Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > Cherry Blossom
Frank’s point of view
Finally, Tuesday evening rolled its way around. Since the last bell of the day had rung, I had just sat on my bed, shaking, apprehensive of what lay ahead of me. I had already packed a flashlight; a rope; a first aid kit; a butter sandwich and several packets of skittles into my backpack in preparation for the unknown that was around the corner. I also threw on my faux leather jacket, as I suspected it would be cold out and my t-shirt and hoodie alone would not keep me warm. Stuffing some crumpled notes into jeans, I told my mom that I was going round Mikey’s to study, left the house and made my way to school.
Within a few minutes I had reached the school gates, and I crossed over the road to the cherry blossom tree. Beneath it a delicately pale boy, swathed in black jeans, black t-shirt, and black leather jacket sat, glaring up at me from the darkness. It felt odd not to see him sketching for once. I stopped about a metre and a half away from him, standing side-on as I waited for the mysterious lady.
I stared at my feet, waiting for him to say something, waiting for him to shout, to cry, to plead with me. But it never came. He just sat there, staring up at me, saying nothing. Not a word. And it was killing me. I wanted him to start shouting, I wanted him to smack me round the face for being such a complete dick! But no, he had to make me want to keel over and die from the guilt and shame of what I did to him. I was just about to turn and talk to Gerard when the strange lady tapped me on the shoulder, causing me to jump three feet in the air and give a high-pitched yelp.
“What the hell! You tryin’ to kill me lady?”
She simply smiled that chilling emotionless smile of hers and beckoned for me to follow her. Obediently, I did so. We headed towards the mall, for what purpose I was unaware of. As we were approaching the doors she turned to me and said;
“No-one else can see me so don’t talk unless necessary and even then only in hushed tones. Don’t turn to look at me either. You have money yes?”
I nodded slightly as we walked in through the doors. The heat and noise of the place washed over me in a gust of humid air, the mall was bustling with the activity of teenagers; chatting, yelling, kissing and squabbling. It was all there.
“My name is Julietta, so you know.” She caught me off-guard, I presumed she would want to keep up the mysterious facade by remaining nameless, but it seems I was wrong.
“Do all ghosts refuse to tell anyone their last name?” I asked.
“To those still alive? Yes. It means they cannot go investigating you. Well, easily at least. Turn left here, into the candle shop please.”
I did as I was told. As I stepped through the door I was surrounded by a thousand different scents; some sweet, others bitter, delicate, and overpowering, a few familiar, many foreign. Julietta wafted over to a shelf labelled ‘unscented, assorted colours’ and pointed to a thick red candle, and a thick black one. I picked them up as she crossed the room and pointed at a pair of flat bottomed candle holders. I picked those up too and bought them silently, the cashier giving me an odd look. Well it was partially common knowledge that you need a black candle and a red candle for witch craft.
“Do you know where to find salt?” Julietta queried, “And a brass dish wouldn’t go amiss either.”
I nodded again, discreetly, and headed towards T.J Maxx. Scanning the home ware aisles I soon found a suitable brass bowl. Again, I purchased it quietly. After that I left the mall, and dropped by one of the small grocery shops to pick up some salt. Finally with the crazy assortment of purchases in my backpack Julietta led me to the park, where a middle aged woman sat on a bench. She was a ghost, of course. Somehow I could just sense it. She looked up at us as we approached, calm and collected.
“Hello. My name is Sally.” She smiled, “I suppose you’ve come to send me on my way?” The lady said sadly. Julietta nodded.
“You are no longer able to fulfil your business, thus we must move you on ourselves.”
“Okay.” Sally whispered.
“This is Frank; he’s a beginner so I’m going to have to talk him through the process, which means it might take a while.” Julietta nodded in my direction, and I gave a small wave and a comforting smile to Sally.
Turning to me Julietta instructed me to take the salt, candles, and candle holders out of my bag. I did so, and following her instruction, used the salt to draw a pentagram on the floor big enough so that I could kneel inside the centre. Julietta picked up the candles and placed them in their holders either side of the pentagram and lit them. Finally, she laid the brass dish in front of me, just beyond the top point of the star. As she did this, I turned to Sally and asked her what Julietta meant by business.
“All ghosts remain on earth because they have unfinished business, for me, I wanted to watch over my children until they themselves died. Unfortunately I am now unable to do so as they have grown up and moved to the far corners of the country. I cannot follow them, so I must leave them.” She said sadly.
