Sard didn't have any scent to speak of, and that was interesting. The man was a biggish, sort of shaggy being who had the manner of an old forester drawn back to the fringes of civilization for some annoying reason or another.
But he traded an inoculated plug of some plant for a few apples. He explained carefully how to plant each of the strange seeds that Desdenova had acquired, patient, with a voice that sounded rasped from a grinder.
Desdeova had those cool seeds, and couldn't plant them at home. That left Rhydin. He gathered himself up and headed out, bringing Maggie along. Mainly because he'd decided to scout out the little cemeteries that his sister Jackie worked on, and Maggie was curious to meet the ghosts.
Dozens if not more cemeteries remained salted through the city and out lying areas. Some no larger than a single casket, others sprawling through city blocks. Many were neglected, abandoned, nothing more than meeting places for cults and death metal bands.
Jackie would identify them, register them once more, and begin work to restore them. Return dignity to the last remains of once earthly souls. It also gave her places to bury those who hadn't the means to give their loved ones a decent funeral.
There were always other reasons, of course. Small things. Experiments. Pre-dug holes. They weren't altruists, after all.
It was perfect little piece of land, typical for the era when it was most populous. About a city block's worth of dark, rampant woodland planted with graves. A ramshackle iron fence surrounded it, a winter threadbare complement of boxwood hedges flush to the fence. Here and there skeletons of climbing roses and clematis clung to the iron.
A single road, little better than half a car length wide, made a loop through the property. A shallow and currently choking reflection pond was in the center, a thickly gurgling artesian well still pushing water into it. It'd swamped itself.
That was about all Maggie and Desdenova could see from the street. It was in the midst of faded laborer neighborhoods, rows upon rows of what today would be called tiny houses, a few large boarding houses, and a few modern type apartment buildings. It wasn't thickly populated. The little dog cart Daisy pulled wasn't out of place.
?Uhm. Well this is wrong. Someone must have ?? Broken in? The wrought iron gates to the drive were askew.
"Or out," Maggie suggested, though it looked more as if they'd been wrenched side to side.
Daisy grunted as she reached the gates, eying them, and beyond, keenly. She stretched out her elegant Arab's head and sniffed, her tail switching. Then she turned to look at the two.
?Fubar?, the nightmare announced in a little girl voice, ?You can go in but only thirty feet.?
Desdenova nodded, and looked to Maggie, brows up.
?Want a look inside? Probably have to get Jackie and maybe even some holy people to fix this.? While he wasn?t double dog daring, from the mischief in his smile, he was more than willing to get as much of a look as he could before having to retreat.
"Sure, maybe there's something we can do. Figure out who wanted in or out." She was down from the cart and was peeking in the gate. Desdenova shoved half of the gate enough for them to squirm through. He paced down the graveled walk, alert, hands flexed open.
Maggie immediately sensed anger and irritation. There were fairly fresh blade scooter tracks in the gravel. No animal sounds, just the breeze. A vivid splattering of red paint over a small headstone by the drive.
Maggie's eyes narrowed at the sight of the small headstone having been desecrated.
"I'm gonna knock somebody's brain light around in their head." Maggie, normally of a kindly nature, was riled up. "Little stones usually mean babies or kids are under them."
Desdenova nodded, though his gaze was over the rest of the cemetery. It was exactly what he was looking for, and this! ?Do you know any cleansing spells?? he asked, ?Cleaning, really, but cleansing would be good, too.?
"I can quiet the spirits some," She offered instead. "If anyone is trying to get in or out of the place, I can ask one of my relatives to ring a bell or something." One dark brow lowered as Maggie considered something. "I get visit them soon."
?Do you know magic or do you just see and hear ghosts?? Desdenova wondered, watching and wary, ?And spirits? Spirits aren?t human, and aren?t always dead. Sometimes from trees or rocks or ? you know. Stuff.? Then he paused, tilting his head. ?Visit your relatives? who have passed on??
"I know magic, some. Mama says it will take time for me to understand how it all works." Maggie glanced down at the charms on her bracelet. She closed her right hand over the bracelet on her left wrist. "Aunt 'Thena has other ideas."
The charm of a bell was now in Maggie's right hand. She looked at Daisy, "Hmm..." Her attention went to Des again. "I need something to hang this on the gate. My cousin is the one that talks to trees and plants. Her Dad was an elf."
