Ahkai lets out his battle cry and throws his knife at Mariss. It hurtles through the air, heading right toward the spiral pendant on her chest.
Mariss catches the knife with one hand before it touches her, its pointy end just about to graze the pendant. Then, she lifts the other hand from the windowsill and pops the glass from her face like they’re pimples. Ahkai and I gasp in shock and fear.
Time stops.
How is she balancing from two stories high?
Her snake body.
Her midsection twists from side to side under the dress. The spiral pendant hanging from her neck quivers.
Mariss hurls the knife back at us, and we dive to the floor. The knife hits the chest of drawers and goes right in to the hilt.
Ahkai and I press our backs to the bed and wait for our imminent death. We hear a loud thud as the creature hits the bedroom floor. Snake-Mariss sounds as heavy as a boulder. Ahkai reaches for my hand, and we hold on to each other tightly.
“Mariss, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. We can work this out,” I plead, mucus building in my nose. Begging is my last resort. I don’t want to die.
“Liar! You never accepted me before. Why would you now? But I told you I’d take care of your father, remember. I always keep my promises, Josie Sweets.”
The final “s” sound in “sweets” doesn’t seem to end. I tighten my grip on the chopping knife. I intend to go down fighting.
The bed sinks in from her weight. The sheets rustle as she comes closer and closer. Ahkai’s breathing becomes short and choppy.
She’s almost above us, and I take a deep breath, squeezing the handle and getting ready to swing. A line of Benjie’s-scented sweat rolls down my forehead. I expect to feel sharp claws tearing at my head any second.
Mariss hisses, and then gags. The weight moves from off the bed, and we hear another loud thud.
Then nothing.
Ahkai and I look at each other, and together we cautiously peep over the bed.
The curtain by the broken window flaps in the windy rain.
Mariss is gone.
I jump up with a throbbing pain in my neck and gasp, thinking Mariss has sunk her fangs into my flesh, but it’s just Ahkai’s elbow jammed into my neck.
We must have passed out in the bathtub. We were both too scared to leave the house, so we locked ourselves in the bathroom and sprayed the floor with the cleaner, flea powder, repellent—anything we had. The only thing left is the margarine; we ate the leftover chicken before I took first watch.
From the window, the moon shimmers bright and full in the sky.
Daddy!
I scramble out of the tub, causing Ahkai to fall and bang his head. I unlock the door and rush into his room.
“Daddy?”
He’s not here. I inch to the other side of the bed … and the snake is gone.
I push past Ahkai at the door and rush downstairs, yelling for Daddy over and over again. I step over some broken glass on the floor and grab the phone. Dial tone. I punch in Daddy’s cell number and it goes straight to voicemail.
He’s gone.
Mariss wouldn’t have drowned him. My heart refuses to accept that. She must have chosen Daddy as her once-in-a-lifetime mate and taken him to her underwater lair. I struggle with the many emotions erupting inside me: shock, anger, and fear. I sway on the spot, and if it weren’t for Ahkai, I would fall to the ground.
He gently guides me down on the bottom stairs.
Then, there is a loud bang. We leap to our feet and scramble up the stairs to the bathroom.
But it’s only Miss Mo at the door.
“What gine on in here?” she says, looking up at us. “I get catch in the storm so had to wait a few hours by Valerie.”
“Mummy!” Ahkai runs toward her. She is startled but still puts her arm around him. It’s rare to see Ahkai show such emotion. As much as he bickers and is embarrassed by Miss Mo’s quirks, when he’s upset, he always finds comfort in her arms.
Watching Ahkai and Miss Mo embrace is too much for me to handle, and I lose all composure. My heart aches so much for someone to hold me like that, the pain forms a hard bubble in my chest. I start to hyperventilate. I don’t want to take charge anymore; I just want to hide my face in someone’s skirt and pretend my worries are gone, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
“Jo? What happen?” Miss Mo reaches out to me. I hurry to seek solace in the folds in her skirt. She smells of dishwashing liquid and fish cakes. She brings me closer to her and gently rubs my back. I close my eyes and a little bit of tension unravels inside.
