A Strange There After

by Missy Fleming

  “Impressive.”

  She studied me so intently I fidgeted. I couldn’t avoid the conversation forever. “Go ahead. Say what you want to.”

  “You did a bad thing.”

  Exasperated, I flung my arms out. “What else was I supposed to do? Kalfu kept whispering in my ear, telling me he could give me everything back, showing me what I stood to lose. Then Jason took my virginity, and Catherine let him. Kalfu picked the perfect time for his third and final offering. I was angry and hurt. Vulnerable. But I stand by my decision. He’s been...nice.”

  Meena frowned and shook her head. “You young people these days have no patience. All I asked for was a couple more days.”

  My stomach sunk to the floor. “Did you find something?”

  “No,” she snapped. “But now we will never know. It’s too late for that.”

  I swallowed thickly. “There’s nothing you can do?”

  She sank into a faded leather chair and leaned her elbows on the round table in the middle of the room. “You must tell me all of it, what this deal is.”

  As I delved into the story, I stared at the wall, unable to watch the woman’s reaction. “Kalfu asked me to rid him of Cora. In return, he would put me back in my body. And I, um, also made him promise to send Catherine away.”

  When I favored her with a glance, I noticed her coffee colored skin had paled and looked more gray than usual. “And the contract?”

  “It was a blank piece of paper, old, like a scroll. He cut my hand, and when a drop of my blood fell onto it, the words filled in, and my name appeared.”

  “Blood magic,” she hissed. Meena’s gaze focused on the scarred tabletop as she mumbled to herself for a few minutes, too low for me to make out the words. Finally, she said, “You do realize what will happen once Cora is gone? She is the one limiting his powers. Once his full strength is returned, I fear he will wreak havoc on our world.”

  Talk about doom and gloom. “Maybe it won’t be as bad as all that.”

  “There will be no one to keep him in check!”

  I shuddered at the ferocity in her voice. “So there’s nothing we can do?”

  “Not yet. I need time. Time you must swear to give me. Instant gratification brings you nothing but trouble.” She rubbed her eyes. “We must concentrate on keeping you safe.”

  “I’m okay with that idea.”

  Meena rose and began pulling bottles and vials from her shelf, adding a pinch of one ingredient and a spoonful of another into a clear glass container. Curiosity begged me to ask her what she was doing, but the quick, studied movements told me she wouldn’t appreciate it.

  Sharp, earthy smells drifted into my nose. As a ghost, my sense of scent was watered down like everything else. I could only imagine how pungent it would be to a human. I convinced myself it was a good sign.

  “Priestesses like me believe spirits continue to exist on a physical plane. You know this is true. You’ve experienced it. This,” she held up the container, snapped a plastic lid on the top, and gave it a shake to mix the powders, “will give you strength for what you need to do.”

  Her meaning sunk in, drawing my gaze from the jar in her hand. “Getting rid of Cora?”

  “There is no way around it. How does the saying go? You’ve made your bed. Now you must lie in it.”

  “And how in the heck am I going to do it? It’s not like I can ask her nicely to follow the light.”

  She cocked her head and studied me. “You’ve done it before? Aided a soul into a better place?”

  “A few months ago, over the summer, we were at Colonial Park cemetery looking for Catherine’s grave. I came across this scared little girl who was so lonely and missed her mama. I talked with her and,” I shrugged, “I don’t know, just kind of told her to picture this happy place with her family. To let go of whatever kept her here. Then she disappeared. Huge difference, though. I doubt Cora will be willing to sit down and chat with me. ”

  Meena stared at me with newfound respect. “Not many have the ability to do that at such a young age.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve seen a lot in my young age.”

  She nodded thoughtfully before pushing to her feet and positioning herself right in front of me. I shifted under the weight of her stare, the heaviness of expectation flowing from her dark brown eyes.

  As she spoke, she slowly unscrewed the lid on the concoction she held and poured it into her hand. “Some will call this powder a hallucinogen, but in many ways it opens our senses to things that are normally veiled from us. To a ghost, it gives a boost to whatever your strength is. Kalfu wants you, so you have something special.”

