All Hallows' Eve

Nessa and Dedrei worked hard on decorating the house for the All Hallows Eve party. They sent Ferris to collect the skeletons in the church tomb to display around the house. They put candles in the skulls to make the house look spooky. The front porch were made up with spider webs and Jack O Lanterns. An old rocking chair covered with spider webs were set by the door, rocking and creaking in the wind. A table with all the snacks for the guests and for the trick or treating, were near the door and were decorated with skulls and spiders.

The guests started arriving at sundown. They all seemed to enjoy the snacks, especially the treats. At ten o clock all the guests went to the cemetery to light candles on the graves of their loved ones. They wanted to be ready when the souls of the dead returned home.

As soon as the bonfires were lit for the nuts and apple festival, Ferris and Cathal brought out their three sacrifices. They laid each one on their own shrine. On the first shrine closest to the church, Edana Fannon the 'virgin-maiden-sacrifice' were lain. Sheriff Arlend O'Boyle the 'warrior-sacrifice' were lain on the middle shrine and Priest Nicholas Inglis the 'Priestly-sacrifice' were lain on the shrine furthest to the church. People started throwing portions of their crops onto the bonfires as part of their offerings.

"Remember Nessa, Dedrei, we must slit their throats at exactly the same time. And see to it you catch as much blood as you can in the goblets. Then we'll take it down to Lorcan and continue the ritual there." Cathal shouted over the noise of everybody shouting, screaming and singing and dancing around the bonfires.

Nicholas was the first one of the three sacrifices to wake.

"What is going on Cathal? What are you doing? Untie me at once." Nicholas shouted bewildered.

"I'm sorry Priest. I have to do this." Cathal said at the same time that Edana started screaming.

"That's good. I see all of you are awake now. It is nice of you to join us Arlend. Now we can begin the ritual."

"What the hell are you doing, Cathal." Before Arlend could say anythig else he started chanting something very loud. He couldn't make out what he was saying.

Cathal abruptly stopped and all three sacrifices' necks were slit simultaneously. Arlend were still gurgling as he tried to catch up the blood in the goblet.

Cathal, Dedrei and Nessa ran to the church and down the stairs where Ferris were waiting for them.

"Oh no, we're too late. Vincent they've already done the sacrifice." Conal shouted to be heard above the noise.

"Have you laid the black powder?" Vincent asked out of breath.

"Yes, I have, but I can't detonate it from here. I'll have to go down in the tomb."

"What? You didn't think of that? You'll die if you go down there!" He shouted in anger.

"I have to. I have no other choice." Before Vincent could respond he ran to the church and down the stairs.

He heard a loud chanting when he reached the tomb. He just stood there staring at them. He forced himself to move to the barrels of black powder so he could detonate it.

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The explosion shook the earth. There was a cloud of fiery smoke boiling out of the ground from beneath the church. It shook everyone to silence. Balls of fire were clawing their way out of the ground. People slowly came closer. Suddenly screams were heard everywhere. People had seen the three sacrifices.

"What the hell happened?" The Mayor shouted at Vincent who stood nearest to the church.

"He sacrificed himself for love. Love for his town and fellow man." He said in a soft and crestfallen voice.

"The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves."
Quote by Eric Hoffer

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I would like to thank my daughter @marijkehefer01 for writing this short story with me. It was a lot of fun. She also made the cover.