Third Person
Isobel chanted over the bowl and moved her hand in a clockwise motion as Keiron pulled the door shut after delivering a white gown.
It gave them privacy.
Seri choked back tears as she finally looked upon her best friend and sister.
Quinn leaned over Lexi’s head stroking the fine baby hairs back.
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Hecate perked up as she felt the wind pick up. Lexi’s hair swayed, moving the stray hairs side to side.
“It’s time.”
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They had seen her in much worse condition. Leo was right, its like she is simply sleeping. However, as Quinn glanced down her body, the evidence of torn and sliced flesh gave away the truth.
Isobel stood, with a now steaming bowl in hand, making the pair wipe away tears.
“It’s alright. This is a safe space,” the mother whispered gently, “I won’t be holding tears back while we do this.”
She placed the water down on the altar beside them and asked for the water to be cleansed for the departing.
Seri swallowed her lump, but small tears fell over her cheek.
“Where do we start?” She asked quietly.
“Clothes,” the mother stated calmly.
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“Huh?” Lexi zoned out face, turned to the goddess.
Hecate stood, and calmly commanded, “Stand… You’ll feel it. Enjoy it.”
She turned and walked past the darkness, out of sight.
Lexi awkwardly stood, looking around for something…
A tug on her shoe made her hop to the side. Her shoe disappeared?
She watched as the shoelace untied by itself and vanished into thin air.
A look of bewilderment came on her face.
“Stop thinking Lexi.” Came the goddesses voice from the darkness, “Your family are preparing you.”
“I didn’t think-” Lexi didn’t finish the sentence, her shirt was lifted over her head.
“The changes happen to Spirit? You have much to learn grasshopper,” Hecate laughed.
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“There.”
Isobel softly spoke to Lexi as she placed her daughter hands on her torso.
“Now time to mend and clean.”
Seri brought over the warm water, it had time to cool from the mothers magic and it shined iridescent as prayers were answered.
An anxious Quinn fetched over the needle and thread, “Can’t we just heal them with magic?”
Isobel softly rubbed her shoulder.
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“She won’t feel a thing…” She smiled at her own dark humour, taking the needle from Quinn, “Help Seri with her hair. I will do this.”
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The wind picked up once again, but it was not bitter or cold. Instead, it felt surprisingly warm… Inviting even.
Lexi’s eyes closed as she felt the achingly familiar tug of hands going through her hair. Although, a dull pin prick in her thigh made her look down. The open dried wound saw sown shut and the ghost of lips over the skin made her eyes water.
Her mum.
A wet feeling covered her scalp as hands massaged and scrubbed the dried dirt from her hair. She closed her eyes once more as droplets fell from darkness.
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Isobel gently pierced the skin with a sharp needle. This was the last wound, one that pierced between the ribs. She took a deep breath before continuing, her vision couldn’t be blurred as she did this.
She regarded the two friends as they used the white cloth to clean the skin.
They were doing a grand job. She could feel the connection, the love between them. No matter how harrowing it was to be near death, they needed this.
Isobel tied off the thread and snipped the extra away.
A final kiss.
This is the last bump, bruise, cut, that she would kiss better.
Tears slipped as she remembered all the injuries, all the scrapes and grazes her child had. Every time, she would ‘kiss it better’ and heal with a ‘Soona’.
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Lexi stood, allowing the warm droplets cleanse her, with open palms out to the side and head tilted. It felt like the rain from a warm thunderstorm, heavy and deliberate, yet freeing.
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The water had to be changed a few times, but the mother now sat at her daughters head as Seri and Quinn dried her.
Isobel hummed as she brushed the long blonde hair.
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She felt cocooned in warmth, like a soft bear or fleece was being wrapped around her, and within it whispered the soft tune of her mum’s harmony. It was one she always hummed when they were babes. She sometimes hummed it when we were cuddling.
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“Now, arms up,” Isobel encouraged softly, slipping the white cloth dress over the arms and head.
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Lexi felt the need to raise her palms up. White coated her arms and torso as a dress weaved itself into existence. This is her circle dress, one for only special occasions.
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Isobel’s hum changed into a chant as she plaits the hair.
Eternal stasis, silent earth,
Defend this form from time.
Celestial threads, weave and bind,
I ask the time to bend.
By the stars, by the moon’s light,
Until the soul finds its way,
In timeless grace, let it stay.
The lime green settles onto her skin and the once white cloth, turned black, the body will be protected from both physically and spiritually.
“All better.”
She took a step back as Seri draped Lexi’s face with a white see though veil.
All three of them took a small step back and Isobel took them into her embrace and thanked them for joining her.
Opening the door wide, the boys filtered into the room. It was the first time Devan and Lathen looked upon her. Fresh new tears fell from Lathen’s eyes as he touched a bare foot.
Keiron picked up two coins from the altar and lifting the light cloth momentarily, he placed each one onto her eye lids.
“For the journey man,” he whispered.
Before putting it back down, Leo also added his own gift to her.
Shifting through his pocket, he took out the moonstone necklace and fastened it around her neck. With a kiss to her forehead, he laid it back down.
Mew
Sooty took advantage of the opened door to enter. How could they forget about her familiar?
He hopped onto the table and stretched out, putting a single paw on Lexi’s face. When she didn’t stir, he climbed on top of her chest looking down at her, and meowed.
“I’m sorry Sooty, you can’t be doing that,” Isobel reached to pet him as usual, only to be met with a hiss.
Taken aback, every person looked on the black cat, who simply continued to stare down at his owner.
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Lexi
The warm feeling ebbed away and the wind carrying whispers ceased.
I felt my eyelids heavy, with something cold touching them. Reaching up, my fingers caught two silver coins about to tumble from my face. I inspected the blank silver with confusion.
“Coin for the ferryman,” Hecates voice gently spoke as she re-entered my sight.
The once white dress, faded to black before my eyes and I noted a heavy but familiar feeling on my chest. I rubbed the spot feeling a lump form in my throat. My hand hit something around my neck, I played with it trying to look at the piece.
A necklace?
“Your familiar?” she said, plucking a fallen black whisker from the dress.
“Yeah, I think he is sitting on me…”
She laughed gently, “Quite protective, is he? They need time… Don’t worry, he will leave you once the journey is over.”
“Journey?”
Her blank stare gave nothing away.
“I thought my soul was yours now…?” I asked confused.
“You still have to make the journey to the other side,” she stated calmly, walking past me towards the darkness once more, “That is where our work starts.”
She looked back at me expectantly.
I took a deep breath, and followed her obediently.