  “I think I know.” Memories assaulted me, and my voice shook as I explained. “I chased Cora off once. She was hurting a friend of mine, and this anger and darkness built inside of me until it exploded out and hit her with physical force. Kalfu talked to me right after, in my head. He said I was more interesting than he originally thought. Then last night when I found out about Jason and Catherine, I got mad again and somehow choked Jason with a shadow that shot from my hands. It’s not normal, is it?”

  “No, not at all.” She cupped her hand around the powder. “Although, it will aid you in weakening Cora. It sounds distasteful, but try to get information from her first. Anything we can use against Kalfu. Then attack. When she weakens, you may not have to force her to leave, she might go willingly. This power of yours, while dangerous, it seems to stem from your protective nature. ”

  Shock held my tongue as I digested what Meena said. She made it sound deceptively simple. I didn’t trust I held the kind of power necessary to send Cora on her way. It seemed like make-believe, a fairy tale.

  “It’s time.”

  I refocused my attention on the priestess as she lifted her hand so it was even with my face. “Breathe it all in.”

  “Wait! I can’t breathe. I’m a spirit.”

  She smiled at me. “This is a very special mixture. Even a ghost will be able to ingest it. Trust me, Quinn. I am on your side.”

  “Okay. Do it.”

  With a deep breath she blew, sending the powder directly into my face. I sucked in air, fully expecting nothing to happen. Imagine my surprise when the substance tickled my nose, assaulting me with the strong scent of flowers and other things I couldn’t place. My head spun, and my skin flushed, tingles skittered down my limbs. Power infused me from head to toe, and I managed to gasp one word.

  “Wow.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  My entire walk home I marveled at how vivid the world around appeared. It was so strange. Electricity ran through my body, charging it with positive energy. I felt alive, like I could do anything. Strong. Wiggling my nose, some of the earthy scent remained.

  Sooner than I expected, I made it home. Torn between wanting to update my friends on what happened and getting this banishing Cora thing over with, I decided on the latter. Meena hadn’t exactly said how long this super powder of hers would last. Plus, I didn’t have the heart to see my friends’ faces again. Knowing them, they’d want to watch or help or something, and I surely didn’t need an audience.

  Hoping to avoid running into anyone, I cut through the empty kitchen. The sound of conversation drifted in from the living room, so I continued out the patio doors. Being in the dark didn’t scare me anymore. In fact, the only thing that scared me was failure and Kalfu’s reaction if I disobeyed him.

  Far off, I heard a car horn, laughter, the world carrying on. Now, in this moment, life felt so very far away. I padded through the grass, noting how the sounds of crickets died off the closer I got to the far corner of the yard where Cora always materialized—where we found the tiny headstone. This had to be the ending place. It seemed fitting. When I reached the spot, silence descended completely.

  Near the base of the wild bush concealing the grave, a shadow separated from the darkness and grew, morphing into the shape of a figure. I held my ground, even as my feet danced with the urge to run. Instead of the dis
torted, hideous face, a beautiful woman emerged.

  I marveled at Cora, the way her mocha skin glowed even without any light. Large brown eyes, full lips and a mass of rioting curly hair finished off her appearance. She became whole, solid, and her tall lanky frame stood a couple feet away, staring at me with unbridled fury.

  Choosing not to play games and bolstered by the strange energy thrumming through me, I cleared my throat and said, “Do you know why I am here?”

  “You made a deal with da devil.”

  “So did you.”

  She considered this for a moment. “That I cannot deny. When a man on top of you, grunting, and ya feel life slippin’ away, what woman wouldn’t do different?”

  Just the thought of it made me sick. “Desperation does strange things to us.”

  “And you think you can live with the consequences?”

  I stared into her dark eyes, marveling at how someone so beautiful could turn out so twisted. Blunt honesty took hold of my tongue. “I have to believe I can, even though you didn’t.”