“So every ghost is only on earth until they complete their aim, or until someone like me comes along and moves them on.” I clarified.
“That is correct, yes.” She smiled kindly.
“Don’t worry Frank,” Julietta piped up, sensing my concern, “Gerard is still able to finish his unfinished business, so you’ll have time to spend with him yet.”
“So you know what his unfinished business is?” I asked, curious as to why Gerard remained on earth.
“No, I merely am able to tell whether he is in a position to complete it or not.” She replied after a pause.
“Oh...”
“We’re ready to start the ritual now. Sally, could you come sit in front of Frank? Perfect.” Julietta turned to me, “The ritual is simple, just put your hands together as if in prayer and ask for this ghost to pass on. It doesn’t matter what words you use, as long as you don’t contradict yourself; make it clear what you want to happen.”
With that she stepped back, and went to stand away from the ritual. I must have looked a right freak to anyone passing by, ‘cause they wouldn’t see the two women, just me sitting in a pentagram of fuckin’ salt. But it’s not like I have much choice, Sally needs me to help her pass on. So I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes, thinking of what to say.
“Um, who do I address it to?” I asked nervously, opening my eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, who do I ask? You know, for Sally to pass on?”
“No-one, just ask.”
I closed my eyes again and concentrated on my breathing, calming myself down so I didn’t fuck this up. Finally I opened my eyes again, this time sure of what I was going to say.
“Let this ghost, who has wondered the earth in limbo for too long, too finally find peace. Too pass on and be happy, to a place where she can watch over her loved ones.”
A warm, whooshing feeling rushed over me, leaving tingles all over my body. When I dared open my eyes, Sally was gone, not a trace left behind. Julietta came up from behind me and suggested we clear away the pentagram quickly before someone finds it. I agreed, and set to work placing the candles and dish back in my bag while Julietta brushed away the salt. As I placed the brass dish in my bag, I realised something.
“Julietta, what is the dish for? We didn’t use it.”
“That’s in case you get an uncooperative spirit. Make a sacrifice of your blood into that dish and they’ll be bound until you finish the ritual. The amount of blood you need is proportional to how strong the spirit is.”
We stood up, having finished clearing the stuff. Julietta turned to me, a sad smile on her face.
“I hope you don’t come across a strong one before your time.”
Finally, Tuesday evening rolled its way around. Since the last bell of the day had rung, I had just sat on my bed, shaking, apprehensive of what lay ahead of me. I had already packed a flashlight; a rope; a first aid kit; a butter sandwich and several packets of skittles into my backpack in preparation for the unknown that was around the corner. I also threw on my faux leather jacket, as I suspected it would be cold out and my t-shirt and hoodie alone would not keep me warm. Stuffing some crumpled notes into jeans, I told my mom that I was going round Mikey’s to study, left the house and made my way to school.
Within a few minutes I had reached the school gates, and I crossed over the road to the cherry blossom tree. Beneath it a delicately pale boy, swathed in black jeans, black t-shirt, and black leather jacket sat, glaring up at me from the darkness. It felt odd not to see him sketching for once. I stopped about a metre and a half away from him, standing side-on as I waited for the mysterious lady.
I stared at my feet, waiting for him to say something, waiting for him to shout, to cry, to plead with me. But it never came. He just sat there, staring up at me, saying nothing. Not a word. And it was killing me. I wanted him to start shouting, I wanted him to smack me round the face for being such a complete dick! But no, he had to make me want to keel over and die from the guilt and shame of what I did to him. I was just about to turn and talk to Gerard when the strange lady tapped me on the shoulder, causing me to jump three feet in the air and give a high-pitched yelp.
“What the hell! You tryin’ to kill me lady?”
She simply smiled that chilling emotionless smile of hers and beckoned for me to follow her. Obediently, I did so. We headed towards the mall, for what purpose I was unaware of. As we were approaching the doors she turned to me and said;
“No-one else can see me so don’t talk unless necessary and even then only in hushed tones. Don’t turn to look at me either. You have money yes?”
I nodded slightly as we walked in through the doors. The heat and noise of the place washed over me in a gust of humid air, the mall was bustling with the activity of teenagers; chatting, yelling, kissing and squabbling. It was all there.
“My name is Julietta, so you know.” She caught me off-guard, I presumed she would want to keep up the mysterious facade by remaining nameless, but it seems I was wrong.
“Do all ghosts refuse to tell anyone their last name?” I asked.
