fear

Annalise Barrows was afraid. They were coming of that she was sure, she could taste their advance in the air for weeks now, it was a sickly sweet taste. But this morning was diffrent, while their coming had been evident and troubling on previous days their intent had never been clear. Today as she awoke the stench of their malevolent nature choked the moist morning.
She lay in bed a moment longer contemplating the possible reprecussions of what she knew had to be done. While her drastic choice had ultimatly been made for her by her pugnant foe it comforted her to turn it over in her head as if it were only a possibility. Throwing off her blanket and wrapping herself in resolve she rose intent to do what needed to be done. Her dry feet meeting the rough coolness of the wooden the floor stiffened her spine. Looking toward the window the ferocity of the dawn bearing down on what was left of the night urged her move with haste.
Moving into the room of her oldest niece and closest friend she found her there already awake and dressed.
" I'm coming " was all she said to acknowledge her agreement with her aunt unspoken decision.
Both women moved quietly throughout the house as to not awaken the other members of their combined families. Gathering a large wooden bowl and a small paring knife from the kithchen Annalise turned toward her niece.
" Get the girls, tell them to be quiet. "
Puzzlement spread across the younger womans face.
" Why?" she asked.
"Somethings should be observed, how else are they gonna learn who they are."
Still unsure the young woman moved on small feet to the bedroom of her aunts two little girls. She approached the ten year and old first. Gently shaking the girl awake and silencing her before she could utter a word.
" Be quiet, put your shoes on. No talking, okay?" She whispered.
The little girl nodded her ascent not really sure why but realizing immediatly that the moment called for obedience.
Moving to the other bed in the small dark room the young woman peered at her eight year old cousin hating to disturbe such a peaceful slumber.
" Wake up, quietly, we're being sneaky." She crooned to the baby of the house. The little girl roused immediatly always game for being sneaky.
Wrapping a small blanket around the shoulders of each of the girls the young woman silently manuevers each girl through the house toward the kitchen door leading into the back yard. Outside all three girls were meet by Annalise gesturing them towards the black tree line behind the house. Once all four had stepped into the darkness of the trees the silent tension pulling tightly on the early morning air lessened. Traveling quietly a short distance to the small stream that cut through the forest behind their home stepping into the small clearing Annalise immediatly approached the gently flowing water, interrupting its path to fill her bowl.
The younger woman and both children stood back still slightly clinging to the shadowy edges of the forest, each watched intently wandering what Annalise would do next mesmerized by the strangeness of the night and their recent arousal from sleep. The young niece ushered both little girls forward toward their mother who was waiting for all three by the very waters edge, her finger placed over her lips to insure both girls remained quiet. As the oldest of the children reached her mother first her blanket was removed and laid aside, her mother gesturing for her to lean out over the shallow water. As she did her hair draping her head in a thick curtain obscuring the childs view of everything but the water glittering below her. The water being poured slowly over head startled her, making her gasp at the unexpected coldness of it. Quickly though the figidness of the water was joined by the warm feel of her mothers hand running through her hair, soothing her as her hair is rinsed and the excess water wrung out. As her mother eases the girls shoulders back, raising her head the girl's shroud moves away leaving her gazing up at her mothers soft smile.
Each woman and child moved in quick succession having their hair cleansed by the cold of the night cooled water. Once each was standing clean and their entire bodies awakened fully and set on edge by the feel of their wet scalps in the morning air Annalise spoke softly looking from one to the other.
" What we do here this morning is a quiet thing. It's not a thing to tell or even to talk about amongst ourselves. You both are here only to watch, not to speak only to listen. Do you understand?" Her eyes steading on first the oldest child then to the youngest. Both girls nodding their stunned undedrstanding, each shivering form the drastic wake up and from the oddness of the mornings events.
As she was content with the answer of both the children Annalise turned her attention to her only sisters daughter.
" I need you to understand that what we're about to do must only be done in the direst of circumstance and with only the upmost confidence. You have to understand fully what is being done." She paused her eyes narrowing to cement the serious nature of her words. " What we do here tonight will send out to all the things of the world good and bad the scent of what you are. If you do this and your not completely sure that what you are is greater then all other things all your doing is tainting the air, the ground and the water that surrounds you with an invitation. You have to be able to look at me and to my girls and truthfully know that when it comes to your family and the innocent lives infront of you there is no greater good or evil, no teeth sharper then yours, that nothing stalks the earth with more power then you. "
Stepping toward the younger woman Annalise asked firmly begging with her eyes for the girl to be sure before she spoke. " Can you say that, that is true not only to me but with certainty to all the things great and small that could come against us?"
Retreating slightly to give her suffecient space to contemplate her answer hoping the girl understood the magnitude of the question she was asking her.
" Yes." Slipped firmly beteween the girls lips. The strength of the simple word moving through the morning assured Annalise of the truth in it.
Moving Immediatly before any doubt could intrude on either woman, Annalise gathered quickly her wooden bowl refilled with the clear water. Knealing and setting the bowl on the ground between herself and her niece, returning to the waters edge she plunged her hands into the thick red clay that held the water to its place. Returning to the bowl twice to fill it with handfulls of the sucking earth.
As she emptied the last of her load into the bowl watching the water work gently to weaken its new companion, she grasped the small paring knife she'd brought with them reaching without invitation or proluge taking her nieces hand in her own slicing through the thick meat at the center of her palm. The girl startled tried to pull away but Annalise held firm, keeping the flow of blood suspended over the bowl. After the blood was no longer running fresh Annalise turned to her own hand drawing a deep slit through its middle letting her bloods warmth pour out onto the ugly mix. Delving both hands disregarding her wound into the bowl she began to knead the contents pushing into the bowl with all her might, pushing into it all the strength of her hands.
As her niece stood over her watching her work both women are intently regarded by twin stares of fear and wonder. Niether woman moves until the mix has been thouroghly worked. Standing bringing the bowl with her Annalise moves quickly past her daughters with her niece in tow, both children follow unbidden so caught in the show before them they don't even think to question wether they should. As they move a line is formed with Annalise at the lead both womens hands moving in the bowl gathering small amounts of the clay. The two women continue movving along the perimeter of their home reaching out annointing all that there hands touch muttering what at first seems an incomprhensible hum, but steadily clears to a fervrent chant.
" This is my home built with love and protcted by blood."
Each woman turning as they complete their journey returning to where they started, as they face the young girls they reach out with filthy hand coating each girls chheks with the last of the concoction.
As the last swipe of the hand is made Annalise smiles a hard and knowing smile at all three. " Come morning we'll see who dares come this way."