A Fragile Cup of Witch's Brew

"The frogs were excellent. Who knew?"

"Sax. I did."

"Sorry."

I looked at the rug under my feet.

"Isn't this a bearskin?"

"Yes."

"Did you kill it and eat it?"

"Sadly, yes."

"So you do eat bear meat."

"That was a very special situation."

"Did you have a party or something, with thirty mouths to feed?" I joked.

"Huh? No."

Very odd.

I looked around the cabin again, but I didn't see a gun. "How did you kill it?"

Without hesitation she said, "I chopped his head off with that axe," she pointed to it hanging by the door.

"What?"

"That's right..."

"Did it attack you?" I cut her off.

"No, not at all."

I just gazed at her in disbelief.

An uncomfortable moment elapsed, at least for me.

"Many years ago, I was fishing in Granite Lake and I heard him crying in the woods." Sybil's face was all serious. "He had been shot and was unable to run any further. Whoever shot him, didn't track him." She pursed her lips together. "I had no choice. He was crying for mercy."

"Oh my God!"

"You asked."

"Wow."

"That's right Sax, life and death, is serious business. Life is fragile."

I didn't know what to say. I did realize though, how insulated my life was from the reality of life and death, especially for the food we eat. I hunt for chicken wings on a menu or in the supermarket cooler. Sybil catches frogs. Maybe her idea of thanking the animal wasn't so crazy after all. I never considered that a bear could cry. If one of Gladys' pips was killed, of course she would be tremendously stressed. I realized how callous my joke must have sounded to Sybil. I wondered if I had the balls to chop a bear's head off, even if it was mortally wounded. And yet, through it all, this woman, who has a better and more mature understanding of life and death, is actually seriously considering trading her life for her niece's? Da'fuck?

"If I decide not to donate, how long do you plan on staying?" she asked breaking my reverie.

I gulped trying to bring myself back to reality. "They said they wouldn't look for me for a week if I didn't make it back into Shining Tree. They said they would just call search and rescue."

"If I decide to donate, we can go tomorrow or the next day. If I decide not to, you are free to stay awhile." She paused for a moment and added, "To be honest Sax, I don't know which way I will decide."

"Where do you meet with your community?"

"I'll go across the pond to the black rock over the rise. They want to give you a little space."

"How considerate of them," I said, not really believing that I was having that conversation.

She flashed me a bit of a look, "It's in deference to me."

"Naturally, I'm just an intruder."

She paused for a second and then said, "Sax, actually you are an intruder. Not just physically into these vibrant woods, but also into my life, in a very profound way. The community fully understands that. They are not shunning you in any way. They see you for what you are, a messenger or rather an enabler into an important chapter in my life. Have you been bothered by mosquitoes?"

Odd question, "No, not since getting here. Why do you ask?"

"Fireflies I can control. Mosquitoes I can't. Suggest...is perhaps a better term than control. Mosquitoes are too difficult for me. If you've not been stung it's because of their intervention. You should be thankful."

"I am. Thank you Hess!"

"And the rest."

"And the rest!"

I suddenly remembered the face in the water. "Sybil, when I was washing my hands, while being escorted by fireflies, I thought I saw a face in the water."

"Ha ha ha, you probably did. Where did you wash your hands?"

"In the pond, right next to the red canoe."

"Yup, that would do it."

"What?"

"Just splash your hands in the water, right there, especially with the fireflies above the water and he will be there in a flash. His name is Meyer. Did he frighten you?"

"Not really, I wasn't sure that I saw anything. Who's Meyer?"

"Woo-wooo...the spirit that lives in the pond...woo-woo."

"What?"

"Ahh ha haa! Woo-wooo! Ha ha ha!"

"Sybil?"

It took her a moment but she confessed. "Meyer is a forty or forty two inch long Northern Pike, he's a dear old boy. A bit doddery though."

"What? Doddery? How can a fish be doddery?"

"If it wasn't for me feeding him, I don't know that he'd still be around."

"You feed a big, old pike named Meyer?"

"Yes, virtually every day. He gets all of my scraps. And I feed it to him right where you washed your hands. He normally lives ten or twelve feet away."

"What? He could have bitten me?"

"No. Meyer would never do that."

"What kind of scraps does he eat?"

"Anything with animal protein. So, the bits of frog that we didn't eat, the skin and bones and frog guts, it all went to Meyer. He has a very important function here. But he is very old."

