All Hallow's Eve

As if on cue, they excited rose to their feet and began clearing the tables and chairs back to the edge of the clearing. After helping out, I stood back and watched as the group made preparations for the 'show' I had been told was coming. As the participants began to gather, I found my sister at my side.

"Ready?" she asked.

I nodded.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Just stand with me and follow along."

I did as I was told and we soon found ourselves holding hands in a ring around the fire. I counted carefully and there were twenty of us, all colored togas. The remaining guests, including those who had set up the party gathered hand in hand and were a second ring that wrapped around us. There was a woman to my right and I had my sister on my left as the fire continued to burn in front of me. It was bright and I felt as though I was being scrutinized with everyone else facing in my direction.

An ornate chair with only a seat and arm rests was positioned immediately behind the first row, down several people to my left, just behind the woman in green who took the seat. It appeared as though we were ready to begin as the group grew quiet.

The man spoke first in glowing terms of his mate, seated next to him in green. He spoke of their love and their dedication. After a few moments, an assistant of some sort stepped into the ring and opened a large, heavy looking book in front of him. The man in black read from the pages but the words were indecipherable.

When he finished, the woman in green rose to her feet and the entire inner circle rotated to my right, the man in black taking his turn in the ornate seat. The words the woman ushered forth were almost hypnotic. Her gentle voice carried a certain strength as she spoke about the men in black in equally glowing terms. She concluded by reading through the text of another page in the book again in a language lost to me. My sister was listening solemnly but there were some in the circle who smiled and nodded as though they could understand what was being said. As quickly as it started she concluded her part and the group rotated again.