Collin had just slid beneath the great blue comforter. The wind outside was whistling loud and the air was cold.

Mary, his mother, was securing the shutters so they wouldn't bang in the night.

"Why do I have to sleep with Collin?" Protested Michael.

"Because it is cold out there, and I want you to be safe." Mary smiled sweetly.

"Safe?" Questioned Colin. "What could come in here and hurt us Mama?" His eyes eyes melted into a sea of blue blanket.

"The ghost will get you" Michael teased . "There's a ghost!" Colin sank deeper into the bed.

"Well, Mary Said , not exactly a ghost. "

"Then what else is it?" Asked Michael smugly. I heard a story from Friar Flanagan.

"Brother Flanagan drinks too much. And... Well, See a ghost is is.... And she is.... Mary stammered. She paused then looked quite irritated. And then said "We will not be talking about this now. I want you two to Go to sleep. Everything is going to be fine. "

"A ghost is the spirit of a dead person." Michael said.

"Dead people are gonna get us ?" Colin was completely gone. Only a lump could be seen moving toward Michael.

"Get off!" Michael said in annoyance.

"Boys!" Mary turned around suddenly put her hands on her hips. "Now This has gone too far! Michael quit scaring your brother! we will have no more ghost talk tonight now. Go to sleep" she turned on her heals and left the room. She took the lantern with her leaving only a single candle in the room. The old oak door groaned as it closed.

Colin couldn't get to sleep. He was sure the ghost was coming to take him away. He was also mad because Michael fell off into a deep sleep.

"Are you ok?" Asked Seamus as Mary climbed into bed.

"Oh, I'm ok, apparently brother Flanagan has been telling Michael 'ghost stories'".

"Sounds like you are going to have to tell him."

"Well it's better hears it from you then our drunken friar."

"Aye, you're right, but I was hopin' I'd never have to tell them about her." With that she blew out the candle.

"Hurry up and dress", Mary called back to the boys.

The boys came drifting in. First Michael. Colin dragged in behind. He was wearing one shoe. His hair was not combed, and his shirt take showing.

"I told you not to start with those stories". Mary glared at Michael.

She smoothed Colin's hair, helped him with his shirt.

"Micheal, when you get thee with chores we are going to talk."

"Oh, mother, I'm sorry." Looked sheepish.

"well you've scared your brother plenty for one day. "

The boys left for their chores. Michelangelo still teasing Colin.

******

That after noon Mary and Michael sat at the dining table, and she told him all about her Great Aunt Rachel, and the they called the wind walker.

*****

Charley paced the porch. He kept rubbing at his hands. It was like he couldn’t wipe the blood away. He just couldn’t believe the events of last night. Parsons and McBride brought the wrong girl, and she wasn’t properly drugged. The whole night was a disaster, and now his son, that wide eyed happy go lucky kid, lay bleeding if not dying in his bed. Charley didn’t know what he would do without his son.

He looked up to see two very cold hard dark green eys.  They say if a look could could kill, this would be that look. Molly was seething.

Rachel sat staring up at the moon. It was bright and full with a single ring around it. She shuddered. A ring around the moon meant danger.

There was still a long walk back to the farm. She pulled herself off the stump and continued walking. It was a more hurried pace than before.

Town legend had that they would come on a night like this.

Folks already thought her strange. Things seemed to happen when she was around. The Grady's cat suddenly able to walk after its back legs were mangled in a thrasher. The miller's cow giving that pail of milk when it was thought unable. And the creek by the mill suddenly running full... And her sister pregnant when it seemed she was barren.

They also thought it strange when she would just sit under the trees and talk to herself.

She turned up the lane on the last stretch of road when she saw him. Actually she wasn't sure what she saw. A man, a figure spread thin against the sky. He seemed to glow a little. His form grew almost solid before disappearing.

She quickened her pace. All she could think of was getting home.

She kept glancing over her shoulder thinking he was following her, but there was nothing.

A last ad dash and she as inside. Her sister Kate raised one eye brow in curiosity, and then went back to nursing the baby.

Their home was small but comfortable. The fire was in the center of the cottage with a large work table in front of it. The sleeping loft was up and behind it. Seemed barely big enough for three adults and an infant.

The smell of warm bread and strew filled the tiny space. Rachel let herself relax. She removed her cloak and hung it by the fire. Then she went to work clearing the table so they could have dinner.

The door burst open, and there stood William. Ah William, William Sullivan, her brother in law. Rachel moved quickly out of his way. He looked at her with kind of a disdain. Carefully she removed the hot stew from the fire. Katie stood up and thrust the child at William.

"Well, are you just going to stand there looking high and mighty? Or, are you going take your son so we can finish dinner?”

William took the child and made soft cooing sounds at him.

He looked at Rachel, “did you get the seed I wanted from town?"

"Yes. It's over there under my cloak."

He raised an eyebrow and reached into the cloak. There was a fat package of seeds. William looked pleased.

"Good" he said, “tomorrow we'll start planting.”

"What is that?" inquired Kate.

"Wheat"

"So Rachel did you stop to talk to yer flowers again?" He laughed scoffingly.

Kate looked at Rachel and slowly shook her head. The two looked at each other for a moment; she Rachel shook her head no.

They ate in silence.

The evening was still. Too still. Not even the nightingale sang. Just as they were about to turn in there was a noises coming from the barn. William grabbed his rifle and rushed out.

The chickens were awake and squawking. The goat had kicked down the door to his pen and was running and bleating in circles, and the horse was bucked and crying uncontrollably.

Kate and Rachel huddled in the door way.

