The Cardinal Will Tell All. Carol Smith

mind wonders on the detective, wishing he could be there, but that is just impossible. He is not a pagan or witch, so he would not be at such an event. Thinking about him makes me warm in the face, and my heart flutters in excitement at the thought of him. I shake it off, saying, “How silly of me.” I sigh, but I know I will be around good food and company.

      Later on that night, two creatures of the night and myself take a flight on my broom. It is partly cloudy with the moon in waning gibbous. The stars are bright and not a soul out. Jade and Triton are relaxing in the basket, looking and enjoying the view. I relax also, enjoying the gentle breezes and being thankful for this quiet moment. We go flying over dark woods. I lower the broom and see our reflection over a very calm Lake Poe. To me, there is no greater joy and peace for this witch could ever have. I thank the one who gave me this gift of flight. I maneuver my broom to the right, and down I stop at the road and look both ways. No traffic coming. We head toward the suburbs and over roofs then through the alley. My backyard has tall trees, so I fly over the gate and down flying over one of my trees whose limb is laying down. And we gently land to the ground. I carry the cats to the porch.

      I speak to the house, “We are home.”

      The door opens. We all step into the house. The door promptly locks. I get my two charges their snacks for tonight. So while they are occupied with that and the litter box, I get things ready for tomorrow and for bed. I do my last inspection. I call out to secure and lock down the house. And walls and shields appear with yellow glowing sigils of protection, and the sounds of locks clicking can be heard. I walk to the bedroom with the kitties running and jumping on the bed to get to their favorite spots. I turn on the alarm and out with the lights. To sleep and dream and, boy, do the dreams come.

      * * * * *

      All right, Ned, I am going to need for you to calm down! I saw her! The woman in my dreams today! Who would have ever thought that would happen? She is even lovelier in person, and I can’t believe I was too nervous to even speak to her. But now she is real and not just in my dreams. What to do now? And how do I approach her? I can’t just walk up and say, “Hi, my name is Ned, and I have seen you in my dreams. Thought it would be nice for us to have a conversation?” Nope. But she was lovely with those brown eyes and, and smooth warm cinnamon skin and long wild jet-black hair. And she seems to like cats too. I saw her petting one. That’s great since I have a cat of my own. So tired of dating women who are afraid of cats or hate them or any kind of animal for that matter. Would like someone more nature loving. Plus, those dreams of her are hard to forget.

      Each time I see her in my dreams, the wind is either blowing gently or they become a strong gale. Sometimes tornadoes and whirlwinds are in the background behind her. Or other creatures such as butterflies, moths, and dragonflies fly around her. Birds of all kinds and then there are cardinals. Always the cardinals. Sometimes I only see their feathers falling, but they are always nearby or right in front of me. The ones in my daily life like visit my bird feeders more and more. I have never seen so many! At other times, she and I are running, being chased by dark ones with cardinals flying ahead of us. There are loud booming noises, and we are running to my car. And why do I keep seeing a door? She and I are looking at it. And I see two angry cats, and they are at the door as well.

      Strangely in my dreams, the cardinals have human speech asking for help and for me to find them and save them. They cry for justice, haunting me. I know all this has to be tied to the case I am working on. Then there are faces, grim faces in the dark and graves. And when I am not dreaming of cardinals, I dream of her, that lovely hair and dresses always blowing in the wind or when she is with me.

      In a quiet place in my cabin, I am holding her close, or she is either standing at my door smiling. Sometimes she is lying next to me in a loving embrace or sitting on me, wearing nothing but a large black hat. I see fire burning in her eyes with a smile on her face that makes my body tense with joy. I see her walking around my cabin. Enjoying the wind blowing, but sometimes, I see her on a porch that I don’t recognize all in my dreams.

      Is she the one? I ask myself.

      There is a part of me that truly hopes so. I am going to have to make an excuse to see her again. I need to know. But for now, I will be content to have her in my dreams. I turn out my light. And Seer makes for her favorite spot next to me on the bed. And the dreams come. Oh boy, did they ever!