Toni and Tessie had finally arrived at Toni’s home, showered and prepared for bed, and after slipping into their pajamas they stretched out on Toni’s bed talking about their frightening experiences. Realizing they shouldn’t have put their wishes into Toni’s old desk drawer they began discussions about the unknown and what makes it so fascinating and mysterious; it has its own secret societies throughout the world and perhaps beyond.
“Toni, there are times when we should leave things as they are. Life is too confusing to try to figure out what’s on the other side, and I think we’ve learned our lesson to not interfere with it and to let things happen as they should.” Tessie said as she twisted around and fixed her head on the silky pillow.
Toni nodded, placed her head down on the pillow facing Tessie, “you’ve got that right Tess. I don’t think I’ll ever do such a silly thing again. We just exist as we are from now on, right?”
“But why,” Tessie persisted, “Why should any of us exist?”
Can we cease to be how God made us or on the other side of the coin can we change the way God made us?” Tessie replied.
“We exist only to bring forth another like ourselves, and bring forth another like us is all we do, for we are the procreators and if not for us there would be no existence as we know it today, at least not on this planet. That’s amazing in itself and it’s something we do, and it shouldn’t be for us to understand why when a baby is growing inside our bellies. We don’t need to understand I suppose, for God gave us the responsibility to just get the deed done.” Toni said and then turned on her back and stared at the ceiling of her room. “Sometimes it’s too dangerous to try to figure things out, or better than that to try to change our destinies the way they were ordained. We must never forget this lesson Tess for we are merely the carriers, just a small piece of the much bigger puzzle and we should not get lost along the way for we are destined in what we do and once we have chosen that path we must never sway from within the guidelines.
Tessie’s thin young hands were loosely clapped in front of her. “There is a me and there is a you. That’s all we need to know Toni, Tess said in almost a whisper. “Sometimes wanting to change our future isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be for once the die is cast so must the mold be. We have tasted the bitter pill that goes along with those who sway from the path. If we were meant to go to the other side we would have been given the way and would not have had to discover the error of our ways as we have done.”
“Tess, do you ever want to give life? I mean would you ever want to have a baby one day? I’m not sure I do.” Toni said and grinned while thinking about her belly swelling, and then having to be responsible for bringing another human being into an uncertain world filled with who knows what and the what is uncertain.
“I suppose I do one day but only after meeting the right man and only if and when we establish ourselves in a bond of marriage, but there’s one thing I do know that I’m not doing any such thing until I am absolutely certain he is the right man for me if that fact can ever be established. I believe it can be.”
Toni pulled the covers up to her chin and began thinking about Bob and whether he would want any children and if he did, then would she still not consider having any. She knew she’d have to think deeper about that complex subject, but meanwhile she was going to enjoy her life with him. Thinking of him she wished he didn’t have to travel so much, but knew he enjoyed it, therefore she wouldn’t do anything to affect his job and having it keep him away. Toni was busy as a CEO at Parks Oil Refining and Production Corp too so with the two of them being busy with their jobs she didn’t see how they would end up marrying and having children in the near future, but the jobs should never interfere with their being together and enjoying their lives when time permitted, for building a strong relationship, one with meaning, takes time, energy, and a strong commitment on the part of both parties; a devotion proving the true value of their being together. Early the next morning when Tessie opened her eyes, she felt poetic and full of energy. As she gazed at the morning sun coming in through the window she mumbled a poem and before she knew it she was racing with imagination that she had never known she had in the past. When the trees are crowned with fresh new leaves and the springtime arrives with its color of ray that is when love will march into your heart setting it aglow. When you look to the past, you will see it was no sin to wish upon a moment in time to have your adventures and your wish fulfilled. Go carefully now. Toni rubbed her eyes and sat up and said, “What were you saying?”
Tessie came out of her daze and looked over at Toni as if she had seen a ghost and said, “Oh my God Toni, I just created a poem, and you know that I have no talent in that area. Oh my!”
“I just heard the poem and you’re right, it was very good and that’s not like you? What does this mean - is something strange happening again? Does this thing ever leave us alone? Yet…yet somehow it seems to have taken a turn to the positive.”
