Cornelia Quick

Whatever your theological, philosophical, or ethical leanings, I hope you’re having a marvelous Spring (if you’re in the northern hemisphere) or Autumn (in the southern) Sunday with family and friends! Myself, I’m off enjoying our annual “Heathen Easter” with an oddball collection of friends and neighbors, while the “Quick” clan members on the coasts are no doubt celebrating Mass and a traditional brunch of egg and lamb dishes.

In the spirit of the season, and a general sense of benevolence and plenitude, I’m offering up a free story that you might enjoy, “Ostara”. It’s included in my collection of odds and sods, “The Eroticist at Play”. It’s an odd little sketch of a pair of Christian missionaries who stumble on a spring equinox orgy put on by the Covenant of Baphomet, a sort of pagan/Satanist crowd with a decidedly open-minded hippie vibe. I really like this cast of characters, and have plans to take them camping on the shores of Lake Nakanawidah this summer.

I’m a lapsed Catholic myself, of Acadian French and Irish extraction, and it’s awfully hard to escape that rich and heady stew of myth and magic. My clan may not indeed have been successfully converted from paganism, as there are a good deal more saint medals and Mary statues in my childhood recollections than crucifixes. Our spiritual strategy has always been to bend the ear of Mary, Bridget, Joseph, or Jude, expecting that they’ll put in a good word for us with the Boss when the chips are down, rather than going directly to the source. Polytheism runs in our veins and is always just a relic away. And while I put on a good front of rationalism, I’m deeply superstitious and more than willing to hedge my bets with a lucky charm or turn of a friendly card when I’m looking for some intercession.

A few years ago, I started listening to the “Black Mass Appeal” podcast, put out by members of the Bay Area Satanic Temple. While I’m not a Satanist, nor necessarily even a fellow traveler, I’ve found their discussions to be fruitful and fascinating. The Covenant of Baphomet gang was definitely inspired by listening to their descriptions of Black Mass rituals they’ve devised and by the general inclusivity and openness they espouse. So far as I know, the Satanic Temple doesn’t engage in the sort of celebration described in this story, but if they did, I think they’d take notes from the Covenant: have a good variety of nut-free, gluten-free, vegan-friendly snacks, provide lots of towels, and don’t skimp on the lube.

Anyway, grab your free copy of “Ostara” and celebrate the season in style!