Bad Juju

by Dina Rae

  Jake blamed Lucien for their misfortune. He watched the old man give Henry an envelope after he gave them each spell books. Jake never asked either one of them about it, but suspected the old man was using Henry as messenger during his mission.

  Some good came out of the Voodoo. Lucien’s love spell brought Leah into his arms. Jake should have dismantled it, but chose to wait until the spell waned. Each day he fell deeper in love with her and feared her true feelings.

  Besides Leah, Lucien rescued him from Pete. That alone should have given the man Jake’s complete loyalty, but there had been a trade-off, a darker side. The bad outweighed the good. Every death and injury in Hayward could be traced back to Voodoo.

  Lucien obsessed over Henry’s condition, nagging Jake to keep him updated. Jake called Mrs. Novak frequently since their return from Haiti. Henry was his best friend and he felt responsible. It was he who introduced Henry to Lucien, and he who invited Henry into the world of Voodoo, and he who never mentioned the envelope to anyone.

  A week after Lucien and Jake stopped by, Mrs. Novak claimed her son experienced a breakthrough. She wanted Jake to come over without Lucien. He readily agreed to drive over Saturday afternoon after he finished helping the elderly residents of Chippewa Park.

  Lucien was Jake’s last stop. The house was filthy, not the norm. Mami’s water hadn’t been changed in days. Mold grew around the rim of the bowl. Dishes and empty food cartons cluttered every surface.

  Lucien’s hair had lightened back to shocks of white. He looked manic.

  “Hi, Lucien. Anything special today? Errands?” Jake asked as he took the garbage bag out of the plastic can and filled it with the litter strewn throughout the kitchen and dining area.

  “No. Nothing. Sit,” Lucien directed. “I don’t have much longer.”

  “What do you mean? Are you about to die?” Jake asked. The very thought of losing him filled his eyes with tears.

  “You knew my time here was near. Any day now. A month if I’m lucky. I need to warn you about my speech. If I start talking about random things, that’s the ti-bon-ange taking over. And be careful. Ed saw you grab Leah. I saw you both as well. People are talking…”

  “But…” Jake protested.

  “But nothing. Cool off! Too many reasons not to advertise your relationship. Enough said. It’s Henry I’m most worried about. Is he awake yet?” Lucien asked.

  “Uh, I’m not sure. His mom said he had a breakthrough. I’m going there once I’m finished,” Jake answered.

  Lucien’s eyes darkened and he looked away. “When was this breakthrough? Same day he drank my potion?” Lucien asked with a frantic edge that made Jake uncomfortable.

  “I don’t know. Calm down. I’ll ask, okay?”

  Lucien nodded and said, “I’m not insane. Just running out of time. Can’t sugar coat this or ease you or Jessica into it. What color are Henry’s eyes? Blue?” Jake nodded. “If you look at his eyes from the side, his profile, if I’m right about him…right about what happened in Haiti…you’ll see a glint of red or orange, maybe yellow. You’ll think it’s the lighting, but it’s him. Notice everything about him, head to toe. And I implore, don’t confront him on anything. You’re not trained yet. If he says the sky is green then you agree,” Lucien instructed.

  Jake didn’t like the sound of the word ‘yet’, but humored the old man. “Okay, I promise to be in observation mode and let you know what happens,” Jake said.

  “I wish I killed Pete. He was nothing but a mutha fucking bully. Always made me feel less than a man. Knock me around…” Lucien said, sounding distant.

  “But you did kill Pete to save me. And he never knocked you around. He knocked me around,” Jake said, confused at the sudden turn of conversation.

  “Hi, Jake. How’s Leah doing?” Lucien asked in a styro-foam voice that sent chills down Jake’s spine.

  “This must be the random gibberish you warned me about,” Jake said.

  Lucien nodded and then said, “Don’t you know who I am?” His voice sounded sing-song and his body movements didn’t match his language. Lucien grabbed an empty box of crackers and ripped it open. On the inside of the cardboard, he wrote, “Go now! U R the only one who can save him.”

  Jake bolted out of the trailer with a sense of urgency. What if he’s not crazy? What if he’s right about Henry?

