Entertainment and Fun Page: Stories

Author's Biography: DreamDancer posts stories to the internet when the mood strikes him and graciously gave his permission for any of his stories to appear on our pages.

Things just hadn't been the same for me since Ginnie was killed in that car wreck almost 10 months ago. Just a short trip, to drop off some chicken soup of all damn things, to a sick friend. Just a short trip, yes, but one small patch of ice on a curve in the road, and Ginnie never came home again.

I went on with my life, as best I could. I got up every day, went to work, paid the bills, and did all the daily things I needed to do, and went to bed every night, tho sleep often alluded me, all alone, lonelier than I'd ever been, in the dark hours of the night.

My youngest sister-in-law Marie invited me over to her house to "celebrate" Halloween with her and her friends. Except she didn't call it Halloween, she called it Samhain, but said it was cool with her if I called it Halloween.

I guess I should explain a bit about that day name thing. Marie is one of those people that thinks she is some kind of witch or something, tho she calls herself Wiccan, I think.

Well, I really didn't want to go. I had no desire, nor the energy to hang out with a bunch of weird people celebrating their national holiday or whatever it was, but I truly love Marie like she is my own little sister, and this time I couldn't find it in my heart to turn her down.

I didn't know what to expect as I drove over to her house. Halloween, or if you wish, Samhain, is the one time of year that I hadn't been around Marie.

Her house as I approached, looked just like any other house in the neighborhood at this time of the year. There were cobwebs hanging in the trees, skeletons in the front windows, and two sentinel Jack-O-Lanterns guarding the front door stoop.

Inside, I found a group of people that looked no different from any others that i had seen. Some were in costume, some in regular street clothes, and a couple were wearing what i guess were their "ritual" robes.

Marie ushered us all into her big dining room and seated us around the table. I noticed that there was another table with food and place setting on it placed over by the window. I asked her about this, and she told me it was for her other guests that hadn't arrived as yet.

I guess it was up in the air as to whether or not these other guests would show up since Marie gave some kind of blessing for the food and for the people at her table, and for those that may show up, and we proceeded to eat.

I don't know what I expected all these so called witches or whatever to talk about, but the talk was of kids and family, work, music, sports, and the occasional lewd joke thrown in for spice.

Dinner ended, and the folks got up and drifted about the house. I got up and stretched myself a bit, and then walked over next to Marie by the small table she had set. "Guess those others aren't going to be showing up tonight" I told her.

She just smiled at me and said 'Well, some have come, others may decide to join us later". I guess she must have misunderstood what I meant, so I let it drop.

I took my first good look at the little table. On it were small portions of everything that we had eaten. Then, I found my breath catching in my throat. Sitting in the center of the table was a cherry cheesecake with a little whipped cream "smiley face" on it. That was Ginnie's favorite dessert, and I hadn't seen anyone else but Ginnie put that particular little touch on it.

I pointed the cherry cheesecake out to Marie and asked her why that particular kind of dessert was there.

"Oh, I made that for Ginnie" she said. "You know it's her favorite".

I felt my stomach drop and a depression fall over me. Tears came unbidden to my eyes. "How could you be so crass?" I asked her. "She was your sister as well as my wife. I don't think this is in the least bit funny if it was meant as a joke".

Marie looked into my eyes, and I could now see her sorrow showing as well, but also a hint of a smile.

"Bobby, Ginnie was and is my sister, and I love her and miss her very much. Let me explain something to you. You see, we believe that when someone dies, they don't just cease to exist. we believe they just go to another place, a place that we just can't see most of the time. At Halloween time, or what we call Samhain, the veil that separates that place from this one is at its thinnest, and sometimes those who have gone on can reach us here. We don't do any of that hocus pocus s‚ance stuff, but we do invite those who have gone on to join us, and we set out places for them, maybe even some of their favorite foods, like Ginnies cheesecake, to make them feel welcome. Sometimes, if you are open enough, you can even see or feel them with us on this night".

There was nothing I could say to this. I just turned and walked into the living room and sat on the couch, trying to take the time to compose myself.

A short while later, the rest of the people in the house drifted into the back yard for whatever else they had planned for this night. I didn't wish to join them; I just wanted to be alone in my sorrow.

I don't know how much time had passed, but after a while I started to hear music and a kind of chanting or singing. It was very low, and I couldn't make out the words but I found the sounds to be very peaceful, relaxing and warm. I felt something akin to a warm tingle on my skin and in my bones.

As I grew more at peace with myself I started to think on what Marie had said. If it were only possible I thought. Well, what would it hurt to try?

I closed my eyes, and I don't know how I knew to do it, but I somehow felt all the sadness and doubt leaving me, and in time it felt like a door had opened in my heart and my soul.

Suddenly I felt a weight plop onto my lap and chest, and felt what seemed to be a kiss on the tip of my nose. My eyes sprung open to see, inches from my face, the impish grin of my Ginnie.

"About time Bozo" she teased as she bounced in my lap the way she always did. "don't you know it's the girl that's supposed to keep the boy waiting, not the other way around".

She hugged me close and told me she loved me, now and always. She told me she was not gone forever as Marie had said, but only in a different place, a place that would be hard for me to reach her in except at special times.

Tears of joy were running freely down my face, and I told her I never wanted to be apart from her again. I would come to her, join her in this place she was in.

Ginnie pulled back from me a bit and smiled her special smile for me, the one that no one else has ever seen.

"Bobby, that can't be right now. You have more of this life to live, here in this place. The time has not come yet for you to join me, but I want you to know that a part of me is always with you".

Then, she play punched me in the gut, and put on that fierce warrior face of hers, the one that looks so cute on one so petite.

"Now, what's up with all this moping about, not doing anything, and feeling sorry for yourself? You have a lot of life to live, and a lot of love to give. You need to move on. You can keep me in your heart, and my love for you in your soul, but you have to start living again sweetie. There's no need for you to be sad and alone anymore. Heck, maybe you should go out and find yourself a girlfriend or something. I saw a few cuties here tonight. Any catch your eye?"

"But, I love you" I said. "I don't want to be with anyone else".

"Well, you won't know unless you open yourself up to try" she said. "I happen to know a few ladies that think you are one helluva guy, and cute as a button to boot, but I won't spill the beans on them. That's up to you to find out. Honey, don't just mourn for me. I want you to be happy".

"Ginnie, I don't think it could happen, but what if I did date again, and what if I fell in love with her? That would be betraying you. What would happen when I die and come to join you? Who would I spend my eternity with, without betraying one of you?".

Once more that special smile crept upon her face. "Things work a bit different here than they do for you. When the time comes for you to join me, we will be bound together by our love for each other, and we will both be bound to anyone new, or to children you may someday have, you, thru your love for them, me to them, thru my love for you".

Her words said plenty, but the feeling she gave me said even more, and I knew in my heart that she was right.

"Now my love, it's time for me to go. Know that I love you, and everything will be all right".

She hugged me close to her and warmth spread thru my body, and then she was gone, but the warmth remained.

I sat still for a while, then noticed that the music and chanting or singing had stopped, and some people were starting to drift back into the house.

I walked into the back yard to find Marie, and found her standing by a circle of stones laid out on the ground, lit by torches surrounding it.

I got her attention and said "Thanks for inviting me tonight. I think I better head on home tho. I think I'll go to church in the morning. I haven't wanted to go alone since Ginnie passed on, but I think the time has come to go back again".

A knowing smile came over her face, and she hugged me tight.

"Good night my brother Bobby. Happy Halloween".

"Good night lil sister Marie, and a Blessed Samhain to you".