The Ritual

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“Lah de vushka! Lah de vushka!” Nino chanted inaudibly as his voice trembled with the sound of rumbling. The ground shook and the wind began to bellow. Torn pages of the old worn-out book in his hand began flying in the air. Nino staggered two feet backward as streaks of lightning lined the dark graveyard sky.

“It is working Nino. Don't stop.” Lilo stood firm. Her eyes fixated on the little figurine she held above her mother's grave. The figurine suddenly sparked white lights. Tears streamed down her eyes as the memories of their mother came flooding her. “It has got to work.” Her small voice competed with the sound of thunder threatening to rip the sky apart.

Suddenly, a blast of strong wind blew across the entire graveyard throwing Nino and Lilo against the ground. Instantly an eerie silence ensued.

“I told you it wouldn't work Lilo. I told you.” Nino cried out, rubbing his bruised knees.

“I just miss her so much that I want her back. I miss the sweet kisses, warm hugs, bedtime stories, and all the wonderful gifts.” Lilo wiped a teardrop.

“I miss her too. So much it hurts.” Nino crawled over to his sister and hugged her tightly. “It is getting late. Grandma Edna must be waiting.”

Lilo nodded and the two children scurried to the narrow thorny shortcut-fence they had passed through to the graveyard earlier. Nino kept looking behind his shoulders and every twig and rustling leaf along the way startled him. He felt as though something ominous was coming after them.

---

“Nino! The figurine! We lost it.” Lilo blurted with eyes wide open.

“You did what?” A grey frail old lady stormed out through the front porch of their home. “What have you done?” she barely steadied herself on her cane and her body shook. “That figurine is your life.”

“What are you talking about grandma?” Lilo creased her brows drawing closer to her grandmother.

“It is time you knew the truth about yourselves. Come, sit.” With an arched back, Edna slowly lowered herself on a couch.

Lilo and Nino flanked her on both sides with keen ears.

“Eleven years ago, I took pity on your mother and sought the help of a ruthless yet merciful spirit. Your mother was desperate. She had been without a child for years and it was starting to take a toll on her. One night when the moon was full I summoned the presence of a twin god called Nima. Nima granted your mother's wish at a cost and nine months later, you were born.” Edna sighed.

“Your lives are tied to that figurine. You are safe as long as it is. Nima is ruthless and never forgives the ones who defy. Now tell me, children. Why did you take the figurine?”

Lilo and Nino exchanged tensed glances. Lilo tried to recollect the events of the evening. That last time she held the figurine was before the burst of wind that sent them to the ground. The twins had always thought of the figurine to be something strange and they were often puzzled why their mother kept it sacred. It was a small mahogany carved into a bizarre creature with spikes on its back. It had an axe in one hand and it appeared to be holding on to something that had been yanked off on the other hand.

“We just miss Mother so much and it reminds us of her.” Lilo concealed the truth from Edna. She could not bring herself to reveal that they had stolen Edna’s book of spells and tried to use it to bring their mother back to life. The spell had required something personal of the deceased and Lilo thought that the figurine was perfect for the ritual. Just then, bolts of lightning shot through the sky and the ground rumbled.

“There is a presence here. I can feel it.” Edna stood up and her eyes went blank. A mass of darkness began looming over the house and in no time, a massive figure emerged from the foliage surrounding the house. Lilo and Nino froze realizing that the ritual had conjured the spirit of the figurine instead. They looked like ants in front of the figure which had now come to life. Its axe was dripping blood and a stream of slime poured out of its mouth. “Nima! Nima,” it began to chant.

Before they could move, the figurine threw its axe and it went straight for Edna’s collarbone. Instantly, she fell to the ground. The twins dashed into the house and jammed the door. They gathered all the furniture in the house and barricaded the door.

Everything went very quiet and the twins were starting to catch their breaths. A couple of seconds later, the door and surrounding walls came crashing, throwing the twins to different parts of the living room.

“Nima! Nima!” The figurine began searching for them frantically. Nino was crouched under the dining table when his eyes fell on a broken mirror lying on the floor. Panting with a throbbing heart, he slowly came out of hiding and revealed himself to the figurine.

“No Nino! What are you doing?” Lilo yelled from her hiding place.

“I know what I'm doing. Broken mirrors can trap a spirit. I read it in the spell book.” Nino yelled back.

He cautiously watched the mirror that was now between himself and the figurine. Just as it was about to grab him, Nino stepped away and the mirror slashed through the figurine’s right foot. It let out a deafening squeal and like a warp, its monstrous body diffused into the small piece of mirror on the floor. Silence ensued as Nino and Lilo tread cautiously towards the mirror.

“It is gone,” Lilo whispered.

“Grandma!” Nino announced.

They both rushed back outside through the ruins where Edna was struggling to breathe. Suddenly, they began to hear rustling through the foliage. Soon, enormous footprints that were fast approaching them left sandy imprints on the ground.

Edna painfully peered from where she lay. “The figurine! It has an invisible twin that holds its hand.” she managed to stutter.

“Oh no!” the twins cried out with terror in their eyes.