The Cursed Day

Cephas stood atop the castle of Evercrest frowning at the scene bellow him. People were setting up jack o lanterns and setting up banners with pictures of ghosts and situating four-foot-tall statue of a devil atop a pedestal of stone. Cephas cringed at the sight and it made his stomach turn. “What an abominable holiday we have embraced! How it must disgust God!”

“Oh, don’t be so religious, Cephas. It’s just a little fun,” said a voice from behind him. He turned and glared at a fair skinned young woman with short blond hair and sea-blue eyes.

“You have been born into these times, Princess Athinia,” said Cephas. “Society has left it’s spiritual morals ever since we adopted Samhain from those pagan Celtics. From that time I have watched good piety drift farther and farther.”

Princess Athinia shook her head. “It is called Halloween now,” said Athinia. “We have not adopted the heinous practices of the Celtics. It is just frightful fun now.”

“Evercrest is a large kingdom. How do you know evil things are not done in secret?”

Athinia paused. “Well I…”

“See?”

Athinia sighed. “I am leaving now. I'll be judging the jack o lantern contest at tonight’s celebration. If you don’t want to come, that is fine.” Athinia turned and walked down the stairwell next to her.

After brooding for several minutes more, Cephas followed after Athinia. As he walked down the steps he took a deep breath. I refuse to witness this sacrilege. I’ll camp in the wilderness for the night. he thought.

When Cephas reached the base floor, he went to his chamber and gathered some victuals along with two flint stones to make a fire. Lastly, he went to the royal stable for a horse and rode for the outer wilderness. About an hour later, he halted his mount and slid off. The smell of grass wafted in the cool, moist air.

When had made a small tent, he kindled a fire on some twigs and dried grass had gathered. He took out a small Bible and read. It just convicted his stance even more.

Cephas walked around to the back of his tent to secure a peg. Suddenly, Cephas saw the flicker of a fire roughly two dozen yards away, in the blackness of night. “Who on Earth would that be?”

Cephas was curious and squinted his eyes then pulled at his chin. He decided to investigate. As he approached the fire, he saw a woman in a black with her lips moving.

The woman was on a low hill and a large boulder sat behind her. Cephas circled around her to peak past the boulder. She was chanting a strange tongue. She took a powdered substance and cast it into the fire and it turned to a green flame.

A witch Cephas mouthed.

Suddenly, she spun around and looked at Cephas and shrieked. “Ah! Get away! Leave me!” The witch backed away and stumbled over something.

Cephas left the cover of the boulder and saw a dead body that the woman tripped over. She jumped up and made some hand gestures and spoke in the same weird words.

Cephas backed away as a transparent, glowing human form rose from the earth.

“Destroy him my ghost servant!” the woman uttered.

When the ghostly phantom fully emerged, it started to approach Cephas. He backed away with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. He trembled and was about to run away, he heard a still, small voice within him. Fear not. For greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Cephas realized he was acting like a scared child and stood still and prayed a quick prayer. A bright white light appeared in the form of a man with stork’s wings.

The ghost reeled back and immediately it flew for the woman and it took refuge in her then drooled with bloodshot eyes and made deep guttural sounds like a possessed zombie.

“In the name of God, I adjure you to leave this woman!” said the angel.

The spirit exited as it came out like a stream of black mist that dissipated in minutes.

Both the woman and Cephas were frozen I fear.

Just as the angel had appeared, it vanished and they were left alone.

The woman fell to her knees and Cephas addressed her. “Are there any others who are like you inside Evercrest!”

“One other that I know of! She lives in a hut in the back of the kingdom.”

Cephas raised his voice. “Where exactly!”

“Deep in the heart of the Great Orange grove.”

“Promise me you will forsake your ways or you will be imprisoned,” said Cephas.

“I will.”

Cephas rode off and when he was inside the kingdom, he circled around the perimeter and found the grove. As he went deeper, he was becoming lost. None had ever strayed so far. It was the ideal hiding place.

Then he saw it-a small wicker hut with a thatched door. Cephas barged through the entrance and a slender woman on a bed was startled awake. “Ahhh! No! Go away!” she spewed.

“Submit to God! That is the only away to be free from the evil power!”

“How!” said the woman.

“Have faith!” Cephas put his hand on the woman’s head and prayed silently.

The woman shut her eyes tightly and cried out. “Oh, God, save me!”

The woman convulsed slightly then tumbled to the floor with her eyes still shut. Slowly she opened her eyes in a daze. “It’s gone, my power. But I feel so free!”

“God has delivered you, madam. Be thankful. I must ask you-are there any other witches you know of?”

“Yes, but I have not seen them in years. What will you do?”

Cephas straightened his back. “I will purge the land with the help of followers who are like me, though few there are. God will guide me to purge the land of magic and the force behind it.”