New Orleans Black Magic Nights

The city of New Orleans has always been known for its dark, magical, and mysterious ways. People from all over flock each year to the age old city to find what they feel they might be missing, couldn’t go without, or will absolutely die if they don’t obtain it within their lifetime.

To Adrianna, it was all the same – people of all walks of life desperate to find some magic in their less than dull lives and felt here in New Orleans lay the answers. Who knows, maybe…maybe not. Heck! Even Voodoo was in the main stream and that is some dark stuff. She has been living here all her life and has gotten to witness some pretty unsavory things and midnight voodoo rituals were still the height of society, even though it was near impossible to find the right ingredients for each requested spell and the only person capable with a quick snap of her fingers was none other than New Orleans proper matriarch and Voodoo Priestess Madam LeBon.

Madam LeBon was from the old south and rumor has it that she was here long before New Orleans was a dot on the map and will be here long after it is gone. No one really knows her story, but nobody has been brave enough to ask her to find out either. When you hear her name, people automatically think of an aging woman in her later years, not a very young woman with beautiful olive skin, sparkling green hazel eyes, and thick long wavy burgundy- black hair that is often swept in a gorgeous Grecian hair style that accents her high cheek bones and long swan like neck.

Madam LeBon owned one of the most influential voodoo shops in the French quarter and it was always hopping and extremely busy and currently Adrianna found herself in the middle of a huge rush on a typical Saturday afternoon. After ringing up several of their long term customers who happen to consist of warlocks and witches, one older woman in particular took her time approaching the counter where Adrianna was currently restocking impulsive buys, or in other words product that instantly spoke to a person and then they couldn’t resist buying it on the spot.

Looking up from her task, Adrianna happened to notice Selena, one of many practiced witches whose family lines went back for many generations - at how hesitant the much older woman seemed to be. Giving her a questioning look, Adrianna asked, “How are you doing today Selena, did you find what you were looking for?” It was the usual greeting when ringing up a customer, but in this situation, it ended up being a little more questionable. Leaning over the counter almost practically into Adrianna’s personal space, Selena asked in a hushed tone,

“Do you think I could talk to Madam LeBon as soon as possible?”, and leaning away from the practiced witch, she replied dryly, “I can go check once I take care of the customers that are still in line behind you.”, and as if she suddenly realized where she was, Selena quickly looked over her shoulder to find a very long line of impatient people waiting to complete their purchases and to add salt to the wound, a young man held out his arm and pointed at his watch with an annoying look of “you’re wasting my time lady”, and sheepishly Selena then turned back to Adrianna, “I am just going to sit over there,” she pointed to one of the great beautifully carved wing back chairs that sat in front of the bay window that overlook the busy city street outside the shop, “and wait for her if you don’t mind.” Smiling Adrianna nodded in silent agreement and watched her swiftly take her leave to wait for Madam LeBon.

After a few hours, it was finally winding down and Adrianna was getting ready to do her shift change and on cue, her relief entered the shop in a whirlwind of color but also similar to a tornado.

“Hi!,” Cindy exclaimed, “I’m here, so we are saved!” Laughing both girls hugged once Cindy got behind the counter to help with the shift change. Cindy was a very vibrant person with a huge personality on her small pixy frame. When she interviewed with Madam LeBon a year ago, everyone who worked at the shop instantly knew that she would get hired and ever since then, she always brought good calming vibes with her and a positive outlook on life. It was a blessing to have her as she was also a Wiccan and that was a plus.

Once the girls finished with their task and Cindy took over for Adrianna, she went to the back of the shop in search of Madam LeBon for Selena who was still sitting patiently in one of the wing backed chairs and it had been a few hours since she first asked for help and Adrianna couldn't help but feel bad for making her wait so long.

Swiftly walking down the back hallway towards her office, Adrianna silently and slowly opened the office door to see that she was buried deep in her paperwork that was scattered all over her mahogany wood desk and she had her chin resting in her hand currently staring at a spread sheet. Not wanting to interrupt her, Adrianna quietly began to back out slowly back out the door, but was too late. She was caught!

“Is there something that you need Adrianna?” Madam LeBon asked and silently cursing herself for not being fast enough, she replied “Yes, Selena, has been waiting to talk with you for a while, I finished as fast as I could since we had our usual heavy rush, but it has been a long while.”

