by J Middleton
Chapter 4
Victoria watched out the window as the clouds began to part. He minds starts to wonder if Lilly is back. Knowing she would have to call upon her sisters for help. Not wanting to go to the high priestess unless necessary.
Tears filled her eyes as she chanted her magic spell of protection.
Victoria jumped back as Zac entered the doorway. Swallowing hard, when she seen the pale look on his face.
“Are you alright.”
Zac passed her and grabbed a bottle of whiskey and poured him a shot. Swallowing it quickly he turned to her.
“Victoria, did you tell that man that I was a Shadow hunter?”
“No, I didn’t! Why would you ask me that?”
“Something isn’t right. He knew what I was.” He paused for a moment and took another shot.
“What do you mean?” Victoria asked.
“That, thing is not a man! He forced me out of his building with tremendous amount of force without moving an inch. I am afraid that he might be a dark soul from Lilly.”
Tears rolled down Victoria’s eyes as she trembled in fear.
“Are you sure?”
“He is not from this world. He isn’t human so what else could he be?”
Victoria stood there in shock, all her fears had come back to haunt her.
“Victoria what happened the two hours you were gone? Did you go in that shop? I need to know.”
“Nothing happened, No! I didn’t go in the shop. I told you he bumped into me as I walked passed it. He said he was knew to this town and that was all the next thing I remember was he was gone. Nothing else.”
“He didn’t tell you his name.”
“No Zac he didn’t”
“Did you tell him yours?”
“I don’t know, I don’t remember. He was only there for a quick moment.”
“If he was there for a moment then why did it take you two hours to walk ten minutes. It doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know what happened. He was only there a moment when I blinked my eyes he was gone. I was in a daze are something I don’t remember.” She started to cry.
Zac ran his hand through his hair, confusion filled his mind. “What was going on? Why is he here, who is he? What happened the two hours she disappeared?”
“Zac I don’t remember anything else.”
Victoria watched as he flipped the closed sign in the window. He walked back and put his arms around her.
“We have to go get Vince, something isn’t right. Talk to Glenda and find out if she knows anything.” He grabbed her hand and headed out the door.
Walking quickly, she had to take two steps to keep up with his one. A cold breeze brushed though her hair. Chills ran down her spine as the breeze turned hot.
Finally, they reached Glenda’s and hurried though the door. Zac locked it behind him. Glenda stopped midway down the stairway when she seen the fear across their faces.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, as the moved closer to them.
“Where is Vince?”
“He is upstairs reading.”
“Where can we talk?”
“Come.” She leads them into the kitchen and closed the door behind them.
They sat down at the table with a large ball in the center.
“Glenda, I think Lilly is back.”
“WHAT? No that can’t be.” Stunned. “Why would you think such a thing everything has been normal for some time now!”
“Normal you call that new shop normal?” Zac snapped.
“What knew shop?”
“The stone building built where her old potion shop was.”
“Victoria there is nothing there but a bench and tree.”
Zac grabbed her arm and led her to the window.
“Does that look like a rest area to you?”
Glenda’s face went pale as her eyes couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“That wasn’t there yesterday?”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!” She snapped.
“How did it come up over night?”
“I don’t know.”
Glenda stared at the two-story building that favored something out of an old movie. The structure was something she had never seen.
“Why do you think it is Lilly?”
“Because I met the owner. He knew who I was and looked like something Lilly would send. Remember the dark shadows! I felt the energy merging from him. It was like nothing I’ve ever felt since Lilly, but this power was way stronger than before.
“This can’t be? Do you think she really sent someone?”
“I believe so!”
“I have to call the sisters and see what they know.”
Zac pulled the curtains over the window as they moved back to the table.
“I will be right back.” Glenda said as she left the room.
Victoria moved back to the table and rubbed her hand over the glass ball. Visions of the street started to come into view. Zac stood there watching as people moved in and out of the stores. When the stone building came in sight he watched as a dark fog covered the building. Victoria tried to remove the fog with a spell but it was useless. The building couldn’t be penetrated by her magic.
“What is going on Zac?” Looking up as she could see fear in his eyes.
“I don’t know but I will find out.”
The door swung open as Vince walked in the room with his button. He tossed it in the air and catching it with his hand. He threw it a few more times until it missed and hit the floor. Zac reached down and picked it up. Staring at the texture.
“Vince where did you get this?”
“I found it on the floor this morning.”
“Where at?”
“Daddy, at our store.”
Zac looked more closely, this button was too old to be on something someone would wear around here.
“Maybe it fell off the person’s shirt that was messing around our store.”
Zac froze knowing that he could be right.
“What’s wrong daddy has grandmother came back?”
Victoria was in shocked to hear them words coming out of his mouth. “How would he know this? She thought as her heart started beating hard.