  “No. My cost too high. It drove me mad. I used to be beautiful, like you, but this is what will happen to you.”

  As if to emphasize her point, her youthful exterior vanished. As the moments passed, I watched her skin blister and rot. A hole formed in her cheek, showing her teeth. The amber eyes materialized, chilling as ever. Her body faded, shifting into the hovering black form I was used to. She opened her mouth, the lower jaw hanging to the left, and a high pitched scream shattered the night.

  “Don’t you want all this to be over with?” I shouted. “Don’t you want peace?”

  “I dream of peace every day.” Her shadow darkened. “I can’t have it. Not ‘til the last Roberts is done with.”

  “Did you learn about voodoo from your mama?”

  “Yes.” Annoyance flashed in her eyes. “But we call it vodun. Her mama before her bring it over from our homeland in Africa. We practiced in secret, careful not to let the Missus and Master Amos know.”

  I chewed on my lower lip, balking from pressing further. With Jackson, I poked and prodded until he broke and divulged the details of his death. Cora was different. She’d harmed me on multiple occasions. I was afraid of being hurt again. But I needed information from her before I sent her away. It had to be done.

  “I’m not the one who hurt you,” I said.

  “His blood flows in your veins, Miss Quinn. Blood is the seat of evil. Blood tells. And blood will be cleansing.”

  Oh, boy, here comes the crazy, I said to myself. A breeze picked up, quickly escalating into a full blown gale, whipping the leaves and sending my hair into my face. Pushing it out of the way I braced, waiting for her to attack. Summoning this strange force inside me, I kept it stoked, ready and prayed I’d know how to use it when the time came.

  “What did Amos do to you?”

  Cora shuddered, or I assumed she did since her image wavered, momentarily becoming a blur. When she collected herself, her eyes glowed amber. It was my turn to shiver.

  “I will not speak of this.”

  The wind was so strong now. Debris swirled around us, bending a nearby bush nearly in half. A piece of plastic zoomed at my head, and I ducked. Straightening, I decided to try something. Latching onto the charge inside me, I pushed it outward until a bubble of calmness surrounded me. I felt the deluge on the other side pummeling it and had to keep concentrating to maintain my control.

  “What happened in the carriage house?”

  “No!”

  “Did he beat you? Pin you down?” I flinched as the questions left my mouth.

  A huge burst of power hit me, causing me to sway, test my barrier, but it held strong. I was about to continue when she cracked.

  “Yes! He didn’t stop. Just keep hittin’ and hittin’ me. It weren’t the evil I can conjure. This the evil that live in a man.” Her face hardened with rage, and she rose up in the air, the shadow growing, obscuring the trees behind her. “My life. It flow from my wounds. Blood all over the floor. Kalfu. I called to him, the guardian of the crossroads. I want no mercy. Only vengeance. A sacrifice was needed.”

  Her ragged and ruined dress billowed around her legs as blood dribbled from her crooked nose and those haunting amber eyes darkened with evil.

  “Isaiah.” I had to shout to be heard.

  Her rage transferred to the air, charging it, and a streak of lightning struck next to me. I jumped and screamed. Maybe provoking her wasn’t the best idea.

  “I did not know he there. My boy, he in the wrong place. I did not find him ‘til after.” For just a moment her rage calmed causing her tangled hair to fall into her face. “I used what Kalfu gave me, throwing that man across the carriage room. Then, I curse him. Say him family never be at peace. I swore to be here always, to make sure they pay for killing my sweet baby boy.”

  Chills raced up and down my arms. Rage boiled off of her in waves. More lightning exploded in the sky. Her dark form grew, expanded and hovered in the air until the only things within my line of sight were darkness and those amber eyes glaring down. I clung to my energy as hard as I could, feeling this small truce coming to an end. The melee built to a crescendo, a deafening roar that pounded my senses. Fright settled in my chest. I doubted whether even Meena’s super voodoo powder would help me survive this.

  Shouting at the top of my lungs to be heard, I said, “It may not matter, this long after the fact, but I am sorry for what my ancestor did.”

