It’s a time and space like any other in the Ghostly Zone. Fernanda had recently taken upon gardening the Spectral Sage that is native to this time and place. There really isn’t much to do while Virgil and Fernanda wait for guests and so they each developed their own hobbies while they wait.…

Fernanda usually spends her time in her quarters in meditation, waiting for a Blessing or a Message to pass on to the Angelitos and send the back down to Earth.

Sometimes there are many Blessings and Messages and other times there is silence. Today was another night of silence like the ones moons prior. Fernanda was becoming anxious of the silence and beginning to suffer inquietude. She was losing her temper easily and suffering from insomnia. Time and space were blurring, Virgil was noticing Fernanda’s demeanor change. He suggested she try reading something from Coyote’s library. So Fernanda took upon reading to the Pollitos that Virgil had gathered from the Woods so that she can practice her Voice.

The Pollitos were always found in the Woods, scratching and pecking the ground for worms. Virgil called to them this night, “Pollitos, vengan aqui, es hora de escuchar a Fernanda!”Confused and curious, the Pollitos gathered and followed in a single file line. They sat in several rows and waited for Fernanda. She read to them a story of mortal folly, something about a man stuck in a cave who’s only sense of reality was a flame. Another night she read to them a story of a nephew planning revenge on his uncle. Surprisingly their favorite story, which was not a story but rather a battle manual, was about an ancient general teaching is soldiers how to catch their enemies by surprise and ensure victory. The Pollitos imagined that they could use these tactics in their hunt for worms.

The Pollitos were engaged to the readings every night, glued to the deep teal grass beneath them as the moons waxed or waned. Yet Fernanda’s inquietude persisted. She tried returning to Song, summoning the Spirit of Music through her lyre.

“Restless is the gentle winds embrace, we are one tonight as we are every night.”🎶

“The morning comes running and my dreams scatter, I’m left in a daze by the Sun’s sight.”🎶

“The after life is beginning to feel like purgatory, when I am so compelled and cannot rest.”🎶

“Is there any use for me left? Perhaps I should return to the Earth as a seed.”🎶

Fernanda had been singing this song every so often when she thought she was alone in her meadow. Fernanda’s meadow was populated by native plant and fungi. Her most recent addition was Spectral Sage that one of the Angelitos gathered for her. Spectral sage was important for her as she it was part of the heritage she remembered and she would use it in her meditation by creating a smoke with it. She was so used to traveling far to gather but due to the Silence she figured she might try to grow it from seed.

She prepared the seeds for germination and once sprouted they were potted. It was important to be proactive in the early stages and manage their hydration, the early stages of Spectral Sage are so vulnerable to rot and dehydration. When she couldn’t manage their care she would have Virgil or Coyote manage them. They seemed to be growing strong and would soon need to be rooted to the soil.

“Restless is the gentle winds embrace, we are one tonight as we are every night.”🎶

Fernanda sang along the way to her meadow on a night like any other, lyre in hand and voice warming up.

“The morning comes running and my dreams scatter, I’m left in a daze by the Sun’s sight.”🎶

She carried her Spade so that she may prepare the soil to root her sprouts.

“The after life is beginning to feel like purgatory, when I am so compelled and cannot rest.”🎶

Her meadow was a short walk from the cottage, tonight Virgil was accompanying her.

“Is there any use for me left? Perhaps I should return to the Earth as a seed.”🎶

Virgil felt the need to add a Lyric.

“Where will I become a seed, I wish to be a seed and share these roots close to you.”🎵

Fernanda put her Lyre down as they approached the meadow.

“My sprouts…. Are all dead?”

It was true, they were all wilted and dissipating into the atmosphere. She knelt beside one and picked it up. It was limp and warm. Fernanda had forgotten that Spectral Sage chooses where and when to grow. It was not yet the time.

“Fernanda, shall we go on a walk?”

“Was I too careless Virgil? Was I too arrogant to think that I could control the time of others?”

“My love Fernanda, life is death and death is life. It’s all one. You were not wrong in your attempt, you will try again and succeed. You are one of the most powerful Spectres in this realm but even you, even I, are at the whims of this place. I would share my shortcomings as well but we may be here all night, and it is not wise to commiserate.”

“I suppose you are right mi luz Virgil. The pain persists but I suppose I will heal as will my sprouts, in another time and place.”

“Come up Love, let us take a walk, we haven’t done so in many moons, I miss the warmth of your hand.”

“I think what for should we walk when I am sad… but a walk through the woods and back home may be what I need.”

The night was getting darker but Virgil’s lantern lit the way. They held hands through the thick trees and reminisced. When Virgil was new to this plane he was often found wandering with his Pollitos like Coyote. Fernanda had finished building the cottage with the help of her Angelitos and Coyote’s Diablillos when Virgil had passed through. He asked to stay as a Guest for a night or two while he recovered. He was so used to sleeping in the mountains and planes. Fernanda felt no ill will from Virgil and agreed to let him stay as a Guest.

“Fernanda, look, it’s the stream from when we first met! Look at all the Spectral Sage growing around!”

Fernanda was bewildered that Spectral Sage chose here to grow. She hadn’t thought of this place or that time in eons.

“How could this be Virgil? Just now the Sage was in my hands dissipating back into the atmosphere?”

“Perhaps the Mistress of Time is trying to tell you something again. I think that -“

Fernanda had stopped listening to Virgil. She was lost in her memories of this place and how she met Virgil. He was mostly the same as he is now but now he is much wiser. She showed him the meadow and had brought him to the nearby stream. She shared the knowledge of this resource with him since he had stayed more than the time he had asked for. She suspected he might stay as a Resident and decided to make him useful as she did with Coyote.

Virgil was excited now, yapping away at his theory as to why the Spectral Sage grew here instead of the meadow. He loved to observe changes in this Plane and was always excited whenever she or Coyote experienced a message from the Mistress of Time. She felt the excitement in her heart grow.

“Virgil, may I take your hand?”

“And so that’s why… my hand?”

He reached out and Fernanda pulled him closer to her.

“Amorcito, can you take off your hood? I think I should gaze upon your face for enlightenment.” She said as she pulled down Virgil’s hood to reveal his cherubic features. He held onto her tightly by the shoulder, careful not to drop the lantern hanging from his scythe. Fernanda imitated contact, she kissed his lips. Virgil kissed back, aiming for her neck.

“Virgil, I feel it, enlightened….” She felt like she was melting like warm butter, her whole body relaxed and her mind was singularly focused on the intimacy.

“I feel it too….”

They spent the next moments engaged in an intimate embrace, legs intertwined and sweaty.

“You are my nectar Fernanda, the honey from you is sweeter than anything I’ve ever known.”

“You are my water Virgil, a drink of you is the most refreshing.”

The moon was setting and the sun was rising. Fernanda and Virgil had spent the whole night asleep, they were too tired to go back home.

“I think I know now what the Message I was supposed to receive was Virgil. I should not think too hard of the past nor should I worry too hard about the future. At the present time I have all that I need to maintain and grow. I should focus on that but also spend time to rest. I have been lost in thoughts for so long that I forgot that my duty is to this place, the land, and now to you. Virgil, please forgive my absence from your heart, I am happy that my place remained.”

“Fernanda, I will always be here as long as you will still have me and need me here. I believe I have found a home now and I wish to keep it with you.”

Fernanda no longer suffered inquietude for she has found peace in the Silence. There was no need to work and so she spent her time resting. She tended to her meadow with the Angelitos and read to the Pollitos every night. There was never any shortage of literature, Coyote was always reading something new.