No one in Lightborough would have suspected Pan to be a young man who nursed dark thoughts and loved the art of sorcery.
If people knew, no one would have supported his selection to lead the community’s vigilante, known as Eagle Eye.
In utmost secret and on a monthly basis Pan visited and sat at the feet of the woman known as Grand Mistress who ruled the Vine Temple with an iron fist.
Lightborough with about seven hundred dwellers required vigilante because the community hugged the bank of the sea and pirates made hit and run visits which the regular police handled in a manner the community deemed inadequate. Activities of the pirates encouraged loafers from nearby towns to sneak into the community and cause mayhem.
Pan’s relationship with the Vine Temple arose from his desire to control people and in particular the two most powerful people in the community – the Pastor of the local church and the Head Teacher of the primary school. These two persons he believed stood in his way to the office of Headborough.
The Grand Mistress appreciated and encouraged Pan to pursue his dream. To facilitate the realization of the dream she identified the fastest route to be mystical. The basic requirement for the ritual would be fresh blood to be taken from the neck artery of the most beautiful maid in the vicinity. Pan required use of his extra normal power to get the girl, take her to a cabin he built in the woods, execute a powerful congress with her, and slit her throat with a special knife given to him by the Grand Mistress.
The woman told him the girl’s blood should flow into a bag made from the skin of a lioness. Pan hid the charmed knife in a special place inside his hunting bag and ensure no access to the bag by anyone. In the cabin which he kept locked, he hung the container for the blood over the fireplace in the sitting room. To ascertain he followed due process without mistake Pan visited another member of the Vine Temple who went through the same process before he looked out for the victim.
The young man made several attempts but drew blank because the Grand Mistress told him he would receive a sign before he applied the knife on the throat of the chosen. The girls he saw as the prettiest and he ensnared failed to impress The Vine worshipped by the Grand Mistress and her followers. Good enough the Temple granted limitless chances to enable him get things right. To accord the search more fascination each of the girls forgot the encounters when they left the cabin.
On the thirteenth day of March Pan sat on a log of wood in the forest on conclusion of a day’s hunt. By his feet were two well-fed pheasants he brought down. They made him look forward to a sumptuous dinner with his family. He required something to rave his spirits because despondency took hold on his mind as the days went by. His inability to conclude his pet project made him sad to the extent people noticed it. A good dinner he hoped would have a salutary effect on his psyche.
When he looked at the sky he noticed the orange ball on the firmament had commenced its swan song. It moved with measured speed towards its bedchamber at the west end. Its exit took time which made Pan think the ball felt reluctant to let go the throne to the Moon which hung at the side line like a footballer on the reserve bench. He knew the eye of heaven would awaken in twelve hours a little to the left or to the right but he often wondered what it did in its house which he believed would be excessive in size. May be it uses the few hours at its disposal to renew itself like a phoenix and return to reign on earth?
Pan chided himself for the trend of thought because he believed a twenty two-year old should spend time on more mature thoughts. But the mature thoughts in his were dark reason he switched to a more benign one.
He forced his mind to veer towards a project on his plate. He worked for several months to prepare a pedestal for carvings from his workshop. The concept for the carvings related to a dance by fairies and elves and he titled it “Ballet in Ether.” The carvings were to be the centerpiece of an exhibition during his premiere as a sculptor.
When his mind told him he needed to get home he rose, stretched, took the stick which bore the two birds, and placed it on his neck. As he took a first step he heard some leaves rustle to signal movement of something. When he looked in the direction of the sound what he saw made him stand rooted for a moment.
Few sincere people would blame Pan for being mesmerised by the girl who emerged from brushes and walked into his presence. He heard and read stories of fairies, mermaids, and angels from childhood with respect to their beauty but what stood before him appeared to defy description and classification. The maid before him went beyond beauty to a definitive presence which enabled her to control the environment. He felt breathless and drained of energy as well as will.
Stories about fairies and ghosts held a fascination for him and in particular their ability to immobilise human beings. But he believed human beings can hold their own with the power of the mind. For the moment he believed if all human beings have failed he would be the first to bring a fairy or elf or ghost under his willpower.
As he stood in front of the girl he felt nothing unusual such as chill or dread. He did feel slight tremors but he regarded them as normal for a young man before a beautiful girl. His mind ignored the possibility of a ghost or fairy and concentrated on the need to ensnare the girl before him to use for his pet project.
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“I am Pan,” he whispered to the girl. With a smile which made Pan’s knees to wobble, the maid responded, “I am Tulip.” Pan went on to say, “The name fits the paragon.” When she gave him a flash from the lips the thirty-two pearls in her mouth shimmered like stars.
“May I have the honor of being your escort?” Pan asked.
“I am on an errand and on my way home,” Tulip replied.
“In the woods which can be as unpredictable as the weather an escort soaked with passion can be useful.”
“Thanks but maybe I would prefer to walk alone.”
“I can take you home although I have no idea of the location of your home for you appear to be a stranger in these parts.”
“One achieves more mental miles with nature as the partner during a walk.”
“You can have your way but given closeness to night you need company for security reasons.”
“I think you are the one in need of security.”
Pan laughed and wondered how a maid would be more secure in the woods at night than a lad who at the time held the position of leader of the community’s vigilante. He disallowed himself the luxury of deeper consideration of Tulip’s statement.
“Permit me to look at it as a duty given my current status. I elect to go with you.”
Tulip tilted her head, laughed with delight, and said, “I would love to have you with me but I would wish you went to your home. The decision rests with you.” Pan held her hand and the walk, sometimes a run, and later a flight began.
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