The muscari bobbed in the breeze and the daffodils nodded as if approving of the child. All around the meadow a wind was whipping up as the sun gently made its way upwards in the sky, observing.
He started to walk deliberately around the stones he’d placed in a circle. Slowly at first, then faster whilst tapping his fingers on the drum he’d brought from the bottom of the toy box. As his hair blew over his face, he looked skyward to clear his vision of the scene. No one else was here. Good. He could see his garden beyond, and it was still early. No one would be up yet at home, he still had time.
He turned his attention to the centre of the circle, drumming a beat with his palm. The figure formed from sticks and modelling clay with his sister’s scarf wrapped round, lay on a bed of daisies on the grass.
“I call on the wind and the sun and the sky, on the grass and the trees, and the stream nearby!”
Pleased with his rhyme, the brother continued:
“Heal my sister, from her despair, she’s always in bed and never there!”
This has got to work, he thought, the words were tumbling out by themselves;
“I want her to play with me again, so I don’t have to be alone in my den!”
“So mote it be!”
Yes, that sounded right, the phrase to mark the end of his spell. Just like his sister taught him.
He stopped drumming, closed his eyes and imagined all his healing wishes rushing up to the sun. Up into the universe.
The wind was stronger now, and he felt shocks of cold wet on his face and hands. What next? He thought of getting home before anyone noticed he was gone, and before he got wet. He carefully cradled the poppet of his sister into his hoodie and moved the stones inward to a little pile over the daisies. Time to go home. It was all over to the universe now.
The air was cool, and the specks of rain made him feel alive. He stopped hurrying to drink it all in. The sun was starting to get brighter and burn away the clouds, and the wind was settling. The sun and raindrops and breeze on his face made the walk back to the house feel magical. The space around him felt electric as if it held power. He knew the spell had to work, even if it took time.
He opened the back door to hear voices and clanging crockery.
“Where did you come from?” A surprised voice sounded, “I thought you were still in bed!” His mother ruffled the boy’s hair and gave him a kiss.
“Just playing with my drum outside…” the boy replied, before looking around to see who was sat at the table.
“Guess who’s feeling better and up early today?” His mother beamed, standing back for him to see.