The Halloween Wailers
The Halloween Wailers
Nearer to the beginning of time
After the constellations formed
And the Titans walked on our planet
There was a bad wizard
A terrible wizard
All wizards and witches were frightened by him...
For he was powerful, possibly the greatest of all.
The meanest and supreme wizards and witches could not touch him with their magic, so they vanished him from all clans.
Yet all ordinary creatures; man, beast, fish, plants even ants
Loved him
The problem with his magic lied in his attitude; he was an easily distracted and light headed wizard...
Not a dim wit, just light headed.
And he never did anything by the book..
He could not learn that way...was always experimenting...
His spells were misspelled, causing good instead of cosmetic effects.
And his potions whatever their intention, turned into the best soups you'll ever taste or the sweetest perfumes.
It is not that he didn't care about being exact when pronouncing and casting a spell, just that his mind will go wondering off to who knows where every time while casting a curse or a spell...
And he couldn't stand anything smelly or dirty in his potions..
First he would wash everything (not in the book) and if the potion called for frog's legs, spider's bellies and snake tongs, would dip the frog's legs and the spider's bellies in almond flower, fry them in honey oil and to the pot, the snake's tongs he would marinate in ceviche sauce, the results were tasty soups and sweet perfumes, not at all the "make me younger"...." I want to be beautiful" or simply " Rich!".
His customers didn't mind the results, they either got a great soup, or a perfume or good health or found love or work or a dream would come true...
When the wizard and witch clan vanished him, declared him an outcast and was cursed by all members, he didn't do anything about it, his Chi was a neutral Chi.
He built a cottage in a forest and for many centuries the wizard lived alone, continually sad...
As a wizard he needed to marry a witch..
He was an outcast
And no witch could stand such a light headed and easily distracted wizard..
He was powerful, had survived all curses, getting just a touch of whatever the intention was...And that frighten them.
His power was also the reason why potions turned into tasty soups or perfumes and spells into good health or a match in love instead of just a fizzle and a few sparks as they should, due to his ways.
One night, one desperate night...
He prayed....
He was out of the cottage, by his plants...
Fell on his knees, weak..
And he wailed...
He wailed to the night..
He wailed to the stars...
He wailed to the moon...
He wailed to himself..
In his desperation, he prayed correctly, no misspronunciations.
It was Halloween night...
It was a full moon night...
A magical and potent combination.
The night heard him
The stars heard him
The moon heard him
At that moment and near by...
A woman runs out of her home into the forest...
A neighbor had placed a scarecrow on her couch...a Halloween joke..
This got her so frightened that she lost her mind and into the forest she runs..
She hears his wails
They were sweet moans to her..
So she tracks them
And finds him..
He looked dead...laying on the grass by his plants...
He was beautiful to her...aged, badly dressed and ratty..
Yet, beautiful...
The sight of him lifeless, saddened her deeply, it got to her core...
So perfect!
I don't care if he looks like a wild wizard or even a crazy one!
He can change!
Never the right man!
And now that I find him, he is dead!
Just a minute ago I heard him!..
And now!
Such is my fate!
She lowers herself, on her knees and very close to him...
As the heavens watch...
Crying, she whispers to him...
Is your heart broken as mine is now?
Is this why you died?
Of a broken heart?
Did someone hurt you as you hurt me now?
Even in your sleep you break my heart!
You fool!
Why didn't you wait a few minutes more!
Would you have loved me?
In the full light of the moon, with her left hand she touches his chest..
By the side of the heart...
A tear lands in his left cheek..
His right arm stretches towards her and his hand touches her right shoulder..
The rest is just too sweet and peachy for a Halloween story...
Except to mention that they wailed every Halloween night...
So if you hear wailing throughout Halloween night...
But see nothing...
And your flash light shows nothing...
Don't be frightened
Don't be scared. .
A long time has passed...
It is their spirits that wail by now...
In celebration of their encounter..
In celebration of everlasting love.
Fin.
Guillermo Hinojosa-Canales