Fire crackling thumping and rumbling from bare feet engulfed in brown and red dew covered leaves levitating around in the chill autumn air.  Giggles and cooing fill the sky, shadows flying in the trees. It pauses slightly; the sound of silk sliding off skin interrupts as the frolic continued. It seems like drums in sequence chants of the divine are sang out to the stars as the skyclad danced. The full moon glistened on their ivory skins.
  Asura our high priestess recites, “Sorrowful Demeter goddess who mourns night breath, cool and sharp bare branches quivering. Beneath the moon crackling snow glistens small shadows scurry past shallows prints upon the crust. Silence spilt by whispers billowing crystals drift down caressing earth in timelessness even in your sorrow you offer gifts.” She spoke loud and graceful. We danced and sang for what it seems hours not wasted. We dressed ourselves and greet each other far well kissing cheeks and hugs of warmth. I see our priestess, Asura as the moon light hits each crack and crease of her beautifully aged face.
“Goodnight”, she said soft but rustic, she kisses warmly on my cheek.  I reply crimson “Blessed Be”, she nods, I look down at my watch walking to my car. I mumble under my breath “Damn it” running hasting myself down the trail on to the road to my car grabbing my keys hopping in my seat. Speeding off, the sun already coming up in my rear view mirror. I pull in my drive way and scurry in my house to change and plaster foundation and eyeliner zipping up my boots. I almost trip down the stairs slamming the car door.
  Catching up to chaotic traffic “Son of a…” my phone rings, I pick it up rolling my eyes “yes?” “Yes I got it done.” “No she can’t come to dinner.” “Because she’s… She’s gone.”  “Ughh, Mom we’re not together anymore”. A car honks as I politely raise my finger out the window. “I gotta go Ma, love you” I hang up I can almost feel steam coming out of my ears, speeding off to work.
  Stomping through the door and swaying my hips back and forth as I walk with my chin up. Taking my custom Chanel sunglasses off, throwing my brown Louis Vuitton bag on my desk, plopping down in my spiny office chair sliding my reading glasses on. Pausing for a moment scanning my desk sighing.
  “STEVEN!” He rushes through the door “Yes Ma’am?” he says in a slightly frightened high pitched voice. “Where the hell is my Maquiado?” “I asked you nicely yesterday and gave you money for it, I told you I’d be pulling an all-nighter downtown.” “I’m sorry, I just got caught up with Jim and …” He said, “ Just forget it” I say making a shooing away hand motion rubbing my temple.
  I sneak in my purse grabbing a stogie, shut the door locking it and opening the window. Flicking the lighter a few times before it inflames lighting my cigarette hanging out at the side of me mouth inhaling deeply holding it and exhaling slowly. There’s a knock at the cloudy glass door “Mother fudger” throwing it out the window spraying myself with drugstore perfume and around the area. Opening the door fixing my skirt, “Yes?” I say with a big almost Jack Nicholson smile. Tim the tall slim obvious flamboyant hipster man with the attitude of a sassy black woman standing in front of me with his girlish hand on his hip popped out. “Do you have those face charts done?” with his perfectly sculpted brow raised, “Nice to see you too Jimmy” raising a brow back.
  “And why are you wearing that skirt again, I told you it makes your ass look fat.” He says shaking his head in disappointment. I role my eyes sighing handing him the face charts shutting the door in his face as he makes his last remark. “You have lipstick on your teeth!” “Bye Jimmy!” slamming the door all the way while licking my teeth.
  I pause a bit hesitantly, the taste of copper rubbing my taste buds. I grab a tissue off my desk folding it spitting red saliva. I ball it up thinking to myself “maybe I bit my cheek” I shake it off throwing it the aluminum trash can. Sitting in my chair going through my desk for my next clients papers, looking around my desk. “Maybe Steve put it in the filing cabinet” I walk towards the cabinet I stopping seeing something out my peripheral vision going to my book shelf. Looking down at a book that’s sticking out on the last shelf knowing I never really touch any of the books on the bottom shelf. I drag it out staring at the outdated Paul Mitchell styling book. I stick it back in but it wouldn’t budge I take it getting on my knees peering in the empty space. I drop the book at my discovery, grabbing a leather glove out of my purse slipping it on. Grabbing the object slowly pulling it out, my heart feels like its going to pound out of my chest my mouth becomes dry and my stomach becomes ill. I stare at the small brown leather bag thinking to myself “How did you get in here?”  grabbing my phone putting the small bag in my purse. Dialing numbers a bit frantic biting my lip hearing it ring what felt like forever as it went to voicemail.
  My heart sank, grabbing my purse opening the door running out of my office knocking Jim on his a**. I hear him curse and keep going to my car slamming the door putting a lead foot on the gas. Dialing again calling Vanessa waiting for her voice. “Hey, Teresa what’s going on?” She giggles softly saying slowly obviously blazed out of her mind “Damn it Vanessa” I say stern and sharp. “What man?” she replies “Hex Bag in my office, Asura won’t answer.” Vanessa snapped back into reality “On my way” “call the others” I tell her hanging up. I light another cigarette my hands shaking and sweaty on the wheel.
  By the time I arrive to the cabin where we stay when we worship. All my sisters and lovers stand outside “We were waiting for you, since you’re the only other one with the damn key.” “And we’ve knocked and bang on the door, she won’t answer but her cars still here.” Vanessa says with concern, I look in her eyes then staring up at the massive wooden cabin the door was a burgundy red and beautiful stained glass window panes with symbols of the divine embedded.
  I run up to the door the girls follow I unlock the door reaching into my boot grabbing my dagger as they all peer in watching my skulk through the living room. I walk up the stairs to Asura’s room knocking on her door lightly putting my ear up to the door. It’s silent, I open the door with anticipation. Quickly putting my arm up to my nose from the dreaded horrific smell filling the air. Still holding my dagger flipping the light switch up.
  I drop to my knees instantly dropping the dagger my eyes widen in horror…