Protecting Earth and Turbulent Waters

Samhain

31st October

Samhain. Day of the Dead.

Yet she still lives.

Another picture drawn. Will she heed this one?

- Vera

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I set out the carved pumpkin and lit the candle inside.

'Twas all hollows eve. Samhain. The day of the dead. Halloween.

Trick-or-treaters would soon come knocking.

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I sighed, returning inside, feeling nostalgic. It was a day the veil was at its thinnest. I wondered who, if anyone, would come to visit us this year.

The table in the kitchen was set. Pictures of family members, food and drink and four empty placemats sat nicely.

It was customary to offer food and set a place for loved ones that had passed.

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With the flick of my hand, "Incendia." All the candles around the house set ablaze, and the lights turned off.

I joined my mother and brother in the living room, huddled around a table. My mum shuffled tarot cards whilst talking to my brother animatedly.

We would leave later in the night after the tricker-treaters left.

The ghouls came to play at night, and witches party with them.

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Our large group met at the brow of Pendle Hill.

Tragedy. Innocents condemned to death. Every year, we say a small prayer and leave a ribbon on a branch as a remembrance before walking down into the deep forest.

And today was no exception.

However, I was shocked to see Nixon. He kept quiet; his aura shrunk. Winnie held his arm, and they walked on. Quinn's slight smile and kind eyes told me everything.

Seri's magic sprung around her. A sky-blue glowing against the dark contrast of the night. This year was her turn to put the ribbon around a branch. Her strawberry blonde illuminated, matching her sky-blue magic, and her eyes looked as deadly as ice as her magic grew.

I could hear squeaking; it sounded more like ropes tightening as Seri's hands danced around. Her palms faced downwards, and green vines wrapped around her legs, hoisting her up. The vines grew tall enough for her to comfortably reach the lowest branch on the old tree.

With the black ribbon secured, we left water and fruits at the tree trunk while Seri's vines shrunk back into the ground, gently placing her down.

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Orange and red leaves crunched as we all walked, talking, gathering sticks as we came across them and sharing stories. Particularly ghost stories.

I couldn't help but laugh lightly as Freya and Luna's eyes widened at Devan's chilling story. The wind picked up, whistling through the trees. Chilling the two girls more, but I could see the little glow from Devan's hand. He made the leaves dance in front of the girls, making them scream.

The adults turned to see the commotion but only saw the grinning and laughing from the children.

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"Here we go," Travis announced.

We came across a vast clearing. Multiple backpacks were placed on the ground. Each contained something different. Drinks, food, blankets, candles and incense.