The Magick Shop Place

Cynthia and the Seyonce

Lily present Day

Beth was fast asleep, which was a relief to me, giving me more time to come up with any ideas as to how to help her and come up with a plan. “I wish Cynthia would hurry.” She wasn’t answering her phone. Sydney was being very unhelpful this afternoon.” Just tell her you’re going to CPS and she is going into foster care. It’s the best chance she has to get off the streets.” I wasn’t the best option for her, I know. It just feels wrong, but her mother gave Beth no other choice. “I might be able to take care of her…maybe she could help me around the shop and run errands for me. She could earn her keep and stay in the guest bedroom.” “Lily, she won’t get an education living here with you.” Damnit, I hate it when he’s right. I knew I had no choice but to give her roughly a week before I call CPS. As much as I wanted to help and take care of her by myself, Sydney was right. She would have no education here and not much of a life here with me, only a slight upgrade of being a “street kid.” Sydney and I first met in the dreamworld. Some also call it the spirit world or realm. I ended up there directly after the seyonce, that faithful night our lives took a turn for the worst.

Cynthia 2004

Fiona was the first to arrive at the edge of the forest as she stood still, looking up at the stars in the night sky. As I walked closer she took notice of my presence as my footsteps got louder. “You ready to get this done?” Fiona asked Cynthia as she drew closer. “Yeah. I don’t know if I’m more scared or excited to put together something so…elaborate.”

“I’m not necessarily scared as much as I’m skeptical this is going to work.” I said with pessimism.

As my words hung in the air, Ashley was next to walk down the street and meet the others. “Hey guys. Where’s Lily?”

“Late per usual. Honestly it would have been weird for her to be here on time.”

The three of us waited in silence. This was about to be the biggest ritual any of them had performed, especially together as a group. But the goal was real, we had to keep Jake away from Lily.

Lily made her entrance with a duffle bag draped over her shoulder with tears in her eyes.

“I cannot thank you all enough for this. I love you guys.” Lily set the bag down on the ground and began sifting through it. She stopped and handed us each a white pillar candle, a ceremonial robe and a sheet of paper with the incantation verses listed.

We quickly put on the robes and walked in a formal line after the four of us had met at the edge of the woods, Lily, Ashley, Fiona and me. This was the most wooded area in town anyway. Each of us was now wearing our own ceremonial robe and gripped our white candles, ready to light. “God I hope this works.” I thought to myself. Once we reached the clearing discussed the day before, we began to set up. We were surrounded by birch trees, various evergreens, and overgrown raspberry and blackberry bushes climbing the edges of the woods, prickly and sharp to the touch. The sky was black with seldom stars visible given the surrounding suburban area and city lights. But there wasn’t a single cloud in the night sky, which actually made it a little chilly outside.

I ran my salt along the ground and drew a big circle in the dirt, then proceeded to draw out a pentacle inside of the circle. Lily brought the puppet doll she had made of Jake. The doll was faceless, but she had pinned a photo of Jake onto the dolls head. He rested next to a black candle with 6 specific rune symbols etched on. Thurisaz, Isa, Eihwaz, Dark Moon, Bars, Widdershins. This was a banishing spell, so whoever was the receiving end would suffer terrible consequences if they continued to approach the one casting the spell, and all hopes were leaning on this spell to work. To keep Jake away from Lily, and if he persisted, unfortunate circumstances would arise. Whatever would happen to him is unclear, but that was a risk they were willing if not provoking to happen. In their minds, he deserved the worst possible suffrage for what he put Lily through.

Lily had taken the task of writing down the incantation for all of us so we could all read it aloud together. She had done a lot of research over the past week or so to help decide which god or goddess to work with in this ritual.

“Soteria” Lily excitedly shared.” She is the Greek goddess of protection, good health, and preservation from harm.” It was clear that she had made up her mind. So now that all items had been placed in the center, the ritual could begin.

Lily took a few steps forward towards the center of the circle and lit the black candle, wrapped the doll in red ribbon, and placed it back down, facing a little makeup mirror.

“I will be calling the forest and mountain from the North. Cynthia you’ll be next to me on my left calling the Wind and Gale from the East. Then Ashley, you will be on my right, calling the sea and ocean from the West, and Fiona you’ll be across from me, calling the flame and faerie fire from the South.”

The girls all took their places after lighting our pillar candles and positioning them a couple of feet inward towards the middle, surrounding the doll. But just moments later, the woods were suddenly totally silent, the candles had all blown out, and the girls laid collapsed. The slight cool breeze brushed along the girl's hair, but none of them were moving or responsive. An hour went by when suddenly the girls gasped for air and rose from the dirt and leaves.