Chapter 10 - The Ritual

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Under the last rays of daylight (and the light from my phone), Poppy constructs a small pyre of firewood atop a pile of cinders in the center of a clearing deep inside the forest—and by deep, I mean not too far from the house, but far enough to give me second thoughts about all this nonsense. My imagination lights up with a scene from a scary movie where the victim is calling for help, but the other characters are just out of earshot, unaware their friend is succumbing to a horrible fate.

"Will anyone be able to hear us if we scream?" I wonder aloud.

"Of course not." Poppy grins. "We can scream as loud as we want."

She throws her head back and howls into the sky to prove her point. I shake my head and smile. As usual, we are on totally different wavelengths: I'm worried and Poppy is having fun.

"So what's next?" I ask.

"Your turn."

"My turn for what?" I am filled with curiosity.

"To scream." She unleashes another wail, just for the fun of it. "Don't be shy."

"But I am shy!" I giggle. "Okay, okay. I'll do it." I clear my throat and take a deep breath. When I open my mouth to release a mighty roar, a weak, high-pitched squeal is all that comes out. Embarrassed, I turn to Poppy for reassurance. "Was it that bad?"

"Terrible." She shakes her head, clearly disappointed with my attempt. "You gotta let loose. Don't you ever get mad?"

I shake my head no.

"Don't you ever want to cuss somebody out? Or just yell to see how loud and strong your voice can be?"

I stand there, dumbfounded. "Not really."

"Come on, what about your old classmates? Your brother?" Poppy throws her arms around in big, bold gestures. When she talks about something important, she uses her whole body and I stand back in wonder. "There has to be someone you're mad at."

"I don't think so."

"What about your mom?"

That's it. She found it.

From the dark depths of my being, something strange and unfamiliar claws to the surface. It's sharp, prickly and filled with rage, like a quills of a porcupine, snapping jaws of an alligator, or the jagged talons of a falcon rolled into one. There's a beast buried inside me, and when I think of my mom and her contempt for Poppy, her long list of rules, the quiet judgements and sighs of disappointment, that animal cracks through my chest, rattling my bones and filling my blood with venom. It's fierce growl builds in my throat and I throw my head back instinctually-- without thinking, only feeling--and I unleash the beast into the thick night air. The scream is too loud and fierce to be coming from me. It's so wild and powerful that Poppy takes a slow step back, in awe.

We stand in stunned silence for five whole seconds.

"That's impressive." Poppy reaches out for a high five. "I didn't think you had it in you."

I slap her hand as unwelcome tears sting at my eyes. "Me neither."

"Should we light this fire or what?" Poppy pulls a lighter and rolled up newspaper from her back pocket and squats down to tend to the fire.

"Light it up." I take the opportunity to wipe away the tear steaming down my cheek, but more come in its place. Why am I so sad? How did one scream open up the floodgates? I sink to my knees and a soft whimper escapes my lips.

"Are you okay?" In the firelight, Poppy's carefree face melts into a sympathetic frown. "What's wrong?"

I open my mouth to speak, but words refuse to come out. Only an embarrassing blubber I wouldn't want anyone to hear, even Poppy. The raging beast that burst through me and erupted into the night sky left, and a tender, vulnerable creature took its place. It has no spikes, talons or fangs--this part of me is soft, mushy and helpless. The taste of my salty tears fills my mouth and I reach for Poppy. She cradles me against her chest the way a mother embraces her child.

"There, there," she pats my back. "Get it all out."

One heaving sob after another courses through my body in waves. My heart aches with the realization I possess so much anger toward my own mother--the one who gave me life, who nurtured and raised me. I love her so desperately and crave her presence like I crave air to breathe, but there is also a simmering rage of a creature held captive. Her rules and expectations are a cage and I long to escape it. With one primal scream, I tasted freedom and captivity at once and it was bittersweet.

"Just breathe." Poppy takes slow, deliberate breaths and I imitate her rhythmic inhales and exhales. "It's going to be okay."

Her presence is so comforting and understanding, I wonder why I never felt this way with my own mother. When I am emotional, Mom always shuts me down with a time out, words or disapproval, or a reminder of the privileges she can take away. She never just pats my back and tells me to get it all out. Poppy's embrace and kind words are so healing, I can't help but fill with gratitude.

