Echoes in the Bayou

by Dukes, Ursula

  "No. I’ll be fine I promise, this woman…" Ava looked at the old woman but before she could ask her name, Sinta volunteered it.

  "Sinta, my name is Sinta," she replied with cordiality in her voice.

  "Sinta is it?" Magnus asked. He was still confused and worried about Ava.

  "Yes, sir," Sinta answered.

  "Sinta, would you mind explaining to us just how it is exactly that you came to find your way inside our house?" He folded his arms and looked at the woman suspiciously.

  "Yes sir she said and went on to tell them the exact reason of why she was there and what she needed from them. By the time Sinta had finished her astonishing story, both Ava and Magnus sat at full attention. Ava was the first to believe in it all but Magnus however, was a bit skeptical. He raised an eyebrow at the woman and ran his fingers through his hair.

  "So let me get this straight, you're saying that Ava is Celeste reincarnated and I'm a direct descendant of the man who raped and murdered her?"

  He was up out of his seat now and pacing the room. Excuse me for saying this Miss Sinta, but that story sounds much too incredulous," he said with a nervous chuckle.

  "No Mister DuPonte, it don’t. It da truth and I can prove it," Sinta said. She too was standing now and finished speaking. "Mister DuPonte, Miss Ava, you’ll want to follow me," she told them more so than asked.

  "Ava, I don’t think we should be following this woman anywhere," Magnus protested.

  She needed to only give him a look before she slowly got up from the settee and followed Sinta towards the door.

  "You coming?" Ava turned and asked him.

  The sun was about to set on the day and as Sinta led them deeper and deeper into the bayou; Magnus cursed himself for not bringing his baseball bat along. He kept his arm firmly around Ava and though he thought she’d object or cringe at his touch she did not, in fact she was holding onto him as well. Since the day that she had arrived, the bayou had allowed itself to be awakened and the once thin marshland was now swollen with wildlife, trees and bogs. Just as Magnus was about to insist that they turn back Sinta stopped. In front of them stood the largest oak tree either had ever seen and right in the middle of the great tree were the initials, C.M.

  Ava let out a gasp and took hold of Magnus’s hand. "Jesus," was all that he could say. The tree let out an earthly groan when Ava touched it.

  "Sees? I’s told you I’s was telling da truth, now do you's believe me?" She asked them both.

  The area around them grew quiet as Sinta continued her story. She told the two that unless they were able to resurrect Celeste, Magnus would never be allowed to love and be loved for whom he is and that John DuPonte would never let Ava leave the plantation alive. "He part of the curse Miss Ava, that why his spirit still here. He got a tight hold on you and that house," she said.

  "Your soul would have belonged to him had I not come along Miss Ava, you got’s to believe me," she cried. "John DuPonte working some strong hoodoo on you. I’s been trying to work agin’ it but his evil just too strong, I’s needs yours and Mister Magnus’s help."

  Magnus threw his hands up in the air. "Okay Sinta, let’s say that all of this is true, and I'm not saying that it is but for arguments sake let’s say that it is. How the hell can we help? I mean, if this John is as evil as you say; then how can we stop him?"

  Sinta went on to explain that once the body of Celeste was resurrected and reunited with Will’s then the awful curse would be broken and John DuPonte would be returned to the underworld where he belonged.

  "So now we have to find Will’s body too?" Magnus asked. He was getting more and more frustrated. Ava could sense his frustration. "Magnus, this is a huge plantation, I'm sure there is a family cemetery on the premises. All we have to do is find it."

  "Easier said than done," he retorted and threw his arms open wide as he looked around the vast property, it went on for miles.

  "Don’t worry," Ava said to them both. "We’ll find it."

  "I’s knows you will," Sinta replied. I’s knew from the moment that I’s seen you that you was gon’ to help me. You have kindness in your heart, just like Celeste," Sinta said and took hold of Ava’s hand. She then abruptly turned and stared hard at Magnus before releasing a smile.

