Banish Me

The Circle Is Cast

We got into the gym with no sign of Winnie or Joe.

“So, what do we do now?” Bren asked.

“Gwen, can you draw a five pointed star on the place where Winnie’s body was found? Bren, place a candle on each point, unlit. Peter, when that’s done, start burning the herbs, they should be in a bundle.”

“What are we going to do exactly?” Aunt Wil asked.

I looked at her, straight in the eyes. “We’re going to call Winnie and Joe to us. Once they are here, we start the spell and fix what is broken.”

“Which is?”

“Don’t know yet. But it’s something to do with you and the two ghosts. At this point your guess is as good as mine.”

“How are you going to figure it out?”

“I’m not. You are. You have to talk to them and fix whatever it is that’s wrong between the three of you.”

“How can I talk to them if I can’t even see them?”

“You will.” I smiled a small reassuring smile. “Trust me. Now let’s get started.”

I directed her to sit in front of me. I drew a symbol on her right hand, one my mother had shown me how to draw. It had no name, most of the symbols didn’t have one. It was a series of swirls and lines.

I drew the same symbol on my left hand. To me it looked like a strange sort of eye. It was there to help her to see so I guess the strange depiction of an eye was fitting.

“Her appearance may come as a shock to you, even scare you. But you must not let that get in the way. She is angry and upset. You are the only one who can fix it. Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me.” I led her to the circle. “Everyone light your candles.” The firestarters lit theirs without any matches. Bren and I used the lighters. “Peter, I will take your hand first, then take Gwen’s. Gwen you take Bren’s and then Bren you take Aunt Wil’s.” I looked at Aunt Wil, hoping she was ready for this. “Only when you are ready may you take my hand. They should appear inside the star, our conjoined hands keeping them confined until this is done. They need to fix whatever is keeping them here before they can move on.

“Do not break the circle, it will only piss them off even more. Everyone understand?”

“Do we have to say anything?” Gwen asked.

I shook my head. “This is a silent circle casting. By adding your hands to the circle, you are saying all you need to. I’ll give you the same warning I gave Aunt Wil. Winnie’s appearance may frighten you but it’s important that you do not react. Her issue is with Wilimina, not us. Do not speak unless one of the ghosts speaks to you first. Everybody ready?”

Everyone nodded.

I looked at Peter, his emotions making the colors in his eyes swirl. I held out my hand and he took it without hesitation.

I could feel them coming. It felt like a slow heartbeat at first but by the time Gwen took Bren’s hand the beat had picked up. When Bren reached out for Aunt Wil’s, the beat was frantic and fast paced, a steady thrum.

By that time a thin white line was conjoining everyone, running outside us, drawing the circle.

It was time. They were right there, on the edge, waiting.

When I held out my hand to Aunt Wil, I saw the fear and hesitation in her eyes. Then determination flooded in, drowning out the two previous emotions.