"Meyer is part of your community?"

"Definitely."

"And you are meeting with a fish tonight?"

"No, just spirits."

She paused for a moment watching me. I couldn't figure out what was kookier, meeting with a fish or meeting with spirits.

"When are you going?"

"Right now", she answered while feeding the fire with a few thin split birch pieces.

"What should I do while you're gone?"

"Read," she pointed to the bookcase, "meditate, sing, think, pray...just don't jerk-off. That you have to save for when I get back."

That made me sit up straight. "How long will you be?"

"That I can't answer. Anywhere from minutes to...hours. I hadn't thought. Sorry." She brushed my thinning hair. "My gut feeling is that they will dismiss me shortly. I'm the blind one here."

"The seer."

"Yes, this seer is temporarily blinded by what is going on around her." She took a deep breath knelt on one knee undid her black moccasin, then the next. She stood up and dropped her robe revealing her stunning naked, white body again to me and stepped towards the door and opened it.

"Berlioz! Keep an eye on Mr. Reimer."

In bare feet I stepped onto the porch behind her. The black bird flapped down onto the ground before me as she stepped naked into the fog covered path and rock towards the pond. Her naked body seemed translucent in the poor light cast by the crescent moon and candle and firelight from inside the cabin. I watched her cute ass and the dimples on her back above her bum cheeks as she gingerly made her way down towards the water in bare feet. She disappeared into the foggy darkness.

I couldn't make the bird out in the darkness. Only the reflection from the candlelight and firelight through the door made his black eye glisten, giving away his location.

If she dove in, I didn't hear a splash. If she took a canoe, I didn't hear a sound. For just a moment the fog cleared enough for me to see in the poor light, or imagine, her horizontal ghostly white figure either swimming across the pond or floating above it. Then she completely disappeared again in the darkness and fog.

My brain said...she had to be swimming or silently paddling the canoe. My gut said, don't be so sure.

Berlioz' eye glistened at me.

I went back inside and closed the door.

I put another piece of wood on the fire and sat down on the wooden armchair. I let the fur blanket flop down over my shoulders.

My eyelids felt heavy. It had been an exhausting day. And it was topped off with a most comforting meal.

My bare feet were warm before the fire.

*

My whole body tingled with joy. Warm soft lips were kissing mine. I had a raging hard on. Sybil's white skin and dark eyes were in front of mine. Her breath was warm, sweet. Orangy red hair wisped out from under her black hood. Small freckles splashed across the bridge of her delicate nose and high cheeks. We kissed again. Warm. Soft.

*

I woke up with a start, momentarily unsure of my surroundings. I was sitting up. There was a fire slowly burning before me. The cauldron brought me back to my senses.

I could hear music.

I stood up, brushed the hard on down in my pants, wrapped myself in the fur blanket and opened the door.

Outside the music was louder and clearer. It was an earthy flute-like music. Unaccompanied. It was soothing yet sorrowful, somehow organic, absolutely stunning. It had to be Sybil. I couldn't make out where the music was coming from. It seemed to completely surround me. It was Sybil, expressed as sound, as music. It was beautiful.

I went back inside and found my flashlight and my running shoes. The shoes were scalding hot and most definitely dry. I turned the flashlight on as I passed back through the doorway. Berlioz' figure was illuminated on the path right in front of the front porch. He opened his broad wings as if to say 'I'm here and you're not going anywhere.'

"Berlioz, I'm just going to the chair," I whispered, "I want to listen."

He folded his wings back and then stepped aside to let me pass. What a considerate fellow was my initial reaction followed by my astonishment because, I actually expected him to do that.

I shut the flashlight off as soon as I sat down on Sybil's wooden chair by the low wooden table. Berlioz had followed me. He stood next to the chair. I could barely make out his silhouette in the darkness even though he stood only a foot away. I wrapped the fur around me tightly, pulled my feet out of the shoes just enough to let some cool air creep under my soles and listened to the song.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I whispered.

He shuffled, I thought, in affirmation.

I sat, he stood and we listened to the flute playing. Every note was charged with emotion, her soul was pouring out over the foggy waters of that remote boreal pond. Even the bullfrogs were quiet, listening to her song.

