The Initiation

Chapter 1

I didn't know it at the time, but this is the last entry that I would write before we were taken.

*****

December 7th 2022 11:22 pm/ Full Moon/ Sign of Gemini

Dear Diary,

I have been feeling very weird energy leading up to tonight's full moon. It's not uncommon for the moon cycles to affect me. The new moon and full moon being particularly potent times.

Still, this time it felt different.

It felt like I was on the precipice of something.

I tried to explore the moon energies in the days prior. I did the usual energy check ins, chatted with my spirit guides, explored my dreams. There was nothing extrinsically different in the energies.

Maybe they were veiled.

Something just feels 'off' about it, not particularly 'bad' or 'good' per say.

Just different.

In other news, Ambrose went back to New York yesterday, to pack up his stuff. He is moving back home to West Virginia, to be closer to me and his family. He is also working on a new creative project here that he is super excited about.

Actually, there he is now, texting me that he is on his way back.

He left early yesterday, drove straight, packed only what he needed. Donated the rest. Slept a few hours, did a quick turn around. He said he is anxious to leave it all behind.

I guess I get that.

It's getting late and I should probably sleep, but I'm a bit nocturnal. I enjoy the stillness of the night.

I find that when the world is quiet, that's the best time to think. It is also the best time to work with energy. Something that I do frequently.

What is life going to look like for us now?

We haven't really discussed anything concrete. We are just happy to reconnect. It was a long time coming. We are both so free spirited and like a natural organic flow to life. Maybe that's all we need to know.

I can't shake this moon energy.

There is no way that I'll be able to sleep.

I think I'll take a walk. I enjoy walking alone at night behind my house. The woods are are dreamy. Mysterious. Haunted.

Perfect for thinking, planning, chatting with the ancestors and guides.

There is a cemetery about a mile away. Slightly east, at the edge of my property.

I like to go there.

It's peaceful.

The cemetery.

What an odd place to feel comfortable. I don't think that's something that most people would say. I've always felt drawn there.

Like they call to me. The spirits. The ancestors.

I go there and talk to them.

Sometimes I cry.

I used to cry often. When it seemed like my world was falling apart.

And then one day... they started to talk to me too.

A nice stroll to the cemetery sounds perfect right about now. I think that is what I'll do.

When I return from my walk, I'll message Ambrose, see how his drive is going.

Bye for now.

*****

Video Blog recorded by Ambrose 12:22 am

What's up everyone.

As part of my new creative endeavor, I will be recording my journey.

I guess it starts now.

(Turns down the music)

I'm currently headed back home to West Virginia.

Ha! Never thought I'd be saying those words out loud again,

Home.

What a concept.

I've never felt like I had a sense of "home". It didn't matter where I was living. I just felt lost. Like a wanderer. A vagabond.

I guess home is truly where the heart is. It took me a long time to admit that...

...to admit that home is, her. Where she is. Even when I thought she'd never speak to me again, in my heart... in the depths of my soul... I found comfort thinking about her.

I'd go to her.

In all of my darkest moments, the comfort I'd find was in her memory.

Maybe I'll share more on that later.

Tonight it's about a new start.

Not just with her, but for myself.

The universe gave me another chance to start over in every aspect of my life. It didn't happen in the easiest way... nothing truly important is ever 'easy'...

I was just drifiting along in life. Doing what was expected of me. Trying to make a living the only way I knew how. It was unfulfilling at the end of the day.

Everyday.

I was drowning in misery and I didn't even know it.

Then she came along.

She changed everything.

Haha and what a ride it has been ever since.

(Long pause as the car slows)

Ummm... not sure what's going on up there but there are a lot of emergency lights.

(looks directly into the camera)

Always an adventure guys.

(places phone face down next to right)

(pulls car to a stop)

(rolls down window for a check point stop)

"Hello sir", says the mysteries voice of authority.

"Good evening sir", replies Ambrose.

"We have reason to believe that there is a major threat in the area. We have strict orders to search every vehicle driving this road tonight. Anyone who does not comply will automatically be detained and deemed a possible threat." The voice paused. "I'll need you to step out of the car."

(Ambrose hesitated for a slight moment)

"Mandatory orders." The voice stated.

"Sure thing," said Ambrose.

(The man stepped back as Ambrose opened the door.)

(Ambrose quickly but carefully grabbed his phone and shoved it in his coat pocket in one swift motion as he got out of his car.)

Then everything went black.

*****

I gathered the usual items, my journal, my phone (which honestly I could do without, but it doubles as my music device), a couple of writing utensils, my favorite lip gloss, of course my headphones to listen to music in public, a lighter and flashlight, and a few secret items that I always carry with me.

