Poems,stories and pictures by Irina Mouravleva.
We are going to play hide and seek! The old woman smiled looking at Natalie.
Where to
hide here? Natalie replied.
The woman
quickly moved cover from the table and covered Natalie.
You will
hide here, - she said, - and stay near the wall?
What do you
feel?
I feel
bricks, very big, smooth and light color, nor white, creamy.
Natalie was
touching the wall in the room.
And its day
time, sunny day, - she said.
It was the day for the spiritual cleaning. Bright and sunny day. All the windows in the sauna house were open. At the end, the wizard, who was leading the cleaning, raised his hand and it felt like he was cutting the air. He took a big round plate, big circle and small in the middle, touched with bouquet of dry flowers. And then pored on Natalie's hair.
After the
spiritual cleaning, thinfs changed for Natalie. Some people she knew, from her
childhood, she didn't want to go out with them. The books she liked, she didn't
want to read. She would see the darkness in them, and didn't want to touch or
see. Her best first friend was gone too, they moved out. It was all different.
One evening Natalie's grandmother came home and slammed the door.
“She is not
going to leave me alone until I do what she wants!”
The
grandmother said, noting that “she" is Natalie's friend, the old woman.
The old
woman wasn't really a friend, she was the grandfather's cousin. And from 1935
to 1985 they didn't see each other. The grandfather was at the Second world
war, got very bad injures and some one told him, after the 6war, that there is
an old woman, healer, who can heal. This how he met Natalie's grandmother. The
great grandmother was a white magician and the old woman, as soon as she heard
the story, was asking about the same spiritual path for Natalie.
We do the
spiritual cleaning, you become magician, will go to medical university after the
school”.
Natalie hears laughter. The five boys, living in big apartment filled with books. They look and dress the same, exept the smallest one the boys look identical. When Natalie visits them with the old woman, first they stare at her and then they play, mostly hide and seek. Natalie hides in the old woman room, probably, not sure, couch, TV, table and pictures on the small shelf. The old woman says: hide near the wall, what do you see?
I see dancing
man and woman. The woman has bright, colorful long dress! They are spinning together and slowly spin away.
And the
boys have computer, that Natalie had never heard about.
They try to
teach her, but Natali cant get it.
One day,
that family was moving. The father, looked short and round in the big almost
empty apartment, giving orders to people moving the stuff.
Then
Natalie heard he was talking to the old woman: “Lets go with us mother. You
will be alone here now".
“No, the
old woman replied, - I have grand daughter here".
Natalie was
worrying the old woman will bother her now, but she was bothering Natalie's
grandmother.
White pearls were bouncing everywhere. This time Natalie wasn't scared or wasn't punishing the imagination away. She wanted to see more. She was willing to see it as someone who could be called magician years ago.
After the pearls she saw mermaids playing in the water. They
were swimming, long hair, the tails. Natalie couldn't see their faces, only
they were young.
Then the door somewhere opened. It was a wooden country
storage house.
Years went by, many years. Natalie did not become a doctor how her grandmother always wanted, she did not really follow the journey of the magicians, except may be study the basics of magic. Long time ago someone asked if Natalie would like to learn, professionally, but things changed at that time, Natalie changed too, and she said “no” and left her city. That evening she was watching TV, and on one of the channels, the news channels, she saw a former Nazi soldier. First time, alive and on TV. And it brought all those years back, the thoughts of her grandmother, the old woman with medals. The ritual and the witch who got her soul back. The feeling of the time flying back. Natalie was watching the soldier, old man now, talking on TV and his energy was familiar. In her mind, she was looking at the young man. And then, it was like someone let her see another ritual, another story.
They stood on the knees, and the first magician started a prayer. First, it was in Latin language. You have to repeat the same thing, and kind of go in the trans, bending slowly up and down. After a while you start to hear singing. The witches were singing.
The first magician started a prayer. First, it was in Latin language. You have to repeat the same thing, and kind of go in the trans, bending slowly up and down. After a while you start to hear singing. The witches singing. Somewhere war, in Latin language too.
At first was brown chocolate color, Natalie could see it like a dream. Then some kind of vibration, the floor. And singing, louder and louder, like wind and thunder. The witches opened the portals. Natalie heard about it before, but here, she started to panic. She freaked out, ready to open eyes and leave the ritual which magicians are not allowed to do. After the agreement, they have ti stay until everything is completed. Natalie knew she couldn't stay. The chocolate cloud started to move, Natalie could see some things in it, moving, almost like faces, shapes. All Natalie wanted, is to open her eyes, and ran, like from bad dream. Natalie was feeling that something was breathing at her, cold, and choking. In a minute she would open her eyes. Then, face came from nowhere, and looked at her. Watery eyes, blinked, soft, feeling strong and calm. Natalie felt security in it, though she was not alone, someone is with her and was willing to go through the ritual too.