?Magic is fun,? he laughed softly, and rummaged into his hoody pocket. He produced a paper clip and unbent it for her. ?Aunt Thena? Is she a mage?? He paused, hearing a rushing of whispers and rattling through the cemetery, head tilting. He bit at his lower lip as he tried to sort out the energies. It was largely confused and sullen alike.
"THanks!" Maggie smiled brightly as she took the paper clip and fashioned it into an S shape. "She's the goddess of wisdom, among other things." She closed one part of the paper clip around a loop in the top of the bell. The other end was looped over a horizontal bar near the top of the gate. "My family is eclectic. You know, all mixed up." She giggled softly. She heard the whispers, too, but kept on with her work.
?Oh, Athena,? Desdenova copped on with a laugh. ?Yeah. We have Uncle Jareth. He?s pretty kooky.?
He watched her with the bell, then indicated the defaced grave, ?Here, I?ll show you the spell for cleaning small things. It?s pretty easy, because things want to be the way they?re supposed to be. So, you?re pretty much just asking for the thing to be cleaned to push off the dirt, and you focus your energy with your hands or a wand like this?? He crouched near the grave, and cast the spell slowly.
Unfortunately, they now resembled the kids who had dumped the paint and knocked the gates askew. An angry ghast began to come at them, straight down the path.
Maggie spotted that angry creature and straightened up. "Lovely," it came out peppered with sarcasm, "We've got cranky company." She narrowed her eyes and was quietly call her staff from the mists. Her fingers seemed to be curling around thin air, but something long and made of oak was beginning to appear.
?It wasn?t us,? Desdenova offered with a quick glance aside. Which meant, he worked a lot faster on cleaning that headstone. The ghast roiled up on itself, a stream of fog, chill though it seemed to be boiling. It loomed over the pair, hissing and taking more solidity to its form.
Daisy? Yeah, she?s eating some grass, ears quirking. A few teenagers wandered down the road, a few on blades, a few on skateboards. The nightmare eyed them as she cropped the dry weeds.
"No, it wasn't us. Please let my friend go on with fixing what he can. We aren't here to be trouble." The staff in her hand glowed a bit as Maggie gripped it. She couldn't slow that ghast down, but she could use the staff to create a barrier between it and them.
The ghast hissed, looming over the pair. Desdenova kept an eye on the being, and slowly moved back to show the little stone was now clean. He shuffled through his pockets and came up with sticks of white sage. He lit them and set them to smolder on the stone.
That seemed to meet the ghast?s approval. It turned to peer at Maggie, moving closer, but Desdenova quickly stood and held out his hands. He backed up beside her. However, it seemed the ghast was just examining the bell. It stopped several feet from the pair and peered at it.
The teenagers came closer. The ghast snarled and swirled in place, agitation turning to fury.
"Cover your ears," Maggie murmured to Desdenova. The bell had been silent, save for a gentle tinkling sound if touched or swayed by the wind. That is, the hooligans that had caused the mess in what should have been a peaceful place approached the outer side of the gate. Desdenova quirked a brow, but quickly covered his ears.
The bell rang, gaining in power until it sounded like angry band if demons growling. Worse, that band of demons seemed to be taking form and were ready to chase off the miscreants. The teens started screaming, scrambling wildly to turn tail and run.
Desdenova jumped at the cacophony, wide eyed. His head tilted, watching the shadowy demons, only to start laughing. A moment later, a flick of fingers and spoken work sent a dust devil whooshing after the squawking teenagers.
The ghast rumbled to itself and slowly vanished. Daisy? kept eating grass, though it was clear she was watching. Desdenova finally shook his head, laughing.
?Oh man. I guess I?ve got my work cut out if I want to start a garden here.?
"Well, at least we appeased the cranky native!" She laughed heartily. "That thing will go off when anyone up to mischief pops up."
"Hopefully, once this place is properly sanctified again, they?ll just go about their business and let me do mine,? he replied, amused, shaking his head. ?Thank you. Though I?m not telling Jackie, she can find out on her own any sleepers you?ve left.? Because sibling love! ?Come on, we should get back. I don?t know about your mom, but mine gets pretty weird if I?m not where I?m supposed to be.? Making a face as he stepped back around the gates.
"You're welcome! Maybe we can look at the others soon." Maggie had a thoughtful look on her face. "I'm staying at the Cardinal Inn for now. And Gran is on Maggie duty this week. Just about time for food."
?Okay. We?ll drive you there,? he nodded, easy, and smacked at Daisy?s wither before climbing to the buggy. ?Thanks for the all powerful nightmare help, Daisy."
Daisy just cackled.
(Written with Maggie!)