Into the Mist (Into the Mist 1)

Ford stared at her.

“What? It’s medicinal,” said Gemma.

“Truth,” said Mercury. “Shall we smoke some?”

“Hell yes, sis!” said Imani. “But only if Stella says we’re not gonna be in any danger tonight. I can deal with some shit a little tipsy. High, I’m good for nothing except giggles and a nap.”

Stella sipped wine from the bottle before answering. “We are perfectly safe, and this is the first time I’ve felt like that since the night before the fucking apocalypse.”

“Yaaasss,” said Imani. “Gemma, if you give me a bag of bud and those papers I know Stella stashed away somewhere—”

“Both are in my suitcase,” said Stella.

“I’ll roll a couple joints,” finished Imani.

“I’m on it.” Gemma disappeared into the rear part of their temporary shelter where suitcases lined the cave wall.

“Do you think it’s okay for her to smoke marijuana?” Karen asked as Imani passed her a wine bottle.

“I think Gemma can decide that for herself,” said Mercury.

Karen opened her mouth. Closed it. And then nodded. “I think you’re right about that.”

“I almost forgot,” Stella said. “What were you saying to Mercury back there in the rain about seeing something again?”

Karen looked at Mercury. “You didn’t tell them?”

“I thought it was your place to do that,” Mercury said.

“Tell us what?” Gemma returned and tossed a baggie of weed and papers to Imani.

“That the green fog did something to me, too,” Karen said slowly. She took a long drink of wine, wiped her mouth, and then blurted. “I can see things now.”

“Um, they need details,” Mercury prompted.

Karen sighed and nodded. The hand that wasn’t clutching the bottle of wine picked at the hem of her cardigan. “Okay, remember before we got to Madras when Mercury siphoned gas and then peed in the rain?”

Everyone nodded.

“She’d found a dead baby goat on the road and she did a quick little, um…” Karen looked at Mercury for help.

“I just said a simple prayer of release for its spirit and envisioned the little creature crossing over to the Goddess’s Summerlands.”

“Yes, that,” Karen said. “Well, I saw it. The baby goat’s spirit trotting through a glowing portal.”

“Holy shit!” Stella said.

“And then at the park last night, when Mercury and Ford were alone by the firepit, I saw something else.” Karen looked beseechingly at Mercury again.

“It was Ostara yesterday.” Mercury explained. “Ford and I did a mini-ritual, and toward the end of it, we pretended that we’d written blessings on prayer paper, lit them, and tossed them into the air.”

“Ooh, just like what we’d do at your Rituals back home,” said Stella. “It’s my favorite part.”

“In case y’all don’t know, prayer paper bursts into flame, floats up in the air, and extinguishes in just a few seconds,” Mercury added.

“That sounds cool,” said Gemma.

Mercury grinned at her. “It is. It’s also what Karen saw.”