“Why would you say that Vince? Your grandmother is dead.”
“No daddy she is not.”
“Yes Vince she is. We told you that she died in an accident.”
“Not that one the other one, Grandma Lilly.”
Zac turned and looked at Victoria. They both became silent. They looked at each other with shock. They knew that no one spook of her to him ever.
“Sit down Vince, tell me why you would say such a thing.”
Vince sat down between them as he started to rattle on.
“Momma you know who I am talking about. She is your mother.”
Tears rolled down her face as he turned to wrap them away.
“Vince, why would you say such a thing that isn’t true?” Zac asks as anger was building up his veins.
“It’s true daddy, I dreamed of her. She looks just like momma.”
“That doesn’t mean it is true just because you dreamed it son.”
“You don’t understand she came to me when the park was down the road. The place where I would go to read.” He paused for a moment and looked at his father’s face. “Her name is Lilly, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean she came to you?” he stared at his eyes, knowing that he was telling the truth. “I want to hear about these dreams.”
“Well she showed me that the city would be covered in flames. Building would be demolished, and people would die. Don’t be afraid daddy she only wants me and mommy. She doesn’t like you very much though.”
“Vince these are just dreams bad dreams none of this is true.” Victoria said as she put her trembling hands on his shoulders.
“It is true, she almost destroyed the city years before I was born. Everyone called it a hurricane but it was grandmothers
fury.”
“Stop this Vince!” Victoria yells.
“Momma you don’t have to be afraid she said she just wants you on her side.”
“Vince, I told you to stop this. Whoever put this in your head is a liar. My mother died many years ago.”
Victoria got up from the table and hide her face from him. Her hands trembling as a silent tear rolled down her cheek.
“Vince just because someone told you this doesn’t mean it is true.”
“Daddy no one told me this. I told you she comes to me in my dream. She told me you wouldn’t believe me so she told me to look in the archive in the witch’s library. I did and it listed her as deceased fourteen years ago, but she isn’t deceased she is still alive and coming back.” He smiled.
“Vince you couldn’t have looked in the library it is protected by the priestess.”
“I did, she showed me a way in without being seen.”
“You did what? When did you do this?” Zac was trying to hold down his anger, he was livid.
“A few days ago.”
Zac was lost for words, his body trembled knowing that he was in contact with Lilly.
“Vince do you know you can get into a lot of trouble sneaking around the library without permission.” Glenda spoke.
“I’m sorry but she was so persisted of me knowing about her. I won’t go in there again. Besides Ms. Glenda she said I had powers.”
“What powers Vince?”
“The power to heal, move objects, create energy, and lots of other things but I just don’t know what they are yet.”
Victoria moved closer to him as her arm went on his shoulder. She could feel the energy flowing through his body. It felt like static electricity running through a plastic cord. Nodding yes at Zac she knew that she would have to tell him the truth now. All these years of keeping it from him was out in the open and he had to know that she was pure evil.
Victoria sat down beside him again and grabbed his hand and held it in hers.
“Vince how much do you know about Lilly?”
“Mom, all I know is she is my grandmother, and she is got a lot of power.”
“Do you know how she got her powers?”
“No she didn’t tell me that.”
“Vince she was involved in dark magic.”
“The voodoo religion?” Vince answered.
She was shocked that he knew about this as well.
“Vince what do you know about Voodoo.” Zac jumped in the conversation.
“Voodoo is a spirit religion with origins in West Africa in what is today Benin and Togo and surrounding areas. In Haiti, these spirits are called “Loi” coming from the French word for “law,” since each spirit is a law of nature to which we are all subject. Voodoo also came to the American colonies, because of the slave trade. Many people often confuse Hoodoo and Voodoo or assume that they are one in the same. Hoodooists focus more on the creation of charms dolls and the casting of sells rather than communal dances or service to spirits and saints. I know that the religion should be for blessing and not to cause harm. It much be done right and involve many people. I know that having ill will in your heart when practicing this religion brings forth what you put out and cannot be undone. A dark heart will only allow dark and angry spirits, and even evil creatures to arise.”
There was silence in the room for a moment before Glenda cleared her throat.
“Vince how do you know all of this.” Victoria asks.
“I read mom a lot.” He answered.
“Vince the magic is mysterious and the power it holds is still something we do not understand. You must stay away from the practice of it. There is black magic priest called Bokur, who only teaches dark and evil magic. Once you cast the spell it can never be undone. You must never practice such evil it can condemn your soul to hell.”
“Glenda you don’t have to put it so harsh.” Victoria snapped.
“Mom it’s alright I have already read about the powers of voodoo.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. Voodoo itself is not evil, as with all things in life, it is what we carry in our hearts that colors everything else in our life. We can always overcome e negativity and darkness by summoning our inner strength to break the chains of captivity that bind our souls and suppress our right to happiness.”