“To those still alive? Yes. It means they cannot go investigating you. Well, easily at least. Turn left here, into the candle shop please.”
I did as I was told. As I stepped through the door I was surrounded by a thousand different scents; some sweet, others bitter, delicate, and overpowering, a few familiar, many foreign. Julietta wafted over to a shelf labelled ‘unscented, assorted colours’ and pointed to a thick red candle, and a thick black one. I picked them up as she crossed the room and pointed at a pair of flat bottomed candle holders. I picked those up too and bought them silently, the cashier giving me an odd look. Well it was partially common knowledge that you need a black candle and a red candle for witch craft.
“Do you know where to find salt?” Julietta queried, “And a brass dish wouldn’t go amiss either.”
I nodded again, discreetly, and headed towards T.J Maxx. Scanning the home ware aisles I soon found a suitable brass bowl. Again, I purchased it quietly. After that I left the mall, and dropped by one of the small grocery shops to pick up some salt. Finally with the crazy assortment of purchases in my backpack Julietta led me to the park, where a middle aged woman sat on a bench. She was a ghost, of course. Somehow I could just sense it. She looked up at us as we approached, calm and collected.
“Hello. My name is Sally.” She smiled, “I suppose you’ve come to send me on my way?” The lady said sadly. Julietta nodded.
“You are no longer able to fulfil your business, thus we must move you on ourselves.”
“Okay.” Sally whispered.
“This is Frank; he’s a beginner so I’m going to have to talk him through the process, which means it might take a while.” Julietta nodded in my direction, and I gave a small wave and a comforting smile to Sally.
Turning to me Julietta instructed me to take the salt, candles, and candle holders out of my bag. I did so, and following her instruction, used the salt to draw a pentagram on the floor big enough so that I could kneel inside the centre. Julietta picked up the candles and placed them in their holders either side of the pentagram and lit them. Finally, she laid the brass dish in front of me, just beyond the top point of the star. As she did this, I turned to Sally and asked her what Julietta meant by business.
“All ghosts remain on earth because they have unfinished business, for me, I wanted to watch over my children until they themselves died. Unfortunately I am now unable to do so as they have grown up and moved to the far corners of the country. I cannot follow them, so I must leave them.” She said sadly.
“So every ghost is only on earth until they complete their aim, or until someone like me comes along and moves them on.” I clarified.
“That is correct, yes.” She smiled kindly.
“Don’t worry Frank,” Julietta piped up, sensing my concern, “Gerard is still able to finish his unfinished business, so you’ll have time to spend with him yet.”
“So you know what his unfinished business is?” I asked, curious as to why Gerard remained on earth.
“No, I merely am able to tell whether he is in a position to complete it or not.” She replied after a pause.
“Oh...”
“We’re ready to start the ritual now. Sally, could you come sit in front of Frank? Perfect.” Julietta turned to me, “The ritual is simple, just put your hands together as if in prayer and ask for this ghost to pass on. It doesn’t matter what words you use, as long as you don’t contradict yourself; make it clear what you want to happen.”
With that she stepped back, and went to stand away from the ritual. I must have looked a right freak to anyone passing by, ‘cause they wouldn’t see the two women, just me sitting in a pentagram of fuckin’ salt. But it’s not like I have much choice, Sally needs me to help her pass on. So I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes, thinking of what to say.
“Um, who do I address it to?” I asked nervously, opening my eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, who do I ask? You know, for Sally to pass on?”
“No-one, just ask.”
I closed my eyes again and concentrated on my breathing, calming myself down so I didn’t fuck this up. Finally I opened my eyes again, this time sure of what I was going to say.
“Let this ghost, who has wondered the earth in limbo for too long, too finally find peace. Too pass on and be happy, to a place where she can watch over her loved ones.”
A warm, whooshing feeling rushed over me, leaving tingles all over my body. When I dared open my eyes, Sally was gone, not a trace left behind. Julietta came up from behind me and suggested we clear away the pentagram quickly before someone finds it. I agreed, and set to work placing the candles and dish back in my bag while Julietta brushed away the salt. As I placed the brass dish in my bag, I realised something.
“Julietta, what is the dish for? We didn’t use it.”
“That’s in case you get an uncooperative spirit. Make a sacrifice of your blood into that dish and they’ll be bound until you finish the ritual. The amount of blood you need is proportional to how strong the spirit is.”
We stood up, having finished clearing the stuff. Julietta turned to me, a sad smile on her face.
“I hope you don’t come across a strong one before your time.”
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