Spring-it-on / A Beltane festival of fate. #1

Spring-it-on!

A Beltane festivals if fate:

Everything was set, long table after long table draped in cream coloured table cloths, knitted in the spring festival or Sabbath as the local wise folk called it Beltane colours. Orange, reds and pinks laid along the tables as place mats with plates and cutlery gently resting atop them. Four tall trees had been stripped of their branches and leaves; sanded and oiled prepared as may polls for the blessed day. One towards each corner of the open field not far from the town of Salem in Massachusetts. The year was 1990; some of the older folks mostly women, around the town had organised to hold the event as a Spring festival, as well as a an act of sympathy and kindness in memory of the Salem witch trials. For weeks before this day older women, their families too were seen about town putting up posters.

About three days before the event was set to be held a young girl with vibrant red hair, emerald green eyes with freckles across her cheeks. one particularly large for a freckle, but small for what it actually was, a rough heart shaped tarnished tan coloured birthmark under her right eye. Her name was Braylee Goodswill, seventeen years old, with no known affiliation or affection towards festivals or "witchcraft" saw a piece of paper floating in a gently breeze. She had also seen the breeze sweep through and rip the page from the pole it had be taped to. Braylee did care about the environment so she chased the page down the road and picked it up after it floated like autumn leaves to the ground. She read the poster quietly to herself. "Apple peels, lemon zest! Orange juice, dress your best! Beltane has sprung upon us. Free spring festival in the large old feild two miles north of town. " The poster had images of Apple peels and orange peels as streamers for the back ground. As she looked at the poster Braylee noticed a small silver banner at the bottom of the poster with silhouettes of "witch's" holding the banner with the words "remember the trails, remember in pain, then perhaps history won't repeat again.".

Braylee was just going to take the page home and recycle it, instead she shrugged to herself "might be fun." She sighed to herself.

With the day of the spring festival starting Braylee arrived to see people of many ages some as young as three or four were holding coloured ribbons attached at the top of the may poles. She saw stalls serving various old.timey foods, she had her eye on the pastry stall. Braylee wondered to the stall, still glancing at everything set up for the festival, people were building a non fire in the centre of the field, men and women bobbles for apples and peeled the fruits skin, dropping it in a barrel of water; a sign near by read 'peel an apple find the letter of your true loves name!"

A man about forty years old grumpily tended the pastry stall. "What do you want?" He said in a slightly gruff tone. He wore 1800s period correct clothing, like all the stall venders. "It all looks so good. Did you bake them yourself?" Braylee asked, she always tried to put a smile on people's faces. The man rolled his eyes. "My mother.... She conned me into standing here all day. Try one of these." He answered her picking up a tart tasting strawberry jam pastry. "Oh. Well, happy... Spring... festival? I guess." Braylee took the pastry and handed over some cash. "Keep the change." She said "for yourself" she added smiling brightly. The man was shocked, not that she handed him alot, but that someone so young would be so kind. He had found most the teenagers around to be self observed. He smiled "thanks. Happy spring festival" he waved her off.

Braylee bit into the treat she brought, smiling since she seemed to have made someone's day. "Mmm" she chewed with delight. Looking about some more. Noticing a crafts table set up, kids were making pictures gluing slices of fruits, their slings and seeds to pages. Some where older kids, learning to sew simple bags to take home. Everything was vibrant and beautiful. "Hey Buh-Ray-Lee" a voice called over her shoulder. Braylee turned on the spot and found herself facing one of the cheerleaders from her school. She noticed the girl was literally wearing her uniform with leggings and a sweater to the festival. While Braylee wore baggy jeans, a Gray hoodie and a plain blue T-shirt with dirty. Old sneakers. "Oh hi Lacy." She half smiled through her words as she pushed her hair out if her face. "Are you cheering here today?" Braylee asked curiously. Lacy rolled her eyes and her head. "Yeah right! Like I would cheer here, out in the sticks." Braylee nodded along. "I just assumed." Lacy nodded "yeah I know." Braylee was always so uncomfortable when Lacy was near. They grew up together they were the best of friends untill Lacy's tenth birthday. Braylee hadn't even seen her that day. She just got a phone call on the house phone from Lacy's mom telling her the sleep over was cancelled that she was sorry Lacy didn't want to know Braylee anymore. So whenever they spoke Lacy wasn't the person she remembered. She wished she knew why. Lacy noticed Braylee was staring off in space. "ANYWAY!" She exclaimed Braylee shook her head "oh sorry yeah?", "What! Ever! Chow bitch." Lacy walked off, attitude booming with each step. When Lacy was out of ear shot Braylee shrugged "that was weird."

