Disclaimer: The Power Rangers belong to Saban, All Souls Night belongs to Loreena McKennitt, Aidan is my own creation. Not out for money, just enjoyment.
All Souls Night
Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides,
Figures dance around and around,
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness,
Moving to the pagan sound,
Tommy and Kim watched as the other Rangers joined the New Years Eve celebration. Kim laughed as Zack started to do one of his funky dances. She still couldn't believe that they were celebrating their second year as Rangers together. She smiled at Tommy who was yelling for Zack to get down. Tommy smiled back as he let his mind drift… He started to think of the New Years Eve two years ago. In the back of his mind he felt as if he needed to give something a sign to show that he will remembered it. He grew somber as he remembered what it was. Kim turned to him, sensing his mood change.
"What's wrong Tommy?" Kim asked a little concerned.
"It's nothing big." Tommy sighed. "I'm just thinking of all the people I knew. Sometimes it brings me down. Especially when I think of this one person. She died a while ago."
"Some times it helps to talk about it." Kim suggested. "Did you love her?"
"Yeah I loved… her like a sister," Tommy smiled in remembrance. "I knew her since Kindergarten. We were the best of friends till it happened."
"What happened?" Kim asked.
"Some bastard attacked us." Tommy sighed as he sat down. "It was on New Years Eve. We were in the town square with this big bonfire going. Her parents came here from Scotland and she told me of a family tradition. On New Years Ever there would be these big bonfires for the souls of their dead relatives. They called it All Soul's Night." Kim squeezed his arm as tears welled up in his eyes. "After she told me, we started to dance to the music that was playing. Some guy who was passing through wanted to dance with her. She said no and he started to force her. I started to help her when he pulled a gun out. But I got shot instead, she fell into the fire and was burned alive."
Tommy broke down and started to cry. Kim moved so that she could hug him. The other Rangers saw something was wrong and walked over to Tommy and Kim. Since Tommy was to choked up to tell them Kim told them what happened.
Somewhere in a hidden memory,
Images float before my eyes,
Of fragment nights of straw and of bonfires,
And dancing till the next sunrise,
Later that night Tommy was in his bed thinking of her. He looked over on his dresser to the picture taken of them a few years before it happened. They were both smiling at the camera. Her dark brown almost black hair and blue-green eyes were a contrast to the light purple shorts and T-shirt. Tommy was dressed in all green and his hair was flowing down his shoulders. They had their arms draped over each other's shoulders and giving the camera the peace signs. Tommy sighed as he took the picture and held it to his chest letting some tears flow. When he opened his eyes moments later he could almost see her face in the darkness. A light in the window caught his eyes as a familiar voice whispered his name.
"Aidan?" Tommy whispered as he looked out the window.
I can see lights in the distance,
Trembling in the dark cloak of night,
Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing,
A waltz on all souls night,
Tommy ran through the woods towards the light that seemed to be a bonfire. He stopped short at the edge the woods to see a big bonfire blazing in the middle of a clearing. It looked real but it seemed to be a ghost fire. Just to make sure Tommy looked around to see if anyone was tending to the fire. When he saw no one around he turned to leave. He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see a figure of a familiar girl in front of him. She had dark brown almost black hair, blue-green eyes and burned light purple clothes, the only thing really strange about her was that she was translucent and she seemed two years older than when he knew her. Tommy backed up a bit in fright just to trip over a root.
"Aidan!" Tommy gasped.
"You klutz." The figure laughed as she walked closer to him and helped him up. "I see you are still tripping over your own two feet."
Figures of cornstalks bend in the shadows,
Held up tall as the flames leap high,
The green knight holds the holly bush,
To mark where the old year passes by,
The two old friends walked through a corn field hand in hand. Tommy noticed that the bonfire he say in the clearing seemed to follow them around. Tommy kept looking forward as he said to himself in his mind that it was just a dream. Finally Aidan looked at him smirking, "It's not a dream Tommy," she chuckled. "I'm as real as you are at the moment. You didn't tell Kim that you did try to save me."
"I tried to Aidan but I didn't." Tommy sighed trying to keep the tears in. "I got shot in the shoulder as I threw you out of the way but you fell into the fire. I lived, you didn't."
