eyes wide open;

It was another bleak, cold, mid-winters night in the prairies. Beneath the howling wind, the church basement was a blur of wood paneling and folding tables adorned in plastic, disposable coverings. The kitchen boasted worn out linoleum and dated, UN-matching, olive green and orange appliances. None the less, IT was crowded, stuffy and indistinct chattering threaded my ears. Awkwardly, i picked at my cake. Birthday nights always offered a comforting slice. Tonight was chocolate cake covered in white icing, adorned with blue roses, precariously placed atop a flimsy paper plate. Complimented by sub-par coffee. I hadn't slept in weeks. I kept bouncing back and forth between euphoria and exhaustion but there was no reprieve in sight. Divorce had taken its toll. That's when i met her. Honey Bee Helen. Well, just Helen. Helen was a middle aged, short, bony woman with long, gray hair worn lose down her back. Her blue eyes told stories whilst dancing about her gray, angular face. In fact, all of her features were dulled to a grey-yellow tone from years of smoking. She was confidently amusing herself by bashing the whole production, over her own portion of flimsy plated cake and mediocre coffee. I can't recall how the conversation started, or how it transpired into the series of events that unfolded in the days to come. The truth is, in the weeks prior; I had been praying for help. I mean, Begging on my knees, crying for God to send me some one to help me in my most disparaging hour. Some how i must have mentioned that id been asking for some help, and Helen said that she'd help me. See, Helen was an energy healer, and offered me her services-said she worked on donations. That was great news, 'cause i was broke and needed all the help i could get. A little while later, we arrived at my door. To my surprise taped upon it was an unexpected letter fluttering in the wind. Too intrigued to deal with appropriate formalities-like manners, i bumbled in, distractedly reading. Paying no mind to Helen what so ever, who'd paused at the door. I looked up, she asked if she could enter my home. I found that odd, but invited her in.