Johnny Wraith Stories

Gayla opened her eyes and unclenched her teeth. Had the storm passed? With caution she let go of the pillar and tiptoed to the altar. The flame was still burning, the dove soaked in oil still sending up wispy smoke.

Is this a sign He has accepted the sacrifice? The reason why his destroying winds have subsided?

Before the altar and fire, Gayla dropped to her knees and they began bleeding again, running into the cracks of the stone floor. She crossed her arms over her bare breasts, and bowed her head.

“Caelum,
Lord of the Four Winds, Heaven, and Sky,
Please open your holy mouth,
Inhale the body of the dove for succor…”

He did not know her words, but the sweet sound of her voice made him shudder. Never had Caelum hovered so closely behind a supplicating girl, heard the melody of her words. They were more beautiful than the songs of any feathered chorus he’d ever known. The flowing hair, the small of her back, the curves of her buttocks down to the dirty soles of her dainty feet transfixed him. Hypnotized were his ethereal eyes and ears as she continued:

“Caelum,
Lord of the Four Winds, Heaven, and Sky,
Please open your holy mouth,
Inhale the body of the dove for succor…”

Finally mustering the courage by shaking off his stare, Caelum stretched forth his airy hand and touched her bare shoulders with his fingertips. Gayla quivered to his contact, her skin tightened, and her heart began to race. But she did not lift her head, remained on her knees, and continued praying aloud.

“C… Caelum,
L… Lord of the F… Four Winds, Heaven, and Sky…”

She felt his wispy hands encircle her shoulders, and though he was delicate, her terror of his strangeness made her stomach climb into her throat, her lungs start breathing fast and shallow.

So Caelum touched a girl for the first time in eternity. With the gentleness of his cloudy palms, he flowed slowly over her lips, stroaked her long hair, took in the slight bends of her girlish hips. She kept on with her prayer as she quivered with fright, stammering, and suffering for air, remaining devout and offered as tears began filling her eyes. 

Thus a god inhaled the smoke offered up at his altar, the body of a dove.