Ritual to Return

Natalia stood in the middle of the living room.

“Is everything ready?” she asked.

“Yes,” everyone else said. The angel took in a deep breath.

“Right,” she said. “Let’s begin.” Natalia pulled out the salt. She poured it around the circle. The angel held her breath the whole time. This had to be done right. Not a single grain of salt could be out of place. When the circle was finished, Natalia looked at the floor. Izumi came in with the candles. The other angel turned to her.

“Careful not to step on the salt,” she said. Izumi nodded and put the candles around at the four points. Natalia went behind her and straightened them up. Yoshiko comes in with the sand.

“Will this do?” she asked. The angels looked up at her.

“I couldn’t get the white sand,” Yoshiko added. “I managed to get normal sand from outside.” The other two angels stared at her.

“Outside?” Natalia asked. “How did you go outside?” Yoshiko shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she said. “It just happened.” She paused after saying that. It was like she was confused by her own words. Natalia waved her off.

“Right, right,” she said. “Be careful of the salt and candles.”

“Got it,” Yoshiko said. She tore open the bag and began pouring out the sand. Natalia and Izumi watched the whole time. Himeko came with the small black and white stones. Liz got the sake. Finally, the boys came with the rice. Natalia stepped back and took a breath.

“Okay,” she said. She turned to the boys.

“Masayuki, you’re up next,” she said. The boy didn’t speak as he walked unflinchingly up to the circle.

“What are they going to do?” Ben whispered.

“Shhh,” Himeko whispered. “Just watch.”

“Be careful of the circle,” Natalia said to Masayuki. The boy carefully stepped over the salt, sand, and rice. He sat down in the middle. Natalia held up a giant bottle of sake. She uncorked it and started chanting. Everyone had to stay quiet for this. Natalia was the one opening the gate again. She needed all of her concentration for this to work.

The angel waved her hands in the air as the chanting grew louder. Natalia took a drink and spat the sake up into the air. The little droplets spread out into the air. She splashed some on Masayuki’s face. The boy tightly shut his eyes.

Natalia held up the bottle in the air.

“I send you back through the veil!” she shouted. The angel threw down the bottle. The glass shattered into a light purple haze. Natalia closed her eyes and blew it forward. The haze covered Masayuki.

In a flash, he was gone again.