Grave Dancer

Lou squinted at the intrusion of sunlight through her lids. Wiggling herself into a more comfortable position, she tucked her blanket more firmly under her chin and tried to fall back to sleep. She still felt tired after all the excitement from last night...last night! Lou was awake now! Throwing aside her blanket and sitting up to stretch, she wished she could forget all about last night, not to mention the previous one! Listening while her joints gave off satisfying pops, Lou thought to herself What i wouldn't give to be back home, safe in my own bed! But, the morning was getting later, and they still had an important mission to finish. It was time to go.

Rising from the ground, Lou started packing away her things, "Jimmy! Buck! Come on! We gotta get going." Groaning their displeasure at having to wake up, the boys slowly started to move around and collect their things.

Rolling up her blanket, Lou looked around their campsite. Everything looked normal. It was as if the events from last night were nothing more than a bad dream. And how weird is that!

After packing his stuff onto the back of his saddle, Jimmy climbed onto his palomino, looking towards Buck, he asked, "Believe us now?"

Buck squatted down, contemplating for a moment while running his fingers through the ashes of the long dead fire. "My people have many stories about all different kinds of spirits. Some good, some bad. And on certain occasions, I've even managed to see one or two. But what we saw last night?" Shaking his head in wonder and confusion, he continued, " That was a vision I could never have imagined! Not even in my wildest nightmares!"

Scanning the area surrounding their campfire, Buck, like Lou, found everything looking normal, undisturbed. A chill ran down his spine, and he stood up, shaking it off with determination. Nothing could harm them right now, at least not the ghost, this Black Annis, if the fire woman was to be believed. And for his own piece of mind, he chose to believe her.

Gathering the rest of his gear, Buck secured it onto the back of his saddle and climbed up onto his mount. Lou and Jimmy were both in saddle and ready to ride.

"Buck! Where are you going? We're heading the other direction, remember?" Jimmy was impatient to leave. He had a hard time believing everything that had happened, even though he knew it did. He preferred dealing with 'real' problems and people. At least they were somewhat predictable. Spirits, he thought, shaking his head, they were something outside of his usual experience. Unpredictable and unknown. They left him feeling vulnerable. How do you face something that you can't even shoot? He might as well be shooting into the sky, than try to hit something that had the consistency of mist! Jimmy knew he had no way of protecting his friends of himself from this ghost, and that thought about scared him to death! But he kept all those feelings to himself and pretended like everything was all right and he was in control of himself and his feelings. Perhaps if he pretended enough, he might even start to believe it to be true.

"Just want to check something." Buck called back, trotting his horse over to where the ghost had first appeared. "I think you guys will want to see this."

"What now!" grumbled Jimmy. He and Lou rode over to where Buck waited.

"Look."

Lou's face blanched and Jimmy too, turned a bit pale. Any hopes they had in thinking this might all have just been a collective nightmare were shattered by what they saw. Among the regular growing, dried out grass, the ground was scorched in a circle about three feet across. In the very center of the charred earth was a crack about a foot long. The proof of last night's activities lay before them. But now the questions started running through their minds: Why us? What did this spirit want? Who was this fire woman? The questions kept coming, but there were no answers.

Lou spoke up, "That Fire Woman called the ghost Black Annis. I wonder what kind of spirit she is?"

"My guess is, not a very nice one." replied Jimmy, grinning up at Lou. Lou grinned back, thankful that he was able to still act normal after everything that had happened. He always seemed so in control, and in acting that way, had helped Lou keep her fears at bay.

Just as they were getting ready to ride on, out of the sky fell a sprig of tiny white flowers. The riders watched, dumbfounded, as the flowers landed in the center of the blackened circle. A brilliant contrast of light and dark.

"What the...?" Buck looked from the flowers up into the sky.

Shading her eyes with her hand, Lou exclaimed, " Look! A hawk! Do you think it dropped the flowers?" She shook her head thinking how ridiculous that sounded, but Jimmy agreed with her. "After all that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised."

They all watched as the bird circled above their heads three times and flew off down the trail to alight in a tree. There it sat, perched on a limb, looking back at them in expectation.

Suddenly remembering something, Lou looked away from the bird to gaze back at the small flowers. "Remember how I said that before I fell asleep the other night after seeing the ghost, I had heard a voice talking to me?" She climbed back down to pick up the delicate flowers and inhaling their subtle fragrance.

Tearing their eyes away from the bird, the boy's looked down at Lou, "Yeah. So?"

"Well, what I forgot to mention," she said, holding up the flowers to Jimmy so he could sniff them, "was that I smelled Lily of the Valley." Turning to Buck, she handed him the small sprig, "That's what these are."

