The woods were dark, but Sama knew her way well. She had no fear of the night and what it may hide. She was disconnected through grief, and emboldened through anger. Her energy burned red, emanating in astral waves. The woods could feel it and shrank back from her.

The narrow path she was following opened to a clearing. She had spent the day here preparing and moved to the centre of the space. By the light of day the colour of the turning tree leaves was bright and cheerful, but by Samhain eve moonlight, they shimmered a ghostly silver.

A wide tree stump sat in the middle of the clearing, and Sama stepped over the lines she had marked in the ground and crouched down at the stump. Her long hair drifted like a liquid shadow, flowing around her as she slipped a daypack from her back. The wooden surface had been worked smooth, and onto it she placed a small meal and wine glasses, setting a place for herself and another.

Without waiting for a second diner, she murmured some quiet words and took an apple from her bag. She used a white-handled knife to halve it, splitting it so a five-pointed star was left in the centre. She ate her half, and set the other aside.

She poured two glasses of wassail from a thermos, the still-warm spiced cider steaming slightly in the chill night air. She drank alone, finishing her glass and placing it upside down onto the wood.

Her apparently one-sided meal was not for show, as she hoped to draw the presence of one particular soul, recently departed.

She had already left a pattern of letters around the surface of the tree stump, preparing to take advantage of Samhain and the strength of divination that occurred with the closeness of the spirit worlds.

The night fell within the time of Taurus for her in Australia, instead of Scorpio, as it did in the northern hemisphere. In some ways that worked against her, as Scorpio, like all of the water signs, is one in tune with the intuition and seeing the unseen, as well as Scorpio’s ability to see the hope for new life within damaged souls. She was also a Scorpio, and felt at ease during the time of her sign.

Her current efforts left her feeling a little uneasy; out of her element, although the season suited her mood. She knew she could draw on the Taurean strength of will and determination to help her through. Hopefully she wouldn’t need to also draw on Taurus for its strong sense of humour if she failed.

She moved her glass to the centre of the letters and placed a finger lightly upon it. ‘Benevolent spirits of the night. Fill my cup of spiritual knowledge. Are there any spirits present?’

She felt the night tremble at her call, and a strange resistance formed. She called out again, ‘Are there any spirits present?’

When there was again no response, she resorted to a more personal plea, calling, ‘Where is Gabe? Help me find him, the man who has left me here alone in the world!’

This time the glass moved beneath her finger, twitching and shaking in random patterns without forming any words. The shadows shifted and moved without form in the trees, and the wind began, blowing an icy wind through the clearing in the woods.

Sama shivered and gritted her teeth in frustration. They were blocking her. That much was obvious, but they hadn’t counted on her using Samhain eve to try. Although, who ‘they’ were was something she would also like to know. She wasn’t sure, but she could guess.

The bastards! Why can’t it ever be simple?!

Part 2 is here

Constructive criticism welcome.

© 2008 Damian Herde