I stuffed everything into my army green messenger bag.

I often walk alone.

I'm not afraid of the dark. I'm not afraid of anything that lurks in the dark. I have faced some pretty intense darkness. Gone toe to toe with demons.

I have faced all of my shadows.

Nothing scares me anymore.

I have learned to relay on my strengths and my intuition. I also trust that my guides and the ancestors have my back

They do have my back.

I learned that at a very difficult time in my life.

So, I set off on my midnight walk in the woods, to my favorite spot; the cemetery.

*****

The night air was crisp and chilly.

The full moon peaking in and out of the cloudy sky. The way that the clouds swayed and danced around the moon was magical.

There was a light breeze making the empty tree branches sound as if they were whispering to each other in the forest.

***

As Gia walked through the forest, the dead leaves crunched beneath her feet.

Per usual, she wore her tall black lace up combat boots and black leather pants. Since it was cold out this time of year, she also wore some fleece tights underneath and her favorite cozy socks. The ones she liked to wear when sitting at home near the fireplace penning her novels.

She paired an oversized black sweater that she had embellished herself with the pants. Also wearing a fleece long sleeve shirt and one of her favorite long sleeved rocker tees underneath.

Topping off the look, she wore one of her oversized leather jackets and a beanie atop her head.

And since it was quite chilly this time of year, she wore her favorite fingerless gloves on her hands. She liked these for functionality purposes, as well as the aesthetic they provided. It was dark out and she was alone, but she enjoyed the fact that her dark nail polish was highlighted nicely with these particular gloves when she caught a glimpse of her fingers in the moonlight.

Gia loved the edgy look. It seemed to match her personality perfectly. She was smart and intuitive. She was kind and funny, though most of the time she came across as serious and intense. She enjoyed poetry and literature. She had a vast knowledge of history and had done extensive research on alternative history and ancient cultures.

What she was most fascinated by was the spiritual realm. She discovered a love of myth and mystery at a young age. Reading was her favorite pastime. At a young age, she also developed a fondness for writing. There was just something about creating her own worlds and her own characters. She liked to explore how they interacted with one another and create dynamics that mirrored her own observations of life.

As she explored more spiritual topics, she stumbled upon some really fascinating supernatural concepts and themes that led her down a path of immense discovery.

She was a self taught astrologer and tarot reader. She had a natural talent for energy reading.

She also had a natural talent for astral projection and telepathy.

That's how her and Ambrose had connected so deeply from the moment their eyes met across the room.

It was her energy and her spirit that defined her. She seemed to change the energy in every space she entered. Maybe it was because the spirts followed her.

Imagine entering a room with hundreds of spirits walking along side.

Now that has to be intimidating on some level.

She just seemed to shine. To thrive under pressure. To excel at everything she did. That upset a lot of people. She had frequently been the target of smear campaigns. She was always the topic being discussed, for one reason or another.

At one point, they had tries to eliminate her.

Not once, but three times. Well, three times that she was aware of. That's how she really knew the guides and ancestors had her back. Not only did they warn her, but they helped protect her. To them, she was eternally grateful. They were like her besties.

Kindred spirits.

She worked with them, and they worked with her.

Some people thought that was her secret power.

She was very misunderstood and seemingly troubled at times, but that only added to the mystery. She didn't care much one way or the other what people thought of her. She did, however; find it amusing that she had created such an air of mystery without even trying.

Most people didn't intrigue her the way Ambrose had.

It was his own mysterious nature that called to her. Like a powerful magnet. There was a tantalizing vibe in his energy that she could never shake. It was powerful and intense and collided in a beautiful way with her own energy.

It was something on a whole other level.

Something that you can't explain.

*****

Gia reached the cemetery now.

She always entered from the side gate, as it was the nearest on the path. Automatically she reached for the gate and noticed that it was slightly open.

That's weird she thought to herself

She had never seen another person here and she frequented the cemetery. She was certain she had closed it. She always closed it behind her. She had this belief that the spirts could wander away or feel unrested if the gates were left open.

Maybe the winds had blown it open.

It was unlikely that anyone else had visited. Due to the fact that the cemetery was partially on private property. It was an old cemetery and hidden deep in the woods.

She had brought Ambrose here once.

It was the only time they hung out entirely alone without any outside drama.

It was the perfect day.

That's how he knew how to find her the day he was in trouble. The day he thought he might lose her forever. They day he was scared they might hurt her. The day he decided to tell her the truth. To tell the truth in general. That was the turning point.