“Where Vince?”
Ahkai and I start talking at the same time. Miss Mo looks down at us with a cynical expression that mirrors Ahkai’s—at least the Ahkai before we were attacked by a mystical snake creature.
“Hol’ on! Hol’ on! Mumma what? Look, one person talk at a time.” I spill my guts to Miss Mo, telling her about what happened at the Wildlife Reserve, the conversation with Mrs. Edgecombe, and the deadly events this evening.
Miss Mo is pensive. She rests a crooked finger under her nose. Ahkai and I wait for her to tell us the next line of attack. I think we should call the Barbados Defence Force or maybe the Task Force. Surely Mariss would be no match against the men dressed in black with the huge high-powered guns.
“Now listen, don’t think I didn’t know what was gine on,” says Miss Mo. I lean forward in anticipation. She has a plan!
“I know it was only you and your father before, but you got to give Mariss a chance. She is a good woman.”
It’s like DJ Hypa Tension did one of his “pull up” sound effects in the kitchen.
What!
Miss Mo doesn’t believe me. She’s the one adult who I hoped would convince others to help find the lair, but Miss Mo, who believes in duppies, small men who live in bottles, and the power of black-eyed peas, doesn’t believe me. The irony is so great that I erupt into hysterical laughter.
“But, Mum, Jo is telling the truth.” Ahkai looks like he’s about to cry.
“Hush now, the Lord ain’ gine let nothing happen to Vince, but I gine call the coast guard in case he get catch in the storm too.”
She grips our hands and leads us back to her house while complaining about the damage the storm did to her stalls and how much money it will cost to fix them.
I stare at her with amazement while she’s on the phone with the coast guard. It’s like a dog chasing the wheel of a car. The dog doesn’t really expect to catch it; if the car stops moving, the dog retreats and runs back home. People like to believe in things until they have to face them.
I want to scream the truth over Miss Mo’s shoulder, but it wouldn’t make a difference. No one believes me … except Ahkai. He’s seated at the kitchen table, rocking back and forth in the chair.
While still on the phone, Miss Mo puts a box of Frosted Flakes, milk, and three bowls on the table, but the thought of food turns my stomach. I watch as Ahkai eats the Frosted Flakes one by one, dipping each flake into a bowl of milk for two seconds before chewing it.
How can I eat knowing my daddy is missing? I know that Mariss has captured him; I hope she hasn’t—I can’t finish the thought.
The brass comb in my back pocket presses into my skin. I shift to the side and pull it out, rubbing its burnt surface with my thumb.
Miss Mo hangs up. “All right, them gine look into it, but this storm was a killer.” She grabs canned goods from her cupboard and throws them into a box. “A lotta people need help, so I going down to the shelter.”
She moves across the kitchen curtain, looking outside as if she expects Daddy to pull up outside in Jalopy. “Wunna stay here in case the coast guard call back.”
Miss Mo lifts the box and rubs Ahkai on the head. “Ahkai, take care of Jo.” He sits up in his chair and nods.
Then she pats my cheek. “Don’t worry, Jo. Vince always comes home. He know he got a lil girl to take care of.”
I push my
bowl away and look at my house through the window. With the broken kitchen and bedroom windows, it resembles a neglected, abandoned building.
Miss Mo sighs behind me, and then the door closes. It is quiet.
The full moon emerges from behind the clouds.
I know what I have to do. I’m going to return the comb and save my daddy.
“There is nothing I can do to stop you, is there?” Ahkai says, reading my mind again. He doesn’t wait for an answer and gets up as if he’s always been ready for battle.
We fill a backpack with the few potential weapons we can find in the bathroom—a waterproof flashlight, a container of Vicks VapoRub, and a bag of Epsom salts. Then, we head to the beach.
The night is deadly quiet; there is no wind, no crickets, not even the echo of a barking dog. It’s like every creature in Fairy Vale is tense and holding their breath, waiting to see if we will survive this encounter. I wish I could turn back to the safety of Ahkai’s house, but I have a gut feeling that my daddy is alive and praying for help.