  Chapter 43

  After a week’s worth of double sessions with Dr. Gold and Dr. Resnick, Henry’s communication improved. Still unable to hold a conversation, he could answer yes/no questions. At times he asked a question when he needed something, and every so often he’d make a comment. No signs of his memory were apparent. Per the doctors’ orders, Jessica sat with him for hours flipping through yearbooks and family photo albums helping him recall the past.

  Henry was difficult to read. His poker face gave his doctors no warning to his violent outbursts. Dr. Gold claimed Henry abhorred their methods and resented them for getting inside of his head. He believed the boy suppressed a traumatic event he didn’t want to face.

  Both doctors handcuffed Henry before each therapy session. He oddly complied, almost as if he was afraid of his own strength. Incited, Jessica tried on the padded handcuffs. She admitted they were comfortable, but wanted them off of her son.

  “We need to be safe, Mrs. Novak. Your son strangled Dr. Resnick and trashed my office a few sessions later. If you’d rather we have him committed to a psychiatric ward…” Dr. Gold threatened. “He’s technically a dangerous patient.”

  That son-of-a-bitch! She sneered, forced into allowing her son to be treated as a criminal.

  Henry served as both a laboratory rat and a stepping stone for the doctors. His unusual situation had potential to bolster their credentials. What would they call him once the book was published? Patient X? Jessica guessed. Despite her contempt, she couldn’t deny their progress. At the rate they were going, Henry might be “cured” in time for school.

  Jake frequently called with inquiries over Henry’s condition. He had not been over since she threw Lucien out of the house. Henry’s doctors suggested she socialize him with people he was once familiar with, people besides his family. Although she liked Jake, his affiliation with Lucien had turned her off. Reluctantly, she invited him over.

  Jake arrived a few minutes before noon. He seemed anxious to see Henry.

  “Hello, Mrs. Novak, Natalie. Where’s Mr. Novak? Working?” Jake asked.

  “Of course. And do we need the money,” Jess said. “Come in and have some lunch. I bought subs from Augustino’s. Henry’s playing video games,” Jess said. “Henry, Jake’s here.” She ushered him into the family room.

  Henry was entranced with the Halo game on his X-Box. Jake sat down and watched him play.

  Jessica prepared the kitchen counter with cut-up hunks of various sub sandwiches, pop, and chips. She watched the boys in the adjoining family room, grateful Jake came over.

  Jessica summoned everyone in the kitchen for lunch. They all piled up their plates and sat down at the kitchen table.

  “You must be so happy. Henry seems to have snapped out of his funk,” Jake said. “You look good, Henry.”

  “Thanks,” Henry said.

  “I’m so proud of him,” Jess said as she squeezed his shoulder. “The double long sessions are doing him some good. His doctors cost a fortune, but they’re bringing us back our boy.”

  “When exactly did he become…more social?” Jake politely asked.

  Jessica knew why he was asking. The same thought had crossed her mind as well, but it was too ludicrous of a possibility. “It was the day after you and Lucien came over.”

  “He must have really good doctors,” Jake said.

  “My mom calls them Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Hyde,” Natalie said. “Henry hates them.”

  Jess felt awkward discussing the details of Henry’s therapy with Jake. Changing the subject, she asked, “We never talked about Brittany. How was her funeral?” Jessica asked. She regretfully didn’t
know about the girl until they returned from Haiti.

  “It was very sad. Half the school was there,” answered Jake.

  “The night she died, she called for Henry,” Jessica said. She looked over at Henry who didn’t seem interested in the conversation. She wondered if he even remembered her.

  “She was depressed after he dumped her. He liked her, but didn’t want to get in trouble. And she had quite a reputation,” Jake said.

  “Classy way to say she was a whore,” Natalie chimed in. “Can’t imagine why she liked you, Henry. She could have had anybody. She must have been psycho. I phone blocked her so she wouldn’t call us. She said that she was…” Natalie’s voice trailed off. Jess knew her daughter was holding something back. In fact, they all were holding something back. Secrets. She was sick of them.

