by Unknown
The room looked as though it were occupied, but it was sparse. Tapestries adorned the walls. Some of them seemed older than the house itself and the effects of time began to show as wear in the fabric which was apparent. One particular tapestry was new to the room, but it seemed older than the others decorating the house. An orange and golden hue swirled into its faded fabric. A small design of an ape-man with dreadful horns was featured in the center of the piece. A fox was at its throat. The fox had its teeth dug deep into the neck of the horned ape, but instead of blood, a black ooze came from the ape's neck. Under and above the scene were words that Abi simply could not make out.
'Pa? When did we get that?' Abi asked, her gaze fixated on the tapestry.
'That? That was a gift. But enough my girl. I brought you to meet some old friends!' Alexandro put both hands on Abi's shoulders from behind and presented her like a gift in front of him. He walked her to each of the three people sitting down on the wooden stools which the family always brought in from other rooms of the house to accommodate visitors.
Abi observed that they were all women, older than Alexandro and covered in dark headscarves. The first woman was not much taller than Abi was. A faint smell of spiced apple oozed from her clothing. She was a small and frail looking woman who left Abi wondering if she ever ate.
'Abi, I would like you meet Beth.'
Abi performed a quick, poised curtsey.
'Pleased to meet you, ma'am.'
'Ah, Abigail’, Beth started. ‘You look much like your grandmother. You have her eyes. Her eyes and much more, I'm afraid.' The 'I'm afraid' part of her unsolicited pep talk was barely audible. The old woman then placed her hand on Abi which sent a burning sensation through her body as though she made contact with fire. Abi resisted the urge to pull away for fear of offending her father's friend.
Alexandro smiled a bit less and broke the touch between Beth and Abi. Abi was thankful for her father’s timely intervention and while she felt the burning fade away, she could see the red imprint where Beth's hand had been.
'Abi, this is Iona'. The woman introduced to Abi appeared to be a taller version of Beth. Her hair was jet black save for a streak of white that poked out from under her scarf. Her face was stern, but a kindness was behind it.
'Iona and I grew up together before your mother and I met. She is like a sister to me.' Alexandro concluded.
Iona looked at Abi and smiled. The smile reminded Abi of the smile her dad always had on his face each time he was upset but didn't want her to know. Abi thought Iona smelled like old leaves though her skin was smooth to the touch.
'It is a pleasure meeting you, Abigail.'
'Thank you, ma'am.'
Alexandro walked Abigail towards the last visitor. A woman who looked nothing like the other two. Her eyes were coal black, as was her hair. Her skin was neither smooth nor pleasant looking. To Abi, it reminded her of a tree. There were deep wrinkles cut into the woman's arms and face, but her hands were covered in black gloves. She didn't smell like old leaves nor spiced apples. Abi couldn't decide what she smelled like.
'And I am Radica.' She said, introducing herself. Radica did not extend her hands, but just looked at Abi.
'Pleased to meet you, ma'am.' Abi replied.
Radica kept staring at Abigail and then moved swiftly like she was about to reach out and grab her. As if on cue, Alexandro drew Abi back quickly to everyone's surprise.
Augustine rushed over to her daughter. 'I'm sorry, but you must excuse us. The young one must go to bed.'
Radica sank slowly into her seat and Abi made her way behind her mother. Alexandro looked apologetically at his wife, 'Yes, of Course, where is the common sense of mine! She has to sleep. She has a big school day tomorrow!'
Beth looked over to Abi and Augustine. 'Yes, of course. ‘Tis good for young to sleep. Early bed, early rise. This did our people no harm back home.'
Iona smiled up at them and spoke 'Destul de fata.' She carefully took out a small metallic ornate perfume bottle from a small sac that hung down by her feet. The perfume bottle seemed to have more years than all of the room's inhabitants.
'Oil. Frankincense. Special. From home. Please, put on little one tonight. Very important.' Beth said as Augustine took the bottle from Iona. She dipped her head slightly in a somewhat subservient bow to Iona, Beth and Radica. She then turned to usher Abigail up the stairs towards the girl's bedroom. She stopped half way and asked Alex to serve their guests some tea before she returned.
