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“Well, you can stand or sit,” I told her. “Whatever’s most comfortable for you.”
“I think she should stand,” Hazel said. “The light here is uncertain enough that I think if Josie and Chuck stand over there” — she waved with the hand that wasn’t holding my phone — “then I can film the fire so it looks as if there are more than two people watching.”
While I appreciated the offer, I didn’t think there was much point in trying to fool anyone on Instagram. Actually, there wasn’t any point in filming the ritual at all.
“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “There’s no need to get this down for posterity. In fact, I’m going to delete Instagram off my phone as soon as this night is over.”
Josie opened her mouth as if to protest, then shut it again. I had no idea what I looked like right then, but whatever she saw in my face, she realized there wasn’t much point in arguing with me.
“If that’s what you want,” she said, sounding uncharacteristically defeated.
“It is,” I said firmly. “So you all can sit or stand or do whatever feels most comfortable for you. This won’t take very long.”
Earlier in the day, I’d made up a pouch filled with lavender and chamomile, and tied it with a red string, and hidden my petition for peace and prosperity…and yes, love…within. I’d told Hazel she could do the same thing, but she’d only given me a small smile and said she had just about everything she wanted already.
Maybe that was true…or maybe she just hadn’t been quite ready to put her trust in a faith that must have felt very foreign to her.
Anyway, my pouch was the only one I dropped into the fire as I spoke the words of the ritual.
“Great God, Father of the Earth,
Shine down on this, your strongest day.
Blessed Goddess who gave us Birth,
Bless us who honor your ancient way.
As Summer’s light falls to the ground,
lending crops and trees its power,
the Summer winds blow warm and round,
touching the corn silk and the flowers.
We give you thanks, our Mother Earth,
We praise you, fire of the Sun.
We dance this Solstice eve with Mirth,
from evening’s last light ’til the night is done.”
Then it was time to walk around the bonfire holding the snuffer I’d brought with me, to put out the candles at the four quarters of the circle I’d drawn after the bonfire was first lit. One by one, I snuffed the candles, thanking them for their service and for the energy they’d brought to my observance. When I was done, I turned to see all three of my friends watching me with wide eyes.
“Why, that was beautiful!” Josie exclaimed, looking somehow surprised.
“What, did you think I was going to sacrifice a goat or something?” I responded wryly.
One hand flapped in a flustered gesture. “Well, no, of course not, but….” She stopped there, as if she’d realized that anything she said would only make matters worse. “I supposed it just wasn’t what I was expecting.”
“A lot of witchcraft is simply acknowledging the power of the earth…the sun and the moon and the stars,” I said. “It’s a very natural observance. That’s why we perform these rituals at times of power like the solstice and the equinox. There’s nothing terribly mysterious about them.”
As Josie nodded, Hazel stepped up and gave my arm a sympathetic squeeze. “It really was lovely,” she said. “And the loss of all those jerks who took tickets and couldn’t be bothered to show up.”
I knew she’d said that only to comfort me, but her words were truer than she knew. The people who’d gone to attend Lilith Black’s ritual might have gotten more of a show, but there wouldn’t be any real power behind it. She didn’t know what she was doing, couldn’t invoke the power of the four quarters and the hidden sun at its strongest. If they’d come here and cast their own petitions into the fire, they might have been able to accomplish something meaningful. As it was, they’d go home and have nothing to show for their trip.
But at least they’d come here. In that way, Josie’s wish had been fulfilled, because those tourist dollars had flowed into Globe, even if they hadn’t necessarily come my way.