  “And poor Ms. Fontana. I hear she’s still fighting for her life over at St. Mary’s. She was over here too. The same night Brittany died,” Jess said. The coincidence was too great to ignore. The police mentioned Mrs. Fontana had both Henry’s and Brittany’s addresses programmed into her car’s navigation.

  “Maybe Miss Fontana was just being nice about stopping back here. Once she dropped off his backpack, there really wasn’t a need to come back and wish you a safe trip,” Natalie speculated. Jess watched Jake fidget.

  “You know, I’ve looked everywhere for that backpack. With school about to start, he’ll need it. But I can’t seem to find it,” Jess said.

  “That sucks. You might get stuck buying a new one,” Jake said. Jess couldn’t pinpoint his mindless comment, but intuition told her to press further. She again looked at Henry. She could see a shimmer of red around his pupil. Frightened, she looked away. She looked again and nothing. She assumed the odd color was from poor lighting in the room.

  “You know, I’ve got this theory. Maybe you kids can help me out with it. I think there was something in that backpack. Something Henry didn’t want me or his dad to see. Probably not his teacher either. Something so important, his favorite teacher personally delivered it and had every intention of discussing it with me and his dad. And I bet it had to do with Brittany,” Jess said.

  “Sounds like you might be on to something,” Natalie added.

  Jessica knew she was right, but needed the kids to fill in the blanks. Too many tragedies had happened with Jake and Henry being in the eye of the storm. Her pause made Jake even more fidgety.

  “So, you think Henry is ready for school?” Jake asked.

  “I’m very ready,” Henry said with a mischievous grin. His expression was new and sort of scared her.

  “Henry, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We need clearance from your doctors. And you still have some big memory gaps. I’m not sure what kinds of classes you can handle.” She looked at his eyes again. He sat next to her. A vivid orange color glittered inside of his iris. She blinked in fear. It was gone. Her imagination must have been playing tricks.

  “Mom, I handle them all,” he said, again with that peculiar expression, as if he was privy to a secret. “Jake, let’s finish Halo.”

  The boys spent the afternoon in front of the TV playing Halo and other video games. Both didn’t talk much, but enjoyed each other’s company. By 3:00 p.m. Jake stood up from the couch, ready to leave.

  “Thanks for lunch. Had a great time, Henry. It’s nice to see you getting better. I’ll come by later on this week, okay?” Henry nodded.

  “Jake, I packed up the rest of the subs for you to take home,” Jess offered.

  “Oh, you didn’t have to…”

  “They’ll just go to waste. I’m making something else for dinner, and we won’t be home tomorrow to eat them. Let me help you carry them out to your car,” Jess said.

  “Thanks, but I can manage,” Jake replied.

  “I insist,” Jess demanded. She wanted a moment alone with him. Once outside by his car, she explained herself. “Thanks for not mentioning Lucien.”

  “After what happened last week, I felt bad. I wasn’t about to bring him up. So you know, his health has taken a turn for the worst. He’s convinced he’ll die very soon,” Jake said.

  “I’m so sorry. I know how much you love him. Can I ask you if you really believe all that stuff? Voodoo? Does Henry believe in it, too?” Jess inquired.

  Jake looked down on the ground. “Like all religions, including Christianity, there’s something to it.”

  “Help me out here. Something’s obviously going on. What do you think was in that backpack?” Jess asked.

  “I don’t know,” Jake answered, clearly lying.

  “Give me something to explain all of this…horror,” Jess pleaded.

  “Okay. Did you know Brittany said she was pregnant? She claimed Henry was the father. Maybe something in the backpack suggested that? I know he didn’t want you to know about it,” Jake claimed.

  “I figured that. Whether she was or wasn’t, whether he was the father or not, there’s much more to it, isn’t there?” Jess asked.

  “I really should be going,” Jake said.

  “Did Lucien give you boys something? Was Henry some kind of errand boy? He’s from Haiti. He must have family there. Talk to me!” Jess cried.

  Jake gingerly opened his car door, set the bag of sandwiches on the passenger seat, and buckled up. Jess blocked the driver’s door before he could shut it.

