A Year of Short Stories

Ritualistic Prayers

Prompt- Start your story with the words "Everything was ready for the ritual."

Everything was ready for the ritual. Mai rearranged the knives on the altar. She put them in order of their size. The low light flickered and glimmered off the sharp edges. The stone podium sat off-center from the middle of the pentagram on the floor. Two stakes with chains sat in the direct middle. The cuffs lay open awaiting their prey.

You could be it one day.

She ignored it.

Cloaked figures entered the large cavern. Mai drew her hood over her dark curly hair. She stepped back, careful to step over the chalked lines of the pentagram. She smiled. This time of month always warmed her heart. It was the only time she truly felt close to Kanya, the goddess of life and prosperity.

Headmistress Clara walked in, and the room silenced. She walked into the center of the room, stepping over the pentagram edges. Her fingertips brushed the edges of the blades set before her. Their organization seemingly pleased her because the edges of her mouth twitched up into a faint smile. Either that or a wave of glee crashed into her.

"Bring the offering," she said. Her voice rang throughout the cavern. Two hooded figures disappeared down the tunnel.

"Begin the ritual," Headmistress Clara said.

The cavern came alive around her. Mai and the other cloaked figures chanted their lines in a disjointed harmony.

Bring forth thy humble sacrifice. Lady of Life and Lady of Health, hear our words oh Goddess Kanya.

The Latin words tasted foreign on Mai's tongue but still familiar in a way she couldn't recognize.

Grant our wish, oh Holy One. Bring us blessings and prosperity for the month to come.

A scream echoed down the tunnel and ricocheted off the cavern walls. The chanting pressed on.

Mai glanced to the tunnel. The two robed figures dragged a being between them. Violet fur obscured its face but didn't hide the tears dripping off of its cheeks. Blood poured from a gash in its shoulder. The puff of fur going down its shoulder blades to tail remained undefiled by blood. However, its tail dragged on the ground. Mai wasn't sure what this creature was. Her ears flicked forward in curiosity. The scouts must have found it on their patrols.

Lucky, aren't you?

A nudge brought Mai back to reality. She hastily continued her chants. Her face flushed red with embarrassment. She had a short attention span, and everyone here knew it. But that wasn't an excuse to fail her goddess of worship.

The two robed figures brought the creature before Headmistress Clara. She leaned down. Placing a hand under the creature's chin, she tilted its head up. It snapped its jaws at her, catching her hand and scratching it deeply. Clara backhanded the creature with no remorse.

"Tie it up."

The two followed her orders. They hauled the creature into the middle of the pentagram and tied it down between two stakes. Clara shooed them away once they were finished. The two robed figures joined the crowd and picked up on the chants.

Clara fixed the marred pentagram lines. She set the chalk down and picked up a knife, testing its edge against her thumb. The blade sliced through the pad of her finger like it was butter. She smiled. The Headmistress turned on the creature. Its head remained down, eyes fixed on the ground. Clara stepped closer, and the room fell silent.

"Brothers and sisters," she said. "Join me and raise your voices to our beloved Goddess of Life."

O Beloved Goddess of Life and Prosperity. Hear our prayer, O Kanya. Accept our sacrifice and honor our pleas.

Clara stepped overtop the chained creature. "Rest, and be at ease," she whispered. The Headmistress grabbed the tuft of fur on the top of its head and lifted it. The creature let out a soft warble of pain. She cut in a swift motion. The creature's eyes widened, and it choked on its own blood. The slit across its throat poured out blood, flowind down its chest and onto the floor.

The cavern fell silent. Each member watched with wide eyes.

The Headmistress held the creature upright till it stopped twitching. She lowered it to the ground with surprising gentleness. She grabbed the largest knife and cut the creature's head off with a flourish. She rose and walked over to the altar. She set its head on it. A robed figure came up, holding a torch. Clara poured incense around the head. She grabbed the torch and lit the altar aflame. The creature's hair sizzled and popped. It burned and wafted a disturbing smell throughout the cavern.

Mai watched in silence. A few more holy flourishes of sage brushed over the head.

You killed me. That's not very nice now is it?

"Let it be done," Clara said.

"Amen " everyone else spoke.

The ceremony ended. Many members filed out and left few behind. Mai remained. As the newest member of the gathering, Mai was responsible for preparing and cleaning the altar. Her fellow members refused to do this job.

It's your punishment.

Mai ignored the voice.

It wouldn't stay silent. You deserve this. You don't deserve pleqsant things murderer.

"I didn't kill you," Mai whispered. She picked up the head, her ears pinning against her head.

You did when you didn't help me, Mai.

Tears formed in her eyes. "Don't do this, Cal." Her voice trembled on the words. "I didn't want to lose you."

But you did.

She sniffled and set his head on the ground. She summoned a sponge and bucket of cleaner with the snap of her fingers. She scrubbed at the altar. The blood soaked up the warm water.

You can't drown me out now, Mai.

She scrubbed harder. The blood rose and soaked her sponge. She dipped it in the water, and the sponge magically came back clear and clean. She continued.

I loved you.

Her scrubbing stopped. She steadied her breathing and looked down at his head.

"But I couldn't love you."