We get to the top of Coconut Hill and I pause, looking out at the darkness of the sea. The shadow of the silk cotton tree is haunting in the moonlight. It wasn’t long ago I was here at this spot, upset about not getting on the cricket team and certain that I had been cursed with the worst life in the world. I would give anything to go back to that time.
We come to the junction at the bottom of Coconut Hill—the place where Mariss disappeared when we tried to follow her. There are two main access points to the beach. We always go left, through the fish market, which is the calmer side of the beach. But it’s possible that Mariss went the other direction, where there is a larger beach but much rougher waters.
“Which path should we take?” Ahkai whispers.
“Alas!”
Ahkai and I scream out and hold on to each other. We turn to see Casper, squatting behind a huge rock in front of a streetlight.
“Everything seems calm, but these humanlings can sense the danger that awaits them. Now they’re at a crossroads. Will they make the right choice? Little do they know that what they seek lies where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean.”
“Casper! Do you know where Mariss’s lair is?” I ask, both annoyed and excited to see him. “The vile vixen!”
“I’ve been spotted!” Casper ducks behind the rock. I move toward it, determined to wrangle understandable English from him, but it’s too late. He’s jumped over a crumbling wall and is dashing toward the fish market.
“Let’s go after him!” I cry, but Ahkai shakes his head.
“He told us all we need to know.” He beckons for me to follow and turns right.
We crawl through a small space between sea grape trees, shining the flashlight ahead of us. It opens out onto a clear area on a cliff. After I refused to get back into a boat, Daddy would bring me here to lie on the grass and watch him throw the net out from Joanne.
The sea is violent, with the tide extra high from the storm. I can barely hear the sound of my thoughts over the waves crashing against the shore. My heart thumps against my chest at the idea of venturing into the murderous waters.
Ahkai points to a rock in the sea—a rock shaped like a fist—a rock that is haunted. The place where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean …
Thank you, Casper.
A flock of birds flutters up from the fist-shaped rock into the sky. We strain our eyes, staring into the dark water, looking for any sign of Mariss.
“Let’s get a closer look,” I say, and we go back through the bush to head onto the beach. My mind is racing, trying to decide on our next move.
Should we wait for Mariss to appear? Should we try to get help?
I notice a glimmer from the tall shrubs that grow along the shore. I shine the flashlight at the spot, and half-covered in the vines is Jalopy.
My heart skips a beat, and time slows down.
“Please, please, please.” I run toward the car and shine the light inside. There’s no one there, and to my relief, no sign of blood.
My heart starts beating again. I try to calm down, but now I know my daddy is here, and he is in trouble.
I shine the light around the area until I see her—parked along the shore with the other boats. Joanne.
I remove my sneakers. Ahkai is already shaking his head. “No no no no NO!”
“I have to help Daddy.” I grab the bag from him, take out the Vicks VapoRub, and rub it all over my body.
Ahkai launches into a long monologue while I’m applying the ointment. “We cannot do this! We are not prepared. The menthol is not as active in this product. There is no guarantee it will repel the creature! It is better for us to seek help, or wait until a pharmacy is—”
He’s right. The smell isn’t as strong as the Benjie’s, so I apply a second layer, using the rest of the ointment in the container.
“And what can we do with Epsom Epsom Epsom Epsom Epsom salts?! Magnesium sulfate has many uses, including anti-inflammatory properties, muscle relaxant, laxative yes, but only if ingested. How will you get Mariss to swallow it? We need a plan!”
I ignore him and start pushing Joanne toward the water. She is small, but still very heavy. She’s moving forward only a foot at a time, but I will stay out here all night if I have to. I clench my jaw in determination.
After a few seconds, Ahkai helps me push. The sand gets colder and damper under our feet, and soon we are close to the edge of the sea. I gasp when the water first rolls over my foot. It’s strange but I feel comforted. The waves hit hard five times, as if applauding my return to the sea.
I turn to Ahkai. “You have to go get help, okay?”
He closes his eyes and starts to rock. “I can’t! I can’t! I can’t—”
“No, Ahkai! Listen to me,” I say, shaking him. “I need you to go get help. The police station isn’t far away. You can do this! This is Operation SOS. Come in, Alpha Mike!”