  “Answer me!” she yelled.

  “Did you see his eyes?” Jake countered.

  “What do you mean?” Jess asked, fearing she already knew the answer.

  “They sparkle orange and red when you look at them from a certain angle,” Jake said.

  “That could just be the lighting. Why? What are you thinking?” she asked.

  “Your Dr. Jekyll and Dr. Hyde are not helping Henry, they’re helping something else,” Jake replied.

  “That’s just crazy. You can’t be serious,” Jess said.

  “Mrs. Novak, I think we both know I’m not crazy.” He tugged the car door until she moved out of the way and drove off.

  Chapter 44

  As promised, Lucien watched Jake pull into the trailer park in the late afternoon, parked his car at home, and rushed over. He sat inside of his enclosed porch, smoking and waiting. Jake entered through the screen door. The boy’s eyes lasered in on the small side table cluttered with beer empties and overflowing ashtrays.

  “Since when do you…” Jake asked.

  “It’s the ti-bon-ange. Ignore it and tell me about Henry,” Lucien said.

  “You were right. His eyes were red and glittery,” Jake replied.

  Lucien took a long drag off of the smoke and sighed. He did not relish in being right.

  “And Mrs. Novak saw it, his weird eyes. But she said it was the lighting. She said Henry’s doctors were doing a great job with him,” Jake continued.

  Lucien looked up with a hopeful expression. “She threw me out. She wants nothing to do with my sorcery.”

  “I doubt she ever will. How come your eyes don’t glow like Henry’s? You have a ti-bon-ange inside of you,” Jake asked.

  “Big difference between a soul and a soul-less demon. That’s why the eyes glow. If the djab doesn’t leave Henry’s body, it will…” he said as his voice trailed off.

  “What? Will it kill him?” Jake asked somberly.

  “Eventually, yes. But right now it needs Henry to live. And it will use Henry until it has a way to find a new host.”

  “Will it kill?” Jake inquired.

  “Yes, once it fully takes over. Djabs love to punish, torture, and kill their hosts. They don’t live with the other loas in the Cosmos. Some live here in the physical world, sometimes in landmarks like haunted buildings, nature, even animals. Most of them come from the Crossroads,” Lucien said.

  “Where’s that?” asked Jake.

  “Where the physical and spiritual worlds meet; it’s where you and I are going to send it back to,” Lucien said.

  “How?” asked Jake.

  “I don’t know
yet. But have some ideas. Right now it’s sitting back, learning all about Henry before it steps in and takes over. The doctors are coaxing it out even further. The gris-gris I sprinkled is not strong enough to protect the Novaks,” Lucien warned.

  “How did the djab get inside of Henry? Can they just find an opening and enter one’s body?” Jake asked.

  “Oh no. And thank Papa Legba for that or else we’d all be possessed by them. No, someone has to voluntarily submit or in some cases involuntarily be used as a sort of a sacrifice, more like a host during a Black Mass,” Lucien explained.

  Jake rolled out question after question, piecing it all together as Lucien knew he would. It was time to unload his secrets. He owed Jake the truth and needed him more than ever to save Henry.

  “So this must have happened in Haiti,” Jake said and Lucien nodded. “Does this have to do with the envelope you gave him? Before school was out?”

  “Yes, it has everything to do with it. And you noticed. I gave it to him the same day I gave you both your spell books. I thought he could deliver the packet to my daughter,’ Lucien admitted.

  “What was in it?” Jake asked with venom.

  The old man cringed. “A condensed version of your spell book. My family already knows much of what’s in your book. I just wrote down the things I’ve taught myself through trial and error, things that will make them wealthy.”

  “And let me guess, your family didn’t really appreciate it. Much too little, way too late, right? They hate you and used Henry to deliver the message,” Jake accused.

  “I always said you were a smart boy. Yes, that’s what I believe happened and yes, it’s my fault. I understand if you hate me, but I need you and I know you love Henry and his family. We need each other,” Lucien cried. He lit another smoke and got up to get another beer.

  “Getting a beer? Get me one too,” Jake said.