"It was my time." Aidan shrugged. "It's not your fault I died. I couldn't stay with you forever. Even if you are my best friend."
"But I miss you so much." Tommy looked at her desperation in his eyes. "We never got to finish our dance. We never got to do all the things we promised we would do."
"No we didn't get to do all the things we wanted to." Aidan said as she walked back to the bonfire. "But we can finish the dance. And our souls can be free." She Tommy over and pointed to the fire. "What can you see in the flames? What can you hear?"
"I can see us." Tommy whispered. "I can hear Celtic music, I can hear our song."
"Let's dance." Aidan laughed, pulling him to her.
I can see lights in the distance,
Trembling in the dark cloak of night,
Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing,
A waltz on all souls night,
Tommy grinned as he joined Aidan in the dance, they held hands as the drums beat louder. He felt whole and happy again. He felt safe with his best friend, he closed his eyes as he let out a whoop. When he opened them he saw a real bonfire where the ghostly one once was. He still felt Aidan's presence with him but yet she wasn't there. He looked around and saw that the Rangers were with him and he had Kim in his arms. She laughed at the look on his face.
"You were sleepwalking Tommy!" Kim laughed.
"Yeah bro." Jason said. "We found you dancing in this grove and decided to make a fire and dance with you."
"I walked over to see why you were whooping and you grabbed me." Kim shrugged. "So I just started dancing with you."
Tommy looked around again and saw a figure at the edge of the woods watching him. When he saw her she smiled and started to leave. "Aidan wait!" Tommy yelled as he ran over to her.
Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides,
Figures dance around and around,
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness,
Moving to the pagan sound,
Aidan kept walking as Tommy chased her. She stopped on a small bridge that went over a small river. Tommy caught his breath and looked at her. She smiled and walked up to him.
"Don't go Aidan." Tommy gasped. "I need you."
"I'm always gonna be with you Tommy. As will all the other souls that love you." Aidan smiled. "Look." She pointed to the river and Tommy looked at all the little boats that held a candle. One seemed to glow brighter than the rest as if it was a bonfire on a small boat Aidan bent down and picked it up.
"The Japanese would put small boats with candles to represent a dead loved on a river and let it drift out to sea." Aidan whispered. "I think it was so it could join all the other souls. Let me go? "
Tommy nodded slowly as he watched her for a moment. He then leaned forward and lightly brushed his lips across hers before moving away. When he opened his eyes Aidan was gone but he still held the boat that had the candle. Kim walked up to him.
"Was that her?" Kim asked.
"You saw her?" Tommy asked in surprise.
"Yes." Kim smiled. "Was that her?"
"Yeah." Tommy smiled, looking down at the boat. "That was Aidan."
Standing on the bridge that crosses,
The river that goes out to the sea,
The wind is full of a thousand voices,
They pass by the bridge and me,
Tommy bent down and let the boat go. It started to drift away on the current. Kim took Tommy's hand in her own as they watched the light drift off into the distance. Tommy smiled as he felt the presence of Aidan in his heart and soul.
"Come on you two the fun is just starting!" The other Rangers yelled.
Billy took out his boom box and put his Celtic CD on. When Tommy heard the drums he turned to Kim and smiled as he held out his hand.
"May I have the pleasure of this dance?" Tommy asked.
"Of course." Kim smiled as she took his hand.
I can see lights in the distance,
Trembling in the dark cloak of night,
Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing,
A waltz on all souls night,
Tommy grinned as he and Kim started dancing to the same music he and Aidan danced to. Soon the other Rangers joined in. They didn't know what had told them what was the right move and the proper dance to this kind of music they just knew what to do. From the distance bonfire a light shined as a female figure danced in the fire and laughed. Tommy smiled as he saw the fire. Kim looked at him and kissed him on the cheek.
"What was that for?" Tommy asked.
"For being yourself." Kim smiled. "Happy All Souls Night."
"You too Kim. You too." Tommy smiled as he looked into the flames and saw Aidan dancing with all the souls of the Rangers, even his own.
"Happy All Souls Night Aidan." Tommy whispered. "And thank you."
I can see lights in the distance,
Trembling in the dark cloak of night,
Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing,
A waltz on all souls night…