Ahkai steels his shoulders, opens his eyes, and nods. “Over.”
I give Ahkai a big hug, and he doesn’t push me away. We cling to each other, knowing it could be our last.
Then I pull away and hop into Joanne. Though it’s been years since I’ve been in her, it feels familiar, like I’ve returned home. I yank on the starter rope, just as Daddy taught me so long ago, and the engine splutters to life. Reciting all of Daddy’s instructions in my head, I pull the tiller in the direction of the rock.
I’m coming, Daddy.
I can hear Ahkai shouting, “Be safe, Juliette Charlie!” over and over again.
The water is choppy so it is difficult to keep Joanne on course for the rock. I am terrified the boat will capsize; it comes dangerously close to toppling over several times. I’m already drenched and shivering but I stay on course. I have to return the comb to Mariss’s lair and free Daddy.
“All right, girl, keep steady,” I say. Daddy says Joanne is the true spirit of Mum because she always pushes forward when you need her to. He says he’s had several long conversations with her while out at sea.
The wind blasts through my wet cornrows, and my teeth chatter. Daddy’s not here now. There’s no light up ahead. I’m alone in the dark ocean.
Joanne is the closest thing I have to someone’s skirt …
My chest starts to burn again, and I push my fist against it, rubbing to ease the pressure. I close my eyes, listening to the breathing of the ocean, and inhale. The salty sea spray flushes away the tension inside. And then, just like that, words fall from my mouth.
I’m talking to my mummy.
“One time I call Daddy’s phone, and he ain’ answer. I call over and over again, and the longer he took to answer the phone, the more anxious I got. Turns out it was on silent, and he was all right, but I had nightmares for days after. You went to bed and never woke up. Just like that. No goodbye or nothing. You left me and almost took Daddy with you.”
The sea seems to be eavesdropping on our conversation. The water is calmer, and the waves rock the boa
t like a mother’s arms. Joanne moves forward with ease.
“When Daddy’s with a woman, I worry she’ll leave and make him sad, or worse. I just don’t want anyone to come and hurt us all over again. I’m scared all the time … except when I’m bowling.”
I make the bowling action with my arm, out toward the rock in the ocean. “Bet you’d want me on the cricket team, wouldn’t you, Mummy? You’d cheer for me. You won’t stop me from playing just because I could get hurt.”
It’s like Mummy’s voice breaks through the clouds and whispers the revelation in my head from heaven.
I’m doing the same thing to Daddy …
I stroke the peeling red paint on the bow, then release a heavy sigh.
“I get it.”
It is like deadweight has been lifted from my shoulders. I wonder if this is how the churchgoers feel after Pastor Williams dunks them in the water at baptism.
A vicious wave brings me back to reality. The tide has returned in a wild rage. I have to pull the tiller all the way to the right to get Joanne back in the direction of the rock.
I ignore the urge to return to shore and shine the flashlight out toward the rock.
I’m almost there. The bad news is that it’s just a large rock—there’s nowhere to walk or dock the boat. I was hoping it would be like a small island, but that isn’t the case.
Turn back! my brain screams at me. This doesn’t make any sense! But my gut urges me to go forward. Joanne splutters, and then with a groan, the engine dies.
“Please, God, no.” I yank the rope again and again, but it does not start. She must be out of fuel. I shine my light around the boat, hoping to see the red bottle with fuel on board.
Nothing.
The waves pull me out farther into the ocean, away from the rock.
It’s so close … a few meters more.
I weigh my options: Swim and stay on the rock until help comes, or drift away in the ocean with only Epsom salts to survive on.
I secure the flashlight on my wrist and look down at the water, dark and menacing, and I feel anxiety building inside. I have flashbacks of the sea pulling me away from shore and my body fighting to reach the surface. My feet are paralyzed, refusing to move, but the longer I take, the farther away the boat drifts from the rock. I close my eyes and think about Daddy singing reggae and doing his corny dance.
Josephine Against the Sea Page 16