Ghostly Touch

part of the sea. Little waves lapped at the edges and splashed over the edge. The blade clattered on the ground beside Zula as she stretched her arms and legs out wide, forming an “X ” with her body to receive the moon’s light.
                  A few moments later, Zula fell backward in slow motion as if held by an unseen force, and lay sprawled on the ground. Within moments she had recovered and stood. Energized by the power of the moon, Zula’s skin glowed. She recovered the Athame and held it out once again. This time, she drew the blade through the air and making an invisible five-pointed star, then drew a circle around it, making a pentagram. The candle flames leaped high into the air as the herbs and flowers continued to hold the funnel pattern above the bowl.
                  With her arms outstretched one more time, Zula began to chant the name of the goddess of the full moon once again. “Jana. Jana. Jana.”
    Over and over until the wind whipped around her body, blowing her long, black hair in every direction. Zula stepped to the altar and laid the Athame horizo ntally above the bowl, and raised her hands above her head with her face lifted to the moon.
                  “Jana, Goddess of the Moon. Goddess of New Beginnings. Hear my plea. Jana, Goddess of Moon. Goddess of New Beginnings. Hear my plea.” Zula waited.  She felt familiar heat coursing through her blood stream, indicating she’d reached the celestial plane that allowed her magic to flow freely between that which was, and that which would be.
                  With a smile, she continued to cast her spell. “Jana, Goddess of the Moon, I call out to you. Hear my plea, as I cast a spell for that which will be. A dream lover no more, I beg of thee, but instead a man, flesh and blood shall he be. Offering freely, his heart and love to me.”
                  Zula scooped the herbs and flowers from the air where they’d continued to swirl and held them up in both hands. “A petal of fox glove for a strong heart,” she said and dropped the flower in the saltwater. “Blue violet for faithfulness and heliotrope for devotion. Spanish jasmine for sensuality, and amaryllis for beauty. Forget-me-not and red rose for true love, and yellow iris for passion.  Red and yellow rose petals for happiness.” Zula chanted as she dropped each flower into the water.
                  Next, she picked up the bowl of petals and held it high above her head. “Jana, Goddess of New Beginnings, hear my plea. Take this water of the sea, take these flowers as an offering to thee.” The wind whipped and keened as the bowl rose out of Zula’s hands and disappeared into the sky. Zula fell back onto the ground, exhausted and weak.

~ Two ~
Clogged Drains
     
                  “Damn it,” Zula said as the water from the sink refused to go down the drain. “Looks like we’ve got a clog, Thad. Where’s the plunger?” Zula attacked the stubborn drain with the plunger but no matter how many times she tried, the pipes remained clog. “I hate calling a plumber,” she told the cat as she picked up the phone book. “They’re so overpriced. But what else am I going to do? You have any ideas?” She looked at the cat, as he washed his face with one paw. She smiled and finished dialing the phone.
                  “Yes,” Zula said into the mouthpiece. “How soon could someone be here to unclog a drain for me?” She looked at the clock on the wall and sighed as she listened. “Yes, I suppose that will have to be alright. I’ll be here. Thank you,” she said and gave her address and phone number before hanging up. “Looks like we are without a sink for a few more hours, Thad. So let’s put away the Halloween decorations while we wait. What do you say to that?” She picked up the cat and nuzzled him with her nose, as she went to the porch and looked at the job ahead.
    ~ * ~
                  Zula worked for two hours when she finally put the last of the boxes of Halloween decorations in the attic and went back downstairs. She began sweeping the porch and glanced up as the Speedy Plumber truck pulled to a stop in front of her house. Zula smiled as the man came up the walk.
                  “Hi,” he said. “I’m Connor.” He handed her a business card. “I hear you have a clogged drain.”
                  “Yes,” she said,