Alexandro nodded and disappeared towards the kitchen. Abi snuck a peak down from the stairs and noticed her father walk to the back room instead of the kitchen. When she peeped further, she saw two of the ladies looking towards her father, making gestures. Abi couldn't hear their words and it seemed as though Radica was the only one seemingly not interested in what her father was doing. Instead, she looked up at Abi for a moment and grinned. Her grin revealed a set of blackened teeth and a yellow-tinged clicking tongue that sent chills of fear down Abi’s spine. She turned away quickly and ran up the stairs, past her mother, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.
Chapter 3
Bryan wasn't much of a husband or son. He wasn't much of a father either. The only thing that Bryan could do right was get in trouble. Tonight was his encore.
He lay across a sofa. An arm hung down with fingers dug into a cigarette burn on a carpet. His other hand reached for one of the lager cans on the floor. 'We need more of these!' he yelled.
A baffled old woman looked over at her middle-aged son. 'I think you've had enough Bryan. Isn't it time you cleaned up?' The woman was Danielle Davis. But more importantly, she was Laura's grandmother. She considered Laura to be the only good thing her son had ever done in his life. Laura, her little angel, hugged closely into her side. Danielle put a protective hand around her grandchild.
'Don't you tell me when I’ve had enough!' Bryan barked. He started to get up from the sofa, but gravity decided against that. He lost his balance and fell. The room wasn't spinning too badly yet for Bryan, but most sudden movements were out of the question.
'Just get washed up for dinner. Can we have one normal dinner here? Just once? If you won't do it for me, at least do it for your daughter.'
Bryan wiped his meaty hand across his nose. 'My daughter? You want me to do it for her? Is that what you want?'
'Don't you get any ideas now. I told you before, I won't stand for that sort of behavior under my roof!' Danielle felt Laura's thin body dig its way further under her arms. A chunk of mousey blonde hair stuck into view.
'She's my daughter. I'll do what I want with her. When I want with her.' Bryan said as he finally got off the sofa.
'Bryan, she’s six years old! I won't let you near this child until you sober up!' Danielle took a step to put herself more between her son and her grandchild.
Bryan laughed, 'Not worth the bloody effort. Go bring me some dinner....and another one of these lagers!' He sat back down on the sofa with a plop. The lager on the floor spilled over and started to soak into the carpet. 'Now look what you made me do!'
Bryan picked up the can and tossed it towards them. The can whizzed above Laura's head and clanked against the wall behind her. She cringed out of fear of her father, and her tears came in uncontrolled waves.
'You're scaring her half to death! Get a bloody grip on yourself!' Danielle pleaded.
'The only thing I want to get a hold on is another lager, your dumb cow! Now go get me some before I show you what upset looks like!'
Something snapped inside of Danielle and with a burning rage, she charged towards Bryan.
'Out. Get out! I want you gone!'
'You yelling at me, old woman? Who pays for the place here? I do! If anyone's getting out, it's you and that worthless daughter of mine! No good daughter, just like her no good mother!'
Bryan started to take off his lager-stained shirt. His gut hung over his sweatpants. The hairs on his stomach were matted from days of not washing. The figure w
ould have been a grotesque comedy if it weren't for the knife he slipped from his sweats to his hand.
'Put that down, Bryan. Put that down!' Danielle desperately pleaded.
'You still trying to tell me what to do, old girl?'
'Laura, go to your room and lock the door.' Danielle said as Laura clung to her thigh. 'Go darling! Lock your door and don't let anyone in!' Danielle tried to get Laura to safety, but the child stayed tight to her leg. A bit of wetness pressed against Danielle's leg. It came from a sudden wet patch that quickly grew from the seat of Laura's trouser bottoms.
'Looks like the dumb girl wet herself! Is the little sissy peeing her pants again?' taunted Bryan.
'Don't mind him, Laura. Just go to your room sweetie. I'll be there in a bit to help clean you up.'
