At the bottom of a complete barbell squat, Adonis pushed three rapid breaths of air out of his lungs and then Inhaled deep before pushing off the ground, pushing and fighting against the weight on his back to stand up again. His final repetition was complete, shuffling forward with exhausted quads to rack the barbell away. A sigh of relief, wiping his face and wiping down the gym equipment in the basement with a separate towel and Antibacterial spray.
Mom was organizing the kitchen table when he opened the basement door with a towel over his shoulder.
“Hey” Mom smiled
“Back from work already? “Adonis asked
“It is Friday isn’t it, I was thinking about taking photos today”
“Let me shower and eat I’ll come with you”
In the middle of his meal his father called his phone, Adonis let it ring, trying to finish his food first. When he was done, he stared at his phone for a second, hesitating he had to force himself to call back.
" I was eating, are you ok?"
"I’m sorry I can call back.”
“No, I’m done now it's ok”
Adonis leaned back in his chair watching his mom pass and head upstairs, she looked like she was paying attention to their conversation but kept walking.
“Oh good, are you on track for next Sunday?” "I'm on target, It's just a mini vacation from here "
There was a silence that Adonis was quick to notice.
” You there?”
” Yeah, would … Would It be too much to ask if you can come down and see me?”
Adonis fixed his sweaty grip on the phone and inhaled before he spoke, his breathing was stifled, and his heart hammered heavy.
” If not, I’m Just grateful enough we are even talking “
Mom came downstairs dressed for a long walk with just her backpack and keys, standing by the door for him.
” I’m gonna get back to you on that alright”
” Yeah sure, hope we can talk later “
” Yeah, later “
Adonis texted Emma that he would be away with Mom, leaving his phone behind. In its place, he grabbed Falorum and laid it to rest in a hardshell case.
” You’re bringing Falorum “she smiled opening the door for him.
” It looks great in photos “
Rebecca followed him out the door so she could lock it behind them. Side by side, they walked from the neighborhood onto the sidewalk beside the main road. uphill through Riverdale Heights. After a while the light guitar case tired his shoulder, to ignore it he focused himself on the trees swaying on both sides and the cars that would come down one by one through the winding asphalt.
“I bet you wish you left it behind now, we still have a mile or two to go”
He shrugged watching a car cautiously pass them by.
” Its honestly just my fucking legs “
” And you still let me convince you to walk with me “
Adonis leaned onto the hill, still following her lead.
” I don’t like you going out alone “
” Is that all? you don’t like spending time with me?” she joked
Adonis smiled to himself as they finally reached the top of the road.
“No, Its miserable ma, just terrible”
Laughing she stopped to point out the left side of the road that transitioned into a dirt trail.
” That's where we’re going, lets cross “
Jogging behind her they slowed once their shoes hit the tan dirt and resumed a regular walking pace.
” So, how are things with Em?”
” Real good “
” If you still have that ring, I can show you a spot
to propose “
Adonis looked as far down the dirt road as he could, which wasn’t far. It was a cliff on top of a descending trail.
“I like this one, “he said
The yellow trees above and around spun while he turned his body to admire the world around him.
“Sugar maples are all around us, they’re really beautiful this time of year.”
Mom was ahead of him and came to the edge of the path where she saw her opportunity.
” Adonis stand up here I’m gonna walk down a little further to get a shot of you from below “
Adonis jogged to the pinnacle of the path before it sloped down a winding path. He watched her kneel and take out her camera, a hint to unleash Falorum for the photo.
He followed her down the path where she took the photo and mounted the encased guitar on his shoulders to brace for another mile hike before they made their way back here to the main road. Around an hour and a half later they made their Ascent back with a memory card full of photos of each other in the glorious landscape of June’s woodland.
“So do you still wanna bring her out here?”
Adonis laughed handing up the guitar to Mom so he could use the roots to climb the road that led out.
” Not this one, something flatter “
Rebecca handed back his guitar case and they continued back toward the main road.
” So going to the lake right, there is a road that we never drive on. You take that and it will lead you there.
“Oh, so instead of taking that right into the parking lot you continue straight. “
” Exactly, let me know we can drive up there before she gets back.”
Adonis and Emma had agreed she would ride the bus home today, but something happened at school that made her ask Adonis to pick her up. She needed a few extra minutes to shower and pack a bag full of the items she requested. He sped off to get her.
Without a word she put her helmet on and climbed on the backseat, Adonis asked over his shoulder “742?”
“yes” she said.
He pushed the bike, she held the gate and slipped through behind him. standing the bike by the door he handed off his bag to her.
Adonis sat on the recliner under the broken roof. He watched her instead of throwing questions, Knowing, Emma would open soon.
