The Mask and The Effigy

Shadow Mask & The Effigy

My arms were itching and stinging so bad that I wanted to rip the skin off and just scrub it. Nothing was helping to relieve the pain or the itch. I called my grandmother for one of her home remedies. She told me to mix sea salt with lukewarm water saturate a rag with it and place it on the irritated area. I still couldn't remember how I had even gotten these scratches I felt like I had just woken up one day and they were there 5 on each arm and pretty deep. Anyhow I did as my grandmother instructed and the pain instantly went away I used ace bandages to secure the makeshift compress. Two days had passed since I had lapsed into some sort of sleepwalking spell but I hadn't had any occurrences since then so I was starting to feel comfortable with myself again. In this particular moment I decided to chill out. I grabbed my goodie box and headed downstairs to the living room. My goody box consisted of a grinder, a mini bong, a lighter and a few buds of Mary Jane. I put the box on the table and headed into the kitchen to make myself a drink. I love mixing wines and rums and vodkas with various juices and fruit I swore I was a bartender. Anyway I made my drink, sat down, prepared my bud and in about 30 minutes I was feeling very good about life and everything that comes with it.

I was admiring my fiancé's collection of African masks when a loud drumming started. The damn surround sound had kicked in and was way too loud. The thumping bass of the drums was vibrating through the air. As I turn to get the controller I felt an unwanted feeling of paralysis come over me. I was frozen my eyes were on the center mask. It was intricately designed. The piercing eyes and red skin look very real. The rows of white teeth are actually kind of scary but that was why my fiancé loved it It was one of a kind. As I lay frozen on the couch the eyes inside the Mask seem to become real they look moist but that was impossible. The mask was wooden.

Still frozen I began trying to will myself awake. Instead I ended up chanting along with whatever was on the TV it was some sort of prayer is what the guy on the TV was explaining. I had no idea how I knew the words but I kept up with them speed for speed I had no idea what I was saying. The drums are so loud at this point that it's deafening. The air turned thick, warm, heavy and sticky. It is fully charged with static electricity. On the TV a woman shrieked. It was a piercing scream that felt like it meant something. While taking in these sounds and changes the eyes in the mask blinked then blinked again!!! OMFG nope!! Bitch wake the fuck up now!! Wake up!!!! I didn't wake up. Instead I watched a body form from the shadows on the wall underneath the mask and the mask with his new body stepped away from the wall and turned to look at my still body on the couch. I freaked. I mean I completely lost my shit. I started screaming and yelling at myself to wake up. But nothing happened. My body remained still staring at this mask with its shadow body slowly coming towards me as I lay on the couch. I'm once again aware of the drums playing and people chanting. I snap back to the fact that I am paralyzed with a tribal mask that has grown a body and is coming towards me. The mask is dead in my face, the eyes are intensely black with a sparkle in the depths of them. It is locked on my eyes. In my mind I am willing my body to close its eyes. It doesn't work. I'm frozen in fear and the mask is now staring at me in my eyes. I'm thinking don't focus. Just at that moment I feel a warm strong hand softly take a hold of my hand and a deep comforting masculine voice say COME. I was shocked it was the mask and his energy was magnetic. My fear melted away and I took his hand. Seeming to have somehow become more solid the shadow man was powerfully built. I can now see the shade of him was a deep mahogany with a hint of cherry if that makes any sense. As I took him in I also took in the living room it seem to be in the middle of a forest. The wall where the TV had been was gone. The ceiling was also gone. In its place were huge deep-green leaves and light blue skies. My body was still on the couch and the drums were still playing. I realized I must have died in my sleep but why? What did I do?

I feel my hand being lifted and placed on the chest of the shadow man. His chest is muscular and his skin is firm and extremely warm to the touch. Warmth is radiating from him. Instinctively I snatched my hand back but he gently tightens his grip and says "Listen". He says this but the voice is in my head. "Listen to the vibrations, feel the energy, remember". The Voice stopped my protests. I did listen and I felt the vibrations of the drums but I also felt melody in the air. I close my eyes and I feel my body begin to sway. I had no control over my movements. I was dancing but it felt like I was weightless. I couldn't feel the floor beneath my feet it was as if I were wind itself. I was spinning and stomping and swaying and I felt free of everything. There were no thoughts in my head only the smell of the forest and the warmth of the sun. I felt the powerful hands around my waist pull me close in an intimate embrace. My thighs felt how powerfully built his thighs were. My back felt how solid his stomach was. My arms felt how strong his arms were. It was as if I was wrapped in a comforting powerful blanket. He began to match my movements step-by-step. Sway for sway. The drums played more intensely and our movements were fluid. There was no thought just natural instinct. It was as if we were telling a story but I had no idea what the story was. He then grabbed me by the waist pulled me close then abruptly threw me high into the air. I landed in his arms and again he threw me up and away from him this time. I had no fear I was energized by the sun, calmed by the breeze and soothed by the whispers of the trees. I instinctively flipped and landed softly directly across from him. I began to dance again this time more demanding and deliberate in my movements. He began to approach and each time he got within reach I ducked out of his grasp it was a game of cat and mouse and I was winning. I felt exhilarated, sexy, coy, shy and empowered all at the same time. The shadow man seemed to be losing patience with chasing me. He had become swifter in his attempts to capture me. Something just behind the trees caught my attention. I felt a curious energy enter the intensity of the dance. That slip of focus got me entangled in the powerful grip of the shadow man. He had caught me. He spun me around and pulled me close to him all in one motion. He placed both my hands on his chest while keeping his hands over mine. His voice entered my head. "Look at me". I looked into the intent sparkling black eyes of the mask. I was lost in the intensity. At that moment another voice broke through the energy between us. It was in fact my own voice. But it was different it wasn't mine. It was my voice on someone else. "So this is how you carry out your promise to always find me? To be with me forever. Through time and space, through galaxies unknown, through life and death? You betray me with another!? I'm so confused at my voice and these words. I then remember what is happening. I look back and I see my body still sleeping on the couch I look in that direction because this is where the voice my voice came from and at the same time I noticed my little statue.