Laura looked up at her grandmother. The smell of hot urine started to fill the room. Laura's crying came out in choked sobs. Bryan started to laugh, but his chuckle was cut off by the front door bursting open. Within seconds, a man arrived in the front room.
'Put down the knife, son!' Said a plain clothed detective. He was followed in by a partner also in plain clothes. Both were supported by half a dozen uniformed officers
'How the bloody hell...' Bryan began.
'I said put the blade down, son!' The detective repeated himself.
'What the bleeding hell are you doing in my house!' Bryan shouted at the detective.
'You were making enough noise for the whole village to hear. Now, put the knife down. Won't ask again.'
'Sod off...' was all Bryan could get out before he found himself lying face-down on the spot where he spilled the lager. Detective John Ford drove his knee into Bryan's left kidney.
'I asked you nicely, didn't I? Looks like we have to do it the hard way. That's what you usually like though, eh, Bryan? The hard way?'
'Wait, how do you know my name?'
'Let me put it to you this way, Bryan. William Morris. That's right, we're here to arrest you for the murder of William Morris. Stopping this show on these two ladies is just the icing, just the bloody icing.' Detective Ford emphasized the words with his voice, and also by jabbing his knee deeper into Bryan's back.
Bryan tried to turn his head to face his mother, 'You! You Bitch! You grassed me! You bloody grassed me!'
'Boys, why don't you take statements from the two ladies there. I'll take care of bad boy here.' Detective Ford shouted as his two partners took Danielle and Laura aside.
'I'll be out in no time! You know I will! Then I'll slit those bitches’ throats!' Bryan's venom was one of desperation.
John Ford communicated back to Bryan.
The sound of Bryan's shoulder popping out of its socket would be disturbing under normal circumstances, but for Danielle, it was music. Much needed music. A symphony that started up the band that was Bryan's mouth screaming in pain.
'Sorry. Looks like you’ve accidentally broken something. Oh, don’t worry about it. I hear our lockups have good docs now. They'll fix you up real nice. See, we have the knife now. Motive. Witness. Weapon. We have you. We have you for a long time, Bryan. A very long time indeed. Done my homework on this one!'
Detective Ford picked Bryan up by the waist and dragged him out the door in cuffs. Before exiting, he looked at Danielle and Laura for a moment, gave a reassuring smile and lifted his hat in salute.
'Evening. Don't bother waiting up. He won't be coming back. I promise you that.'
He shoved Bryan out the door and turned back to Danielle. She smiled at him and held Laura to her leg.
'Oh, and ma'am? Thanks for the tip.
Chapter 4
Augustine stood watching her daughter in bed. Abi was tucked firmly into her small twin-sized bed. Her favorite white rabbit toy snuggled close to her chest. Augustine inspected the perfume bottle she was given. The top of the bottle had a design of a snake eating its own tail and the bottom was inscribed with words she couldn't make out.
'Mum, what's in the bottle?' asked Abigail.
'It's just something one of your pa's friends gave us. It will help you sleep better.'
'Will it help with nightmares?'
'Yes. I hope so.' Augustine said as she took the top off the bottle, dipped her finger into the oil and dabbed it onto her daughter's forehead.
'It smells like that woman. Mummy, if they are friends, how come he never talked about them like he does Mr. Baker?' Abi asked.
'They are older friends, Abi. You know he doesn't like to talk much about what happened in the old land.'
'But Mummy, who are those people?' Abi pressed further.
Augustine bowed her head down for a second. When she composed herself enough, she looked at Abi with a fake smile.
'Tsk, tsk. You are full of questions today Abigail. You know who they are. They are old friends of your father coming to visit. They want to help with your bad dreams.'
'MA mica?'
'Shush. No more questions, Abi. Time for bed. We talk more tomorrow. Your father and I, we love you so much...' Augustine cut herself off as tears started to swell up in her eyes.
'I love you too, Mummy!' Abigail could see the upset on her mother’s face, and decided it best not to ask more questions.
Augustine swooped in and kissed her child on the forehead. The taste of the oil lingered on her lips. She kept her lips on Abigail's forehead longer than usual, squeezed her around the shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. Abigail smiled up at her mother and Augustine smiled back.
