. Be just, and don’t do anything alone. Light overcomes darkness. Love overcomes hate. Now go with your man and spend some quiet time in nature. If you need more help, let me know. I’ll come.”