Swirl Romance Stories

by Louis Alexandre Forestier

  “I do not want to live in the midst of this paranoia.” Exclaimed Anabelle.

  “Federico’s right. Until we know what the purposes of your brother are you should take extra precautions.” Said Lucas.

  “Lucas, why don´t you move with me?” Reiterated the girl in a distraught tone.”

  “I think that would be timely.” Added Federico.” The more eyes that are watching the better.”

  “ So be it. Move in anytime.” Replied Cristelle.

  That night Chantal began to stir on the bed during her sleep while she babbled incoherently in the Haitian dialect. Federico woke with a start and waited a moment to see if the bad dream ended, but as the girl writhed decided it was best to wake her to prevent further suffering.

  “What happened? I am bathed in sweat.” She said upon waking.

  “You had a nightmare. Do you remember anything?”

  She thought for a moment, then shook her head as if to ward off evil thoughts.

  “Yes. Horrible memories of an animals slaughter carried out by my brother and some of his friends came to my mind.”

  “Animal sacrifices?”

  “Yes. Emanuel and his father were addicted to ancient African beliefs, and used them to harm people. They often killed animals in their rituals.”

  “You mean voodoo?”

  “Yes, and other rituals practiced in Haiti. Anabelle and I gazed them frightened, although she was very young.”

  “Of course, these rites strongly impact children’s minds as well as those of ignorant people”.

  At that time Anabelle entered the room. She did not knock before entering certainly startled by the screams of her sister.

  “What’s the matter?”

  Chantal explained her dream in a babbling way. She did it in their Creole dialect which apparently returned on issues that were related to the childhood of both girls and with other very primitive things.

  “Yes.” Replied Anabelle. “I vaguely remember those episodes. They are part of my worst memories of Haiti.”

  “Tomorrow we will discuss this subject.” Proposed Federico. “Now Chantal is very tense and needs to relax and sleep.”

  When Anabelle retired he told Chantal.

  “Let me help you to regain control. I know what you need.”

  Then he stroked the head of the girl, kissed her lips, her neck, uncovered her shoulders, sucked her nipples, kissed her belly, still flat despite the incipient pregnancy, buried his face on her Mount of Venus and continued down. Chantal moaned but now not in a distressed tone but in one of ecstasy. The climax was explosive and the girl then emptied her entire load of anguish; the thighs of the woman and the man’s face were covered with a viscous fluid, apparently a distinctive feature of her orgasms.

  Then Federico deeply penetrated her and delayed ejaculation as possible. Both they fell asleep cuddled between the softness of the sheets. The experience was a unknown for both.

  Chapter 10

  The Attack

  Annabelle and Lucas had traveled downtown to a cinema in Lavalle Street and were returning home. They were on the Nueve de Julio Avenue waiting for the Metrobus, talking about the details of the film they had just seen. Suddenly Lucas had the perception that two men coming down the square were making some suspicious movements. He immediately took the girl´s hand and tried to get away from the bus stop in the direction opposite to the approaching strangers. Another man suddenly appeared in front of them blocking their way; likely he had been hiding behind a booth of another bus line.

  “It’s an ambush.” Shouted the boy while the third man pounced on Anabelle, who was screaming for help. The attacker hugged the girl by the waist dragging her away. Lucas managed to give a tremendous kick in the left calf of the man who screamed in pain and fell to the ground because his broken leg did not keep him up. The other two reached the couple and one of them turned to grab the woman while the other lunged for Lucas to end his unexpected resistance. The youngster managed to punch him in the face but the bully pulled a knife from his pocket and with an swift circular motion cut Lucas in the side causing him a wound from which abundant blood began to flow. The man who was dragging Anabelle tried to take her to a car waiting at the curb with the lights off but with the engine running. The bully who had struck Lucas came limping and groaning and got into the vehicle through the door on the other side. The criminal who had hurt Lucas tried to do the same but several hands coming out of nowhere pulled him from the car and threw him to the floor of the street while other mysterious helpers kicked him. Some more arms grabbed Anabelle from the hands of her captors and managed to get her out of the vehicle. The bully with the knife tried to use the dangerous instrument, but one of the opponents broke a beer bottle that he was holding in his hand and cut the villain´s face leaving him completely disfigured. Finally, the car started carrying the frustrated hijackers while Anabelle was lying on the floor in shock and Lucas who was still bleeding painfully stood up and approached her.

  Federico approached the policeman standing in the hospital to ask him about the particulars of the incident while Cristelle and Chantal waited he doctor to leave the first aid room. When everyone could gather some information they met to share it.

  “Lucas received twelve stitches in the waist, but fortunately the wound is not deep and did not affect any organs. They are exploring the possibility of a transfusion to replace the lost blood.” Reported Cristelle.

  “ My sister has only some bumps and bruises from the way the kidnappers grabbed her and even from the boys who rescued her. She’s been sedated because she was in a state of shock.” Added Chantal.