Her location wasn't known to me. She must have had her black robe and hood on. She may have been just a few feet away, or perhaps on the other side of the pond. I couldn't tell. She was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The pond acted as a bit of an acoustic amphitheater I realized as I sat listening. The rocks that surrounded it, indeed formed it, bounced the sound around in a rapid echo sensation creating a natural reverb effect. I couldn't believe my ears. It was magical.

And it was so beautiful.

My eyes glistened up in emotion.

Sybil and this pond were inseparable. At least for half the year. She was a human being totally in her element. I felt so honoured to be able to hear her playing that flute. To witness her, being herself, being human. She truly was...one with nature.

With my right hand I reached out and gently stroked Berlioz' head. He stood there like an obedient pet. Maybe he knew how I felt.

Only a beautiful soul could produce beautiful music like that. And Sybil was indeed beautiful.

Suddenly I was filled with an intense despair. It hit me suddenly, like the proverbial ton of bricks.

I didn't want her to donate the kidney. I stroked his head faster.

The music tempo picked up.

I stroked faster.

If there was just a slight iota of truth that Sybil's life would be in danger, I didn't want her to do it.

My temper flared as emotions tore through me. I was jealous.

I stroked Berlioz.

I was somehow claiming ownership!

Berlioz stepped away from me stranding my outstretched arm in the darkness. He knew.

The flute trilled a loud, high note and then stopped abruptly.

All was silent.

Quiet.

I could hear my own breathing, my own heartbeat, the blood rushing though my ears.

I took a deep breath and let it out.

Still.

My chest pounded in the darkness.

"I've made my decision," said Sybil as she suddenly appeared before me out from the fog. One hand held a short carved, ornate wooden instrument as she pulled the hood from her head revealing the large mane of hair, orangy even in the dim light.

Fear gripped my heart. I didn't want to hear it.

With my heart still pounding away, I managed a deep breath, let it out and said, "Tell me what it is later Sybil. Right now I want to hold you, kiss you and make love to you."

Sybil held out her free hand towards me, "Come."

My hand tingled from her warm touch.

Berlioz stood aside as Sybil and I made our way back up to the cabin. The bullfrogs started back up again as we closed the wooden door behind us and secured the simple wooden latch.

She fell into my arms and we kissed. Her lips were warm and soft. As before emotion flushed through my body in an unanticipated wave. It had to be magic or her brew or something. I was completely filled with joy holding her, hugging her and kissing her.

"I'm wet," she whispered in my ear. My cock swelled in my pants.

Her hair wasn't wet, nor her body.

She released herself from my embrace and stepped towards the fire. "Let's get undressed and get straight into bed." I undid my clothes, shedding them on the floor. Sybil stepped over to the fire and gently inserted a number of small, split birch logs. She then turned to me and in one motion, her robe slipped off of her arms which were stretched out behind her. Naked, she bent at her waist and untied each of her black moccasins and then pulled one off and then the other.

She stood up facing me and pulled her gorgeous orangy red hair out from the back of her neck.

Creamy white tits shined in the firelight.

I stood naked before her.

She smiled looking directly at my cock which was rising on its own at a very rapid pace.

Sybil reached out with her right hand and wrapped her warm fingers around my shaft. Her magical touch tingled my cock. "Very nice Sax, you've a beautiful cock." She gently stroked it with her fingers. "My wish came true."

I stepped up to her and wrapped her in my arms. My cock pressed against the slight rise above her pubic hair.

We kissed.

Every fiber, every cell, every molecule in my body resonated in joyful bliss.

She broke the kiss. I looked down at her luscious lips, her big brown eyes shone straight into me. Every little freckle across her high cheeks and top of her nose smiled in unison at me. I was holding an angel.

She held my hand, smiled and stepped towards her bed. "Sit here on the mink," she whispered holding out her other hand towards the bed.

"Sybil, am I going to get you pregnant?" I asked as I sat down. My cock stood straight up.

"That's very flattering Sax, but there is no chance of that anymore. I really am fifty eight."

"I just know that you're beautiful."

She pushed her left nipple into my mouth. I sucked it in with delight and twirled my tongue around the warm nub as my left hand curled around her body and cupped her tight warm bum. The fingers of my right hand slid up the inside of her right thigh until it found home, Sybil's warm pussy lips. Around and around my tongue went on her nipple as my fingers played with her warm and moist folds. Suddenly her nipple was withdrawn. I watched a small bridge of saliva droop and then snap as her nipple was withdrawn. Her right nipple approached my lips. I sucked it in and twirled my tongue around it. My fingers found her sopping interior.

