A story I wrote recently...

Sitting alone watching the hustle and bustle of the season fast
approaching her she couldn’t help but to feel the excitement. The
holiday had always had this effect on her. Older now, hair whitened by
age and her once young face slowly losing its form to the outside world,
she wondered if he would even recognize her after all this time. Her
heart began to race as she thought of him, the man she had so long ago
given her heart to. The one she would love until time escaped her.
Surely he would know her. This was the season of dreams coming true, the
season of miracles. Just to see him one last time, to touch him one
last time. Outwardly she breathed a sigh as the thoughts of him ran
through her head. Memories of their life together, secrets they had
shared, and the love that had been hers to hold. The moment was creeping
closer when her dream would come true and as the thought formed in her
mind a small smile played along the edges of her wrinkled cheeks and her
eyes danced but for a moment.
She sat and reveled in the children waiting so patiently to see the man himself. The man who would fulfill
their every wish during this season of wishes, Santa. There he was, the
jolly man in red, flanked by his helper elves that were putting one
child up on his lap and then taking them off. All day long the poor dear
had to endure this treatment but his eyes still sparkled and his smile
never wavered. His patented Ho Ho Ho made the children happy, so on and
on it continued.
She watched in amazement this man who represented the miracle maker of the season. Wondering if she should go tell him
what her wish for this holiday was. Her wish may be too much for him she
thought. But he was the reason she had come out to this mall. She would
wait just a little longer.
The lines were beginning to dwindle down to a trickle as the sun began to set just outside the mall. The children
would be going home with their parents and probably off to bed, she
thought. Santa rose from his chair at long last to stretch his legs, no
doubt tired from the day’s activities. As he began to hobble away from
his makeshift castle his eyes met hers. She could feel the nervousness
catch her in and decided to smile his way. A smile that was quickly
returned to her. She should leave she thought but he was walking her
way.
“Hello there, dear lady. I’ve seen you sitting over there all day watching the children.” He said. “Would you care to join an old man
for a coffee?” She smiled politely and nodded. Together they walked to
the coffee café.
As the man in red went to the counter he turned to ask her, “How do you take your coffee?” to which she quietly replied,
“Two cream, two sugar, please.” With a smile, he turned back to the
counter and ordered their coffees, then returned to the table they had
chosen by the window. Darkness had fallen over the parking lot and the
moon was out. She had always loved the moon, even worshipped it. Many a
full moon night she had prepared rituals to celebrate the fullness of
the goddess in the moon but her revelry was cut short but the man’s
voice again. “So my dear, what brings you down to this madness of the
place I call my second home?” A grin spread across his face as he rose
his cup up to his mouth. As quietly as before, perhaps even softer, she
replied. “To see you.” The man, who everyone called Santa, returned his
cup to the table, staring intently at her now. “What is it you came to
see me for?” He asked.
Her mind began racing again. Now was her chance. She needed to ask him. “I have a wish I need to discuss with
you.” He paused a moment and then replied. “A wish? And what would this
wish be?” She slowly began her story. Santa just listened intently as
she began. “I am in love with this man. I have loved him forever it
seems.” She could feel the energy coming from inside her as she started
telling this man, this stranger really, of the one she held a torch for.
Her heart began to sing as she recounted their days together and the
feelings she had bottled up inside her for so long. As he just sat there
listening to her, never interrupting. Tears welled up in her eyes as
she came to the heart of the reason why she had kept this man hostage
from his life outside the mall. “I wish to see him, one last time.”
The man in red didn’t laugh at her as so many had. Pity didn’t take his
face over as she had expected. He simply shook his head in sadness. “My
dear, you do realize I am an actor. The mall pays me to wear this red
suit and play Santa. I’m not the real thing; I guess you could say I’m a
fake really.” She smiled a bit as she explained her need for him. “I
realize you are a paid Santa, sir. But it’s the season of miracles that
you represent that I can draw my power from. What I really need is your
assistance if it’s not too much to ask.” At this point, the woman
pulled out her pentacle from the confines of the shirt she wore. “You
see sir, I am of the Wiccan faith and yes sir, I am a witch of many
years. I need you to help me in performing a spell, this full moon.”
She sat and waited for his response. And expecting that he would just
laugh in her face, call her crazy and storm out; was completely
surprised when he just sat there watching her.
