The Blinded Owl in Flash Friday

Prompts from 12/6/13: aqueous, miles, Athena

“Is the water warm enough?” Donna asked as Julie lowered herself into the tub.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Julie replied as she got settled. “Now what?”

“I’m going to add some sea salt to the water while you are soaking,” Donna explained. “I will lead you in a prayer. I want you to meditate on the prayer while you are soaking. You’ll need to soak for about ten minutes. In that time I want you to wash the salt water all over your body, OK?”

“OK,” Julie replied. She loosened her pony tail, pulled her hair back and retied the pony tail holder.

“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, by the power of his cross, his blood and his resurrection, I take authority over all curses, hexes, spells, voodoo practices, witchcraft assignments, satanic rituals, incantations and evil wishes that have been sent my way, or have passed down the generational bloodline,” Donna began as she poured sea salt into the bath water.

“There’s no way I can remember all that,” Julie protested.

“That’s OK,” Donna said. “You don’t need to be able to recite the words again after I’m gone, but you should listen carefully and be mindful of what you are saying when you repeat the words so that you can concentrate on their intention.”

“OK,” Julie said. “Sorry. Can we begin again?”

“Yeah,” Donna said. She started the prayer again from the beginning. Julie solemnly repeated the prayer whenever Donna stopped long enough to give her the opportunity.

“I thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for your enduring love, your angelic protection, and for the fullness of your abundant blessings,” Julie repeated back to Donna to end the prayer.

“OK, sit there and think about those words,” Donna said. “In about ten minutes I will knock on the door. You will drain the tub then and wash the salt off your body. It is extremely important that you remove all the salt from your skin or the curse will not be removed. If you want, I will come in and help you, but if you prefer, you can wash yourself off.”

“I think I’ll be OK by myself,” Julie said.

“All right,” Donna said. “Wait until I knock. Then wash yourself and get dressed and come back downstairs.”

Donna softly closed the door to the bathroom and descended the stairs.

“And the big story on Action News tonight: Montgomery County police are asking the Pennsylvania State Police for their help in profiling the killer of a Bryn Mawr College student whose body was found in Fairmount Park last Saturday morning.”

Donna was surprised to realize that the five o’clock news was on. Because it was already so dark outside, it seemed so much later. Julie wore a sweatshirt from Bryn Mawr College, a women’s liberal arts school about thirty miles from Philadelphia. Donna wondered idly if Julie knew the girl who had been murdered. It was always a shame when pretty young girls met such a violent end.

“You can sit down over here at the dining room table,” Donna said as Julie came down the stairs.

“You do believe me, don’t you?” Julie asked. “I feel kind of stupid telling you I’m cursed, but I went to see a doctor and he said my eyes look completely healthy. I prayed to St. Lucia. I even prayed to her on her Feast Day.”

“Well, Lucia’s intercession won’t help you much if your eyes are healthy,” Donna replied. “But yes, I believe you. Even if I had a reason to doubt you, the cards are screaming that you are cursed.”

Donna glanced at the three upturned stacks of tarot cards. Each stack was topped with an ace. None even came close to ten cards in the pile. The girl definitely had a problem. Whether the periodic moments of blindness were the result of someone else’s maliciousness or from some other source, Donna wasn’t sure.

Julie sat in the dining room chair Donna had offered her.

“Hopefully the salt removed the stain of the curse,” Donna said as she stood over Julie. “I am going to try to look into your soul to determine if it worked. Depending on what I can see, I may recommend a stronger ritual for you to try. I need to touch your head. Is that OK?”

Julie took a deep breath and released it with a long sigh.

“I’m a little nervous,” Julie admitted. “But, yeah. That’s OK. Do whatever you have to do.”

“This won’t hurt at all,” Donna said to reassure Julie. Donna could tell the moment she put her thumbs on Julie’s temples that Julie’s doctor was correct. The balance in the aqueous humor was healthy and correct. There was no medical reason for Julie’s sporadic blindness.

Donna spread her fingers to make contact with pressure points on Julie’s head and neck. The moment Donna established the contacts she went into a deep trance.

An owl flew out of darkness towards Donna’s point of reference. The bird seemed alarmed. Frightened. There was a flash of neon light. Donna saw a room with wood paneling. Wooden tables. Beer glasses. Donna was aware of the thumping of a bass line. The music was loud. There was a man and woman. Julie was laughing and dancing with a friend. A female friend. Julie’s smile faded as she became aware of the man and woman. In a flash the man and woman were exiting through a door. Julie watched them leave.

“You are Athena,” Donna muttered in a flat tone. “You saw Persephone leave with Hades.”

When Donna’s vision ended, she shook head her head violently as if she were trying to force herself awake.

Donna released her grasp from Julie’s head and went to a writing desk on the opposite side of the room.

“Is everything OK?” Julie asked. “Did the ritual work?”

“The ritual worked well enough,” Donna said. She handed a card to Julie.

“Pray to St. Joseph,” Donna told Julie. “He will offer protection against doubt and hesitation.”

“I will,” Julie said as she accepted the card. She got to her feet, but looked uncertain. “Do I pay you or something? Is the blindness going to come back?”

“I use the gifts Jesus saw fit to give me for his glory,” Donna said. “You don’t have to pay me. Tell Father Garcia at the college that you came to see me. Pray to St. Joseph. That’s real important.”

“I will. I promise,” Julie said as she put on her coat.

Donna took Julie by the arm.

“For the sake of that murdered girl’s family, tell the police what you saw.”

New Prompts: bucket seat, beading, gather