Page 45 of Heart of the Wren
Lorcan moved and lay on his pillow. “I’m stuck up here on this hill, away from everyone. Ignored. Life is passing me by.”
“You have Bullseye. And Carol… she treats you like an uncle.”
“I’m not, though. I’m only her dad’s friend.”
“Is there anyone in the village you fancy?”
He made a face. “Only Pat Lynch, but I couldn’t imagine living with him.”
“Who do you imagine living with? When you’re lying here at night and you’ve got one hand on your mickey and you’re tugging away, who do you think about? And don’t say me.” I chuckled and rolled onto my side so we were face to face.
“Do you know the RTE presenter, Derek Davis?”
“Oh yes,” I said. “The stout, blonde fella from the north?”
“You remind me of him. Around the eyes. You smile a bit like him too. What about you?”
“I’ve always been partial to Ronan Collins. The DJ?”
“Yer man with the ronnie?” Lorcan put a finger under his nose to suggest a moustache. “Yeah, he’s a handsome big man, alright.”
“I like listening to him on the radio when I’m driving,” I said. “I was talking to Pat at the hurling match and he asked what you’d be doing for Christmas?”
Lorcan mooched around in bed, adjusting the sheet. “Bullseye invited me to his house for Christmas dinner. They invite me every year but I don’t go.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“He only asks out of politeness. Christmas is a time for family. They don’t want some… They don’t need me cluttering up the house.”
I lay my hand on his chest and ran my fingers through the hair. “I’m sure he wouldn’t ask you if he didn’t want you there.”
“It doesn’t matter this year, anyway. I couldn’t go and leave you and Carol alone.”
“You don’t think she and her dad will make up before then?”
He rubbed his nose. “I doubt it. They’re both too stubborn. Anyway.” He kissed me hard and loudly, with a purposefulmmwah. “I‘d better get up and washed.”
He slid out of bed and gathered up his clothes for the day.
“You’ve a fine arse on you, Lorcan Fitzgerald.” I tilted my head to get a better view of his hairy rear end.
Lorcan gave it a wiggle and laughed on his way out of the room.
???
While Lorcan bathed, I rolled away the rug from the end of the bed. I took a stick of chalk from my backpack and drew a large circle on the floor of the bedroom. Inside of this I drew five straight lines, forming a star. When I was happy with my work, I sat naked in the centre of the pentacle. I closed my eyes, calmed my mind, and prepared myself.
“Earth from the north, air from the east, fire from the south, water from the west — I call to you.” I took a deep breath as my body shed what little stress remained and my muscles relaxed. “I wish to commune with the power of this land. With the force disturbed.” A fizzing sensation travelled from the base of my spine to the top of my head. I was close. “Show me what I can do. Show me how to make amends. Show me the path.”
I found myself in the top field of Twin Bridge Farm, standing beneath the holly tree which stretched so tall it touched the clouds. The grass was soft beneath my bare feet and the wind warm on my naked skin. I walked, and where I walked flowers bloomed. The clouds overhead whizzed past with unnatural speed. I breathed deeply.
The hill on which I stood began to shake. I stooped over, bracing myself. It shook again, more violently, knocking me to the ground. The clouds moved faster and faster. A small brown bird landed on the holly tree, hopping from branch to branch. Where it hopped, spiny leaves fell, and blood red berries whirled through the air as the wind started to howl.
A terrible ringing filled my ears. I clamped my hands over them, trying to drown it out but the ringing grew louder and louder. I opened my eyes. I was in Lorcan’s room, sitting on the floor, exactly as I had been. Downstairs, the phone was ringing.
Uncertain if Carol had returned, I put on my boxer shorts and hurried down to the hall. I lifted the receiver only to be met with static. Still, I asked if anyone was there.
A muffled young voice whispered to me: “The wren, the wren.” And the line went dead.
