by Dani Hoots
DANI HOOTS
A World of Vampires:
Soucouyant
© 2015 Dani Hoots
Content Edit by Justin Boyer of A Bibliophile’s Workshop
Final Edit by Justin Boyer of A Bibliophile’s Workshop
Cover Design Copyright © 2015 by Daniel Somerville
eBook layout and design by Marcy Rachel
http://www.facebook.com/Marcy.Rachel.10
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ISBN for ebook: 978-1-942023-31-9
I can feel the change in the wind as centuries have passed, the wind that was once seen as a guiding angel, or even a god to those who sailed by it. The wind was such a delicate power, commanding you to travel somewhere that wasn’t necessarily the destination you really wanted to go, but rather the destination you needed to go. After everything, I still live by the wind, and it has taken me on a journey I never knew I would encounter.
My life radically changed so long ago, that I sometimes even forget the fact that I was once human. I stand by, watching as these mortals ignore the demands the wind proclaims onto them, threatening the very destruction of all that they have built. But no human really takes any of it to heart. They go on with their lives, destroying what the gods themselves once created just for their enjoyment. These mortals don’t see the harm they have caused, and they won’t until it is too late.
Compared to others I have met in my life, I never saw my eventual fate as my downfall, but rather as a gift. I can’t honestly say at first whether I felt betrayed and used by the soucouyant, but now I have come to terms with my fate and have gone on living, as it has been almost 300 years since this all first went down. Many others I have spoken to consider themselves dead, their life ceasing to exist the moment they became a monster. They go on, following their master, or simply feeling sorry for themselves as they go on with their never-ending life, fighting the beast within. I pity them, for they don’t see all the things the world now has to offer, all the things they might be able to do, all the historical events that they could now become a part of if they just listened and understood the conditions behind this gift. But it was their life, and I could not force them to listen to the wind.
I admit, at first it was hard to keep control of myself, and if it weren’t for my captain, I would have never been able to go on, even with my free spirit. I liked to think that I still could have won the battle without her, but she was the one who taught me to be myself, and not to change. She comes later in my story, though, and this story is about the life that was forced upon me, the fate that I could never change. Was it for the better? I really don’t have an answer for that. But I can say that I will never let myself dwell on regrets.
I can clearly remember that day the direction of the wind changed for me and sealed my fate. It was in April of 1723, and I was standing on the beach close to our home in Tobago, listening to the waves gently hit the shore. Other French families were out and about in the town, finishing their errands. I never understood that type of distracted business, how one could forget to just stop and enjoy this magical place. Ever since my family moved to Scarborough, a town on the island Tobago seven years ago, when I was just eight, from Paris, I have learned that I really should just enjoy my time here. Who knows when I might move away from this place? Many call me a naive little girl, a spoiled daughter of a French aristocrat, etc. But I have learned to ignore them over the years. I enjoyed staring off into the sea, dreaming of the day when I could sail out there in the wide, open ocean and learn what it’s like to be truly free.
And upon thinking that thought, I closed my eyes and made my wish. Knowing that maybe, this wish proved I was both naïve and inexperienced with life.
With a deep breath, I opened my eyes again. I was still where I was standing, staring out at the ocean as it gently swept up on the sand before me. I didn’t know why I thought I could magically have my wish come true. I watched as the wind swept up the grass around me and I sighed. I was trapped here, in the body of an aristocrat’s daughter, destined to fill the shoes of such a proper woman in society. I couldn’t be free, it was a role I was forced into by just being born.
I watched a bit more as boats glided out on the ocean, their destination unknown by the naked eye. Only a select few knew where they were going, and the rest of us were left to ponder. Were they going to another island, just fishing, or even traveling back to France? If that was the case, why didn’t I jump in the water and swim to the boat? What stopped us from completely fulfilling our dreams? To say no to those impulses that were against society? I had a lot to learn, I knew, but my heart knew that it would always want to run away and leave this life behind.
As I started back for my home, I watched as settlers and natives alike went on with their day, fishermen heading to the docks, blacksmiths going to retrieve metals from importers, bakers and farmers selling their products on the street, other aristocrats doing god-knows-what. I still didn’t quite understand what Father did all day, I just knew we were able to live comfortably in the house that we did, and that his work brought him all the way out to this island.
“Good day, young miss.” A man approached me. He wore those ridiculous black curls that I truly believed no man should wear. He also wore a blue coat with gold lining. He must have been a military captain or something. “Are you lost?”
