Something Supernatural
By David H. Garrett
Published by David H. Garrett at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 by David H. Garrett
Halloween night can be rough on a paint job. I’ve seen more than one immaculate machine given a case of permanent “chicken pox” by egg tossing tricksters. For this reason, we had chosen to do our cruising about in Jim’s timeworn pickup truck. No amount of egg yolk could further diminish the value of the venerable old GMC.
“Hey! You wanna drop by Wizard’s house? I hear he’s planning something special for tonight,” asked Jim.
“Might as well go there as anywhere,” I replied. “Ain’t nothing ‘ goin’ on at the lake.”
When we arrived, we found that Wizard had indeed planned something special. One end of his front porch was completely enclosed by hastily hung curtains. Inside the cloth cubicle, Wizard’s wife, Loretta, sat at a rickety, round wooden table, reading Eddie’s palm. In the center of the archaic table rested a large black candle, the light of which danced over the faces of the tattered tarot cards strew about the table’s edge. Above Eddie and Loretta sagged a silken ceiling fashioned from an olive drab surplus store parachute.
Wizard greeted us at the door wearing a striking Iranian shirt with billowy, belled sleeves and a picturesque print design reminiscent of a Persian rug. A large gold ring, dangling from the lobe of his right ear stood out sharply against his brushy, black beard.
“Come on in,” he said; “The fun’s just getting started.”
As we passed into the dimly lit living room, our nostrils were attacked by the pungent aroma of herbs and spices mingled with incense and, perhaps, a hint of pot smoke. Around the room, a dozen or so persons made themselves at home; some sitting, some standing, and some sprawled on the floor. Many of them sipped contentedly from cups containing samples o f Wizard’s cherry flavored “Atomic Mushroom Sauce.” It was a concoction of tea made by boiling magic mushrooms and adding Koolade for flavoring.