The room was quaint. Two black candles burned on the bedside tables, the flames resembling spirits dancing. A light blue bedspread covered a single bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in a single bed. She’d nagged a double bed out of her parents at an early age and it travelled the journey of life with her, through shared houses and that brief living arrangement with the man of her life who wasn’t.
“The candles are preparing the room to help you banish negativity that may surround you. Help you recover from hurtful relationships.”
Shoana must have picked up Ruby’s negative vibes about her ex. Shoana met him, once not long after Ruby started working with Shoana and Zoe. How long had it been? Just over twelve months. She liked Zoe and was able to penetrate her outer being but something didn’t sit right with Shoana. She appeared covered in a shroud which couldn’t be penetrated. But Ruby did share a house with Zoe. That would be an advantage in removing one’s shroud.
They walked out of the room. Zoe had placed a plate on the table in front of the twin seaters.
“Okay, you two. Come down and taste these biscuits I made for our weekend away. They’re heavenly. I’ve made us some tea, and we can seek out a coffee haven later—although I don’t like our chances.”
Ruby walked past Shoana to head downstairs, and Shoana touched her hair as she past, as if Ruby’s hair was some kind of prized possession. Why Ruby thought of it now she didn’t know, but Shoana had always seemed obsessed with the colour of Ruby’s hair. Weird. Why the obsession?
Zoe was right—the biscuits were heavenly. Ruby had her hand under her mouth, catching the crumbs as they tumbled from her mouth. She missed a few.
“Don’t worry, Ruby. We can do a big clean-up tomorrow. Let’s just relax. You girls excited about tonight?” Shoana asked.
“From what you’ve told me, Shoana, I am,” Zoe said. “It’s funny. I’ve always loved staring into the sky and seeking out the stars. When I look up, I sense a power and to think we may be able to connect to that power . . . it excites me. What about you, Ruby?”
“Yep, me too. I can relate to that although I’m more into nature. You know, the butterflies and the birds.” She fluttered her fingers around.
“And we know you’re totally into it, Shoana.” Zoe said.
Shoana smiled.
“Shoana, what’s that pendant you’re wearing? It’s not a cross, is it?” Ruby asked.
Shoana reached down and placed the pendant between her fingers. She fiddled with it and showed it to Zoe.
“No, well it is . . . sort of. But I’m not a Christian or anything like that. I wear it because I know it as the Egyptian symbol for the key to eternal life. I’m sort of into ancient Egyptian things.” She rubbed the pendant. “I bought this from a Wiccan group I’m involved with—they’re obsessed with Egyptian things.”
“It’s a nice ornament,” Zoe said.
“It’s not just an ornament.” Shoana sat forward and picked up her cup from the table. “It represents life forces, being in tune with nature, with air, with water, with food, with plants and even sex.”
“Well, I might have to get one of those!” Zoe said.
Ruby sensed aggression in Shoana’s response. Maybe she was just as obsessed with Egyptian things as her group was.
“So what’s the strategy, girls?” Ruby asked.
“We can wander down to the market on the sports field. You can imagine all the goodies that will greet us there. I’m sure we can get a bite to eat there as well, not that we’re hungry or anything. It just what you do on holidays—eat.”
“Sounds good. Might find some men there too,” Zoe said.
“Don’t think you should have mentioned sex as one of the attributes of your ornament, Shoana. I can imagine Zoe will be looking to buy one very soon.” Ruby said.
“It’s a natural thing, sex, and you’re just going through a cooling-off period. Maybe you should get one of the pendants too.” Zoe said.
“Maybe.” But that was the last thing on Ruby’s mind. The last thing she wanted at the moment was the complication of a man in her life.
Shoana didn’t share any enthusiasm for the girls’ discussion. “Then later, in the still of the night, when all have packed up and crawled into their beds, we will come out to draw on the energy of the full moon. There’s maybe a dozen of us.”
“Wooooo.” Zoe added some atmosphere. “Running around in the nude under the blue moon excites me.”
“I think that was Zoe’s impersonation of a werewolf.” Ruby looked at Shoana. “There won’t be any werewolves, will there?” And the nude thing?
Ruby said that in jest but she saw something in Shoana’s response. Something that said it wasn’t a joke. A smidge of fear crept into Ruby’s mind.
7 – Candles and rag dolls
ROWS OF MARKET STALLS covered in brightly covered canopies and large umbrellas greeted them. Ruby loved the excitement in the air—people laughing, young ones carrying balloons and licking ice creams, children running around, weaving between the legs of adults. A man dressed like a pirate sat on a timber box playing a ukulele. The warm twangy sound from the instrument added to the carnival atmosphere.
Ruby took a deep breath. The ocean smell of the bay was swamped by the scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling hot foods. Her tummy rumbled. As they strolled through the market, Ruby picked up a light honey aroma. She found the source: a stall selling beeswax candles. Ruby picked up one and sniffed.
“Pure beeswax, love. Natural smell, no essential oils added. All natural. Will calm your nerves and help you sleep well,” the stall attendant said.
Ruby was hooked and bought a set of tea light candles, then moved on, eager to see what other treasures awaited her. A couple walked out of the next stall. They looked familiar. Ruby paused at that stall. It offered psychic readings, and had a range of books, crystal balls, and tarot cards for sale. A young girl in a summer dress sat on a timber chair, watching over the merchandise.
A dark blue lace curtain separated the entrance from a room at the rear. Ruby peered through a slit in the curtain and saw a lady resting her hand on another lady’s hand and speaking softly. Several cards lay on the table. Tarot cards? A slight shiver ran down Ruby’s spine. She backed away and walked out of the stall.
Shoana and Zoe were looking at items on the display tables. Shoana gave Ruby a peculiar look and placed a small crystal ball back on the table, and walked out to join her.
“You okay?” Shoana asked.
“Yep. Fine.” Ruby didn’t want to share with Shoana what she felt in there.
Zoe joined them. “This is so great. Wow. Look over there.”
Ruby turned to see two large old brown suitcases, lids raised and filled with rag dolls of different shapes and sizes. A couple held a cute rag doll with stringy red hair. They nodded to each other and handed over the money to a middle-aged lady dressed up as a rag doll. Cute.
