It's BlueMoon

'Nana, Nana, I am home..' As soon as I entered the house, I threw my bag on the couch, and shoes on the floor and ran around to search for Nana.

I peeked into the kitchen- She wasn't there.

Ummm. Peeked into the backyard, but She was not there either.

Where was she? I thought to myself while looking for her all over the house.

As I was running around, I finally found her in her bed shivering under a thin blanket...I rushed to her...

'Oh Nana, what happened?' I touched her forehead just to make sure – I realized she had a high fever, and she couldn't even speak.

'Omg! you're burning up I hurriedly searched for a thicker blanket and covered her.

I ran to her medicine cabinet to get her medicine and then I rang uncle Joe for help.

Well... uncle Joe or Joseph Myers was my dad's best friend. A sizable white man in his late forties, six feet two-inches height with a special love for blue checkered shirts. I never really understood why was that. I am not even quite sure if he has just so many shirts with the same pattern or if It was just one that he repeatedly wears. That shirt is his trademark. It doesn't matter if he repeats his favorite shirt, but he was a gem of a person. He has been very kind to us since dad has left us.

Uncle Joe reached in no time. I was still giving Nana an ice pack on her forehead to bring her temperature down and she was just feeling a little better.. but the fever was still pretty much there.

Are you feeling alright Mrs. Stevens? Uncle Joe asked.

Nana nodded.

Alright, I got it- Said uncle Joe and went on to check for her medicine from the cabinet to get her the magic pill. Nana has a medical condition- she always needs her prescription drugs even for minor sicknesses.

As Uncle Joe and I were chatting, In about fifteen minutes, Nana was able to sit up by herself and was able to speak as well.

Weirdly, the very first thing she told to uncle Joe after was 'Joe, My son, Please take Rain to the altar and complete our rituals today

Uncle Joe smirked at her concerns about rituals. I'm sure he thought 'What a stubborn woman.' I can't blame him if he did, because that's exactly what I thought.

'Nana, You need to rest' I said in an authoritative voice...

"Rain, Honey, I won't, we can't skip today. My ancestors will curse me. I have already lost my son and daughter-in-law. I can't take up more curses in this life' she said looking at me with her puppy dog eyes. 'If you don't want to go, I'll go myself' she whimpered.

I looked at uncle Joe in confusion. I knew Nana was a very stubborn woman. And her rituals meant a lot to her.

Uncle Joe nodded and looked back at Nana with an assured look; 'Ok. Mrs. Stevens.. I'll take Rain to the altar, but You need to rest and recover soon.'

Hearing Uncle Joe's words, Nana's eyes lit up and her lips twitched at the corner as she smiled...

Before they could finalize their full proof plan, I interfered and said, 'I can go on my own, Uncle Joe, I think it's for the best if you stay with Nana cause her fevers are still not down, she might need you. Uncle Joe looked at me in confusion. He wasn't going to let me go alone... so He said 'Wait. But you have never been up there alone. I can't let you go Rain. Please understand."

"But I've been going there for at least 10 years now. The place is perfectly safe and other community people will be there. I am going to be fine Uncle Joe- don't worry about me." I requested him.

Nana refused right away... "Even though it is a safe place you can't possibly do the rituals alone, you've never done it before."

I groaned and stubbornly said 'Are you seriously still concerned about your rituals? I'll only go if you agree for uncle Joe to stay here with you. Nana, You're old, and sick too. Please understand." My voice turned soft as I started to convince her more.

After a few more minutes of convincing, She finally agreed. But She didn't let me go without her own set of conditions. "You'll make sure that you won't do my rituals wrong, as soon as you finish, you'll return without making any stop. You have to blah blah blah...

I interrupted her 'Nana, I've been going there for 10 years now- remember, aren't we getting late already? It is 4 o'clock.

'Alright, let me help with the ritual objects.' She said in her frail voice.

'Don't worry Mrs. Steven- Please don't get down. I'll arrange the things she would need for the ritual.' Said, Uncle Joe.

