Werebear

The Cleansing

Once Dee Dee had been brought up to date, she was fine letting the boys leave a little early. “Keep him safe,” I heard her say as we were leaving. “The beast is still out there, and the moon won’t set for a few hours yet.” Starlight and Twinkle-Toes took me to their old beat up Toyota in the parking lot of the abandoned gas station across the street. They were quick and precise, buckling me into the passenger’s seat before speeding away.

I was still in a fog, but I felt I had missed something important. I grew angry as I turned over events in my mind. “I was about to get fucked! that was the whole reason I went there. I bought lube and condoms. I cleaned my ass out and everything. What business is it of yours who I have sex with?” I began to rant. “That guy was a walking wet dream. Why the hell did you interfere?”

“I know,” said Starlight in an attempt to sooth my ruffled mind. “You just don’t understand yet. Sniff will explain when we get there.”

“Sniff? Who’s Sniff? And where are you taking me? I have to work in the morning. I can’t stay out all night.”

“Really? Tomorrow is Sunday. Do you usually work on Sundays?”

“I..no, I don’t work tomorrow.” How could I have lost track of what day it was? I chose to go cruising tonight precisely because I didn’t have to work tomorrow. Why couldn’t I think clearly? I sat in silence for the rest of the ride. Starlight called ahead to let Sniff know they were bringing me with them, but after that the ride was pretty quiet. I think I even fell asleep for a bit because suddenly we were pulling onto a dirt road that led into a small compound in the woods. We had evidently left the city and made our way to a much less populous area. I could make out what looked like a small motel on one side of the road, and a few scattered cabins nestled among the trees. Everything was dark except for the central building where we were heading.

Starlight led me into the building while Twinkle-toes ran off toward some of the cabins. We entered a large room with many windows and a large fireplace at one end. There were a few seating areas scattered around the edges, but the center of the room was mostly empty, just a few floor cushions and yoga mats to be seen. An older man with short white hair came to meet us. He looked at me closely but spoke to Starlight. “How is he?’

“Confused and agitated,” They spoke as if I weren’t there. “The beast had already penetrated his energetic being. Thank goodness we got to him before he penetrated his physical being. Can you help him?”

The older man held a hand above my head and closed his eyes. After a moment he stirred. “Yes, the energy has not become attached yet. He can be cleansed. We will start with purifying heat to drive out the malicious fire that the beast implanted in him. Then water to bring him back to himself and singing to attune him to his own vibration.

“I’m not doing any of that crap! Who the hell are you? This is ridiculous!”

“I am Sniff. I am the shaman here, the healer. You have just been attacked by a spiritual entity of great power. He has muddied your mind and stolen your will, but I can help you.”

“I don’t need any help. I was just trying to get laid. I wasn’t attacked. What’s wrong with you people?”

How much do you remember?

“It was only an hour or so ago, I remember everything.”

Sniff looked at me with the same pity that the boys had shown at the porn store. “Starlight tells me that they had to pull you out of a sexual frenzy where you had collapsed and were in danger of being trampled. Do you remember that?”

“Well..kind of. It didn’t seem important.”

“And do you remember the violence with which the bear fucked the biker?”

“I..no, I don’t think I saw that.”

“But you did, you were standing right beside them until the others closed in. You were strangely lucky that the biker stepped in and broke the hold the bear had on you.” He considered me for a moment and continued. “You bought some condoms I believe. Do you usually practice safer sex?”

“Always, I never let anyone..”

“But you were going to let him, weren’t you?” Sniff paused and let that sink in. “He didn’t want to use a condom, did he? He wanted to make you his.”

“How do you…No on could have heard that but me”

“He has to leave a piece of himself inside you to make the connection permanent. His energy can be driven out so long as you have not incorporated his DNA into your body. If he had fucked you, you would be beyond help.”

“This is all so..I don’t know…”

Twinkle-Toes suddenly burst in out of breath. “The sweat lodge is ready!”

Sniff smiled. “Think of it as a free spa.”

Starlight and Twinkle-Toes led me outside along a winding path towards the woods. It still didn’t really make sense to me, but I was here. What did I have to lose? The sweat lodge sat amidst a few of the small cabins, all of which were dark. The three of us took off our clothes and hung them on tree branches, then we crawled into the lodge one by one. Twinkle-Toes had thoughtfully provided each of us with a towel, so we didn’t have to sit on any rough surfaces. We stayed in there for about an hour and while we were sweating the boys told me about the compound. It was a kind of retreat center run by a small community of radical faeries. They tried to be self-sufficient, but some of them did take jobs in the local towns to help support the community. They promised that I would get to meet the others in the morning at breakfast.

When we finally left, we walked back to the central building naked. They assured me that it was quite alright as the facility was clothing optional. “Everyone walks around naked at some time or another.” Starlight said with a smile.

“Yeah,” chimed in Twinkle-Toes,” Especially Sniff. I think I’ve seen his dick more than I’ve seen my own.”

When we reached the building, sure enough, there was Sniff, stark naked except for his flip flops. We went into the lower level this time, where there were various offices and storerooms. Sniff had prepared a large pan of warm water with various herbs and flowers in it. He explained that this was a cleansing bath to help wash away the malicious energy of the beast. He led us outside and instructed me to stand in the tall grass next to a small drainage stream that ran down the hill.

“You need do nothing here, just allow your mind to become empty. Allow the bath to wash away all your anxiety and worries. Once we have washed you, we will sing a few chants to help bring your energies back into harmony.” Sniff put a clear crystal in one of my hands and a purple crystal in the other. “These will help.”

He slowly poured the water over my head while the others rubbed it into my body. It was warm and smelled sweet. It was nice to be touched with such gentleness and compassion. Who were these people? I was a total stranger to them. Why would they put themselves through so much for a stranger? The perfume of the flowers and the soft chanting that followed lulled me into a deep state of relaxation which slowly softly merged with sleep.