“Scary though Toni. It was as if I was in a daze. I mean…I…I woke up with this feeling of bliss and while I was looking out the window the sun seemed to have taken a hold of me and before I knew it I opened my mouth and out popped that amazing poem.”
Toni scooted over closer to Tessie and wrapped her arm around her shoulder and whispered, “Do we dare leave this room?”
Tessie shrugged and moaned as she twisted her hands together. “Toni, I’m getting really concerned about these happenings. I mean the last one was horribly bad and we were in great danger and not knowing what the future held in store for us at that time. I know…I know…we got out of it, and like you said, I guess it was supposed to be that way, but nevertheless, I’m…” She frowned and said, “What? Why are you looking at me so strangely?” Toni looked with a sharp, swift gaze at Tessie looking pale and pointed to the mirror.”Go look at yourself in the mirror Tess! Do it now!” She then leaped off the bed while she followed Tessie.
Tessie flung herself straight and made her body an arch of pain. She opened her mouth wide and put out a great groan that rose into a final scream. “Oh Toni, look at my face! It has aged twenty years! All those wrinkles are scaring me. Toni! Do something! Call someone! What am I to do?” She casted her hands over her rough red wrinkled face and cried, “I am aging as we stand here wondering what to do. Do something Toni, please do something before I turn a hundred years old and drop to the floor dead.” She turned and threw herself on the bed and cried.
Toni flinched and placed her front teeth on her hand until she squealed out in pain. She shuddered and snapped to attention when she saw Tessie fling herself on the bed. She knew she had to do something - anything, but something. She went to the old desk, dug in the drawer until she grasped the notes she and Tessie had written, and then hurled them out to the floor and stamped on them and all the while screaming to the Wizard, “leave us alone! I command you to leave us alone!” All at once the room lighted up so bright that it hurt Toni’s eyes and made Tessie sit up in shock and when she did, Toni saw that she had returned back to normal. “Tess, you’re back to normal. Go look! You’ll see!”
Tessie jumped up off the bed and ran to the mirror and what she saw made her cry out, “Oh Toni…Oh Toni…thank you! I’m back to me! Oh Toni, I’m back to me! I was really afraid Toni.”
Tessie was released from the ugly wrinkled up old lady and once again was looking her beautiful self. Her round brown eyes were sparkling happily and her hair was no longer a grayish white, but her warm brown hair with red highlights in it. Her face was creamy and smooth as a baby’s bottom, and her body wasn’t humped over but straight with her attractive slender body looking sexy and luscious as it had before the incident. Toni was never so proud of her best friend’s good looks. She sat down on the bed and drew in a deep breath and moaned, then released it and wrapped her arms around Tessie as she sat down beside her; trembling. They sat for over an hour holding onto one another before they dared to let go, but when they did they were
thankful the incident hadn’t lasted for more than what appeared to be a few minutes, although for Tess it seemed like a lifetime. Both in a daze from it all they decided to go see someone with more knowledge than they did about Wizards and what engulfed them with their magic. Was it real? Was it magic? Or was it simply a figment of one’s imagination? Neither Toni nor Tessie knew, but they both believed they had to find someone who did know and in a hurry too before something permanent happened to them, plus, they were certain they didn't want another incident that befell them in Miami; that was for certain. But seeking out such persons with special knowledge would not be easy for the underworld of magic and mystery and intrigue held its own deep secrets and should one delve too deeply into the unknown might bring about another event such as that which Toni and Tessie sought to overcome. What does one do? Perhaps the answer lies in New Orleans, yes, there are people there, honest and respected people who have spent a lifetime searching the Necronomicron, but beware its pages, potions, warnings, for they are not of this world as we know it. Its opening passage says 'enter if you dare and be prepared to accept the known and unknown'. Is this really what Toni and Tessie want especially knowing what trouble they were in from their earlier years and their earlier wishes?
By late afternoon Toni suggested she and Tess go to a candle store that two of her colleagues had mentioned a few months back when all the incidents were happening. “It might save us a trip to New Orleans Tess. What do you think? I mean…some candles might do the deed we desire, plus Marylee said something about a friend of hers who went there and met with a practitioner who really helped her when things were happening in her life that were disturbing her. If you’re game, I am.”
“Sure, let’s go. I think anything at this point is better than nothing.”
