Short Fiction: Dancing With A Memory
(written February 2024)
Maria had spent the day roaming the fields and sketching the details of the landscape, the way the earth flowed into the creek, how the meadowlarks fill the air with their yellow soprano, how the hawk sliced through sunshine and breeze to catch lunch.
Now she's getting ready for her night out with her closest friend. It's been awhile, and she's excited. She feels an electric current build beneath her skin and blush her cheeks. Dress on, a wildflower pattern to remind her of her own wild side, lips red, a flower in her hair.
“Heading out now! Love you!” she calls to her abuela before stepping into twilight, clutch and keys in her hand, for the drive to the next town over that is large enough to have a dance hall. The wind is prairie wild, sweeping through open space, clouds blown around in a tangle of texture.
When Maria pulls into the parking lot, she spots Saraphina's car and parks next to her. They both get out of their cars at the same time, meet between for giggled hellos and hugs. When they open the door to the dance hall, loud music leaks out into the growing night, brushes against their skin, makes their hips inevitably sway, captured in the rhythm.
Without even getting a table or having a drink first, Sara links her hand with Maria's and whispers warmly into her ear, “Let's dance!” as she pulls her into the hum of bass and bodies.
Maria feels the music flow through her like wind through tall grasses, flowing and free. She closes her eyes momentarily as she absorbs the music and when she opens them, she doesn't see Sara. This has been known to happen, but they'll find each other again, a natural gravitational pull.
Maria continues allowing her body to move how it wants, wholly in the moment, feet gliding, hips swaying. The music is upbeat with a thread of longing, a touch of melancholy in the breaths between the glee and pulse. Most people seem to be bouncing with smiles, existing in the top notes of happiness and thrill.
Maria feels the the shadow touches turn to rivers, though. The melancholic longing shifts subtly yet abruptly to actual sadness, heavy like the grief of every heartbreak snuggling into her chest, then shredding her heart once again. Still, her feet move. Still, her hips sway.
It comes as a surprise when she hears her name being called, softly. It seems as though it's part of the music itself, like all the chaos of the room softens and shifts just enough for her name to slip through the cracks of the music. It's coming from the doorway so she moves in that direction, dancing as she does.
She peaks out the door. Again, her name, but this time at the edge of the parking lot. She moves toward it, feeling a pull beyond all reason. Still dancing, still feeling the weight, the ache, the pain. She dances beyond the well-lit entrance, weaves between cars, ends up pausing on gravel littered with beer cans, overlooking an overgrown field.
She hears her name again. It's a voice she's beginning to recognize, one she hasn't heard in such a long time, one that brushes against her in her sleep every now and then. The sadness deepens, river flowing to ocean.
She steps into the field, home among the soil and seed. It's a new moon so the darkness echoes forward, and she can only see a couple feet in front of her as the dance hall's light struggles to stretch and touch the space. She moves deeper in, then deeper, toward the woods in the distance until the branches are tangling in her hair. “Maria!”
Tree roots, owls, the shuffle scurry of mice. Through a trickling stream, bramble thorns, a clearing, more woods. Tears down her cheeks. Maria, Maria, Maria. The miles pass, forest to open space, then back. Dawn begins touching the horizon with a seam of pink.
Still, her feet move. Still, her hips sway.
Rainbow obsidian is a form of volcanic glass. It's similar to black obsidian, but it has subtle colors and a bit more gentleness to the energy, almost a nurturing woven into the shield. (It's also tricky to photograph! :D)
Like all crystals and minerals, it has multiple uses and attributes, but the one that feels most notable to me is protection. From other people, from anything unaligned in the spiritual realm, from intentional attacks or just yuck vibes.
But also? From ourselves and the pain we sometimes carry around. It allows us to let go. To feel safe to let go, but also to be safe because we let go.
When thinking on this, I drew this card from The Heart Path Oracle by Nadine Gordon-Taylor. ♡
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