"Thank you. I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. I just lost it." I release myself from Poppy's arms and wipe my face with the back of my hand.

"Don't apologize. It's the full moon. Think of the tides, when the moon's gravity pulls on the earth and the water swells on the shore." She points up to the western sky, where the pearly moon seems to have magically appeared above the turquoise horizon. "See? She's tugging on your emotions. You feel them more deeply now, especially the ones you are ready to release."

"Release?" The word sucks the air out of my lungs, along with the anger and sadness, leaving calm and tranquility in their place. "I am feeling much better now."

"It's like magic." Poppy grins. "Or you're about to start your cycle. I always get emotional that time of the month."

The muscles in my shoulders and arms tense up. Poppy is obviously way ahead of me on the womanhood scale and it's embarrassing I am so far behind. I confess my deepest, darkest secret to her. "I haven't gotten it yet. My period."

Poppy shrugs. "That's okay. Some girls don't get it until they're 16. Don't worry about it. I got mine when I was nine in fourth grade. Can you imagine? It was so humiliating. I didn't really understand what was happening--my mom is awesome and she tried to prepare me, but I wasn't ready to give up my childhood. Being the only girl in your class with boobs and being taller than all the boys is the worst."

"I never thought there was a down side to having boobs--but I guess it would be awkward to be the only one."

Poppy laughs. "You're lucky you don't have to deal with cramps and tampons and all that stuff yet. Just enjoy it. It will come when it comes."

Her words are so comforting again I want to reach out and hug her. "Thank you. For everything."

"That's what friends are for." Poppy gets up and dusts off her hands. The faint flicker of firelight dances across her face. "This fire is looking good so far. How about we get started?"

"With the ritual?"

"Yeah." Poppy reaches into her back pocket again and I wonder how she fits so many things in those tight shorts. In her hand is a bundle of dried herbs. "Sage."

"It that to cleanse the air or protect us from evil spirits, or something?" I am keeping an open mind.

Poppy chuckles. "It's to keep away the bugs." She sprinkles the sage over the fire and it pops and crackles, releasing its crips, earthy scent into the air. "They don't like the smell. But some people burn sage to get rid of bad vibes. Maybe we can do both?"

"Okay." I chuckle and fan the sage smoke from my face. "Go away bad vibes!"

"Yeah, get outta here!" Poppy fans the air with her arms too. "We are priestess of the sacred temple and we call on the power of the full moon."

I giggle and play along. "It is our sacred duty to fill the world with peace."

"Love and light, baby." Poppy winks at me and reaches into her pocket again. "Now we anoint ourselves with oil from the herbs we have grown from the earth. Let their pure, natural essence ground us and protect us."

I hold out my hand and Poppy unscrews the lid from a vial of essential oils. A few drops fall into my palm and the scents of lavender and rosemary tickle my nose.

Slowly, Poppy rubs her palms together and closes her eyes. "I anoint you, Violet, as a priestess of the sacred temple, here under the full moon. May you always be true to yourself and true to our friendship."

I step forward and Poppy opens her eyes. She rubs the oil down the length of my arms like she's coating me with sunscreen. My skin tingles under the slick natural perfume.

"My turn?" I ask and Poppy nods. I close my eyes. "I, Violet, anoint you, Poppy, as a priestess of the sacred temple under the full moon. May you always be true to yourself and our friendship." Then I giggle. I can't help but fall out of character because there is a something serious and solemn in the air, like an unbreakable vow. I rub my hands together and paint Poppy's arms like she painted mine.

"Now we each confess a secret and solemnly swear never to reveal it. Even under torture or threat of death." Poppy says in that epic adventure movie voice and grins mischievously. "You go first."

"Well, I already told you my secret." I stare into the crimson flames dancing atop the woodpile enveloped by darkness. "Well, maybe I have one more."

"Spill it." Poppy grins.

"Okay, so, you know that boy Spence? I guess I kind of like him."

"Kind of?" Poppy rolls her eyes dramatically. "Come on. You really like him."

I giggle with my hand covering my mouth, as if I can hide anything from Poppy.

"You want to kiss him!" she sings out and twirls around. With her back facing me, Poppy wraps her arms around herself like she's giving herself a hug, and rubs her hands passionately up and down her back with plenty of juicy kissing noises.