'See, It's sorted. But I don't want you to get up from bed until I come back and quit worrying about me. Ok?' I looked at Nana and waited for her final approval

'Ok,' Nana smiled and nodded.

As soon as that was sorted, I ran into the shower. While Uncle Joe helped Nana to arrange herbs and flowers for the ritual.

I took a bath, cleansed my face, and put on a yellow Cap Sleeve Beading Bowknot Knee-Length Lace dress- matched a flower design drop earrings and my flower goddess sandal. I put on light makeup. Left my wet wavy hair open to dry.

TA... DA... I am ready... I said as soon as I came out.

'Aww... you are looking so pretty Hun' Nana complimented me while laying under her blanket. Uncle Joe smiled and agreed. 'If Danny and Lisha were alive they would be proud of Rain for being brave and carrying on family rituals, don't you think Mrs. Stevens.' Said, Uncle Joe. "Yes Joe, they sure would," said Nana. For the record, Danny and Lisha were my parents- Daniel Stevens and Lisha Stevens.

"Alright, Alright enough praise for now". I jokingly patted myself on my shoulder, and we all laughed.

"Come here," Nana said, As I walked to her she handed over a piece of paper to me and said, "Uncle Joe has helped me write down the rituals.". She started taking me through the ingredients list.

'This is blue lotus, milk thistle, and clary sage. This one's passion flower. And here's myrrh. And this is the moonstone.' She pointed at the herbs and flowers while naming them for me. I know I bragged earlier to uncle Joe, but the truth is I still haven't learned the ritual. I just go with Nana, to make her feel good. I didn't believe in miracles, Gods, or cosmic powers- or any of these fairy tales. If gods existed, if miracles happened- I wouldn't have lost both my parents. Would I?

"You must clean the altar, put the moonstone on so that it could soak in the light of the rising moon, in this silver bowl burn myrrh first.. b...r... while she was explaining the ritual to me- I drifted a little and thought to myself How would Nana know If I didn't follow the rituals...

"Rain, Are you listening? Nana asked interrupting my thought,

"oh Yeah." I smiled and answered.

Offer her passion flowers. Combine all the other herbs next and raise it to the moon goddess, pray to her to bless it, and throw it with burning myrrh. Now take this piece of paper, just in case you forget the ritual, it is all written here.

'Thank you, Nana, You get better before I come back. Ok? Alright, I need to leave now. It is already late. I kissed Nana's forehead and ran towards the backyard crossing our garden and grain field,

''be careful.. uncle Joe shouted from behind.

"I will"...I shouted back as I was rushing towards the mountain.

It took me a few minutes to reach the foot of the mountain. As I started to climb the steps- I looked around to see the beautiful forest around me. In my surroundings, the birds chirping to return to their nest, golden rays of the setting sun reflecting on the tree leaves making them sheen. It was truly beautiful. As I walked up, I remembered a song that I heard from Mom:

When dusk came, I looked at the sky...

The moon, the stars shining up high.

When the wishing star fell, I wished for you...

Tell me oh love! Did you wish for me too?

Like shining dew drops on petals of a rose,

My heart lights up when I feel you so close

I looked around, you were nowhere near sight.

Been waiting for you since that night.

For you since that night...

Ohhh oh oh oh oh...

I kept singing this song repeatedly as it brought me some peace. However, a sudden gust of wind blew past me and blew away the paper that had the rituals written on it. Arghhh. I exclaimed in frustration. I was stupid, I knew I was going onto the top of the mountain. I should have been more careful. I thought to myself...

But suddenly I felt something else- when I looked around. I realized a tree just moved out of nowhere. Holy crap, did that tree just move? Is it something on that tree? For a moment I freaked, and frantically looked around. However, I didn't see anyone. So I realized it must be my mind playing tricks on me. To be frank, I don't get scared easily, I've dealt with enough pain and loss in my life, nothing imaginary scares me anymore. Today is just an exception. Maybe the stress of completing the rituals is getting on to me.

Soon I reached the temple.