I shook my head, a little irritated that he thought just because I was young that I was lost. “No, I’m heading home now. My house is just over there.”
He glanced over at the house. “Oh, you are the daughter of Monsieur Labelle, aren’t you?” He knelt down next to me. “I am Admiral John Flowers. I just arrived here on my ship looking for pirates.”
My eyes widened. “Pirates?”
Admiral Flowers nodded. “Yes, so if you see anything out of the ordinary, let me know immediately, all right?”
I quickly nodded, wondering what these pirates were like, whether or not they were as ruthless as the stories made them out to be. In some ways I hoped they were, in other ways I hoped they weren’t. Our island had been a bit boring lately, adventure could be a little fun, as long as no one got hurt.
“Renee, where are you? Renee!” I heard my mother calling from the house.
I glanced over, sighing. The Admiral laughed and rubbed the top of my head. “You better get back to your house, seems your mother is worried.”
“Yeah, well she needs to learn I can take care of myself,” I mumbled as I started over to my house.
“Good day, Miss Renee. I hope we meet again.”
My mother kept calling for me. “Renee!”
I rolled my eyes. She could never let me have any fun. All I wanted to do was enjoy the sea for just a moment more, stare out at the wonders that life could potentially bring, but no, I had to learn how to be a proper lady, one that could sew and sit at the table without moving my shoulders or something (which is impossible by the way). It was all rubbish, aimed specifically for the pursuit of being the perfect wife to an aristocrat. Well, I’ll tell you what I knew. I was never going to marry; I would never be restricted in the way many women in town appeared to be. Why would someone want that anyways? I just never understood anything that restricts freedom.
“What, mère?” I asked as
I ran over to her.
Even though she was very cross with me, my mother held her composure (she was a lady after all). She had on her normal daily dress, a lot more extravagant than any of the locals around here had ever seen. I tried to point this out once, but she scolded me by instructing me to never try and fit into a social class beneath one’s own. Her blue eyes were once again scolding me, but her posture was proper, and if you didn’t know her as well as I did, you would think nothing was really wrong with her. She was just your typical straight-laced, posh lady, mother to an overambitious girl.
“You naughty child, Madame Nia was looking all over for you to help you with today’s lessons. You had her worried sick.”
That was a lie, Madame Nia, who was my nanny since we arrived to the island, a native who had education in French culture, knew exactly where I was. We made a pact, I was allowed to go out to the beach when I wanted, to get to know the nature around me, which Madame Nia wanted of me as she told me that once I understood, she could teach me all about the world and what secrets it held, as she had learned from her mother and grandmother years ago when they lived together on the island. But in return, if I got caught, Madame Nia knew nothing of my whereabouts. I loved her like an aunt and she was one of the closest friends I had on this island.
“I’m sorry, mère, it was just a nice day out. I didn’t mean to make Madame Nia worry,” I tried my best to pout, as that would always work on my father. I should have known better that it wouldn’t work on her.
She moved away the blonde hair that was let loose against my face and tucked it behind my ear. “My dear Renee, don’t you dare give me that look, you should know better. Besides, you look despicable with your hair let down like that, and this awful old dress of yours. It is quite dirty and full of stains. Why would you ever wear such a thing in public? You should have it thrown out immediately.” She spun around. “Now, let’s get back to the house. You have many studies to finish before dinner.”
“Ugh,” I mumbled.
Mother eyed me. “What was that?”
“I said yes mother, anything you say.” I grinned, offering up my most innocent smile.
“Mhmm.” She turned back around and I reluctantly followed her into the house.
The rest of the day went according to my mother’s plan. I had to learn how to eat properly and other nonsense like that. Not only did these little classes make me yawn, but it also made me feel lonely. I wanted to go outside, where life was happening, actually be human and interact with the rest of the world. Instead, I was stuck in this house, with only my mother and Madame Nia for company. It all felt so fake, as if this life meant nothing in the end. All I wanted was to be free, to be able to soar with the wind and ride on the sea.
And that was what I wished for most.
I knew it was a wish that probably would never be answered anytime soon, that is unless I ran away. But I couldn’t do that to my mother and father. Although I didn’t agree with their way of life, I also didn’t want to make them worry if I disappeared from them without notice. I didn’t know what I was going to do, how I was going to manage a life I wanted without them trying to stop it.