"Sweet Mary. William murmured what in blazes is going on? Reached turned around let out a loud sigh and crossed herself. William stormed over. And grabbed her arm. You better tell me what is going on? What type of curse did you bring on me?

Kate grabbed his other arm. William! She cried. No he fought back. This girl is witch and we need to get rid of her.

No Kate cried I need her! And she's family!

Get back to the house woman he bellowed. Kate ran back to the hours in tears. She could her baby crying

"Now he said you are going to tell me.

Rachel stalled hard. On the way home I saw a circle around the moon and then I saw a man stretched on the breeze. He had white gold eyes that looked through me. She crossed herself again. I know he was pure evil... She started crying.

William we have to get out of here. It is dangerous here.

What did you Conger up woman? Nothing she continued crying. I only want to protect us, not destroy us.

No bellowed William. We just started to make a go of this. I'm no leaving. You are and you can take that evil thing with you. The night seemed to grow colder.

You can sleep in the barn tonight. And with that he stormed off back to the house...

Rachel pulled her shawl around her shoulders. The night seemed colder. She knew that there would be frost by morning. She slowly walked into the barn.

First she moved the pieces of the goat's pen out of the walk way.

In order to calm herself down and the animals she started humming. She was still shaken. She could hear William and Kate arguing from the house.

She bedded down in the hay. She slept fitfully. She kept seeing the apparition. The next morning William kicked her to wake. "Come help your sister with the baby" he barked. Then stormed out.

The ground was crunchy from last night’s frost. This season’s first. She gathered some eggs and went inside. Kate was in the rocker by the fire. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. Rachel brought her a small cup of water. And then went about tidying up. The baby looked awful too. His face was wet and so was his nappie.

She put him in a sling around her shoulder, and off they went. First she got the large pale by the porch and marched to the pump. She softly cooed at the baby, and he giggled. His little green eyes seemed to sparkle.

"That’s my little elf". She said "I knew you were in there.” She tickled and cooed at him. He giggled with glee. Then started sucking his fingers.

She pumped water into the pale. It seemed tougher this morning, but was very cold.

*************

They took her down the stairs, two of them-- each with an arm. Even n her drugged state she was struggling.

The hood was slipping around on her head and occasionally she he’d groan. Her feet kept slipping and hitting against the cold damp stone stairs

When ether got into the large dark room they were greeted by 11 other hooded men. The room was heavy with incense and smoke from the torches. Two others in dark brown robes took the girl and tied her to the altar. Candles were lit. Wine was poured into a large silver challis. They removed her night gown and sprinkled oil and herbs on her body. Slowly they started chanting.

“All hall lord Pan. Let this ground be sanctified. All hail lord Pan. Let this sacrifice be worthy. All hail lord Pan. Let us be worthy.”

The girl twisted and fought against the bindings.

One of the 13 hoisted himself upon the alter. He took up her knees and jerked her closer to him. The others continued to chant. He thrust himself into her. She screamed. The others chanted.

The elder wearing a long green robe produced a long curved knife. The girl continued screaming. She was finally able to shake the hood from her head. Her long chestnut hair flowed down.

The others started chanting “she who is to be sacrificed. Please sanctify us. All hail lord Pan. “

The man on top kept thrusting himself into her. She seemed more alert less drugged. She was really struggling. She opened her eye to see the cloaked figures around her. She screamed louder. She managed to free one hand and started grabbing at the one on top of her. She managed to remove his hood before they could subdue her again. She saw him, she recognized him. “Her blood must be spilled quickly before the ritual is ruined” he said.

The elder raised the knife. “All hail lord Pan sanctify our sacrifice’

… Just as the knife was about to plunge into her soft pale skin, another rushed across the room and stayed the elder’s hand.

The elder turned and plunged the knife into his throat. Blood gushed in all directions. The others stood back as he fell to the floor. The elder caught some of the blood in a large silver challis. Then he turned back to the girl. He cut a small crescent into her shoulder. She screamed and cursed violently. The blood ran into the cup. He handed to the man straddling her. He removed himself from her to let his seed run into his cup. But it was too late. His seed was already in her.

The man on the alter removed himself and scurried form the room to collect himself. “Mea culpa; mea culpa.” He kept chanting. The ritual was over.

While the others were dealing with the fallen body, the girl escaped.

When she got outside, she didn’t notice the cold. She was still scared. The fallen leaves were damp and slick she stumbled and fell as she ran. She felt no pain as she ran, but blood was running down her body from the open wound.

Her forward progress was suddenly halted by a large brick wall. She stopped, and let herself fall to the ground. She did her best to hide in the leaves.

The next morning she woke feeling dizzy. Her head and shoulder throbbed, and she was cold. She couldn’t remember how she got there, and she was shivering from the cold damp air.

She stood slowly. She threw up from the drug and the pain. Slowly she made her way feeling along the wall. She came to a large wooden door with an old rusted knocker. She banged loudly on the gate. That made her head hurt even more. She collapsed on the ground again.

The next thing she remembered was being wrapped up helped up. She struggled. She thought it was the hooded men again. The two sisters started whispering at her. ‘You are right now; you’ll be all right there there. “One whispered to the other “what in the world happened to her. Praise Holy Mary, she’ll be alright now”.

Inside they gave her some tea and bread. Cleaned her wound and brought her a tunic to wear. It was little bit too big, but that was ok it was warm.

Her head was still throbbing when they took her to a small chamber to sleep.

“What’s your name, child?” asked one of the nuns. “Rachel” she whispered she was having a hard time speaking.

The room was pretty bare- a small bed, a cross on the wall, and a small wardrobe stuffed into one corner. A tiny slit of a window was high up on the wall. A very small spot was illuminated on the floor.

She lay down and instantly went to sleep.