Vince looked over at her mother but couldn’t explain the expression that was across her face.
“You have been doing a lot of ready.” Glenda asks.
Vince looked over at Victoria.
“Well is it true? Is Lilly my grandmother? My real one?”
Victoria didn’t want to answer that question but she knew if she didn’t that Lilly would turn him against her if she had the chance.
“Yes Vince she is, but there are things you need to know about her. She gave me away when I was born and never returned. She also killed my parents that raised me. They protected me from her evil and they died because of her.” Tears formed in her eyes.
“Yes son you mother is telling you the truth, Lilly has a dark soul, and she causes only harm to everyone around here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because your parents didn’t want you to know of the evil she had done to others.” Glenda answered quickly.
“Ms. Glenda she doesn’t act like she is evil.” He turned his head and looked at her with this puzzled look.
“I promise you she is. Didn’t you read about her in the library.”
“Yes but it doesn’t seem real, she was so kind to me all she wants is me and mom.”
“Yes Vince she does but no for the right reasons she wants your soul of pure heart.”
Vince gave her a bewildered look as he nods his head in disbelief.
“It’s hard for me to belief what you are telling me. She doesn’t seem that way to me.”
“Vince it is the truth. I wouldn’t lie to you.” Zac said/
“I wonder what she has been doing since she returned.” Vince spoke.
“It seems to me that she has been building her a new building and got her a new guard.”
“What knew building daddy?”
“It isn’t important Vince.”
“Yes, it is, she never told me she was building anything. Just that she was coming soon.”
Victoria looked puzzled.
“Vince you haven’t seen the new building.”
“No mom I haven’t, where is it?”
“Where the small sitting park was?”
Vince jumps up and goes to the window. Glancing down the street he seen the large stone building.
“That is where grandmother use to talk to me? Momma she didn’t build that?” He stared at the craftsmanship, something he had never seen before.
“How do you know she didn’t build that?”
“I just know! That isn’t grandmother?” Vince was frustrated at all the questions.
Victoria looks over at Glenda, and never said a word.
“Come Vince let’s get something to eat.” Glenda held out her hand and led him to cabinet.
Zac pulled the curtains closed and walked over to Victoria and pulled her close.
“We’ll be fine.” Zac says softly.
“You think so?” Victoria replies. For a moment, they just stare into each other’s eyes. Zac kisses her softly and released her from his arms.
“I know so.” He smiles after he spoke. “I’m going to leave for a few days.”
“But, why?” She asks with worry.
“I know someone that could help us for what’s about to come.”
“Someone that can beat Lilly?”
“Well, no, but he can tell me what to do. Remember the man who came to us during our child’s birth?”
“Yes. You mean the strange man who wore a cloth over the bottom of his face?”
“Yes. You see, that was my older brother Zim. He is the one that gave protection to Vince when he was born. I must go find him. He is a man who has more knowledge than anyone I
know. He should know how to fix this.”
“Okay, if you think it will work, I believe you. Why don’t we go together? Glenda and her sisters could watch over Vince while we are gone.”
“No. The place where he resides is a place you shouldn’t be. Besides I’ll feel safer with you staying here.” He gives her another kiss.
“Alright, just be careful okay?”
“I promise.” He says with a grin. Glenda and Vince return to the table with two bowls of cereal. Zac goes upstairs and packs his things. A few moments later Victoria entered the room and closed the door behind her.
“How long will you be gone?”
“A few days at the most. Don’t worry it will be alright!” As he looked at her face he could see the worry in her eyes.
“Why don’t you and Vince stay with Glenda until I return.”
“Alright, but what about our business.”
“It can stay closed for a few days it won’t hurt.”
“Zac I can’t just hide from this.”
“I’m not asking you to hide, I just want you safe until we know what we are dealing with. Please Victoria.”
Tears formed in her eyes as she watched him but his bag across his shoulders. His expression was unreadable. She knew that there was more, but didn’t ask.
“Victoria please promise me you want go near that building. I want be gone long.”
“I promise I will do what you ask only because I love you not because I am hiding.”
“I love you to, I will be back soon.”
Victoria followed him down to the door and watch him walk down the sidewalk until he disappeared out of site. Closing the door behind her Glenda was standing in the foyer.
“Where did he go?”
“To seek help. Where is Vince?”
“He is in the din with Jessica talking about books.”
“I have your rooms ready, I thought you may be staying here until Zac returned.”
“Yes, thank you Glenda.”
Victoria had may questions but know answers. She tried to block her thoughts barely making eye contact with Glenda.
Victoria went up to her bed room, and shut the door. Walking directly to the window, she stared at the large building. No movement nothing, it looked almost haunted. Standing there for it seemed forever, she finally laid across the bed and closed her eyes.
Chapter 5