She pulled her nipple out and whispered, "Lay down."

I swung my legs up onto the bed and sunk into the thick mink fur. Sybil's hand gently caressed my cock. I watched as her expressive lips opened up and lowered down onto my cock tingling me with delight.

In an almost slow motion Sybil placed her right knee onto the bed and swung her left overtop of me.

Her big orange bush opened up in front of my face. I inhaled her aroma as her beautiful pussy touched down onto my lips.

Pure woman. Pure ecstasy. My tongue and lips tingled, my cock and whole body too. Fireworks were going off in my brain as I lapped at her lips and her luscious interior. With both hands I caressed her smooth round bum.

I found her precious clit and gave it a gentle suckle.

Her mouth bobbed up and down on my cock, drawing it deep into her throat.

Her taste and her fragrance overwhelmed me. I was enveloped in a cocoon of pure sensual and sexual joy. My whole body trembled.

Sybil's tongue swirled around my cockhead, first one way then the opposite. Again she plunged my entire shaft deep into her throat and slowly withdrew it ending with an immense suction. It was too much.

I exploded suddenly. Her suction on my cock never let up as my hips jerked uncontrollably and my sphincter flexed spasmodically. Suddenly I became aware that Sybil's hips were rocking and her anus contracting as I continued to lick and suck at her clit. I could feel her bum cheeks flexing in my fingers.

When our last contractions passed Sybil lifted herself off of my face and swung around on top of me straddling my prone body. We were both sweaty. Long orangy red hair hung down as she grasped my still hard cock and pushed it into her sopping wet pussy. She sat herself up and simultaneously pushed my cock deep inside of her while drawing her hair back with both hands.

I could see the bliss in her face. Her eyes were closed.

My hands rose to caress her fat nipples and the swell of her breasts as she commenced to rock her hips grinding me inside her.

She smiled sweetly as she rocked her hips.

I was humbled by the realization that I could give pleasure to that remarkable, gorgeous woman.

My hard on was not going away.

I started flexing my hips to match Sybil's.

She let out a breathy sigh.

Our tempo picked up.

She was very slippery. And strong. Sybil had the full length of my cock pushed way up inside her. Then she tightened her pussy muscles as she lifted herself off an inch or two. My matching action would pull all but the cockhead clear out of her, followed immediately by my cock slamming back inside her. It was as if she were pulling the cum out of me with her pussy muscles.

What joy.

I grabbed her ass cheeks with both hands and started lifting and pounding her down onto my cock.

"That's it Sax. Fuck me! Fuck me hard!"

Two fingers on her right hand slid down her belly and found her clit. Her left hand grasped at one nipple and breast, twisting and squeezing and the next and back and forth.

She started cumming, "Auggghaaaa!"

I kept hammering her down onto my cock. I could feel her contractions on my shaft. They just didn't stop. Her eyes opened up but I only saw whites.

Sybil fell forward landing on my chest. I took the opportunity to shift our positions on the mink bed. I flipped her onto her back. Unfortunately my cock slipped out of her during the process. She looked straight into my eyes with seemingly questioning eyes. My actions answered. I pulled both her knees up and apart pinning her calves back to her inner thighs. Her pussy garishly gapping open, glistened in the firelight.

My cock slid right back into her and my shoulders pinned her legs open and back.

I had a solid footing, a great grasp of her and plenty of stamina left.

I pounded her cunt like an obsessed madman. She kept rubbing her clit and tugging at her fat nipples. Her quivering started up immediately.

Sybil's face was all red, surrounded in a sea of orangy red hair. She was only capable of making gurgling noises. Her eyes were rolling every which way. The sweat covering her face, chest and neck glistened, only interrupted by the odd clump of hair matted to her and the odd lines of drool and tears streaking across her face.

I kept my pace concentrating on steady breathing, and muscle coordination. I was starting to feel the fatigue. My heart was pounding.

I changed it up by adding a slow withdrawal, internal rotation to the right, quick stab, internal rotation to the left. I angled up and down and then banged her with five deep jabs. It worked right away. Her contractions on my cock started back up and didn't stop.

The look on her face was unbelievable...she was just...somewhere else.

And she was clearly enjoying a good fucking.