Braylee walked around the festival, taking pictures on a camera she kept in her bag at all times. She got some lovely pictures of those dancing and weaving around the may poles, a few shadowy shots of Apple peels being dropped, and how they appear in the water. When she was taking a picture of a couple in the distance sharing drinks from wine glasses, a third member of the couple's party noticed and ran over, a young. Boy maybe eight years old. "Hey lady!" He smiled, his mother looking in with worried eyes ready to pounce to protect her child. Braylee looked at the mother and waved with a sweet smile. "Hello... Kiddo?" She wasn't sure how to respond. "Can I see the picture!? Please?" The boy jumped for joy. The mother and father were walking over to them now. "Sure. In a moment." Braylee started navigating the buttons on the camera so see the last picture she took. "Hello, I'm Bridget, this is my husband Tom and of course our son Zachery" a cheerful feminine voice washed over her. Braylee looked up and smiled at the couple. "Hello, I'm sorry to disturb you. My name's Braylee..." She replied slightly nervous. Tom smiled wide. "It's alright. Hey zachy what did you come see, Braylee was it? About?" Zachery pointed at the camera "she took a picture of you and mommy.... I think" Braylee offered her most innocent and sweet smile. "Nothing bad I swear! I just couldn't let the lighting oppertunity pass for such a perfect picture... I.. I was actually thinking about maybe showing you the picture and offering to print it and mail you a copy!" She tried to explain why she had taken their picture. She expected a lecture about taking pictures without consent like her mother always gave her. Instead the couple looked at each other and smiled. "You really just thought we would make a nice picture? That's sweet!" Bridget smiled at Braylee. "May I see the picture?" She asked.

Braylee turned the camera and leant down so Zachery could see it first. "He did ask first." She giggled to the child's parents who smiled. The kid brightened at the picture "pretty mommy!" He exclaimed. Tom smiled and kissed Bridget's forehead "she always is." He whispered thinking no one heard. Bridget blushed in response. Braylee handed the camera to Tom and Bridget who glanced at the image. To their surprise it was a stunning shot, the sunlight shined through trees in the distant background, tables sat in the nearer background set up in their glory, decked with candleabra's, candles all lit. Leaving people's walking past in a shadowy haze, Zachery stood smiling looking up at his parents next to Tom in the image who had one arm draped around his wife, Bridget as their arms intertwined sipping from their glasses. They're view was in focus, the background making them appear in allowing light. "you have a gift." Tom said breathlessly. Bridget had tears in her eyes "not even out wedding pictures look this beautiful." She said happily passing the camera back and rushing into her bag for a small sticky note pad. She wrote her address, name and phone number down and handed it to Braylee. "We would love a copy. I'll even pay you for it right now!" Braylee raised her hands "on no, I couldn't take your money." Tom laughed "how refreshing a child who won't take money. We insist." He pulled out his wallet and handed Braylee a crisp twenty dollar bill. "with respect like yours, I trust you'll send the picture."

Braylee gave Bridget her home number so she could call checking with Braylee on the picture. Bridget hugged Braylee before they parted and zachery waved calling out hoping to see her again soon. It made Braylee smile warmly and fill with a satisfied feeling of doing good. She was shocked she had been paid for a single picture! As the events carried on braylee tried some of the crafts with the kids, sewing a bag to take home for her mother, she asked if she could use extra material and paid for the privilege. But the evening was coming on fast, the bonfire lighting ritual was about to happen. Braylee took a seat in the grass and watched people as she waited. Only a few minutes past as she people watched, till men and women came out with drums. A rythmick beat was started as they completely circled.the bonfires but faced outwards to the people. Shortly after ladies dressed in thin white cotton dresses, with visible white undergarments started dancing around the drummers. A mystical dance as they stepped spinning and switching places with each other. When they had all found their rythem and place the dances started to sing and hum melodically. Half way through their song two women came out in painted bodies, reds, orange on the too half and blues and greens on their lowers half's with splashes of white thrown over their bodies. Many parents took their younger children and left at this point but a few families stayed behind, Bridget, Tom and Zachery being one of them. The painted ladies were quickly joined by two males naked and painted the same colours but oppersite ways, holding torches. It was quite the experience. Braylee was considering going home from nerves and anxiety but she noticed Lacy was still watching and didn't want Lacy to see her leave so she stayed. As the painted men and women chased each other around the dancers and drummers. Each male caught a female and the dancers and drummers stopped abruptly and parted down the middle and knelt down as the couple's held the torches together, one jumping and kicking their.legs out as the other spun them and then vice versa till a couple on either side of the bonfire met the pile of branches, twigs and straw and gently folded their bodies. Down as they placed their torches down and rolled backwards and away as the flames wished up, the wood had obviously been drenched in fuel so it would light so fast.

