Put down and
Purged

The stroke of
Midnight

All Hallows Eve

He always
Believed
Her to be a
Witch

Leaving him damned
And cursed

One thousand and one
Her number on
The list

Nameless
Faceless
Meaningless
Conquests

The exact number
Final word count
At the end of first
Go-round

Everything flowing
Coming with ease
Alignments just right
For slaying the
Dead

She was ready for the ritual; needing to do it for many reasons; the main to release her self of him; purging that which no longer served a purpose in her life, was negative in energy and influence, bringing nothing but harm and disrupting the balance she now fought so hard to maintain. The new journey had already begun; starting over, alone and unafraid, but she needed to move on; needed to breathe again. Forced to cast aside that which hindered and left her desolate, filled with pain, regret, self-loathing and doubt.

Yass…the time was now.

She gathered her tools and prepared; well aware that this would be the most intense ritual in which she would ever partake; eradicating the essence that had been selfishly burned into her very being and now possessed her soul; just as intended; complete and total, with no chance of her ever thinking about anything but him.

The red clay bowl symbolizing her flesh and blood; desert sage to drive off negative energy, spirits and influences; necessary to purify and cleanse not only her circle of stones that was carefully cast, but her self as well; the burning smoke, the breath of her prayers going out to her Creator; as she concentrated on the connection between the earth and sky and unity of all life.

Her sacrificial offering of a most personal nature; her mane of thick brown hair he once described as creating a picture that would have inspired Di Vinci; severed before the flames, in a moment of determination, sheer will and absolute power; blowing in the wind, her banner of courage, clutched in her fist and raised to the heavens, then bundled with the stone he gave as protection, wrapped in a white shroud and buried in the earth at the center of the circle.

I will be happy forever
Nothing will hinder me
I walk with beauty before me
I walk with beauty behind me
I walk with beauty below me
I walk with beauty above me
I walk with beauty around me
My world will be beautiful

After the ritual, which left her drained of all energy, she burned a bowl of sweet grass, the most sacred of all herbs, bringing positive energy after the negative had been banished; she raised her face toward the full Hunters Moon and her voice rang out above the mountain…

Let me know peace
For as long as the moon shall rise
For as long as the rivers shall flow
For as long as the sun will shine
For as long as the grass shall grow
Let me know peace…

It was early morning; the sky was filled with ominous, rapid-moving clouds; the grey reflecting my mood, my pain, the storm that had become my life; trying to wrap my head around and distinguish truth from lies; wondering how I’d get through the day; would I ever again find my way; having been slayed by those wrathful demons, or rather that one ruling beast; trying to rationalize the reasoning; my worth as a person, my talent as a writer; both suddenly seeming minor at best.

I stopped where I was, turned up the volume and let the soothing sounds of Botti’s Italia caress my soul, ease my mind, recognize my pain. Caruso was playing when I finally opened my eyes; a break in the sky, a black jagged hole, fringed with frilly white; a single sunbeam breaking through, fanning light among the dark.

The hole in the sky reflecting the one in my soul; surrounded by darkness, filled with a single ray of hope.