Chapter 5

"My gods!" exclaimed Seph, "she won't shut up." She snuggled up to Ed, "if you were from the northeast you would be called taciturn ... to me you're pensive. You think before you speak and that is sooo nice."

They were in the Dodge following the last bus. Megan tried ... but it was very evident there was no room in the Van.

"We could catch the next light and get lost." It was Ed trying to keep pressure off his darling wife.

Where women get THAT look is unknown. It must be instinct because every woman in the world seems to know it. It's that, "You Idiot," look. It says, "Duck and run, boy... 'cause if you don't you're meeting this here castiron skillet up close and personal." If Persephone had worn glasses she would be looking over the top of the frame but down her nose at Ed. How DO they DO that?

The drive out to the house was pretty and the house itself was a shocker. "Tara!!" exclaimed Persephone. as they dismounted from the Dodge. Megan walked up.

"I'll show you the staircase after you register and find your spot. Hurry over and get in line. We're expecting a ton of late comers."

"Why so many?"

"This seems to be a 'hot spot' on the Ley lines ... gatherings all over the country have been cancelled so the normal attendees can come here instead." This was from an extremely short ... just over five feet tall ... woman who had stepped in.

"Hi ... I'm Mina ... and you are?"

"Edmond," said Ed.

"Persephone," announced Seph. "We're the Huntly Clan ... from Michigan ... a little town you never heard of."

"I probably have," said Mina. "My parents spent a lot of summers camping at Charles Mears State Park..."

"In Pentwater..." finished Ed and Seph. "We've been there ... not recently though."

Mina looked a little surprised. "What little town I never heard of?"

"Saint..."

" ... Johns. The banister at the courthouse makes a marvelous slide."

"Oh my Goddess," exclaimed Seph. "You Have been there!"

"Oh ... a time or two? Tell me ... the mansion on the hill ... it was in terrible shape ... is it still there?"

"We live there ... I found some coins, sold them and bought it with my ill-gotten gains," said Seph.

"We're restoring it so we can donate it to the town as a museum." Ed was pleased to be able to say that.

"That house is huge!" said Mina.

"Ought to make a better museum than the Pink..."

" ... Marble house in Ionia!!! That place is a gem."

The trio of women turned and headed for the house, "Ed?" said Persephone, "go get in line and get us registered."

All the way to the backdoor they were exclaiming over this, that and the other ... the door shut. Ed was standing in the yard looking mystified.

"Come on, Ed." Cal said, "let's get you registered so you can find a place before they're gone. Tipi?" Cal started Ed on the way to the Big registration tent.

"Yeah... 18 footer."

"Whoa ... mighty big poles for an 18."

"I like as much on top as inside."

"I see. I've got a nineteen three. Laubins rules. Have you read?"

"The book? I've got three copies," explained Ed. He chuckled, "we're sounding like our wives."

"Oh ... that's mean!" Cal stuck his hands on his hips and looked so much like a perturbed wife that Ed just had to laugh.

"All right, you two ... enough of that." The speaker was a woman in a Texas State Trooper uniform. She stuck out her hand at Ed and said, "I'm Violet ... you're Edmond Huntly ... I have you and Persephone to the right and near the woods trail. Close your mouth. I've cast a spell on the flies but that looks like a fly trap to me. In case you're wondering, the Goddess told me."

A voice out of thin air said, "you tell 'em, Violet."

Cal started to laugh ... Ed had a look of complete befuddlement.

"You ... you ... you..." stuttered Ed.

Violet grinned, "that's better than but ... but ... but ... most times, but ... but ... but is a Harley that won't start."

"I give," Ed held up his hands. "Where did you put us?"

"Just like a man ... even with direction ... he's lost."

"I'll have you know I have been known to ask a woman ... other than my wife ... where I was. Her directions had me on the wrong side of the Tennessee River waiting for the last ferry. It had already run."

"I'll bet the last time you asked your mother what was wrong with you, she didn't have time to tell you."

Ed hung his head, "You're right. She said it would take all day ... she wouldn't write it down because they needed the trees for lumber for a thousand houses ... not paper."

Violet said, "I like you Ed ... the answer is yes."

"I haven't asked a question."

"I will help you and Seph with your Ritual."

Persephone came to the tent just as Ed was pulling through the gate.

"Ok ... I'm ready ... let's put this bitch up."

Ed and Seph erected the lodge in their designated place; Tripod, fifteen more poles, spread the cover and laced it. They installed the linings, Ozan, the lazy-backs, fire pit, handmade accoutrements, tarps to protect the buffalo, bear and wolf skins. They dug the 'sacred square' of earth between the center tie-down and fire-pit. The smoke flap pole was set in the earth and staked and the tethers from the flaps tied and flaps spread. They stepped back to admire their work and nearly stumbled over Violet.

"My people could not have done a better job. It's truly beautiful," Violet exclaimed. "You have a wonderful home."

"Violet?" Edmond inquired.

"Yes?"

"As the representative of the Goddess, would you be so kind as to help us cleanse the circle?"

"What do you wish to do?"

"A dedication," explained Edmond.

"To?"

"The goddess in all her manifestations, both feminine and masculine," confessed Persephone.

"Yes." She got a look and said, "See?"'

It was Persephone's turn to look perplexed.

Ed took two five gallon jugs from the Dodge.

"These contain water from Florence Lake, South Manitou Island. Sacred sites ... the lake and the island. Just another theft of Native American Heritage by the government. These jugs were filled for us by the tribal holy-man."

They carried water and brushes and scrubbed the iron railing outside the circle, the boulders in the circle were washed, too. They swept the fire circle clean. A new fire was laid. So the water could not be used for profane uses, they entered the woods and poured the remaining gallons as an offering to the forest.

As they were walking out a deep voice rumbled, "thank you."

Returning to the meadow camp, they rinsed the jugs and stored them in the van. They removed a trunk and a second trunk.

They carried the two trunks between three people. Edmond in the middle and the two women on the outside. Ed carried with two hands, the women with one.

The three approached the Circle with reverence.