  “I talked to the policeman. It was a completely confusing episode in which three or four hijackers, at least two of them black tried to kidnap Anabelle. The ones that resolved the situation were a group of eight quite drunk boys trying to travel to Plaza Constitution and then take the train to the south suburbs. Anabelle owes her freedom and perhaps her life to those kids. The police assumed that this is a case of human trafficking, perhaps because of the Anabelle´s and some of her attackers nationalities. Tomorrow she and Lucas will have to testify. It is a rather unusual case because of the place the aggressors chose, the Nueve de Julio Avenue, one of the widest in the world, with an unobstructed vision.”

  “No doubt that the kidnappers ran a big risk, thinking that at that hour they would not be exposed.” Commented Cristelle.

  “ It was surely a fiasco for them. At least two the men are seriously injured by beatings, including one with an injury caused in the face by a broken bottle. Lucas also perhaps broke a leg of one of them, a black guy.”

  When they gathered at home at the following night, the medical consequences and police procedures were overcome, so the youngsters tried to put their ideas in order and understand what they were facing.

  “Are you sure none of the men was Emanuel?”Chantal asked her sister.

  “Completely. I have not forgotten my half brother´s face. Nor was any of the members of his environment that we knew.”

  “Are there any clues that might permit us to infer who they were? Accents, ways of speaking, the clothes they wore, loose words.” Asked Federico.

  “I heard not a word, not even from the man whose leg I broke. Only shouts of pain.” Answered Lucas. “I can only say that they were vulgar thugs and not professional killers.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “ The fact that we were able to escape in the first place, the place they chose, the precarious weapons they had. Had they been professionals we would not be here.”

  Chantal, who had hitherto been silent decided to speak.

  “No doubt that this is related to Emanuel. He calls Anabelle and a few days later someone tries to kidnap her.”

  “But what is the point? What can they obtain from me?” Said the girl in a small voice.

  “There is another possibility.” Said Lucas. “Could it not be that this attack has not been the work of your brother but directed against
him instead? If Emanuel is in a hazardous environment maybe someone has tried to kidnap you and extort him to get something that he has and they want in exchange of your freedom.”

  “ Unlikely.” Replied Federico.” Such machinations belong to organized crime and the attack would have been carried out by professionals, which you yourself have excluded. Also how can anyone come to Argentina to look for in a girl who does not even have the same last name than Emanuel? I do not understand how they can connect Anabelle with Emanuel.”.

  “Besides, there is another deeper reason.” Added Chantal.” No one who knows Emanuel may believe that he can get something from kidnapping one of his relatives. My brother has not affection. Do not lose any more time, this has been done by him, for reasons we cannot understand and that may be not rational.”

  “What do you mean?” Asked Federico.

  “The fact that my brother is linked to black magic circles.”

  “ What is the relationship of that with the attempted kidnapping?” Insisted Federico.

  “Only an occultist can answer that. As I said before it´s very likely there are no rational reasons.”

  “How can you fight against something whose motives you cannot understand?” Wondered Lucas.

  “ You cannot fight it with rational means. We must find a way to counteract it.” Said Chantal.

  “With magical means?” Asked Federico wrinkling his nose.

  “ With… dark means.”

  Chapter 11

  Le Pendú

  ( The Hanged Man)

  A couple of days had elapsed since the aggression. The evolution of Lucas´ wound was favorable. Since he could not go to work and needed some attention the boy had moved to the house of Constitution, which tested its housing capacity

  On Saturday morning Federico finished watering and weeding the potted plants in the patio and the terrace and was surprised not to find Chantal in the kitchen or on the courtyard. He entered the room he shared with the girl and found her sitting at a small table, with a tiny desk lamp on it. He found it odd that she was locked up with artificial light in a bright day and when he approached he noticed that a deck of cards with strange designs was spread on the table.

  “What are these, Tarot cards?”

  The girl was startled; she had been obviously very focused on her activity and had not heard him entering the room.

  “Ah, yes! The Tarot and other sorcery techniques are very popular in Haiti. The country is full of witches. Almost all women go to see them.”

  “What for?”

  “To “belay” their men. That is to ensure they get the man they want and keep him.”

  “So something like a love potion.”

  “That’s one use. There are other uses much more … unpleasant.”

  “And are they effective?

  “With no doubt.”

  “And have you used on me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do not tell me you really believe in that stuff.”

  “Do I have you by my side or not?”

  “But you have really used these methods to get me?”

  “ I did.”

  “Doesn´t that mean you have played dirty with Cristelle?”

  “Yes, to some extent I did. But she is African, she does know that these things exist. She has surely done something alike to get you before.”

  “And tell me, what have you done to tie me?”

  “Certain rituals.”

  “What is it, voodoo, black magic?”

  “Call it whatever you want. I do not use or body parts or human blood.”

  “Tell me in detail.”

