Sugarcane

Your familiar nuzzles against you inquiringly as you settle yourself on the floor of your sanctum, your most safe, secret place. You pet your cat with one hand while you arrange the five sympathetic tokens you've gathered:\n\nA lock of her hair, taken during the moment of orgasm; a t-shirt of hers, bearing her smell; a memory of how she looked the first time you touched her; a necklace with a sparrow pendant, a gift not yet given; the witch socks, a token of her affection for you.\n\n[[Let's get started.|ritual]]

<html><big><big>E</big></big>ND</html>\n\n//anna anthropy 2013//

You unwrap the package there on your doorstep. It's a pair of socks! They have witches on them! Way cute.\n\nThere's a note:\n\n//Ma'am:\nMissing you so much. I guess it's colder here than it is there, but I saw these and thought of you. I think of you a lot. I remain yours; I'll come when you call.//\n<html><div align="right">~yr devoted pet</div></html>\nYou inhale a deep breath as you feel your heart reach toward somewhere far away. //Yes, you will, pet,// you think as you [[enter your home|title]].

"You know I can only stay for like an hour before I have to go back, right?"\n\n"What if I bind you?" you grin.\n\n"That'd be nice," she sighs. "Look, I'm already fading. Soon I'll just be a voice."\n\n"That's enough for now," you say. "[[How was your week?|end]]"

<html><center><big><big>I</big></big> <big><big>S</big></big> U M M O N <big><big>Y</big></big>O U \n \n<img src="witch.png"> \nILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN HUNT</center></html>[[Begin.|sanctuary]]

You speak old words. You call on the moon. You call out all of your names for her, and finally, you call out the name she chose for herself.\n\nThe flames burn bright, and then go out. And there, wreathed by smoke, [[she is|summoning]].\n\n"Hi, Ma'am," she half-smiles.

<html>---------------------</html><<if $hair eq false>>[[lock of hair|hair]]<<else>><html>----<img src="candle.gif">-----</html><<endif>>\n\n<<if $shirt eq false>>[[her t-shirt|shirt]]<<else>><html>-----<img src="candle.gif">-----</html><<endif>><html>---------</html><<if $sacrifices eq 5>>[[chant]]<<else>><html>---------</html><<endif>><html>--------</html><<if $memory eq false>>[[memory of her|memory]]<<else>><html>-----<img src="candle.gif">-----</html><<endif>>\n\n<html>-------</html><<if $necklace eq false>>[[gift necklace|necklace]]<<else>><html>-----<img src="candle.gif">-----</html><<endif>><html>-------</html><<if $socks eq false>>[[witch socks|socks]]<<else>><html>---------<img src="candle.gif">-----</html><<endif>>

<<set $sacrifices = $sacrifices + 1>><<set $socks = true>>//knowing that somewhere far away, she's thinking of you//\n\n[[Continue.|ritual]]\n\n<<if $enchantment eq false>><<display 'shirt'>><<display 'memory'>><<endif>>

<<set $sacrifices = $sacrifices + 1>><<set $hair = true>>//her hair spread wild on the bed as she cries out//\n\n[[Continue.|ritual]]\n\n<<if $enchantment eq false>><<display 'socks'>><<display 'shirt'>><<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $hair = false>>\n<<set $shirt = false>>\n<<set $memory = false>>\n<<set $necklace = false>>\n<<set $socks = false>>\n<<set $sacrifices = 0>>\n<<set $enchantment = true>>\n<<endsilently>>It's been a long day. You caught many a stare walking around town and frankly, your patience - as great as it is - is finally starting to fray. You're home, at least. Here, there's no one to stare at you, no one to judge you - or to kneel beside you, put her head in your lap and remind you how beautiful and powerful you are.\n\nWhat's this? There's a [[parcel on your doorstep|parcel]].

<<set $sacrifices = $sacrifices + 1>><<set $memory = true>>//nervous, excited, responsive, like a cat being pet//\n\n[[Continue.|ritual]]\n\n<<if $enchantment eq false>><<display 'necklace'>><<display 'hair'>><<endif>>

<<set $sacrifices = $sacrifices + 1>><<set $necklace = true>>//you think of her reaching up to touch it, idly//\n\n[[Continue.|ritual]]\n\n<<if $enchantment eq false>><<display 'hair'>><<display 'socks'>><<endif>>

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<<set $sacrifices = $sacrifices + 1>><<set $shirt = true>>//the smell of her, a mix of hair dye and coffee//\n\n[[Continue.|ritual]]\n\n<<if $enchantment eq false>><<display 'memory'>><<display 'necklace'>><<endif>>