CnC 4 A Harvest of Bones Read online

  Seventeen

  I GASPED AS JOE pulled me to his side. “Don’t come any closer,” he warned them.

  A tinkle of laughter filled the air. Brent and Brigit looked stunning—young and beautiful and so happy. I slipped out of Joe’s embrace to stand by his side. “Don’t worry,” I said, knowing this was a good-bye visit. “They aren’t going to hurt us. They’re here to thank us.”

  We stood there staring at one another, two couples divided by time, by space, by the veil of death itself. They, in their shadowy realm and we, in our own clear and vibrantly alive world. Brent leaned down to kiss Brigit on the forehead. She broke out in a smile that echoed through my heart.

  “They’re so happy,” I said. The week had been harsh and tense, the day so traumatic. And yet, as tears dropped on my cheeks I realized that I wasn’t crying for them, but for all the love lost in the world. Love lost to fear and hatred and social mores. I stepped forward with Joe behind me, his hands on my shoulders.

  “I hope your love lasts forever,” I said to Brigit. “I hope you both find in death what you couldn’t have together in life.”

  They seemed to understand. Then Brigit pointed toward a nearby huckleberry bush and there was a rustle in the leaves. I caught my breath. Not the Will o’ the Wisps again? But the brush parted and out raced Samantha! She leapt into my arms, snuggling deep under my chin, her purr reverberating through my body like a hot rum toddy on a cold night.

  “Sammy! It’s Sammy!” I kissed her on the nose and buried my nose in her fur, holding tight for all I was worth, just breathing in her presence. Brigit and Brent clasped hands, gave us a gentle smile, and began to walk toward the yew tree. Mab followed them, her ghostly tail swishing in the astral breeze. As we watched, they shimmered, then vanished from sight.

  The storm broke, startling us from our reverie as a rumble of thunder shook the ground.

  “Let’s get Sammy home,” I shouted over the noise. We raced for the house and had just cleared the lot when a huge bolt of lightning split the air.

  “The tree! The lightning hit the tree!” Joe yelled. I didn’t look back, but instead took the porch steps two at a time, Samantha digging into my shoulder with the most wonderful pain I’d felt in days. I burst in on an anxious party.

  “Sammy!” Randa and Kip rushed me but I ran into the spare bedroom and shut the door. I didn’t want her to bolt.

  They knocked and I carefully let them in. “She’s scared and hungry,” I said. “Stay in here with her for now, and whatever you do, don’t let her out of this room. Get her some food and water and a cat box.”

  “Mom, can we keep the cats inside all the time?” Kip asked, his voice muffled as he buried his face in her fur. “I’ve been reading up on it and … they live longer.”

  I smiled. Just what I’d been thinking. “That’s a good idea, hon. We’ll figure it all out tomorrow. For now, just keep an eye on her and we’ll take her to the vet on Monday to make sure she’s okay.”

  I stood up and headed for the living room but Randa stopped me with a plaintive, “Mom?”

  “What is it?”

  “Joe said … did you …”

  “She’s trying to ask if you said ‘yes’ when Joe asked you to marry him,” Kip broke in, grinning like a crazed jack-o’-lantern.

  I threw back my head and laughed. “Yes, I said yes. Is that okay with you guys?” They waved me off like I was a moron and I knew there’d be no objections from their quarter.

  Everyone in the living room was talking at once. I skirted the mayhem until I found Joe, who was standing on the front porch. A fire engine had blasted its way up the street to stop next door. After a few minutes, we headed down to the sidewalk to meet a fireman walking our way. He told us that although they were checking for hot spots, it looked like the strike had just split the tree and toppled it. There didn’t seem to be any flames.

  After he headed back to the lot, I snuggled against Joe, the rain dousing us, plastering our hair and clothes close to our bodies.

  “Brigit doesn’t need her grave anymore. She and Brent are together. The cycle is over and they’re off on whatever adventure awaits them next. Do you mind if we uproot that yew once and for all?”

  “It seems as though the lightning had the same idea,” he said, sliding his arm around my shoulders. “You know, don’t you, that I’ll love you forever? That if anything ever happens to me, I’ll come back with Nanna and watch over you and the kids.”