After, first thing she saw, in the dream, was big garden, land, big open place, day time, green trees, green leaves, grass. A dog was running, very friendly, he was playing, running around like playing with the wind. Then black small cloud appeared, it had spikes going in different way, the cloud was kind of spinning and different directions. Then the white cloud came from somewhere. They started to play together, spinning, like dancing. Then Natalie saw big man, very light, with white beard, his face was on the sun, she couldn't see it. The man was at the bunny's hole, something where small animal live. And two small white animals, with white pompons on there heads, left that little house. They were friendly and happy. Black and white cloud were playing again, until the black cloud left. And everything became bright and sunny.
In about a week Natalie, her grandmother and the old woman were going to take part in the almost unknown ritual. Natalie's grandmother and the old woman knew Latin, not a lot and Natali saw her grandmother was repeating unknown words. She was not nervous. It okay, we do what we have to.
It was early morning, a car signaled near the house. It was time to get ready. Natalie was dressed in the bright light clothes. Grandmother was wearing clothes she was wearing to work, it was pretty, spring flower colors. The old woman was waiting at the car. She was wearing old military uniform with medals, a lot of medals. It was kind of funny, old woman in military uniform, she was skinny, and felt like she came from the battle, if you don't look at her face, from the back, you would think, you see young person. And she had small military hat too.
The house was nice, sweet and soft. The atmosphere., sunny. It was so relaxing, you want to open the windows and sleep in it. There were houses a bit further, but this one was the last one close to some open land.
The ritual had two parts, give back own soul to an old witch and lead to the light dark souls who gave their life fighting at this war.
And there was another group, witches, this how I called them, even though, they probably were not witches. They were somewhere far, at the same ritual, finding those souls and bringing where the white side can get them and take to the light.
Natalie didn't want to pick up the phone, but inner voice said “pick up the phone". She answered, a woman with soft friendly voice asked little surprised “Can I talk to your grandmother?” Natalie said that her grandmother wasn't home. The woman thanked her and disconnected. Natalie was still holding the phone and looked at the mirror near the phone. For a second she looked at herself, looking different, beautiful. She thought she was like everyone, here she thought of herself, pretty, different, with own thoughts.
The phone rang again. This time Natalie's grandmother was home. She answered the phone, quiet for a second.
No, we cannot – she said. You need three magicians. It is dangerous. Something like this was done, more then fifty years ago and not by me. I will not be able hold it alone. The conversation was going one, people on another line probably didn't want to agree. Natalie felt some sadness in the room. The grandmother was still talking, she made few jokes, but didn't really laugh. It is sad, but I don't understand how I can help you. It is not safe for both of us, you do you part, and I cannot do mine. See, if you can find someone else. Grandmother asked about the witch. The witch was in the retirement home. We we went to see her. Natalie was waiting outside. It was so weird. Warm weather, grass, flowers. Grandmother got outside. Her organs are failing, she said to herself. In few days, an old woman stopped at the house. I can be the second magisian. The old witch was from her division, or something, they went to the Second World war together. And her, and the grandmother, were sitting at the table, in the living room, talking about that time. The conversation was about the same thing, The grandmother did not want to agree. Not enough people, grandmother was repeating the same thing. And then Natalie, she got exited about it. I will do it. She though of herself looking at the mirror. I am cleaned magisian, and I can do it. Granndmother didn't agree. Learn your school firt. Then, it was no other choice, there were no one else to find. And they agree to help the witch, to get her soul back.
I am dancing in the orange dress.
This is autumn, summers west.
Time is changing,
Leaf is flying, singing lullaby.
Autumn, autumn, golden time.
Throw me music
And sunshine.
Autumn, autumn, golden time.
Little bit windy, little bit warm,
Sparling wine and orange dress,
I am dancing autumn waltz.
16 years old Natalie was dancing in front of the mirror. Small apartment with simple furniture, dress, the same color and style few girls had in her class, mysic from record player, nothing special. Except Natalie was in love, with a boy from two grades above. And all her thoughts were about him. And it was spring, tge windows were opened and the fresh air was blowing in to the apartment.
Then the phone rang.