The Items she had requested were for a ritual, her dagger, bell, Grimoire, and candles. But also, some of his blood and hair. This was no ordinary ritual for stress or one of her communions with Satan, this was for him as well.
“Babe, I need you to help me set up “
Adonis got out of his chair and organized her altar that was on top of an old fireplace. Already on the altar was a statue of a large toad. above it, a nailed banner, red, draping parallel with its curtain tails frayed and tattered. A white sigil stamped the center of the red cloth. Three white Roman nails, one straight down the center and two intersecting it in an X shape.
Adonis began organizing the candles, the tall black one to the left, symbolizing the left-hand path. a tall white one to the right symbolizing white light religions. And a bunch of smaller black ones around. He placed the vial containing his DNA center of the toad in the small bowl clutched in its webbed hands.
He kneeled next to her while she bookmarked the pages she would need for the rituals, He assumed she was doing two.
Emma looked over at him with a tired and strained look on her face.
“I need to do one for stress and then after when I’m clear headed we can do your strength and vitality bath “
Adonis sat back in his recliner, silenced his phone, and got comfortable before she began Starting with the candles, once they were all alight, she took hold of her dagger and bell. Emma rang the bell 9 times, in front of each of the four cardinal directions, and for the last five she rang it toward the center of the pentagram.
” I miss your voice; I miss your presence. “
” Communicate with me ... As friends I invite you to my home, to have a drink.”
Emma put down the bell and dagger and opened the wine bottle.
“To share a laugh, to share each other's pain…”
From here Adonis could hear her trembling breath but she dropped her voice to a whisper and could hear nothing more after that.
When her voice picked up again, it was to call Adonis over.
” Tell him you will take my gift willingly. I can’t continue unless you consent.”
Adonis stood in her place in front of the toad and then looked at the red flag and sigil in the light of the candles.
“Its your choice, I can’t force you to”
Adonis took a deep breath and nodded
“I take her place willingly “ she smiled, pouring a chalice of wine.
“Now like we talked about …”
Adonis removed his shirt and bowed his head to receive the bath.
” Nyxoriaemon, this is your friend. He doesn’t know you, but he’s protected me for these past two years. He’s Loved me and helped me continue Your work. “
closing his eyes he whispered his full name; in return she
placed a hand on his shoulder near ready for the pouring.
” Next weekend Is his final review, keep open the gates from which flow his Ardour and strength. To persevere … Persevere Always “
The cold wine was poured over his shoulders, it was a very uncomfortable sensation, but the weight of its meaning kept him stoic.
Emma unscrewed the vial of his DNA and emptied his hair and blood into the bowl and burned it.
“He whose shoulders are draped with the veil of Nyxori blood Is transcendent to external judication. Divided is your potential unto thee and united with such potential is he. For Adonis
Markaine,”
The stench of the burning hair was unbearable, when it fizzled out he helped her re-pack.
Emma concluded the ritual by curling up with him on the recliner.
“I Know you don’t practice like I do or practice anything…I just want you to win”
Adonis looked down at her, it was hard to see in the darkening house around them but from her silhouette he could tell her eyes were closed.
” We will win”
Adonis combed her hair and held her tighter against his body.
” I appreciate you organizing that ritual for me”
“Any time Love”
The darkness enveloped them now, it would be dangerous getting down to the gate but there was one last thing on her mind.
“I know this will sound irrational and it is, but I have this old fear in my head that …”
Emma began to sob and grip onto his shirt struggling to get the words out of her, the words distorted under a wave of tears.”
” That I will wake up one day looking for another family to love me “
Adonis combed her hair away from her eyes, but she buried her face deeper into his chest.
” Its so inaccurate, And false. why can’t I shake this fear?”
Adonis waited for her to say something else before speaking staring up into the dark blue of night stars.
” Its not easy to go through as many homes as you have, to believe and to be torn down over and over…” she whimpered.
” Exactly …”
” I love you, And I Always want to be here with you “he said
she cleaned her eyes but Adonis offered her to utilize his
shirt instead.
” Swear …”
Adonis interlaced his fingers with hers.
” I swear”
With a kiss they finally set out to get back on the road home.
Walking In the door Mom had set up a movie night. The snacks and drinks were next to the chairs, and she had reclined back onto the first couch.
” What took y’all so long”
she said throwing a piece of carrot into her mouth. Adonis
gave Emma his bag and helmet to go put up in the room.
” How long have you been waiting?”
” I expected you back at least half an hour ago”
” My bad we had some things to talk through, what movie are we watching anyway?”
Mom reached out and handed him the remote.
” you guys pick”