Looking down at the flowers in his hand, and then at the hawk, still waiting in the tree, he thought over the situation for a moment. "It is believed that the Hawk is a messenger, a bringer of news. He is a sign that tells one to look at their surroundings, to notice what life is trying to tell you. Look at the way he sits in the tree. He watches and waits for us. I think we are supposed to follow him somewhere."

"Follow a bird?" scoffed Jimmy. "We have to get to Boulder City in two days and you want us to follow a dumb bird? We don't have time for this nonsense!"

"Look you guys," said Lou, trying to keep thing peaceful, "We have to go that direction anyway." Climbing back onto Lightening, she continued, "So why not follow the bird until we have to go in another direction. Maybe we don't need to follow it too far, and just maybe, it will help us find out about all this ghost stuff that's been going on."

"What about these flowers? You think they have something to do with all of this too?" asked Buck, riding over to hand back the tiny sprig to Lou, who tucked it carefully into her shirt pocket.

"Yes I do." Holding up a hand to stop Jimmy before he could speak, she said, "I don't know why, but I have a feeling that very soon we'll know everything. And I don't think it's going to be pleasant experience."

Summer paced. Where are they? I sent my messenger hours ago! They should have been here by now! Stopping to look at the position of the sun, and then focusing at the trail, she was not pleased with either sight. She resumed the pacing. Down one side of her cabin, then turning around to walk toward the opposite side. Back and forth. Back and forth. After an hour, she threw up her hands in frustration and decided to go over to the cemetery and rest there for awhile. It was not like her to be this restless or show such lack of self control. But the hour was growing late and there were things that needed to get done!

Probably late because of the rider with the piercing eyes she thought grumpily to herself. Out of the three friends, he was the most cynical and possessed a more logical sort of mind. He was not one to believe or put up with a lot of 'mystical' things. "Humph!" Those are always the hardest people to deal with in these situations.

Reaching the center of the graveyard, Summer sat down and made herself comfortable. Making a conscious effort to clear her mind of all thought, she started breathing slowly. In and out. Centering within her deepest self, she began to relax. The riders would be here when the time was right and she concentrated on believing that everything would turn out good.

The three friends continued their journey to Boulder City. The Hawk always seemed to be ahead of them. It looked like where he was leading and where they were heading was the same place. Gradually, their travels took them out of the foothills and into the high country. All around they could see the changing foliage. The flat lands, with it's mile of yellow grass and few trees to the more wooded areas of the foothills. There, the old giant Oak trees studded the landscape. Some in clusters, others standing all alone like silent sentries, guarding long forgotten secrets. As they climbed higher into the mountains, pine trees became more prevalent and also more dense. All around there were miles and miles of nothing but pines when suddenly they would stumble upon a meadow. Lush and green, it was a sea of grass banked by tall pines on all sides. Some of these meadow were only a few acres big while others would stretch out for a few miles. It was on just such a meadow where they first saw the cabin. They had just come out of the trees and were looking over the small valley before them when Lou pointed and said. "Look! There's a cabin, and there goes the Hawk straight for it! Do you think it lives there?"

"I don't know," said Jimmy, urging his horse forward, "but it's as good a place as any stop and rest the horses."

Buck nodded, "Yeah. And maybe we can find out if they've ever head of any ghosts in the area."

"Well, even if they haven't, it sure will be nice to get off this horse and stretch out for a bit." said Lou, moving in behind Jimmy. They rode ahead, single file, toward the cabin.

The hawk watched the riders approach. Its job completed, he flew off on silent wings as they dismounted and walked up to the front door. Knocking once. Twice. No answer.

"Let's check out back." suggested Buck and they walked towards the rear of the building. Turning the corner and entering the garden, Buck stopped short causing Lou and Jimmy to stumble into him.

"Watcha stop for?" grumped Lou, stepping back from Buck and pushing Jimmy off of her.

"Him."

Pointing to the center of the garden, the friends froze at the sight of one of the largest grizzly bears they had ever seen sitting just a few feet away.

"Uh, you guys want to back up real slow? Maybe he'll just leave us alone if we leave quietly." whispered Buck, stepping backwards.

"Where's Cody when you need him?" mumbled Jimmy.

Moving slowly and deliberately, they had just made it to the corner of the cabin when the bear suddenly got up and started to lumber towards them. Starting to get panicky, they started to back up with considerably more speed. Hoping to get to the front of the cabin and inside, the three riders were distressed to notice that the faster they moved, the faster the bear moved. After what seemed an eternity, they reached the front of the cabin. Just as they turned to run inside, the bear stood on it's hind legs and let out a terrifying roar! Enough was enough! The riders drew their guns and started shooting! Nothing happened! The bullets fired but passed harmlessly through the animal! Jimmy stared in disbelief at the approaching bear and with disappointment at his gun. It had never let him down before! "Come on you guys, this isn't working! We gotta run!"