  "Now Mister Magnus, you ain’t got that tainted blood like your ancestor, thank god for ‘dat. But what you do got is a strong yearning, you needs love and you only want that love from Miss Ava. Ya’ll two meetin up like ‘dis ain’t no coincidince, no sir.

  The spirit’s done bought ya’ll together because it was meant to be. That why Master Will been takin’ o’er your body almost every night and sometimes your ancestor John DuPonte take it over too. But you got’s to be strong Mister Magnus, you got to fight your ancestor, tell him ‘dat you ain’t like him. That you ain’t never gon’ hurt Miss Ava."

  Both Magnus and Ava stared intently at the old woman. Magnus wondered how she knew that his feelings for Ava, albeit premature, were strong none the less. And how did she know that his body was being over taken by Will and more recently, John DuPonte? This woman is the real deal, he thought to himself and shook his head in bewilderment.

  "Ain’t no sense in trying to figure out how I’s knows Mister Magnus, you two just work on getting that bad juju out your house so that Miss Celeste and Will can be reunited and be free. Now ‘da both of you turn round and don’t look back." Not needing to be told twice, Magnus and Ava turned to leave, Ava turned to ask the old woman one more question, but she was gone.

  On the walk back to the house, Ava was lost in her thoughts. Was the reason why she’d felt like the place was beckoning her because she really was Celeste? It was true; she did have profound intuition, Sinta told her that Celeste had the same gift. Although given what had happened recently between she and Gavin, she felt like maybe she was losing her touch. But the rest, the rest was almost too crazy to believe. But like it or not, she did feel a strong connection towards Magnus the moment that she met him and she was sure that he felt the same way. What if Will really was inhabiting his body in order to get to me? She wondered as they strolled into the house together.

  "What are you thinking about Magnus?" Ava asked him. He’d been quiet ever since they returned to the house and now he was pacing again.

  Magnus looked at her with fear in his eyes. "Ava, what if everything that she said is true? What if I am the direct descendant of the man who raped and murdered Celeste?" He kneeled down in front of her as she sat down. "Ava, if I am what that woman says I am, please know that I would never hurt you, I would never force myself upon you," he promised.

  Ava touched his face. "Magnus I know that you would never hurt me." She had tears in her eyes now. The day’s turmoil had gotten the better of her, she had a terrible headache and as she looked into his eyes she could see the authenticity in them. "I think I need to lie down," she said placing a hand on the bump on her head. Magnus knew better than to let her do that, he knew that anyone with a head injury should be kept awake, at least for several hours after. He held her face in his hands, hands that were strong but soft and gentle.

  "Ava I can’t let you go to sleep, you’ve got to stay awake; hey how about we read this diary?"

  Suddenly her headache lightened and she smiled at him. "That sounds like a perfect idea."

  Ava picked up the diary and very delicately placed it in her lap. After making them both a hot cup of tea, Magnus sat down next to her. She hadn’t noticed before but the pages that remained were in extraordinarily good shape. She wondered if it was because she was the one who was meant to find it and year after year, decade after decade, it weathered the storms so to speak just so that when she did find it, she would be able to read and understand it. Hypothetically speaking it was after all her diary, but that didn’t stop the feeling of apprehension upon reading all of it.

  "It’s okay," Magnus said and gently rubbed her arm. "We’ll read through it together."

  After gently turning over the pages that were t
oo ripped and shredded to be legible, Ava found the passage that she had read when she first came upon the diary.

