Around the Campfire, by Angelica Rivera

I enjoy campfires, especially when my friends and I tell spooky stories. One night, my friends and I were gathered around the campfire, and it was my turn to share a scary story. I quickly remembered a story Grandma once shared with me. I thought to myself that if this story had scared the wits out of me, it would also scare my friends. However, my scary story was not only a horror story, but there was a romantic twist to it, almost like Romeo and Juliet (love vs. paranormal).

I began the story by sharing that these spirits watched over a girl named Sarah. They were called “legion.” What I mean by “legion” is that they came by the thousands. Some of them were there to watch her every doing and another part were there to destroy her. Dove, a good friend of Sarah’s since high school, sensed she was in trouble. Dove was already aware that Sarah had had a very bad breakup and that her ex-boyfriend (Erik) belonged to a family of witches. Although Sarah did not believe in spells or sorcery, Dove kept an open mind since he had a secret gift: He was able to communicate with spirits. He also had an uncle who was into shamanism.

One evening Sarah invited Dove over to look at her ceiling because it was looking moldy, but there was no leak. When he looked at the ceiling, he noticed a thousand smiley faces and he whispered, “Oh no.”

Sarah asked, “What is wrong?”

Dove stated, “You need a special kind of house cleansing.” 

Sarah chuckled and said, “I love your humor but, seriously, doesn’t my ceiling look odd?

(Now, picture Sarah with her wry smile, almond-shaped green eyes, and ruby red long hair, speaking to Dove who looked the opposite. He was olive toned with brown hair and big, round, dark, deep-set eyes. He had a warmth and softness that drew anyone to him.)

Dove began to pray. He then called his uncle who asked. “Is there anyone against Sarah?” The only person Dove could think of was Sarah’s ex-boyfriend. However, instead of sharing that with his uncle, Dove decided to call back later to speak more calmly and privately.

Dove walked into the next room. He saw a gargoyle walk back into the living room mirror on the wall. He froze and said, “This place is a portal!”

Sarah asked, “Is everything okay?”

Dove said, “Yes, it’s okay.”

Sarah walked over from the next room to him and smiled. Dove said, “I will give your home a cleansing when you go to work.”

Sarah laughed and said, “Okay, but there isn’t much to do.”

So, Dove stayed at Sarah’s apartment and prayed over olive oil. He then gathered a white feather, myrrh, and frankincense and prayed the “Our Father” in a calm voice. His cell phone began to ring a lot, but he ignored it. He began to feel dizzy.

After he was done praying, he sat down and he saw an image of a man smiling and smirking. Then it disappeared. He knew this was going to be a battle and that he could leave it to the pastor or Sarah to deal with by fasting and praying, but he felt that he needed to do something more. Dove loved Sarah—he had always loved her—and he did not want her to lose her mind or spirit.

Finally, he called his uncle back and his uncle said, “Sarah is cursed, and this one does not go out with incense and prayer. It goes out with fasting and then a sacrifice.”

Dove said, “How can I tell Sarah?”  

His uncle said, “If you decide to tell her, then let her decide how she wants to deal with it.”

Before Dove could even call Sarah, she came into the door and said, “I have to tell you that I am not feeling like myself. I thought it could be menopause or my broken heart, but I believe I am suffering mentally.”

Dove replied, “You are not, and you are not alone.” Then the microwave turned on by itself. They looked at each other and smiled sadly.

That night, Sarah dreamt that Dove surrendered his soul to save and free her from the curse of the ex-boyfriend Erik. In her dream the spirits drained his body and she found membranes all over her bedroom floor and oozing through the mirror. She looked again and the image was even more vivid: He was holding a rose that was filled with his blood. His hand lifted up as if to hand her the rose. She woke up screaming.

She looked at her bedroom floor and found nothing. She began to feel relieved and said, “Oh, it was just a dream.” Then she walked over to the mirror in the living room and looked at the vanity. She saw a rose and, when she lifted it up, the rose was filled with blood. An image of Dove’s shadow appeared and left her frozen and in tears.  She heard his words, “The true essence of the universe is love. Love is sacrifice.”

My friends who were around the campfire with me had goose bumps, and some were crying in fear. Some asked, “Is there a part two?” Well, Sarah learned what true love is and was awakened spiritually by an evil force that did not conquer her, But someone she loved deeply made that sacrifice so she could live and love again. She learned in a grim way that love is also sacrifice. She learned that no matter the foe or adversity, she could never lose her truth or the love in her heart because it was authentic.