Midnight Passage

  Shayla pushed stringy damp hair off her face before leaning close to her new friends Aileen and Aaron, siblings who befriended her after moving to Danvers and whispered, "Ok, tell me again why we’re here.  It’s almost midnight”. 

  The storm that blew through town earlier that evening finally settled into a steady mist.  The scent of wet soil and rotting leaves permeated Shayla’s senses, bringing back memories of bad dreams only half remembered since childhood.  Dreams about a baby hurriedly carried through trees by a woman.  Shayla knew now that her dreams were actually memories and the woman was her birthmother.  She realized this after confronting her parents with a letter found while unpacking boxes delivered to their new home in Danvers.  Shayla finally understood why she never felt at peace or content for the last seventeen years; her entire life was built on a lie.

  The distant sound of a growling engine followed by the sound of gravel crunching beneath tires broke the deep silence of the forest as well as Shayla’s reflections.  Scrambling behind overhanging branches of birch and hazel trees, the three teens tried to blend in with the shadows to keep from being discovered.  It was only minutes before they saw what was causing the noise.  Not one but eleven vehicles passed by, then turned down the rough-cut road leading into the heart of the woods.  After the cars passed out of view, Aileen seized Shayla’s wrist and pulled her closer.

  A look of excitement and anticipation swept over Aileen as she whispered, “I already told you this once before, remember?  My friend John told me people go to Danvers Woods when the moon is full.  He kept talking about ancient legends and ceremonies.  I told him he was full of crap Shayla but I’m curious.  I wanna see what he’s talking bout so let’s go before they get too far ahead.”

  Closing her eyes, Shayla tried to erase the dreamlike image of thirteen cloaked figures, arms thrust forward as if reaching toward the sky in hopes of summoning something or someone to them.

  As Aileen began to stand, a lone car barreled down the lane coming much closer to them than the ones before.  Throwing herself back down, she knocked her brother and Shayla off balance and they fell, rolling down the slight incline they were on and coming to a stop in the weeds at the edge of the lane.  The car, a black Ford that was probably older than all of them are combined, passed so close they could smell the sweet smell of a blunt wafting out the cracked window and hear the last few measures of a Marilyn Manson song.  Heat from the engine warmed Shayla’s skin as it passed.  In an attempt to remain unseen she tried to make herself even smaller than she already was. 

  After the driver disappeared down the road, Aileen started to laugh as she watched her brother pull himself off the ground.  One look was all it took.  She knew he was angry.

  Once up, bent over with hands on his knees Aaron wheezed, “Damn, what the fuck!  Watch what you’re doing.”

  Shaking from fear and a growing anger, Shayla growled out, “What the hell is so funny?  We were almost hit for God’s sake.  I’m done, if you wanna stay here you can but I’m going home.”  Whirling about sharply she only was able to take two steps before Aileen grabbed her arm, twisting it hard enough to force her to turn back around.

  Aileen let slip an air of irritation and impatience as she hissed out, “It’s over now.  See, no more cars.  Let’s go finish what we started, then you can go home.” 

  Shayla didn’t have a chance to protest.  The two siblings shared a guarded glance before they each grabbed one of her arms forcing her down the dark winding lane.  Eventually they moved away from the well-traveled road choosing to walk through the trees in an attempt to remain unseen. 

  Thanks to the rocks and fallen branches littering the forest floor, the walk gave Shayla the impression of walking longer than the ten minutes it took to reach the point where the lane split.  One way would lead them further into the woods and to whatever awaited them.  The other looped around to a housing development nestled on the edge of the tree line.  Far off sounds told the trio which direction they needed to take.  Five minutes later a clearing appeared and twelve cars, in various states of repair, sat parked awaiting their owners’ return.

  After passing the cars, a path partially hidden by overgrown weeds and hanging branches from trees came into view.  Pushing through the foliage Aileen and Aaron entered the path keeping Shayla between them.  Calm fell over the woods as they made their way forward.  The hush was so complete it appeared as if the air was even holding its breath. 

  The sudden emergence of echoes caused by distant chanting violently broke the silence.  Turning in a slow circle, Shayla urgently tried to figure out which direction the sounds came from.  Her hesitation brought forth grumbling from Aaron who urged Shayla forward with a slight nudge to her shoulder.