  It my birthday today I am sixteen but mistress wont let me forget that I still got work to do as if I would ever forget I know what I got to do she aint got to tell me I bin workin on my birthday every year now since I eight year old that the year my momma died even then I member mistress making me work right after my momma die an she wont let me go to her burial that was a hard day for me When Master wish me a happy birthday mistress just about up and hit the ceiling Her face got red like scarlet and she said to him that today was nothing out the ordinary so I should stop thinkin like it is

  Will come in the kitchen today when I was alone and planted a kiss on my cheek and he say we gon celebrate tonight right here in the kitchen it our secret place oh I loves him so He helping me to read and write better too I no the difference between the word too two and to Will taught me that he say my talking and writing is getting better and better every day but that I got to remember to talk my talk when speaking to the master and mistress Because if theys find out that I can read and write they beat me dead for sure Especialy Mistress she hates me more than master Master can be kind but master can be brutal too Once I sees him whip a field slave just cuz he wipe the sweat from his face Master say he took too long doin it and he say all we need is more dyscyplin I say all we needs is to be free

  I got to go gots to get ready to see Will I love him and he say he loves me I hav strong fealings for him

  Ava let out an exasperated gasp as she closed the diary. "Well by all appearances, I’d say that this young woman was deeply in love and extremely smart. But mistress, Will’s mother, treated her incredibly bad."

  "Sounds to me like mistress was jealous," Magnus added.

  "Magnus we’ve got to search the rest of the house and see what else we can come up with, I'm afraid there is more to this than meets the eye and you and I both know that if we don’t find anything else in this house then its secrets will be lost and buried for good."

  "Okay, that’s why we go to the town hall; surely they will have some records on this place."

  "Magnus you’re not getting it, yes they will have records but records pertaining to business transactions only, they’ll have nothing about the slaves from this plantation. Forgive me for saying this but your ancestors weren’t very persistent about preserving the history of their slaves, unless of course their slaves ran away, why then they’d go through hell and high water to find them," she said with heavy disdain.

  "Nor were they respectful in thinking that a Negroes life story be conserved, they all but erased their identities, it’s sad and atrocious.

  The town hall will only have a tidbit of what we need to find. We need more journals, we need more personal stories; the stories that will tell us exactly what went on behind these closed doors."

  "Well, I’ve got a few ideas of where we could continue to look but right now, you need your rest. It’s been an excruciatingly long day and I’d feel a lot better if you would try and relax and let me take care of you."

  She smiled up at him. "Okay, I’ll relax right after we read one more entry," she bargained with him.

  No matter what it was that she asked; Magnus knew that he could never refuse her. His smirk let her know that he was ready to hear another one of Celeste’s entries.

  There is a house guest named John DuPonte that arrived late afternoon and I dont like him he look at me wit eyes like the devil inside him and he try touchin me this morning when was just me and him in the kitchen I cannot tell mistress though cuz the last girl that told mistress about one of they house guest rubbin up on her disaperred We ain’t never seen her again I dont want to end up like that girl so I just keep my mouth shut and do my work Been seein my Will almost every nite now and he make all the bad things in my head go away Especial when he tell me the words Youre my love and my love for you will cease to exist when those beautiful gardenias start blooming in the harshest of winter I ask him to help me memorized that becuz it the most beautyful thing anybody ever told me I cannot wait to feal his warm imbrace

  When she finished reading, Magnus could see that she had tears in her eyes. He remembered that he had said those exact same words to her the night before.

  "Well if there was any doubt in your mind that Will was possessing your body before, there certainly shouldn’t be now," she said sounding quite resolute.

  Magnus nodded his head in agreement, there was no denying it. Will’s spirit was still inside the house and was using him as beacon to be reunited with his Celeste.

  "Ava, why is he still here? I mean doesn’t it sound odd that he made no attempt to find her, track her down?

  "He may very well have tried but from the sound of it Magnus, I’d say that his mother prevented him from doing so."

  Magnus began to get frustrated. "We’ve sure got our work cut out for us then don’t we? We need to uncover so much of this mystery."

  Ava gave him a reassuring smile. "We can do it Magnus, it’s slowly coming together and the more information we find, the more we’ll be able to use it in order to reunite them. Something tells me that we are well on our way."

  Chapter Nine

  While Magnus plunged into his writing, Ava took to exploring the mansion in search of anything that would help them uncover the truth, sometimes Sinta would stop by and help. More than a week had passed by and so far, their incessant searches had turned up nothing. When they weren’t checking the books in the library, they were pressing against old doors and walls, hoping that one would open up and reveal a secret passage or room that would help them uncover every hidden secret about the Montieu family.