"Bear! This is no way to treat our guests!" Surprised by the voice that called out from directly behind them, the riders spun around to locate the owner of the voice . Seeing a young woman standing but inches away from them they turned back to gage the reaction of the bear. By now, feeling more shocked than surprised, they watched the bear sit down and look at the woman in expectation.

"Welcome to my home. I'm sorry about Bear. He can be a bit protective." She looked from the bemused riders to Bear, who "Woofed" in reply to her unspoken words. Lifting his ponderous bulk, he turned towards the woods and started walking away. A sparkling of lights, like a hundred fireflies, twinkled around the retreating animal and before the astonished eyes of the riders, the bear vanished!

Feeling like they had just reached the end of their endurance for strange happenings, the riders turned back to the woman. Lifting a hand up to forestall any questions, Summer introduced herself. "My name is Summer Moon Fraser and I've been waiting for you. Please come in and let me offer you something to eat."

The riders looked at each other, back to the woods and then at the retreating form of the young woman as she crossed the threshold of the cabin and disappeared inside. Shrugging, Jimmy walked toward the door, "Can't get much more weird than what's been happening the last few nights. Besides, I'm hungry."

"There is something about her voice..." mumbled Lou thoughtfully.

"What?" asked Buck, somewhat distracted as he looked around the small cabin they had entered.

"It just seems like I heard it somewhere before. Recently too." shrugging at her thoughts, Lou followed Buck and Jimmy into the house.

Sparsely furnished, the cabin still managed to exude a cozy charm. Simple rustic furniture was covered with brightly colored indian blankets and buffalo hides. A small table and chairs was tucked into a corner and in the center of the table stood a small metal bucket overflowing with wildflowers. A fire burned in the fireplace and the delicious smell of baking bread permeated every space. There was a door that led to an addition on the side of the cabin, probably a bedroom. On the windows hung pretty lace curtains and hanging from the ceiling near the fireplace were small bunches of at least twenty different plants and herbs. Sweeping her hand, indicating the sofa and chairs, Summer encouraged the riders to sit down.

The three friends sat and began to relax. The complete hominess and normal atmosphere of the cabin worked at helping them feel comfortable for the first time within the last 48 hours. Summer walked over to the fireplace and opened a small side door, pulling out a loaf of bread. "I thought we could have a bit to eat and then I can answer any questions you have."

"You mean like what happened to the bear? Why does he listen to you? Why did the hawk bring us here? How were you expecting us? Should I go on?" asked Buck, anxious to know if this woman could tell them about the ghost and all the strange things that have been happening to them.

Summer laughed, a happy full bodied sound. "Yes. I will answer those and other questions. But first some lunch, hmm?" As she puttered around, getting lunch together, Lou noticed the looks the boys were giving Summer. Grinning to herself, she could see why the guys seemed a bit besotted with the girl. Summer had a slim but well rounded figure with long red hair flowing down the back to her waist. Large hazel eyes that seemed to read your soul with one intense glance, but when she smiled they twinkled as if sparklers were lit inside. Her whole face seemed to glow with health and vitality. She was definitely someone you would notice in passing.

After lunch, they all sat back, replete on fresh bread, meat and cheese. "Can you tell us about the bear now?" asked Buck, shifting around to make himself more comfortable on the couch.

"Of course. Let me start at the begining. I'm sure you want to know about Black Annis..."

"You know about the ghost?" exclaimed Jimmy.

"Most certainly. And before you all start plying me with questions, let me tell you my story and then if there is anything more you want to ask I will try my best to answer you. Okay?"

Nodding their agreement, Summer started her story. " I was born eighteen years ago in New Orleans. My mother, like her mother before her and continuing through the females down the years, was considered a wise woman. My father's mother was the daughter of a Seminole Shaman and his father came over from Scotland. Papa was born and raised in Florida but moved to New Orleans as a young man. My mother immigrated to that city from Ireland when she was about 10 years of age. They met when she was sixteen and he was nineteen. They said that when their eyes met they knew they were each other's destiny."

"That's so romantic!" sighed Lou.

Summer smiled gently in memory, "Yes. I've always thought so too. Anyway, soon after they met, they married and about three years later I was born."

"I don't see what any of this has to do with what's been going on for the last few days." complained Jimmy.

"I'm getting to that. So, with all that magical background, I was pretty much expected to inherit some of it. As I grew, so did my magical abilities and my parents and grandparents helped me to learn and develop my special talents."

"Are you saying that you are a witch?" asked Buck somewhat nervously. All his upbringing had taught him that witches were evil beings that should always be destroyed, lest they infect everything and everyone around them.

"I understand how you feel, Buck. You should know by now though that if I meant you any harm, I would have let Black Annis get you last night."

"You're the Fire Woman!" exclaimed Lou, jumping up from her chair. "You are also the voice I heard talking me to sleep the other night, aren't you?"