  Each step forward, hampered by fear, became harder to take for Shayla.  It was as if on a subconscious level she knew going further would change her life even more than finding out she was adopted. Walking between the two people she thought were her friends, Shayla began for the first time to worry.  She didn’t have an outward fear of Aaron like she was developing of Aileen but uneasiness still simmered below the surface.

  Sensing Shayla’s fear, Aaron stepped forward taking her hand while murmuring softly, “I won’t let anything happen to you.  I promise.”

  His closeness and his assurances gave Shayla the resolve to keep moving.  As they worked their way down the narrow path the intensity of the chanting increased.  There was something familiar to the lilting tone and she soon found herself walking in a daze, getting closer to its source with each step she took.

  Thinking back to her childhood Shayla remembered hearing this sound when the wind blew.  She remembered how it comforted her when she felt sad or alone.

  Still in daze Shayla didn't realize where they were until she felt a cold breeze brush across her cheek, a sensation not felt since entering the path.  The haze began to clear and before her stood the group of twelve robed figures she envisioned on her way through the woods.  Still clutching Aaron’s hand Shayla made her way forward with Aileen on her other side.  As they walked forward, the group parted for Shayla and her companions creating a pathway, which led an old woman with long silver tresses that fell across her shoulders.  She was dressed in a forest green robe, its hood only partially covering her head. 

  “Blessed be grandmother.  We’ve brought our cousin to you”, murmured both Aileen and Aaron as they kneeled before the woman.

  “Blessed be”, she answered placing her hand on each of their heads, blessing each of them. 

  Shayla did not bow down as a mark of respect for the older woman.  Instead she stood her ground waiting for some sort of explanation.  Reaching for Shayla’s hand the old woman murmured, “My child, there is much that you do not know, yet must know and soon.”  She got her answer but not in the manner in which she expected.

  The minute the old woman, the high priestess of the coven that stood around them, took Shayla’s hand, a lifetime of memories flooded through her.  It was like watching a movie playing in fast forward.  Only the important parts were shown, skipping over everything else. 

  The land as it once was before men tore down the trees to build towns was shown to her first.  She heard the pact made between the spirit who was angry over the destruction of its land and the woman she knew must be her ancestor sealing the deal with an ancient mark upon her breast.  She saw her own birth and the knowing look in the midwife’s face when she noticed the mark upon her chest.  She saw the look of fear on her mother’s face as she was told about her baby’s destiny.  She watched as her mother ran through the woods trying to outrun fate.  She heard the blood calling blood spell cast by this woman, her grandmother, which would bring her home.  She saw her mother tearfully writing the letter, which would go to her parents once the adoption was final. Finally she saw all of the others who came before her, each one the high priestess of their coven, chosen by blood to become one with the ancient spirit, dedicating their lives to protect the land as long as their bloodline survived.  Tears fell when Shayla realized she had come full circle.

  Holding her granddaughter’s hand the high priestess led the way to the knoll where an ancient tree stood.  Its gnarled branches made a seat where the woman sat motioning for Shayla to sit next to her, holding her arms out in welcome.  Shayla felt a longing for this woman and fell into her arms with a sob.

  “It’s your time Shayla.  Mine has come to its end.  I’m old and no longer able to sustain the ancient.  Don’t cry child, I will always be with you, as will each of us who came before.  It’s the way of our order.  You have come of age and you must meet your fate, what you were born to do.”

  Wiping tears away she noticed that the others began surrounding their seat.  In a heartfelt protest Shayla sobbed, “It isn’t fair.  Not now.  Not yet.  Please ----.”

  Taking Shayla into her arms she clasped the amulet that she once wore around her neck and whispered, “It’s your turn child, be brave and remember, even when you were far away I was with you, and I will always be by your side.”  With those final words Shayla realized they were whispered to her heart because her grandmother was gone and sitting there she knew her words were true.  Centuries of truths mingled with the knowledge of a mere eighteen year old making her feel old beyond her years.  As she stood, turning to face those who stood before her a hush fell as everyone acknowledged the new high priestess of Danvers.