  They were in the attic one day, searching and just as Ava was beginning to lose hope, she uncovered an intricately decorated large trunk. The chest was one of many that seemed to be left abandoned in the enormous attic. Ava had been determined to examine them all and besides housing a tattered ball gown, some yellowed lace fabric and a couple of porcelain dolls, the first two had turned out nothing that could be of use to them.

  But this trunk was different; it stood alone in a far corner away from the others. The top of the trunk bore the initials A.M. The moment Sinta saw the dusty old trunk, she murmured something. "That there is the mistress’s trunk, I can smell the evil, "she said with frightened eyes. Ava too sensed that there was something sinister inside the trunk, but it was something that they needed to open. "It might hold the answer that will allow us to set Celeste free," she told Sinta. When she saw the look on her face, Ava immediately called for Magnus, she wanted him there when she opened the trunk. "I don’t know what we are going to find when we get this open Sinta but whatever it is, I hope it helps us," she said as Magnus stood in the doorway.

  It took only a nudge from the wrench to make the rusted lock fall to the floor and as it did, the chest made a creaking, scraping sound that made them all take a step back. "Probably a mouse," Magnus said and slowly kneeled down to open the chest.

  "Be careful," Ava whispered. He gave her a comforting glance before lifting the lid. Piled to the rim was layer after layer of delicate lace fabrics, several pairs of ladies gloves, an umbrella, a pair of satin shoes and nothing else.

  "Well that’s strange." Ava sighed. "I was sure that there was something of significance in this trunk."

  "Don’t give up yet Ava." Magnus had emptied the contents of the trunk and saw that there was a hole in the bottom, and when he reached inside he didn’t touch the floor, but rather a false bottom.

  Both Ava and Sinta stood nervously by as he pulled the false covering out. Hidden underneath the false bottom was yet another diary. This one was much more sophisticated than the one Ava had found in the pantry. This diary was covered in black velvet and written inside was the name Amelia Montieu. An old envelop was stuck inside one of the pages, the word: Mother written neatly on top.

  "Looks like we hit the jackpot," Magnus smiled and carefully flipped through the pages. Both Sin
ta and Ava marveled that after all this time, the items that they were finding were preserved beyond belief. Besides the velvet covering being intact, the envelope which housed some kind of letter was yellowed but otherwise unsullied.

  "Can we get out of this hot attic now please?" Ava was fanning herself briskly, all of a sudden she couldn’t get cool fast enough. The air inside the attic had grown even more stifling. Magnus helped Ava up from the floor and he and Sinta helped her out.

  She thought it odd that neither Magnus nor Sinta had gotten overheated. "Are you feeling okay Ava? You don’t look so good," Magnus placed a hand on her cheek, she was burning up. Sinta immediately saw that the air around her was somehow trying to suffocate her. Sinta made her way into the kitchen as fast as her old bones would carry her and filled a large bowl with ice. On her way back to the sitting room, she whispered words of protection and healing before wrapping the ice in a towel and running it along Ava’s parched skin.

  "Thank you," she smiled at Sinta before sitting up. "Now let’s get back to searching."

  Magnus placed his arms around her. "Oh no you don’t Ava, that’s enough searching for today. You two have been up there for hours and it’s time for you to get something to eat and get some rest." Ava was too tired to argue, she was tired and she was hungry. Being up in the attic had taken its toll on her, even more so when they’d opened up Amelia’s trunk.

  "You listen to Mister Magnus Miss Ava; mistress still got a strong connection to her personal items. And I reckon that since you the one who found her secret things, she gonna be very angry. But I done placed protection on you, so you just get some rest now and come back to deal with the livin’, we got time to figure it all out, don’t you worry. And besides, you better git to askin her Mister Magnus," Sinta gave them both a wink and headed out the door.

  "She’s right you know you really do need to rest."

  Ava looked at him suspiciously. "What did she mean by you better get to asking Magnus? Ask me what?"