Mommy Dearest

Darlene sat in one of the four chairs around the dining room table in the home of Vera Seabring, town librarian and local historian. Barley five feet tall, hair white and curled up on the head of the wizened octogenarian, she was the senior member of the gathering, she called it a gathering because she felt coven was a misrepresentation. Also at the table occupying the other chairs were high school principal Don Donaldson, and high school teacher Lyle Collins as well as Vera herself.

“The others should be here soon enough,” Vera said, smile on her wrinkled and leathery face, voice raspy and dry.

“How’s Jerry?” asked Don, looking over at Darlene.

“He’s been into his cups tonight and says he wants us to wait,” she said. “We’re reaching.”

“I think he’s wrong, Anna is starting to manifest some abilities now. Did you tell her about Trevor Davis Lyle?” asked Don, looking at the history teacher.

“No, slipped my mind,” he replied, making no effort to conceal his disapproval.

“What happened to Trevor Davis?” asked Vera, washed out hazel eyes slightly clouded as she fixed her gaze on Lyle.

“The kid was poking fun at Anna, next thing you know, his wrist is mysteriously sliced opened to the bone, through arteries and tendons, nothing sharp enough to do that kind of damage anywhere. Nurse said it looked like a scalpel made the cut it was so clean. Don seems to think Anna did it,” Lyle said.

Vera studied Lyle for a moment, then turned to Darlene. “Anything else odd going on around your household last little while?” she asked.

Darlene pursed her mouth, eyes looking up and to the left as she searched her mind. Nodding, “She mentions feeling queasy quite frequently. She hasn’t talked about the dreams in a long time. Caleb said that she tripped him the other day, but it’s Caleb, he could be making it up. She did get a little worked up when news of Adam’s release was announced and Don sent her home from school, other than that,” she shrugged.

Vera nodded slowly. “Adam still represents a significant threat to our plan and as such he should have been neutralized some time ago,” she said. “His release could potentially be problematic to us if he can get to Anna,” she conceded.

“That’s why I think we need to do the ritual,” stated Darlene. “Tonight, then there’s nothing Adam can do.”

Vera touched a gnarled age spotted hand to her chin, thin lips pursed. “If Inanna is manifesting strong enough to actually influence events in the physical world, now could very well be the time,” she mused.

“We risk losing Anna’s body if she isn’t though,” Lyle countered.

“Also true, but the solstice is still weeks away,” Vera stated. “And we may risk losing our chance to unfetter Inanna if we are over cautious.”

The doorbell rang. Vera looked at Don and motioned him off to respond to the bell. When Don returned to the kitchen, Brenda Myles was with him, Veronica’s mother.

Vera nodded, “Good of you to come,” she welcomed, favoring the new attendee with a closed mouth smile.

Brenda smiled back and nodded while Don resumed his seat. Lyle got up from the table and offered Brenda his chair. Still smiling, she nodded and sat down. Pleasantries were exchanged.

“To bring you up to speed, Darlene is suggesting we perform the ritual of purification tonight,” Vera said, laying her spotted hands on the table.

Brenda nodded, “Veronica has been saying Anna is acting odd of late, like she’s not there, or even sometimes just different,” she supplied. “I heard today a young man was injured pretty seriously right in your class,” she started, looking at Lyle, “And that somehow he received a mysterious cut.”

Lyle nodded, “It’s true.”

“Are we in a position to perform the ritual on such short notice?” asked Don, looking around at the other people assembled in the kitchen.

Vera nodded. “We have the necessary components, the set up will take a few hours in preparation,” she said, speaking almost as if to herself.

“We need to do it!” Darlene stated emphatically. “We got lucky getting Anna back in the first place, we can’t let Adam steal her away again and complete his ward.”

Vera up from her chair, lacy shawl draped around her stooped shoulder, she leaned forward on the table and nodded. “I think the urgency is worth the gamble, tonight we will bind Anna and set free our goddess.”

“Yes!” grinned Darlene, nodding triumphantly.

Lyle shook his head, but the decision had been made and whether he agreed or not, he was bound to abide.

“If Anna is manifesting some of Inanna’s power, we will need to be cautious. To get her here, we’ll need faces she finds friendly,” instructed Vera, looking to Darlene then to Brenda, “You two perhaps.”

“Plus Jerry is there too,” provided Darlene.

Vera frowned, turning her face into a prune, “He is reckless and undisciplined,“ she stated. Pointing a crooked finger in Brenda’s direction, “Like her stupid brother Fred for violating the child Veronica and spoiling her usefulness to us. Make sure you keep Jerry in check, once the ritual is complete, Inanna will provide guidance to us and we will be raised up in her glory.”

Darlene nodded enthusiastically, “Jerry isn’t a problem. He will do what he’s told.” Looking to Brenda, “Shall we?”

Brenda nodded in return and together they bowed their heads to the old woman and left.

Vera nodded slowly and looked at the people still in her kitchen. “Let us prepare,” she said.