Affairs from Afar

by Chris Dämn

They had gone years without any real snow accumulation. This year, however, the snow came. The one time they want to be able to travel, they get snow. Claire and Patrick had just found each other and were instantly hooked. They needed back in each other's arms, but lived in different cities. So, a pact was made. Claire draws a circle on the floor of her apartment. Her phone near her, on speakerphone. “I'll get one, you get the other. We can't let them keep us apart.”

Patrick replies, while drawing a circle on his floor, “I've waited my entire life for someone like you. No one, not even the elements, are going to stop us from having each other.”

“I'll call you back after this one is dead. I love you.”

“I love you, Claire. Remember to go for the heart and chop off the head.”

Claire lets out a small chuckle, “Babe, I'm more worried about your dainty hands being able to get it done.”

Patrick sighs, “True, my love, but we're doing this. We have to, I need you.”

“Soon.” says Claire.

“Soon.” says Patrick.

They both hang up and grab their conjuring books.

Claire and Patrick say at the same time, without even knowing it, “Of course it's a Norse I have to summon.” They begin scribbling Norse symbols around the circle to contain the deities. Claire is to summon Skade to stop winter weather. Patrick is to summon Frey to stop summer weather. They wanted nothing keeping them apart ever again.

They both light candles around the circles. Neither have ever attempted such things before. Both scared, but wanting the embrace of each other more than they feared the possibility of death.

Claire starts before Patrick. “Veni Skade. Adorate ad pedes meos et orate pro anima vestra.” She says this twice before Patrick starts his chant. “Veni Frey. Adorate ad pedes meos et orate pro anima vestra.” As they chant, the ground begins to shake. They chant louder as the floors rumble and they hear the wind outside blowing harder.

Skade appears in Claire's circle and lets out a scream. She tries rushing at Claire, but is trapped in the circle. Claire grabs her machete and thrusts it at Skade. Skade tries to move out of the way, but get cut on her arm. Claire swings the machete wildly while screaming.

Frey appears in Patrick's circle. He seems calm and smirks at Patrick. “Homunculus,” Frey chuckles. Patrick starts shaking and pisses his pants while grabbing for his largest kitchen knife. “Quam tristis,” Frey says as Patrick stabs him in the stomach. “Quid est hoc?” Frey groans.

Claire continues slashing at Skade. Skade falls to the ground and Claire keeps hacking at her, chopping off body parts. Blood splatters on Claire as she lays the final blow and chops off her head.

“I'm... I'm sorry, Frey. I need my Claire, you must d..die.” Patrick stutters and pulls the knife out. Blood spurts out of Frey's abdomen as he falls to the ground. “I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry,” Patrick says as he grabs his axe. “it has to-to-to be like th-th-this.” He swings the axe and cuts off Frey's head. Blood shoots onto Patrick, and he vomits. His phone begins to ring.

He picks up his phone. “I did it,” he squeaks out.

“Holy fuck that was amazing! I am so fucking horny right now!”

“I feel a bit queasy. There's so much,” Patrick dry-heaves, “so much blood.”

“Aww, babe, we did i--” Claire is cut short as the sky goes dark. The ground once again begins to rumble. “What have we done...”

Both phones cut out. Patrick starts shaking more. “Fuck, what have we done?” He whispers to himself.

The Earth stops shaking and everything goes pitch black for a moment. Then, everything becomes a bright white. There's nothing but Claire and Patrick floating, with bright whiteness all around them. They both smile at each other and float towards one another. “We did it.” Claire's voice echoes. “We're together.” Patrick's voice echoes. “For eternity,” a third voice laughs.