Speaking confidently now she explained to him, “I am performing a spell this full moon to ask
my god and goddesse for one last chance to see my love before my time
on this earth comes to an end. Since you are the representative for the
fulfillment of wishes, I need your help in making this spell powerful in
that aspect. You need do nothing but stand by me so I can draw the
magick from you.” He raised his hand to his face and stroked his fake
beard. “My dear, I don’t pretend to understand what it is you are asking
of me. But I am intrigued in what you are saying. I must ask you
though, why is it that you can’t just call this man or write him? I
assume you have lost touch with him somehow?” Tears welled up again in
her eyes, as she replied softly once again. “I lost my love many years
ago. He was taken from me too quickly and even though I dream of him
often it is my wish to see him in the flesh once more before I join him
in the summerlands. Pausing and with her voice breaking, she continued.
“I am not long for this earthly life, sir, I too am dying, But not too
quickly that I will run out of time before the full moon. This will be
my last chance to see my love again.”
Silence became loudness in the air between the pair. It was as though time was standing still. The
woman jumped when the man finally spoke. “You truly believe I can help
you?” He asked. Looking up from her now cold coffee she met his eyes.
“Yes.” She said. “I believe it to be so.” The Santa man took a deep
breath and exhaled. “Okay my dear, what is it you need me to do?” The
woman, actually surprised at his response and with building excitement
brewing inside her started to explain what needed to be done. “Well
first of all we need to plan on how we will get together on this full
moon, do you know when full moon is?” Watching the man shake his head
she stated matter of factly, “It’s on the 30th this month. I will need
to do this spell promptly at midnight on the 30th. Will that be a
problem for you?” “No he replied, “Christmas will be over by then and I
will be just another unemployed Santa.” His eyes danced as he said this
and the woman knew she had chosen the right person to help her.
Arrangements were made between the two old souls to meet the night of
the 30th, the night of the full moon.
As the two parted ways that night the man, known only as Santa, looked up into the sky. The moon was
out and the sky was lit up in stars, the likes to which he had never
seen. Was it a sign? He wondered. His thoughts were racing as he drove
home that night. Was he crazy? This woman claimed to be a witch. Spells
and hocus pocus. She didn’t look crazy. She didn’t act crazy either. As a
matter of fact he somehow believed that she was speaking the truth. A
truth he had never realized before. He finally pulled into his driveway
and got out of the car. As he was walking up the sidewalk to his home,
he looked up into the sky once more. The moon seemed to be smiling at
him and he smiled back. Shaking his head as he walked up the steps to
his door he somehow had a feeling that his life had just been changed
and would never be the same again. One more glance at the moon and into
his house he went.
Christmas came and went for the two. The former Santa went about his daily activities, taking care of the cats, coffee
at the café, napping in his favorite chair and an occasional visit from
his now grown kids. Lonely was what he was for the most part. But each
night before he went to bed, he marked the days off on his calendar. Dec
28th, Dec29th…Tomorrow was the full moon. He would see the woman again
at their agreed location.
Meanwhile the woman prepared for her full moon ritual. This would be her last and if all went as planned she would
see her love soon. Excitement kept building in her and she could hardly
contain herself. The energy flowed through her now as never before.
Checking her correspondences, gathering her supplies and rereading and
revising her spell until it was perfect. Full moon was tomorrow night
and she was ready.
The old man arrived at the woman’s home at 11:00. He didn’t know what to expect when he walked through her door. The once
old woman he had met at the mall had somehow transformed. She glowed
with a light that seemed to come from within. Dressed in a long black
dress and a cloak of deep maroon she invited him into her humble home.
As he looked around he saw pictures of people, faces smiling from the
confines of the frames. He assumed they were family but as he sat down
on the couch something else caught his eye.
In the far corner was a table draped in red cloth. On the table were two large glass candle
holders with light flickering inside. To the back of the table was an
old black wrought iron stand with a silver bowl and a glass piece with
another candle in it. The smell of incense was in the air. “That is my
alter.” The woman explained.” It is where I have performed my spells and
rituals for many years. You may look closer if you wish.” The man stood
and walked over to the table.
A feeling came over him as he got closer to the table. It was like an energy running through his body. The
hair was standing up on his arms he realized. He looked back for the
woman who was now seated in the chair. “What’s this feeling that’s come
over me?” He asked. “The power of the god and goddess.” She answered.
“It’s an amazing feeling isn’t it? It takes some time to get used to but
it’s also unlike any other feeling you may ever have. Please, don’t be
afraid.” The man turned back to the couch to join the woman.
“So, what is it exactly you need me to do here? I mean, I obviously know
nothing of what you do, the spell stuff I mean.” Smiling sweetly the
woman answered. “I only need to you to join hands with me at the point I
tell you to. Nothing more. I will do all the rest.” The man, feeling a
bit nervous and a bit scared asked. “Would it be too much to ask for a
glass of water?” The woman jumped up. “Oh heavens, where are my manners.
