The meeting

"Where are you?" the thin mental voice asked.

"I'm on the train to Rome" she thought hurriedly back.

She closed her eyes and saw her there,

sitting in a Queen Anne velvet armchair,

drinking red herb tea.

"Listen carefully for I shall speak of this only once,

we can't afford to take another chance."

"I hear you, go ahead and talk about the task

speak fast, it's only a few hours before dusk.

"The loom that weaves the cloth

which separates the worlds

is kept beyond the dying ashes

of the burning sea.

Once a year the loom weaves

the magic veil

which thins and fades as the year passes

until it can't be seen.

The night that darkenss conquers light,

the night the veil falls at witches' will,

that night we shall cross the gate

and find the loom before it starts to weave.

The candle shall burn

for hours nine

enough to brew, enough to cast the spell.

Its cogs and wheels, its threads and heddles

shall be altered beyond repair.

The newly woven veil

shall always grant us pass

to all the worlds at last.

The darkest spirits and lightest nymphs,

will be called to do our deeds,

for all I want and all you wish

we and only we shall keep the keys.

The woman drank her bitter tea,

eyes glistering

she looked at her,

the smoke had all but gone,

her smile shone back beneath the veil.

"What is it that you wish?"

"I want to roam and fly free wherever I wish,

I want people to shrink at my command

and keep them in a chocolate box

to play with when I please".

A knock was heard on the door..

"I need to go, take care.."

the smoke, the train were gone.

She placed the herb tea on the pink lace tablecloth and sighed,

twenty-two nights were not that long.