Gia dismissed the thought that it could be anyone dangerous, even though she got a weird feeling the moment she walked through the gate. It was a feeling she hadn't quite felt before.

It felt like something was off, but not in the usual way she would intuitively feel an energy shift.

This was something different altogether.

As she reached to close the gate behind her, the winds suddenly picked up; in a furious blast, they forced closed the gate with a loud echoing bang.

The iron wrought fence reverberating a shrill sound from the force into the late night forest.

Gia spun around to look as the trees angrily shook their empty branches. The winds swirling violently all around the cemetery.

She had never seen this type of intensity surrounding her.

Though the forest now seemed angry, within the cemetery gates, there was an indescribable stillness.

Gia closed her eyes to ground herself and connect to the ancestors.

She braced herself for what was about to transpire.

*****

When Gia opened her eyes, she saw that she was surrounded by several special forces agents.

There must have been at least thirty of them. All dressed in tactical gear.

All of them with their gaze fixed on her. Seemingly ready to reach for their weapons.

The winds intensified.

The tactical team had stealthily infiltrated the ancient forest around the cemetery.

They were waiting for her.

Gia slowly moved to the center point in the cemetery.

No one else moved.

Gia stared at the agent in the center. The one now directly in front of her. All the agents had night vision glasses, bullet proof vests, some sort of tech fancy gloves, and they were all heavily armed.

The agent in the middle now stepped forward.

The other agents adjusting their stance as if on cue.

The winds howled aggressively now.

The trees throwing their branches to the ground.

Lightning now gracing the skies in the near distance.

The iron wrought fence shuttering loudly in the midst of the wind storm now taking place.

Gia stood tall in the cemetery.

Staring directly at the agent that had stepped forward.

The agent staring directly back at her.

Gia slightly raised her right hand, making some unknown signal with her fingers.

When she did this, the lightning struck a tree directly behind the agents, about 20 feet away from where the last one of the agents was positioned.

Causing the tree to instantly burst into flames.

The agent in the center now motioned the other agents to loosen their stance.

"Gia," came the voice over a megaphone, "We need you to step outside of the cemetery and come with us."

Gia quickly scanned the perimeter.

"Not a chance," she said as she turned slightly and knelt down on one knee facing the headstone of the grave she was standing on, turning her back to the agents.

Extending both arms to her sides, she slowly rose to a standing position with arms still extended resembling the wingspan of a bird.

The agents moved back into their previous stance, reaching their hands towards their weapons. Waiting on a signal.

Gia stood there with outstretched arms as hundreds of birds flew to her and perched themselves around her throughout the cemetery.

Twelve of them perching themselves on her outstretched arms.

Six birds on each side, facing the same direction as she was.

She closed her eyes as she slowly turned back to face the middle agent.

The agents watched in stunned silence. Both impressed and slightly scared. Ready to take swift action.

They were, however; highly trained specials forces agents, that were part of a newly formed secret task force. Each agent was hand selected and recruited from their respective divisions to join this elusive team.

They were trained to expect anything out of the ordinary, and they had seen some pretty crazy things; but they had never encountered someone like Gia before.

That was the reason they had sent 33 agents to apprehend her.

Gia now opened her eyes again. Staring directly at the center agent who had removed her night vision glasses, in an attempt to make the interaction more personal. To invite more of an open dialogue.

As Gia started to raise her arms, the center agent suddenly stepped as close to the front gate as she could.

"Gia!" she yelled into the megaphone. "Please tell your ancestors to stand down."

Without giving Gia any time to respond or react, she pushed a hologram screen up from her fancy gloves.

"We have Ambrose," said the agent, "I need you to stand down, or we will kill him."

The birds perched across her arms cawed loudly now.

The aggressive winds slowed but howled as if in pain, as if they were in the deepest agony.

The rest of the birds cawing loudly now almost drowning out the sounds of the wind.

The image on the hologram screen started to play.

"Good evening sir", she heard Ambrose say.

"We have reason to believe that there is a major threat in the area. We have strict orders to search every vehicle driving this road tonight. Anyone who does not comply will automatically be detained and deemed a possible threat. I'll need you to step out of the car." she heard the voice speaking to Ambrose as he was sitting in his car for what looked to be a traffic stop.

She then watched as he had stepped out of the car and a black bag was placed over his head.

Gia stopped the upwards motion of her arms and instead knelt, putting her arms to her sides as the birds quickly flew away.

The winds stopped completely.

She remained kneeling as the agents rushed into the cemetery, and swiftly placed hand restraints around her wrists and a black bag over her head.

Then escorted her out of the cemetery.