My fiancé brought her because he said she was me. He was drawn to it. She kneeled about the height of a one-year-old. She had copper colored hair pulled up in a high ponytail to the left. I wore my hair that same copper color. I felt connected to that color. I had been wearing it for years. long before the statue was introduced to our home. When he brought it I thought it was funny because it did seem to represent me. But now that's where the voice came from. The shadow man seemed surprised and confused. The atmosphere had changed. It was charged with currents. The clouds were rolling in and it was a beautiful combination of black, gray and white clouds over a pink, purple and orange sky. The sun seemed to burn an even brighter orange and now there was a black ring outside the Sun as if an eclipse was happening. My statue can begin to glow an iridescent orange and then there was a flash. Now I was looking at myself but I was in much better shape. Everything was toned and perfect. I had on nothing but what appeared to be tribal markings from head to toe. My hair was done just like the statue pulled up in a genie style ponytail hanging to the left side. My crown was adorned with cowrie shells and braided twine. I was glowing and the expression I wore was angry. This version of me was pissed. She walked to us so quickly it seemed as if she just appeared there. She shoved the shadow man away from me with such force that she nearly toppled him over. This is how you have chosen to honor Me? By betraying me!? She/me/I said. The voice of the shadow man stammered. "I thought it was you! How can I be to blame? She has your face!?" My face became angry. "How dare you!? Are you saying she has my soul as well!!?? That you don't recognize my energy!!??? There is no excuse for this!! The shadow man seems defeated he hung his head and remained silent. This version of me then turned to look at me. I was terrified she looked me over for what felt like forever. Her eyes burning I cannot read the expression or vibe I only knew she was unhappy with the shadow man. She then looked to my sleeping body on the couch and a look of realization came over her face. She then spoke directly to me. "You shall be my vessel. When you feel my presence you are to do without question or resistance. You have done the sacred dance with my mate tying him to you and now tying me to you as well these bonds shall never be broken. You have witnessed your past, use it for your future. Never forget what you have felt here. Share this with those like you. You will know them when you feel them. I forgive this betrayal under these circumstances alone now return to your world And stay open to mine.

Immediately my eyes flew open and I jumped up off the couch. Jesus that was an intense dream. Why was I wigging out so much lately? I needed to make myself an appointment or something. The drums were still playing on the TV But it wasn't the same as what I had fallen asleep to. I sat up and looked around the living room everything was as it had been except the statue was now across the room staring in the direction of the Mask. I couldn't remember if that was were it had been. It felt as if it was supposed to be somewhere else but I didn't know where. If I hadn't known any better I would have thought that the mask and the statue were locked in an intense stare down. Did she get belong there? I couldn't remember. My memory of the dream was fading quickly as well. For whatever reason at that moment I remembered my bandages. I took them off and to my surprise the scratches that had irritated me so badly were gone completely vanished as if they had never existed. Again I figured something must be wrong with me or I'm just bugging out and this stuff isn't really happening it's all in my head. Brushing that thought to the side I now decided to go for a walk I needed sun and fresh air. As I stepped into the park my music station switched over to drums and I was seeing the park through a different set of eyes. I was frozen again but it passed quickly. At that moment my fiancé called and asked where I was. He said he fell asleep on the couch and had a dream that he was dancing with me in a forest to drums but that I looked as if I worked out a lot. He said I was in excellent shape and that I was covered in tribal paint. He said that the dancing was intense and he could still feel my touch. He then asked me why did I move the statue? I said I didn't it's against the wall next to the tv. He says no it's right next to the couch. I was wondering why you put it there. When I opened my eyes it was the first thing I saw it was actually staring right at me.