Soon after Toni and Tessie walked into Candy’s Candle Store, and felt a little creepy when the bell on the door rang out and then shortly after a bong went off. “What’s that about?” whispered Tessie; then grabbed hold of Toni’s hand and grimaced.”
As the two walked over to a row of scented candles a short pudgy man who wore his hair long, and looked as if it needed a good washing approached them and asked if he could help them. Toni smiled without replying, allowing him compete freedom to give them the salesman speech. “Hi, I’m Willy the owner’s son. Can I help you?” He said as he twisted his mouth to the side then moved over and picked up a large candle that had three wickers in it with an angel picture carved on its pedestal. He held it up and said, “This yellowish brown one has a lot of power when lit. It sends out protection to the one who lights it and can keep an invisible circle around that person’s body for several days. If one needs more than several days of protection, I suggest you buy five of them. Right now we have a special price if you decide to buy five - You can have all five for a great price of just fifty dollars.”
Toni reached over and picked up a small gold box that looked as if was made of real gold with holes punched out around the center of it. She opened it up and peeked inside and saw about ten or more funny looking cones that right away she knew were incense. She lifted the box toward her nose and took in a big sniff and began to cough immediately. The salesman moaned and said, “Careful lady. Those are powerful candles. You shouldn’t just open up any box in this store. Here, allow me to show you something my customers like,” Willy said as he reached over on a top shelf and grasped an odd looking candle with a sharp point on it and different colors flowing down to the bottom of it; almost like a temple. “Basically, this candle is an enactment of the results one desires. Often the major reason my customers purchase this type of candle is to remove a bad person from their life; depending on how wicked the person is, but it can perform with differing degrees of severity, from very mild to very extreme.”
He handed the candle to Tessie and she shrunk back, but Toni stepped forward to accepted it, and said, “Does it work on ridding oneself of a wish made and don’t want anymore?”
“Why sure it does. It can do whatever you wish it to do.”
“How does it work? Do we light it and then ask for the wish to go away? Or do we just light it with that thought in mind? Toni asked as she turned the candle from side to side looking at it.
“You kneel in front of it, make your wish, and then light it while you have the palms of your hands together as if in prayer, and you stay this way for one hour. Actually it is a Catholic Christian hoodoo and it calls for the total and unconditional removal of the unwanted person or a wish. It was also adapted for use in other religions, or completely non-religious contexts, and with a lessening degree of severity, if circumstances warrant mercy. Variations such as these arise because different folks have different reasons to work such a spell and because the conditions they are working under may differ. Some, as a rite, the Fiery Wall of Protection spell uses a full panoply of spiritual supplies, but in a pinch, you can get by with only the candles and Dressing Oils, and you can also substitute other ingredients as you see fit.”
“What are Dressing Oils?” Tessie steeped forward and asked.
“Well, let me think for a moment as to how to explain it to you so you understand. Oh I got it, are you familiar with the healing oils that a minister uses when he prays over someone for healing?”
“Yes I am. Is that the type of oil, and if so where do I purchase it?”
“I have it right here, in fact, I’ll give it to you as a gift if you buy the candle” Willy said with a friendly smile on his face.
Toni grinned and said, “Great, but how much is the candle?”
Willy wrinkled up his nose as he scratched the top of his head and said, “This particular candle is seventy dollars.”
Tessie having less faith than Toni said, “If it doesn’t work are you willing to buy it back?” She took the candle out of Toni’s hand and looked at it with suspicion, and then looked up into Willy’s eyes.
“Why no, when you buy it, it’s yours. I mean I don’t know if you have the power to accomplish such a spell or to rid yourself of a spell. It takes great faith for this candle to work.”
Toni grabbed the candle back from Tessie and said, “I don’t think my friend believes, but I certainly do or at least I do enough to get a stupid wish I made eliminated from my life once and for all.” She turned and moved over to the counter, “We’ll buy it. Wrap it up with the oil and we will be on our way.”
Tessie followed behind Toni hollering with an upset tone and said, “I did wish to be right there beside you and guess what Toni? My wish came true, didn’t it? So I guess I have as much faith about such things as you.” She stopped when they reached the counter and looked at Willy and said, “Okay, we’ll buy it.”