  Chantal got up from the table, took the man’s hand and led him to the bed. She lay him on the bed, opened his shirt and lifting her skirt sat on his chest. The woman was wearing no panties, so her sex and his skin came into contact. Immediately the woman began a gentle rocking as she whispered something, like a mantra.

  “All this mise en scène to tell me how you got me?” Asked the man obviously puzzled.

  “I want to put you in the right mood for what you are about to hear.”

  “I am listening.”

  “No potion or tie works if there is no previous base, that is, if you do not previously attract the man.”

  “Well, you always lured me.”

  “I always had this perception, but that is where Tarot enters in the game. The appearance of the deck of L’Amoureux, or The Lover and its location confirmed to me that you were a good prospect. Then I prepared the “tie”.”

  “What is it? Asked the boy caught up in the narrative.”

  Chantal began to rock with more verve as her thighs slid toward the face of the young.

  “An extract with certain herbs that I bought at a specialty herbal store.”

  “You bought that here in Buenos Aires?”

  “I bought them in a small store owned by a Dominican woman.”

  “And what else?”

  “Are you sure you want to know?”

  “Of course, I want to hear what you have done to me.”

  “A crushed rose, a lock of my hair, nails cut from my toes …”

  “So far it does not sound so terrible.”

  “My pubic hair ripped …”

  “Well, this takes another color.”

  “And a stream of my urine.”

  “And what do you do with all that?”

  “I put all ingredients into a bottle with rain water, let it marinate for a week and then …”

  “And then what?”

  “Then I pour some of the beverage in your tea.”

  Federico opened his eyes very large.

  “Treacherous black witch.” Said with false anger. Chantal raised her hips placing them up to his mouth.

  “I shouldn´t have told you my secrets.”

  “And tell me one more thing.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why so much effort if I can draw all that directly from the source?”

  “Well said. Here I go!”

  Chapter 12

  La Roue de Fortune

  (Wheel of fortune)

  Chantal and Federico were lying on the bed. They were exhausted and sweaty after a session in which they practiced all possible variants of sex. Both felt their instincts were satiated.

  “You know? I have no sexual fantasies that we haven´t already put into practice.” Federico said as he rose sore from the bed.

  After dressing the boy put his view on the table and accidentally saw two Tarot cards that were separated from the deck.

  “What are those cards? For whom are you preparing a mooring now?”

  “ Fool! This is not a tie and has nothing to do with love. When you arrived I was consulting the Tarot about Emanuel. I want to know what he is after and how to cope with it. But you distracted me with your love demands.” Said she in a tone of mock reproach.

  “Caused by your filter. You prepared it very loaded today.” The man continued the joke. “And what did the cards tell you about your brother that you did not know before?

  “I was still playing the hand.” Answered Chantal s she sat at the table. Three cards were finally left uncovered.

  “An inverted Wheel of Fortune, the Tower or House of God, and the Devil.” Mused the woman.”Very interesting indeed.”

  “What do they represent?”

  “Individually, the Wheel of Fortune symbolizes the profound changes of life, a mutation in the fate of those for whom the cards are being pulled, in this case Emanuel. His life is about to experience a dramatic shift, and as the card is reversed, it will not be for the better.”

  “What about The Tower?”

  “ It represents the Tower of Babel, built by human arrogance. The beam falling on the tower and destroying it symbolizes the divine wrath that destroys the fruits of human passions. It is a very bad omen for Emanuel.”

  “And what about the Devil?”

  “It’s a perverse and out of control figure, dominated by his dark
side. Is pure evil.”

  “What does it mean for your brother?”

  “I must consult some books to be know for sure. What interests me is to find out why he is showing no mercy with us and particularly with Anabelle. But do not expect a rational explanation, linked to material interests or something. Now go away and let me concentrate on my books.”

  Chantal did not appear until dinnertime and Federico preferred to leave her locked up with her musings. After eating and sending Lourdy to watch television Chantal asked the others to stay at the table after coffee.

  “Well, as you may have noticed, I’ve been applying … my methods to try to shed some light on what is happening to us. Lucas, you’re the one who knows nothing of what I call “my methods”; I will later explain to you what I am talking about.”

  Chantal paused to sip her coffee, as she put her thoughts in order.

  “I can now confirm that the responsible for what happened is our brother Emanuel, who apparently is in the country and even though he does not know he is in great danger.”

  “How great? “ Interrupted Anabelle.

  “Although I do not know exactly what it is we think of something that puts his life in imminent danger and would put ours in danger too if we cannot dissociate ourselves from his fate.”

  A cold blast came through the open door into the yard and around the room. Attendees were silent awaiting the following words of Chantal.

  “Anyway I rule out that the incident involving Anabelle and Lucas has been perpetrated by those who persecute Emanuel, since they have not yet found him. It was a product of our brother´s diverted mind.”

  “But why? What have we done to him?” Anabelle said in tears.

  “There is no wrong that we have done to him, but my conclussions are that there is a revenge being taken, particularly against you Anabelle.”