"Yes, it was me. I was the one who sent the Hawk to guide you here and I've also have been watching you to make sure all three of you have been safe."

"Watching us? Fire woman? You sent the Hawk?" Once again the riders were beginning to look distinctly nervous and began eyeing the distance to the front door, should a hasty retreat be needed.

Summer also looked toward the open door. "The time grows late. There is so much you still need to know but there just is not enough time so I will be brief. I summoned you here because I need your help in sending Black Annis back from whence she came."

"You summoned us? Why us?"

"I can explain along the way but we need to leave right now."

"You're right about one thing," said Jimmy, getting up from his seat, "we do need to get out of here, and away from you!"

With no time to deal with a balking Jimmy, Summer played her trump card. "If you come and help me now you will never have to worry about dealing with Black Annis again. Just give me a little more time to explain and then you can continue your trip to Boulder City in peace. Agreed?"

Nodding somewhat reluctantly, the friends filed out of the cabin and climbed up onto their horses. Smiling slightly at the success of her gambit, Summer grabbed a few last minute things, her bed roll and followed the friends outside, closing the door behind her. Saddling and mounting a large beautifully marked Appaloosa, Summer headed towards the woods. As the riders came up alongside of her she explained, "I'm sorry to rush you along like this but time is so very short and we still have much to do."

"You keep saying that but you still haven't told us what's going on." said a frustrated Lou.

"I summoned you here because the four of us are the only ones who can send Black Annis back ot her own place. And before you ask, the reason I had you three come was because Black Annis chose to show herself to you. She can only be defeated by those that she exposes herself to. So between your help and my magic we should have no problems sending her home."

"And just where is home?"

"She is not a native spirit. Her origins are the highlands of Scotland. How she managed to come here I'm not sure but someone somewhere messed up really bad!"

As they spoke, their trail led them deeper and deeper into the woods until Jimmy noticed that the silence and the darkness seemed almost oppressive. "Uh, I don't mean to interrupt all this interesting stuff but these woods are getting a little creepy. Notice how quiet it is?" Low and Buck took a moment to take in their surroundings and what they felt in the air. Goose bumps made a quick appearance.

"We are getting near. When we almost reach the center with it's abyss, the fog will greet us first. It is very important to stay very close together and keep close enough to touch the person next to you. The fog will rise and try to confuse your way so that we will become separated. It is most important that we stick together otherwise the spell cannot be performed."

Summer and the riders grouped together, much to the horses annoyance, and continued their journey. Shortly, they came upon a small hill. Lying across the ground lay the fog. As if sensing a presence, it started to creep, its long fingers reaching out to grasp the small troupe. "Quickly, let's tie ourselves to each other. All the mist can do is blind us, but this way we will stay together."

Leading the way, Summer, who was tied to Buck then Lou and finally Jimmy, crossed the threshold of the fogs domain and was instantly consumed by a wall of mist that rose from the ground like a giant wave. Keeping the rope taught between them, they followed Summer through a sea of floating white clouds. No sound penetrated the gloom and had it not been for the rope, they knew that in no time they would have been hopelessly lost. Time became unknown and what seemed like hours was probably only a few minutes when they finally broke free of the mists and found themselves on the top of the hill. Just a couple of feet before them lay the cracked earth, steam rising from it's depths.

"Ugh! What's that smell?" exclaimed Lou, waving her hand in front of her face.

"Well, superstitious people would say fire and brimstone, but I think it smells like rotting vegetation myself." replied Summer, climbing down off her mount.

"Are you finding this amusing?" asked Jimmy.

"No. I just have to keep things in perspective. You deal with your gun battles in your own way. That's fine, because you're good at what you do. I'm good at what I do. I'm trying to keep everyone at ease, that's all. Would it be better if I ran about shouting like a crazy person, 'We're about to die!' ?"

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. I just get a little testy when my life seems to be in danger by some ghost that I don't even know how to kill!" replied Jimmy, who started speaking normally but by the end of the sentence was shouting.

Summer looked Jimmy square in the eyes and mumbled a couple of words under her breath and he visibly calmed down.

Eyes big and bright in her face, Lou stared at Summer, "What did you do?"

"Nothing. I just told him to be at ease, and he is. Nothing bad, just a bit of hypnotic suggestion."

"Huh?'

"Look. I'm going to be doing and saying a lot of stuff you guys are not going to understand and I wish I could take the time to explain it all but I can't. You are just going to have to trust me."

Having already come so far, the riders agreed, "But you have to promise to tell us everything once we are done here." stated Buck. Shaking his head he thought, Teaspoon and the boys are never gonna believe this!

"Agreed." At that moment, a terrible shaking of the ground startled the riders and Summer off their feet! Sitting in the dirt, Summer noticed the increase of steam coming from the abyss, "We have to hurry! She's coming!"

To Be Continued...Chapter VI