  And right then, I realized—on a gut level—that we were both in this for good. That Joe was the only person I could imagine spending my life with. Life would never be the same, and I welcomed the change. Come ghosts and goblins, harvests filled with old bones, Joe and I would see the adventures through together, days by day, year by year, side by side.

  And when the time came, maybe we’d be lucky enough to walk through the veil together. But that day was a long way off, and right now, I felt like celebrating. I looked at my ring and broke into a stupid grin.

  “Let’s go inside. It’s my birthday, and our friends and family are waiting. I want cake and ice cream and lots of espresso and I want to show off this gorgeous hunk of rock!”

  Joe laughed. “You caffeine freak, you. Come on, Ms. O’Brien. Your party awaits.”

  We had a lot to celebrate. Samantha was safe, Brigit and Brent were at peace, and I was going to marry the man of my dreams. I took his hand as we walked up the sidewalk to the house.

  “Come on Files,” I said. “Let’s go home.”

  And we did.

  Charm to Call a Lost Pet Home

  When a valued family pet disappears, many people don’t understand that it’s one of the most traumatic experiences that you can undergo. But there are many things you can do on a practical level, and I recommend all of them in addition to this magical charm—remember, if you don’t do the work on the mundane, the magic won’t help.

  Make color fliers of your pet and post them all over the neighborhood for several blocks.

  Give fliers to veterinarians in your area just in case someone brings in your cat or dog—vets do pay attention to these.

  Offer a reward, but don’t specify how much in the flier. There are people who will try to take advantage of grieving owners.

  Check the local animal shelters to see if your pet is there. Don’t rely on a phone call. Check every day that they’re open.

  You might also want to call your city’s street department to ask if they found any animals on the side of the road—a gruesome thought, but it can at least put to rest some disappearances. Closure is always better than wondering what happened.

  Rent or borrow a humane trap from your local ASPCA or local pet rescue organization and learn how to use it. It may seem heartless to try and trap your own cat, but it does work for a lot of people, and it won’t hurt them.

  If you use perfume, spray it around your yard in a trail leading up to your door. This will be a familiar scent for them to follow.

  Engage the neighborhood kids in trying to find your pet. Children are notoriously good at searching out lost animals and understand your worry more than some adults might.

  Search every hidey-hole, no matter how small. Cats are experts at sneaking into tight places.

  Remember: Your pet may be so scared that he or she won’t come when you call. Be patient: Sit out in your yard and talk to them as if they were there next to you. Use gentle tones.

  Visit the ASPCA’s Web site online for more tips and hints (www.aspca.org).

  And lastly: Don’t give up. Two of our indoor-only girls were missing last summer and I fell apart—totally went to pieces. They got out accidentally and Samwise and I were worried sick. Two days later, Luna showed up in the backyard, dazed and hungry. But for a while, it felt like Meerclar had been swallowed up by the faeries—she showed up at the door a couple of times but when I ran to let her in, she vanished back into the night. Two weeks later, our neighbor caught her and brought her home to us. I am forever gra
teful for his kindness.

  For the charm, you will need:

  A picture of your pet

  A statue or figurine of a cat or dog (match it to your pet’s species)

  A can of cat or dog food

  Six quartz crystal spikes—small or large, but approximately the same size as one another

  1 oz. catnip (for both cat and dog)

  A piece of blank paper and a red ink pen

  A brown or green pouch with a red ribbon

  On the piece of paper, write your pet’s name in firm, bold letters across the top. Beneath this, print your name, address, and the words:

  Return you home now, safe from harm,

  By the workings of this charm,

  Hear my call, come home this day,

  Safe the passage, safe the way.

  My love protects you while you roam,

  And keeps you safe for your trip home.

  Fold the paper and hold it, concentrating on your pet. Visualize your pet walking through the yard, up to the door, and into the house. Send this energy out to your pet, then place the paper in the pouch and add the catnip. Tie the ribbon firmly and place the pouch on top of your pet’s picture.

  Set the can of food next to the picture, along with the statue, then circle everything with the quartz, pointy ends facing out (like sunbeams). Each day your pet is gone, come to this altar and visualize it coming home, while you repeat the charm.

  Hold hope in your heart, and do everything you can on a practical level to find your friend. I wish you well with this—it helped our girls find their way home, I’m positive of it.

  Bright Blessings, the Painted Panther Yasmine Galenorn