Four elderly woman, two beautiful, two weathered and worse for wear when compared to the other two; appeared from the crowed raising their hands to the flames. They appeared to be mumbling words no one could hear. As their hands fell in unison to their sides four sparks burst forward from bonfire. Everyone admired this thinking it a trick. Braylee felt something strange in the Air all about her. The sparks raised into. The air, then fell in different directions. One spark landed three feet from Braylee. It hit the ground. With a spit and thud, shocking Braylee and distracting her she scooted back from it quickly. Bridget appeared at her side "don't run." She whispered and suddenly she was gone. Braylee sat back leaning on her hands and breathed heavily. What was she supposed to do. Was it going to start a fire? She took a moment to look around for the other three sparks. One sat glowing Infront of the fire and near no specific person. One landed in Lacy's hair she was.awating her hair and people where crowding around her. Braylee noticed one of the elderly ladies a weathered one walking to Lacy. The other spark was apparently being held by Bridget and Tom and Zachery were smiling and cheering for her. Braylee was so very confused. No one had rushed to her. She looked at the spark near her. It was flickering. Maybe it was blinking? She thought. "Hello?" She whispered to it. The spark bounced towards her. She gasped fearfully. The spark bounced up to her, she stayed perfectly still. It didn't touch her just sat there flickering. "Hi there..." She said awkwardly waving a small wave to the spark of flickering flame. In her perriferal vision she noticed a beautiful elderly woman gently walking towards her. "She won't bite." A sweet voice sneaked out of her wrinkled lips. "She? Bite?" Braylee asked now looking at the elderly woman.

The elderly woman told Braylee it was a spiritual familiar. Right before Bridget ran up behind the old woman grasped her by the shoulders lovingly hugging her, the spark that chose Bridget sitting on her head. not burning, smoking or anything. "Mama. Let me handle this one ok?" Bridget urged sweetly. Her mother, the elderly woman nodded. "Alright I'll be waiting.". The woman started slinking away. "I know where." Bridget cheered over her shoulder and sat beside Braylee.

"What's going on Bridget?" Braylee asked very confused and slightly scared. Her eyes locked on the spark in front of her now. "You saw the flier right?" Bridget began. Braylee nodded her eyes not moving. "Saw the note at the bottom?" Bridget asked urging an answer from Braylee. Who nodded again. "Only someone with real wiccan blood could see that." Bridget playfully nudged. She leaned over and whispered "it's probably why your photos are so good." Braylee was panting slightly. Bridget didn't want another unknown witch to freak out she had seen things go bad. Even to people who knew they who and what they were. Her little sister was one. Bridget wrapped a friendly arm around braylees shoulder. It felt fine to her, she knew how close they were going to get. Braylee nearly jumped out of her skin though still knowing nothing. "It'll be ok.. you going to name her?" Bridget asked sweetly. As she looked at braylees spark. "Name her? She doesn't have one?" Braylee looked confused at Bridget. Bridget giggled "she came from a part of you and is now her own wild flame of the heart and magical essence. You can give her any name you want. As you grow stronger and closer she'll even take on different aspects or colours. My mother, Hellen her spark takes the shape of a tiny green kitten sized tiger with a leaf growing out of its head." She explained watching Braylee grown amazed rather than confused and scared.

After a short talk about what a witch is, a wise woman. A wise man. A person with access to a spiritual energy linked entirely to the very earth they live upon. Then Bridget and Braylee were joined by Zachery and Tom. Excited to have Braylee apart of their world. They escorted Bridget and Braylee as if they were knights, a way to keep Zachery entertained. To a cabin, hidden in a tight small forest of trees. The cabin was rustic and very old. Bridget told Braylee it was built originally in the early settler days, and rebuilt after the Salem trials by members of her family tree and toms and others. Inside it was rather large compared to the scale of the cabins look from the outside. Fine hand carved furniture cluttered the place along with bookshelves full of books, racks full of jars of different herbs, dried flowers and leaves ECT.

Inside the cabin Braylee felt at home. The four elderly woman and Lacy stood inside. Lacy sitting, her spark already bright pink in color and sitting on her lap. "Hi Bray." Lacy said as if they were friends. "Hii... Lace?" Braylee tried to act like they were still friends. "Come sit, everyone." Helen said gently but loudly so it could be heard everywhere in the room. Everyone found a seat, Zachery sat next to Braylee and held her hand. "You're like a big sister now." He whispered. Braylees heart felt warm and her spark glowed brightly. Sitting in the floor next to her feet. "Today is the start... Of the rest of your lives." Another elderly woman said. Her wrinkled leathery cheeks curling up in as she smiled. "I'm Ethel, this is Helen, Greta and Abby." The elders nodded as they were introduced. "We are your teachers." Greta smiled.

"But for now we celebrate Beltane!" Abby raised a glass to the room frailty showing. "Welcome Sisters! To the Salem Hecate wiccan coven!" The four said in unison their excitement gaining with each word. That night Braylee found her friend again. She out who she was and had an exciting future to look forward to. Happy spring festivities, Everyone!