Non-fiction / Witching Hour Chapter Two: Memories come alive

“Oh thank God!” Kat said as she opened the door. Tanya heard the clicks of locks, the thuds of dead bolts, and the rattling of chains. Kat was paranoid and had installed extra precautions when she moved in. After what seemed like forever, the door opened to show a distressed girl of about 21 with dark red-brown hair that fell to her shoulders and bright, emerald green eyes. But her eyes were troubled and her hair was in disarray. Tanya slipped in and hugged her friend, who broke down into sobs, shaking like a slinky.
Tanya was at a loss. She was never good at comforting someone, let alone get as close to someone as she was with Kat. It was still new to her and she wasn’t exactly sure what to do but she murmured calming comments to her friend, sitting her down on the couch. She looked up, noticing that Kat had yet again redecorated. Now the whole place was literally covered on every inch by dream catchers. There were store-bought ones, hand-made by a beginner, printed pictures, anything you could think of. There were black ones, pink ones, orange, any color you could think of and more. All different designs, clashing with each other yet making it look nice and comforting. If you knew the reason behind them.

Tanya walked to the kitchen, watching her friend through the doorway and put on the kettle. Kat didn’t drink coffee which was beyond her, but she did enjoy some herbal tea, and so that’s what Tanya set out to do. But she needed some coffee, and with that being the case, Kat always kept some for her and a small coffee pot. It was amazing that she remembered to buy it, to keep it in stock. So, for that reason, Tanya kept a kettle and tea bags at her apartment.
“Okay Kat, it’s over and everything is okay. Tell me about it. Maybe that will make you feel better.” she said after a few minutes, coming back into the sitting room with a cup of tea and a mug of coffee, both steaming against the chill in the apartment.
Nodding, Kat took a deep breath and started to tell the dream. It was the same, yet it was different everytime and Tanya knew some parts while others were a shock. Her eyes widened and she forgot about her coffee, letting the caffeine cool and become distasteful.
“We were going camping, as usual for the Renewal, and then the rites and ceremony go wrong. The Beast was unleashed, slaughtering the whole coven and we ran, running to stay alive. We got separated, you going one way and me the other. The Beast can only go one way and he takes the one he thinks he can get. Me. I hid, slowing my breathing and everything but it doesn’t help. He found me and instead of killing me, he takes me. I don’t know where but he does and then he tells me that you are still alive. That you were hurt bad but you would not escape him. Then he starts his own ritual, using me to help raise his army. And you know what happens after that. With the choice to die or join him, get power, and maybe the chance to redeem, I chose life. But I fall too far into the darkness.” Kat iterated her dream in past tense, knowing that it didn’t matter anymore. “Tanya, the feeling is getting stronger each time I have the dream. Isn’t yours? My instincts are tell me to be careful, not go to the ceremony. I don’t know what to do. We are supposed to be recognized this year. What are we going to do?” she hung her head, rubbing her eyes with quick, fast movements.
Tanya took a minute, thinking about everything that was happening. The coven’s rites and ritual for the Renewal was, in fact, not far off. It would happen right before Samhain. She grimaced, knowing she was screwed. She had forgotten and she had so much to prepare. She had to get her own herbs and supplies to do her rites and the ceremony was only a week away.
“What do think we should do Kat? Go to the Elders? Tell them we have a feeling? I know you come from a long line of seers and all but they haven’t been recognized as valuable or creditable for years. Do you want your name slandered and drug through the mud too?” she asked, fearing that this would upset Kat more but not caring. She didn’t know much about her lineage but everyone told her that it was a great line, with wonderful gifts and was actually a royal family in the coven but she didn’t know. She had tried to research but came up with almost nothing. It was stressful, not knowing anything about her past but she dealt with the best she could. Sometimes that meant she was heartless and others, too caring.
Kat shook her head, unsure how to answer he friend. It didn’t sound good but what if they took it seriously? They would never know unless they tried and that was what she was going to do she decided. She looked up at Tanya, hurt in her eyes.
“I might just take it to the Elders. They might believe us. It was in a prophecy that one day the Beast would rise and seek out his revenge on those that had slain and imprisoned him and his army. Maybe the time has come and before they did not want to raise a panic Tanya. Maybe it is you who slander my name and my abilities because you do not know who you are.” she said coldly, her voice and words like icy daggers into Tanya’s heart.
Tanya left, storming out after what Kat had said. Tears clouded her vision and she didn’t pay attention to where she was going. She was supposed to be heading to work but instead, found herself in the cemetery at 5:30 in the morning. It was creepy to any other person but to her, it was beautiful. She walked to the angel statue that she could look at for hours. She loved to try to figure out the reason behind the statue, always guessing something new and wishing she could find out the true intention.
The statue was that of an angel with long flowing hair and big wings. The angel carried a sword and a staff, which could always be interpreted differently. The odd thing about it was that the statue had been painted instead of left the cold grey of marble, giving the idea that maybe the artist had made it off someone instead of just a work of art.
The other odd thing about it was the eyes. Dark and sad, yet mysterious and dangerous; they were a mixture of colors and almond shaped, completing the face with much emotion. Tanya stared into them, wondering why they seemed so familiar. She shook her head and sat down beside it, on what was said to be blasphemed ground. Maybe that’s why she was so drawn to it; it was holy anymore.
Tanya found herself thinking back to her childhood. She had went from foster home to foster home, always getting in trouble for things that were her fault but at the same time not. She had been called a witch, a demon, and an angel. She never knew which to believe. The witch part had been right of course, since she was Wiccan by blood and now by practice for fifteen years. Silent tears continued to run down her cheeks in the chill morning air as more memories flooded back. Going to the juvenile detention center, becoming the most feared child there without meaning too or trying, getting out and back into the system. It had all been a mess. Then they had put her in that home. The one that had managed to open some people’s eyes that maybe she wasn’t all bad. The man of that house had beaten her, abused her in every way, while the rest of the children weren’t touched nor was the wife. She hadn’t seen it as fair; sure she was pretty but that? No, she didn’t deserve it.
Taking a breath, she wiped her face and got up. The sun was starting to peak over the horizon and she knew it was 6:30. She had been there an hour and hadn’t realized it. She had to get to work, and fast. She took off at a run, glad for once that she had done track and ran everyday of the year from her childhood until now. It did come in handy to be in shape. She made it in record time.

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