Turning the Stone by S.L. Perrine

Author:S.L. Perrine [Perrine, S.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CHBB Publishing
Published: 2018-01-25T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter XIX

The world flipped and spun in several directions. A kaleidoscope centering in on the small clearing in the woods. Silas held onto Gwen’s hand. The other held Elle’s. On Gwen’s left was Chester, then Marcus. A funeral Pyre for Crystal Tanner. The coroner keeping her body held hostage while they investigated all the possible ways her death could or could not have been suicide, but in the end, that's what they labeled it. The broken heart of a teenage girl. Marcus was at a loss. He hadn’t known what was in his twin sister’s heart anymore. Not since Daniel.

Once they placed her in a pine box and agreed to sign her over to her family, Gwen insisted she be allowed to perform a proper Wiccan funeral. The Tanner’s agreed, only if it was not held on the Crawford farm.

Silas looked out in the woods behind the Blackwood Manor. It too was in the back country of the town they lived in. Their only neighbor was an old farmer with bad eyesight and a worse memory. The clearing being used was the one they’d occupied many times for circles. Though, Silas had to admit they hadn't had as many as they should have.

The wind blew. Turning the smoke of the candle in front of them toward Gwen. She breathed it in and whispered the words she needed to say before closing her circle. As she spoke, white wisps of smoke exhaled through her nostrils.

“Take this soul back into your grace. Gaia, we plead with you. She deserves to be at peace.”

She was answered when the smoke she exhaled rose above her head in a circle. It grew until it was as large as the pine box on top of the large pile of wood. Birch and maple trees were torn down by the storm, serving as the foundation for the Pyre. The ring moved over Crystal’s hidden form and lowered as if it were hugging her. Then it dissipated.

“What was that?” Silas heard Liana ask some of the other onlookers.

Gwen squared her shoulders and continued as if no one spoke out. “Our sister is forgiven. Now, we must say goodbye. Her soul will be reunited with her love, and in time with her family. We grieve those who have been taken from us, much too soon. Our ancestors will keep them safe until we all meet again.”

Silas could see the tears filling her eyes. He wished he could take her in his arms and comfort her. Even though she was planning to abandon this part of who she was, he knew it was important to her to fill the role while she could.

“Remember to appreciate the love the sun shines on us each new day as it rises. Through the phases of the moon, we remember the phases of life. Birth, growth, death, and rebirth. That is the nature of all things. So, mote it be.”

Gwen nodded to Barnaby who held onto their little brother as he had at Daniel’s funeral, and they each held the tip of a blazing torch to the wood beneath the plain pine box.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.