My cheeks flush and I continue suppressing my giggles with my hands. The thought of kissing Spence makes my stomach flop with nervous excitement.

"You should totally plant one on him." Poppy spins back around and stares me down with wide, serious eyes. "Make the first move."

"What?!" The kiss I imagine with Spence is pure fantasy, not something that could actually happen in real life. Right?

"Oh my, God, you've never kissed a boy." Poppy's eyes light up with the discovery of another one of my deep, dark secrets. "Girl, we're going to get you a first kiss ASAP. I know! Let's find him online and slide into his DMs... after the ritual."

"Poppy, I can't." I shake my head and my body sways away from the warmth of the fire. "What if he doesn't like me?"

"What's not to like?" Poppy looks me up and down with a critical eye. "Your short, but that's okay. He's not that tall. You've got a pretty face, long, shiny hair and a nice booty. Guys love a round butt, trust me."

I turn to look at my backside and cup my cheeks to see how curvaceous they really are. "I don't know about that."

"Luke loves my booty." Poppy rises on her tiptoes and laughs wickedly. "That's my secret. Luke and I are seeing each other."

"Seeing each other? Like dating?" I'm shocked. Dating is so grown up. Suddenly, I feel as immature as a preschooler.

"Well, I went to the lake the other day and bumped into him there. We hung out and one thing led to another..." Poppy twirls her ponytail between her fingers and stares up into the sky likes she's lost in a daydream."And we made out in the woods."

"Made out?!" I am in utter disbelief. Poppy is a goddess dripping with sensuality and I am a scrawny kid with no experience whatsoever. I can't help but see her differently now. "Wow, that's a big secret."

Poppy is running in place, still celebrating. "Oh man, he's such a good kisser, and he has abs, like a real six pack. He does this thing, where he nibbles on my ear."

This revelation is a little unsettling. I don't know if I'm ready for all that stuff yet. I sink into the shadows, momentarily losing excitement for our ritual.

"Okay, back to business." Poppy rubs her hands together and takes a deep breath. After a long pause she chants to the moon, "We are the priestesses of the sacred temple: beautiful, young and super sexy." Poppy winks at me.

It's my turn. I clear my throat and imitate her epic movie voice and call into the sky. "We are strong, powerful and wise."

"And wild!" Of course, Poppy has to throw that one in and it makes me remember our goofy video and I can't help but smile. "Now, we dance the ecstatic dance of the moon!"

She sways her hips and raises her arms as flashes of orange and gold dance across her skin. Poppy whoops into the indigo sky scattered with twinkling stars and motions for me to do the same. I begin to sway, but with noticeably less confidence than her.

"I said, 'Now we dance.'" Poppy motions for me to pick up the pace. "We're wild and free."

"Like wild people?" I try to keep the call and response thing going.

"Like wildflowers," Poppy corrects me.

"Yeah, like wildflowers! Beautiful and strong." Amazingly, I am beautiful and strong the more I begin to move my body. I mimic Poppy's movements and something changes in me.

For the first time, under Poppy's tutelage, there is a new belief taking shape in dark recesses of my brain; a belief that I am becoming something new. Not yet a woman, but no longer a girl, I am in a state of flux morphing like the flames of the fire. I am a flower sprouting up and taking shape. With each sway of my hips, I grow more confident that I could capture the attention of a boy like Spence. Maybe it's time for that first kiss... the thought is dazzling.

"We are wildflowers with our roots are deep in the earth." Poppy kicks off her shoes and begins to waltz like that morning in the cedars, raising her arms to the sky.

I imitate her, dropping my sandals on the dusty ground, but my movements are not as dainty and graceful. I stomp and shimmy, wiggling my arms toward the moon. "Our petals are sweet and magical."

"Magical like seeds that sprout from the soil."

"Magical like the rain that falls from the clouds." I dance across the fire from Poppy, galloping and skipping.

"Magical like the rays of the sun."

"We are magic!" I scream into the air.

As the fire ignites and devours the logs, our sacred space in the woods shimmers with the contrast of amber light and cobalt shadow. Both dance across our wondrous faces as we move, sing and shout with wild abandon. My bare feet squish into the dirt and clover in front of the campfire, and I don't even mind the earth caking up between my toes. I stare up at the face of the moon rising in the night sky, glowing pearl white and opal grey, in awe of her beauty and grace. 


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net