  Some of the intensity faded, almost coming across as relief.

  “You are the last,” she said, the words dripping with resolve.

  When she spoke, her voice was filled with glee, and for a moment, I marveled at how odd it sounded coming from her in her current state. Cora finally moved forward, closer to me. I felt those amber slits bore into me, assessing.

  Quit stalling. Kalfu’s voice materialized in my head, there and gone within seconds.

  She must have sensed him, too. “Ya already let him in. I smell him’s stink on you. Every time you use your anger, he burrow deeper. Why should I torture you more when you’s doing it all yourself. No more talk. You won’t succeed in getting rid of me.”

  As if to emphasize her point, the darkness inside reared up, coiled, aching for a fight. Right in front of my eyes, her form became even darker, if it was possible. She screeched in triumph, attacking me with incredible force. The surprise of it caused me to lose control over my protective barrier. It vanished like smoke on the wind. Involuntarily, I opened my mouth to scream, allowing it to dart in. Cold trickled down my throat, inside. Even though I hadn’t felt my heart beat in weeks, somehow, icy fingers grasped it in their chilly embrace. Each individual digit closed around my heart, squeezing and stealing my air.

  Gasping, I clawed at my neck, not caring my nails drew blood or lucid enough to realize it had to be a trick. Meena said her powder would make me stronger against Cora. This sure as heck didn’t feel stronger. The being in front of me smiled, at least what passed for a smile on that hideous face.

  I may have given you the courtesy of a conversation, but do not take it to mean I am capable of compassion. You will never see your body again. Kalfu will not win. This ends tonight.

  Little by little, the pressure on my heart increased. The pain was excruciating. Blackness dotted my vision. Desperate, I struggled to call up my anger as well as the new, charged energy. The only thing on my mind was survival. I didn’t care if letting the fury in meant losing a piece of myself to the dark side.

  But panic had me firmly in its grip. I couldn’t move past it into rage.

  I tried to scream, but no sound came out. None of my struggling made any difference. I was fading, too quickly.

  A dark shape leapt out from behind me and hurled itself at Cora. The last thing I caught before crumpling to the ground was the gray material of Jackson’s uniform. I lay in the grass, sucking in useless air and wishing for more strength.

  Through fluttering eyelids, I watched Jackson ma
nage to wrap his hands around Cora’s neck. The image was so ludicrous I worried I was hallucinating. I’d never seen Jackson like this—a soldier. His face was hard with determination as he tried to maintain his hold on the now frantic ghost. Cora hadn’t expected to be attacked herself.

  She recovered quickly enough. With a gnarled and clawed fist, she swiped at him, opening a wide gash on the side of his face and neck. Jackson cried out, but never let go. Until she opened her mouth wide and something darker than a shadow shot out and knocked him loose. This time I did scream and jumped to my feet. The sight of Jackson lying there, bloodied because of me again, finally unloosed the anger.

  I held my hands out, letting it grow and burn through me. It mixed with whatever Meena infused me with and created something stronger than I imagined. So strong it almost scared me. I felt full of it, pulsing and throbbing with electricity. The warmth enveloped every cell of my body. It coiled there, waiting to be unleashed.

  “I won’t let you hurt anyone else, Cora,” I shouted.

  The wind she’d buffeted me with before returned, careening around us with a manic energy. Through the roar, I heard her laughing, a sound that made me snap.

  Raising my hand, I was vaguely aware of the shadow mimicking its movement, a shadow that seemed to be attached to me. It reminded me of Marietta and the darkness I’d watched consume her. But I didn’t care anymore. I only knew I wanted Cora gone.

  A black shape exploded from my fingertips, hitting Cora square in the chest. An ear shattering shriek filled the air as the shadow attacked her own dark figure. She writhed and screeched, a frightening sound that penetrated the air.

  My other hand was already coming up when another figure jumped in between me and Cora, crying, “Don’t hurt my mama!”

  Chapter Thirty-Two