The Ceremony

The sun had set on the mountain top

Before we could get away,

I hadn’t wanted to drive by night

But rather the light of day,

The sky was filled with a ghostly glow

The last few rays of the sun,

When I drove out to the open road,

Our journey had just begun.

 

I’d promised that I would get her there

I wasn’t going to renege,

She must have asked me a dozen times,

Was even beginning to beg,

I said, ‘They’re going to be waiting there

No matter how late we are,

They won’t be starting without you, girl,

For you are the principle star.’

 

That calmed her down, she was mollified,

Though she’d been upset for days,

She worried that she’d be there too late,

She’d said, in a blank dismay,

She thought it was such an honour to

Be picked as the chosen one,

‘I’ve never been picked for anything,

Before,’ was the song she sung.

 

We nosed down into the valley as

The darkness turned to grim,

With only the beam of the headlights

Like a tunnel we were in,

‘It seems to be taking a lifetime,’

Was the only thing she said,

‘I know, but the end of a lifetime is

The time that you are dead.’

 

She’d paid especial attention to

The dress she had to wear,

Had glossed her lips and had rouged her cheeks

And had tidied up her hair,

I paid her the best of compliments

That I knew she wanted to hear,

And told her that I was proud of her,

On this special night of the year.

 

We finally came to a grove of trees

And we turned our headlights in,

Throwing fantastic shadows as our

Wheels began to spin,

We stopped just under a giant oak

And I said, ‘We’re here at last.

You’re certain you want to go through with it?’

She said, ‘It will be a blast!’

 

Then shapes came out of the grove of trees

Wearing hoods and capes of black,

They gathered around the car, and stood

And stared, on that forest track,

When Emily went to join them they

Stood back to let her pass,

And led her into a clearing where

She lay down, on the grass.

 

It was then they began their chanting

Like a choir in a church,

Rising and falling, lilting, it was fine

And yet a dirge,

For then a man danced into the ring

Who wore the head of a goat,

From under his cape he drew a knife,

Leant down, and cut her throat.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Barbz]

I was blown away by the ending.....never expecting that the ceremony, for which she was so adorned, would be a sacrifice . So many questions for which I will have to use my imagination. She was so anxious to get there, and I am so anxious to find out Why! Thanks for the brain teaser.....my mind could use a workout. My grandkids are on summer break, so I've been in lollipop land.......Barbz

[TPK Stories]

Unexpected ending but well written. Great story David.

[andrew mitchell]

A lovely pagan sacrifice David like a Dennis Wheatley novel on devil worship or sacrifice like The Devil rides out!" A great read this one!

[Lady Lola]

And here I thought they would be having a car accident on a nightly road. Way to teach me not to expect a certain ending.

[Valentine]

Oooooh , Mate, please do not get gruesome in your advancing age. I have been bad enough mooded for all on the site. Well written, but...... Valentine

[spiritwind]

such smooth writing to come to such an unpleasant end! love your work

[R Smith]

great one David, started like a day trip and ended in a Satanic rite, who'd have thought it, you get my vote as the man with the most imagination, well done :)

[Chirag Kumar]

Amazing work David. Unexpected twist in the end. :D

[Marie]

I actually suspected what was coming up, though I couldn't say why. What reason would a pretty youn girl have for going to such a sacrifice? I don't know, yet in the dark legions, it would be considered an hnour...

[Sharon Kim]

Fantastic storytelling with effortless rhythm. I enjoyed the surprise ending. Nicely done!