Of course sir, I have other beverages if you like, soda, juice…”She
said. “No, thank you. Water will be just fine. Oh and you needn’t call
me sir. You can call me Ted, my name is Ted.” He replied. “May I ask
what your name is, my dear?” Smiling at him she replied. “Vicky, my name
is Vicky.” “Nice to meet you, Vicky.” Ted said smiling and feeling
more comfortable. Vicky replied almost laughing, “Nice to meet you as
well, Sir Ted. Let me get you that water.”
As the midnight hour approached, Ted sat and watched Vicky as she gathered together some
things he recognized and some he didn’t. As she set up her table she
explained what she was about to do. “I will first burn some sage. “She
explained. “I use the sage to empower myself and to cleanse my area of
bad energy and negativity. I call it smudging. If you like I will smudge
you as well. I first cast a protective circle around my work area. It
is basically an imaginary circle that keeps my work area safe from
outside forces so that I can better concentrate on the work at hand. I
will then light my candles and call my quarters. Ummm, how do I explain
quarters? Okay, The quarters are the representatives of the North,
South, East and West. They gather together at my request to help me with
the spell I’m casting.” She was smiling now and the light within her
somehow got brighter. Ted thought it must be his imagination but found
he couldn’t help staring at her, amazed at what he was seeing.
The big grandfather clock on the back wall began to chime out its first bell
for the midnight hour. Vicky turned to look at it and then turned to
Ted and said, “It’s time, please join me at my alter.” The chimes were
ringing out 3,4,5, as Vicky picked up the wand she had shown him earlier
and facing each direction separately formed her imaginary circle. As
the final direction was called Ted could feel a change in the air. To
him it felt as though a wind was picking up and it was swirling around
him. The clock continued to ring out, 9, 10 , 11 as Vicky went on with
the ritual as she had said she would. At once the hairs stood up on his
arms as before, the feeling was back and he would later only be able to
describe it as static energy.
Vicky continued to work on her ritual, oblivious to the effect it was having on Ted. Almost in a trance now,
she began her spell. “I ask the God and Goddess to grant me this one
last wish to your faithful servant. All these years I have worshiped you
in perfect love and perfect trust . I ask in the name of Aman to send
me back my love, my life for just this night so as to be able to speak
the words I was unable to speak so long ago. I ask you to send Craig to
me now. As I will it, So mote it be.” As Vicky finished these words, the
wind within the circle became stronger and Ted felt that the two were
no longer alone. For in the South corner of Vicky’s circle, appearing to
walk out of a mist, was a man. Taller than Ted and just as Vicky had
described to him. Shaking herself from the trance Vicky turned to see
him too. Ted could just stand there and watch as the man known as Craig
gathered her into his arms. The tears were running down Ted’s face as
The misty man bent to kiss her. Vicky was truly blessed by her god and
goddess as she stood in Craig’s arms for what seemed as an eternity. At
once Craig spoke. “I have been waiting for you my sweetheart. I have
been watching you from afar and I see now you are ready to join me in
the summerland. I have always loved you,”
Tears were streaming down Vicky’s cheeks and with the voice caught in her throat she replied, “I
have waited for so long to see your face again. Your eyes are beautiful.
I have dreamt of you often but I wanted to feel your embrace one last
time before I shed this earthly body.” Craig turned to Ted and said
simply. “Thank you.” Ted just stood, half believing at what he was
seeing and couldn’t reply only nod his head. All he could feel was the
energy stirring and the winds blowing around him. All he could do is
watch this incredible connection between the two lovers.


After what seemed to Ted as an eternity, the misty man named Craig spoke once
again. “It is time to go. But this time I will not go alone for you
will be able to go with me.” Vicky was overjoyed. She would finally be
with the man of her heart, the love of her life. Turning to Ted she
said. “I thank you Sir Ted from the bottom of my heart, for helping me
in my final quest. I have been blessed to receive my final earthly wish
and I couldn’t have asked for more. You Sir Ted are a witch in your true
form. Blessed be to you.” As she spoke these words, her physical body
seemed to transform into the mist much like the one that Craig had been
formed from. And turning toward the south once again, Craig took his
beloved’s hand and together they walked through the invisible barrier
between this world and the next to spend eternity.
Alone in the room now, Ted felt the air become normal again, and the static energy
feeling left him. Not knowing what he should do now. He felt changed,
felt empowered, and knew he would never be the same as before. Dousing
the candles as Vicky had instructed he stood at her former alter and
said a prayer in the only way he knew how. “Dear God, thank you for what
I have just witnessed. Truly there is magick in this world and it has
been proven to me this night. Amen.” With that he turned towards the
door and turning off the lights he headed home.