With a quick and gentle pat of her finger, she tweaked Abi's nose. 'Goodnight, my child.'
'Night, Mummy.' Abigail said as her mother got up from the bed. One last look at her child and Augustine left the room, shutting the door gently behind her.
As she made her way downstairs, she could see that everything was ready. The table was in the middle of the room with her husband and their visitors sitting around it. There was an open chair waiting for her next to her husband. The only lights that illuminated the room came from small candles that made a circle around the people sitting at the table.
Alexandro looked up at his wife, 'We are ready my dear.'
Augustine made a silent prayer and joined her husband at the table. The circle started to join hands. Only Beth did not join. She was quiet, muttering something low. Then her eyes opened, and she began to address the group.
'Alexandro, Augustine, we all know why we are here. It is for a purpose that none of us wished to see. But it needs to be. This thing, this thing follows a family for years, for generations. It takes many shapes. Male. Female. Do not be deceived! It hides in the blood so we forget it ever was. Yet, when we dare to forget, it returns. A dark evil thing that clings to our emotions, weaknesses and guilt’.
Beth paused and when she was sure she had everyone’s undivided attention, she continued.
'It knows our deepest secrets and will use them against us to destroy our lives. It wants only pain and suffering. It is an agent of evil and chaos. No pleas, begging or pacts will appease it. It is a liar and will not leave unless you destroy it.'
Radica nodded in affirmation. 'What we do carry risks. Yes? But it is necessary if we are to rid ourselves of the dark-hearted one.'
Beth once again resumed her address.
'Are you all then giving your oath that you are ready to do what must be done in unity? Even with the risk to your persons?' She looked at each member of the circle with scrutiny and held their gaze in turns. 'Are you ready to protect one another, no matter what?'
It was Iona's turn to address the circle, 'It is not too late. Not too late to change your minds. For once we begin, the circle cannot be broken. We must see this thing to the end.'
Beth nodded in agreement. 'The Evil One will come to destroy its foes. It does not care how many it destroys. Its hunger knows no bounds.'
The candles dimmed momentarily, then flared up strongly. A gust of wind fluttered the flames, even though the windows were shut. Beth looked alarmed, but a stern composure quickly retur
ned to her face. She joined her hands, and the circle was complete.
'Very well.' Beth began. 'Our weapon is love. Love and forgiveness. It is the only thing that can banish this thing from our lives. For if we forgive and love one another, it has no ground to accuse us before the Almighty.' Beth tightened her grip on Iona and Radica’s hands. 'Let us begin.'
Silence took over the room. The flames popped and crackled on the burning candles. The flutter could be heard along with the breathing of the group. Beth held her eyes shut and began her chant. It started slowly, but rhythmically. Her chant began as a whisper. 'Djo gja omo...'
A few of the candles started to flicker intensely. At this sign, the rest of the circle shut their eyes.
'Djo gja omo ndap qatama...' Beth's voice started to rise, getting stronger. The candles burned brighter as another gust of wind sped through the room. A few drinking glasses in a mahogany cabinet in the corner started to shake.
'Djo gja omo. Djo gja omo ndap qatama!' Beth's voice struggled to keep above the clatter from the glasses.
The hinged cabinet doors flew open and the glasses flew from the cabinet, crashing against a wall. The group kept their eyes tightly shut and their hands firmly in one another's grip.
'Djo gja omo! Djo gja omo ndap qatama!' Beth's voice was almost a shriek.
The wind blew through one more time and hit Alexandru in the chest. He kept his grip and his eyes closed as best as he could. Candle flames rose high into the air and then flickered back to their normal size. Everything went silent.
A low guttural breathing broke the silence. Each member of the circle thought they could feel something breathing on the back of their necks. Alexandru's grip on his wife's hand tightened.
Chapter 5
Laura gazed at her Gran. She didn't know why her Gran cried over her father and mother. They were bad people, weren't they? Though Gran was good. The only good thing Laura had in her life.