Free Fiction Friday

Zoom

a collection of short works

copyright 2021 Michael Yoder

The Coven

by Michael Yoder

"Melissa? Do you have the crystals?"

Melissa held up several differently colored crystals to her camera. "Right here."

"Great!" said Katie."Jen did you bring the candles?"

Jen just stared into her camera.

"Jen?" Katie repeated. "You were on candle duty this week. Did you bring them?"

"Katie!" Jen replied. "I thought that was Helga's turn."

Katie looked upset. "Don't call me Katie when we're in the meeting! You know the protocol."

"Sorry. I meant High Priestess, Shamala." Jen was contrite. "Hang on a minute." She left the camera on as she raced into the kitchen. The others could hear her rummaging through drawers. Finally, she returned with one small, slightly burnt black candle. "Will this be okay? It's all I could find."

Katie, High Priestess Shamala replied."It'll do, but next time -"

Jen interrupted. "I'm sorry, Shamala. It won't happen again."

Shamala continued. "Then we are all met. Let's begin." She stood back from her camera into the living room and held up a large knife.

"Wait a minute!" called out Sherrie."There are only 12 cameras on." Sherrie put on her reading glasses and read the names. "Where's Lydia?"

"She's off sick this week," said Shamala.

Sherrie looked concerned. "Not with Covid?"

"No. It's her period. Now let's get started." Shamala insisted. She waved the knife in the air, forming the shape of a pentagram. She shook out her robes: flowing, red robes with gold piping. She pulled the hood over her head and continued.

"O, Dark Lord! We call upon you to appear with us today! Bring the forces of black energy into this space - er - spaces. Manifest the most powerful of Your Wickedness into our lives and give us a sign of your presence."

Jen lit the black candle, Melissa rattled her crystals and Sherrie held up a piece of raw liver.

Silence.

"Okay," Shamala said "Let's chant the chant."

In unison the women all started chanting:

"Lord Satan, Dark Lord that rules the Earth and all that there is

Bestow us, your humble servants, with a sign of your presence."

They repeated this three times.

Silence.

"I don't know why we're meeting on Zoom anyway," whispered Helga. "It's really inefficient. I liked it better when we gathered under the full moon in the park."

"Shush!" commanded Shamala. "Soon He will appear."

Jen sighed. "It's been weeks now. Maybe He's busy with the pandemic."

At that very moment, the candle blew out.

"O, Great Lord, Satan!" Shamala called out. "Thank you for this sign! Can you give us more? We pledge our miserable lives to YOU!!!"

A camera came on. It was a dark screen with a small red dot in the center.

"O, Great Lucifer! Is that you?!" called Shamala.

The screen remained dark and there was silence. From Jen's kitchen there was a growling sound that grew louder.

She screamed and her camera disappeared.

Sherrie held the liver and the same growling was there. She started to eat the liver but then fell forward and her camera went dark.

Melissa's camera was still on as she held the crystals. One by one the crystals lifted from her hands and smashed into her head. Blood spattered on the screen until the camera disappeared.

The same growling happened over each camera, and each one went dark.

Shamala watched as the women disappeared until all that was left on her screen was her camera and the dark screen with the red dot.

"O, Lord of Darkness! You are with us!" She said. Then there was growling from her bedroom and the knife she held lifted into the air, hovered for a moment and then plunged into her chest. She fell dead and her camera went blank.

The only camera remaining was the one with the red dot. Then it too shut down and disappeared.

Just then up popped another camera.

It was Lydia.

"Sorry I'm late," she said. "I'm feeling better now. Took a Midol."

Silence.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hello?"