I thought maybe Madame Nia could help me out. She knew how interested I was in the world, how it worked and everything it had to offer. Although when I brought it up, she would warn me again and again that some of things she believed and did were against my religious teaching and that my mother and father would be angry, but I didn’t care. The religion my parents followed wasn’t one I cared for as much. All the stories felt fake, as if there was more to them, something they were hiding. And besides, I felt as if there had to be something more, something out there besides just what one book said. I felt as if too many people got caught up in that, and that if there was a god, he would want us to explore his creation, not fear it. When I told Madame Nia this, she laughed and said I was a strange girl indeed and that I might be perfect for what she wanted to teach me.
I kept asking her what it was she would teach me, and when, but she would never give me a straight answer. Usually she just said it would be when the time is right, when I needed to learn the truth. I didn’t know what she meant by that, or whether or not she was really going to teach me anything, but I stopped asking about it after a while. I was used to people lying to me, after all my parents had said that we would return to France within a few years of living here. It was supposed to be a temporary thing, and I was supposed to be able to go back to my friends eventually, but that never happened. Although I did love living on this island, that didn’t mean I didn’t miss my home either.
But the anger of that had dulled out in my heart. Now I considered this my home and I think that if I were to leave, I would be equally devastated. I would miss the sea, the freshness in the air, the wind in my hair. From what I remembered, Paris smelled horrible, wasn’t clean, and it was always crowded. I definitely felt much more free here, now I understood, and although I wanted to go back to see the city someday, I definitely wouldn’t want to stay there.
And, of course, that was the exact conversation we had at dinner.
My family and I sat around the dinner table, my parent’s servants bringing us our plates and utensils, etc. I hated being waited on like this but I had to endure it every night. What was worse was that Madame Nia couldn’t join us, and had to eat with the rest of the servants in the house. It made me sick, and I knew when I grew up I would never allow that.
I sat up straight, just as a lady would and ate my food, wanting to just pick at it, but knew I would be scolded if I did such a thing. My mother and father talked about their day, the normal exchange of trifles like ‘oh how was it in town’, ‘fine dear, how was it at the house’, ‘same as usual’. I usually just ignored it, hoping that I could be excused soon so I could go read and dream about another life.
“Renee, I have some exciting news,” my father said as he looked over at me. His graying hair was hidden away in his grey wig. I really didn’t understand those wigs at all. I hated them, honestly, and thought they made any man who wore them look like a fool. But I never told my father that.
“What is it père?” I asked.
“I just got word that the government wants us to return to France. Isn’t that fantastic? As you wanted to go back to France.”
It felt as if everything stopped. Yes I had wanted to leave at one time, but not now. I was finally accepting this place, loving to explore the island, wanting to learn more about the culture. What was I going to do? I couldn’t just leave this place to go back to somewhere I felt like I had just gotten used to living.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t want to go. You can’t make me.”
“Renee, watch your tone with your father. You should be thankful he pulled some stings to let us go back home away from this miserable place,” my mother scolded.
“But père, I like it here now. I have learned so much and I love the beach and—“Then it hit me. “Wait, what about Madame Nia?”
My father shrugged. “She would stay here. She’s not from France, Renee, this is her home.”
I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t just leave her. I had so much to learn, so much I could be with her help. I didn’t want to go back, I wanted to be free of that life.
“I… I can’t leave this place. I won’t leave this place!”
“Renee,” my mother began. “That is enough! Apologize to your father this instant!”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to leave.”
My father smiled. “It’s okay, Renee. You will come to realize it is the best thing for you. You will have friends again, people your own age. Besides, you are almost old enough to be married. I have arranged for you to meet with many suitors when we get back.”
I wanted to argue with him more. I couldn’t believe he would do such a thing without asking me first. I didn’t want to marry some person because it was what was arranged for me. I wanted to meet someone I loved, marry them because I knew they were the person
that would make me stronger, let me be free. But one look from my mother made me realize I would never win this argument. I sighed. “Yes père.”
“Good. We will be leaving next month. If there is anything you want to do on the island, be sure to do it soon.”
I nodded and finished my food, even though I had lost my appetite. I hated my life, even though I did realize I had it better than many. That didn’t mean I had it easy, not as a woman at least. I was supposed to live the life my family wanted of me, never getting to choose my own path.
After dinner I read some more of Robinson Crusoe, wishing that I too could go on such an adventure. Time passed and my mother came to tell me that I needed to go to bed. I closed the book and headed up the stairs, not saying a word to her. I was still angry at my situation, and how none of my family could ever understand.
Madame Nia helped me out of my clothes and prepared me for bed. As I stared in the mirror at myself, I debated if it was a good idea to talk to Madame Nia about everything that was going on in my mind.
“Madame Nia, can I ask you a question?”