At first her boss didn’t comment and then swiftly she got up and hurried out of the office with Adrianna following quickly on her heels. Wondering just what Selena got herself into and how much trouble was to follow had Adrianna extremely worried. That old feeling of dread started to climb up her throat threatening to stifle her and nothing good ever came of this type of feeling.

As they burst from the back, Madam LeBon went directly to Selena and they both started a fiercely whispered conversation, completely forgetting about Adrianna and Cindy, but they kept it low-key enough not to attract unwanted attention from other patrons that were currently in the shop. After a few minutes, she ventured forth to find out just what those two were discussing and as she approached them, Madam LeBon flung a hand out that unfortunately caught Adrianna right in the jaw and she turned to look at her in utter horror, “Oh my gosh Adrianna! I am so sorry - I didn’t mean to nail you like that, are you alright!?”

Taking a slight step back, she nodded reassuringly, “I’m only okay, no damaged done.”, and she finished with a smile. Madam LeBon gently looked her over to reassure herself that she didn’t bruise or break anything on her face, once she was done with her inspection she nodded at her and stated, “You look okay, but I am glad that you are here since Selena has got some trouble that needs tending to since she more than likely bit off a little more than she can chew.”

Smiling, the older woman agreed, “Yes, instead of trying to get the proper help I needed at the time, I unleashed something much greater in power than myself I am afraid that now it does need to be dealt immediately. We don’t need a wave of unnecessary panic, and unexplained mischief especially among the non-magical folk.”

Oh Lord, Adrianna thought, this did not sound good and began to worry more because even though she assists a lot in these types of unique situations, she was still not a full practicing witch. She was considered Madam LeBon’s apprentice and has been for a few years now, but it takes a while to perfect your craft and hers wasn’t perfected yet!

Cindy, on the other hand only practiced certain magic, not everything like Madam LeBon and Adrianna, these two had stronger magic in their blood which was going to be needed for this very troublesome problem.

“I know how we can fix the problem. You both need to meet me out at the plantation this evening before the sun completely sets. We have a ritual to complete and not enough time to do it in, but we will do our best and with the three of us our power should be enough to send it back.” Madam LeBon finished in a hardened tone. Both ladies knew that tone and nodded their heads in silent agreement.

About an hour later, Selena and Adrianna both drove together to the outside of town where the bayou had started, and lush vegetation can be seen as far as they eye can see. Madam LeBon’s plantation home was situation in between lush rolling green hills with the bayou on one side. They drove down her long lane lined on either side with large Weeping Willow trees until they came to her circular driveway and parked in front of the entrance.

Slowly getting out, Selena gave a slow languorous whistle as she took a good look around her and the area. It was gorgeous and the house itself was made of beautiful marble stone, even pillars that looked majestic to help hold up the front of the house were spared no expense. It was in a word, opulent. Even Adrianna had to silently agree with her.

Suddenly hearing the front door swing open, both women turned toward the noise to find Madam LeBon beckoning them to enter swiftly. They followed her quickly through the front foyer, bypassing the dining room, and then reaching the back door that led to the orchard. Not hesitating Madam LeBon trudged on and after a while, they finally reached the end of the orchard to where a very beautiful pear tree grew. Surrounding the tree was a very uniquely and intricately carved wooden fence that also included a small green grassy plot of land with wild flowers where the pear tree stood in the middle growing regally as if magic itself protected it from outside forces.

A pear tree, as everyone with magic knows represents abundance, divine sustenance, and longevity. Reaching up into its beautiful and shimmering leaves that ruffled against the slight breeze like spun gold, Madam LeBon picked a gigantic and very ripe pear.

In order for Madam LeBon to solve the issue that Selena, one of a few but very revered practiced witches, who accidentally unleashed a demon- now needed the power of Mother Nature to drive it back where it came from. Mother Nature represented Life and the pear that she was now holding in her hand, also held the power to repel evil, which represented death in this situation.

Coming back towards the ladies, “Now, lets make our circle to draw it out and trap it so we can send it back to where it came from. We have to get this right the first time, otherwise the portal is null and void and we won’t be able to close it on our side and who knows what else it might unleash if we screw up.” Meaning if they screw up the ritual, they give the demon the power to control the portal of its own free will and that is a nightmare in itself. You might as well obliterate New Orleans if that ever came to pass.