by L. Divine
“Netta, keep going,” I insist, but Netta doesn’t move.
“I can’t. She’s not moving and I don’t want to run her down, Lynn Mae.”
“It’s not a homeless woman. It’s him.” Netta touches Mama’s bloodied hand, looks in her eyes and at the woman in front of us. “He knows we won’t kill an innocent woman, but we can’t take any chances, Netta. Run her down!”
Netta looks straight ahead and honks her horn loudly, but the woman does not budge. “She doesn’t even look like she’s breathing, Lynn Mae.”
“That’s because she’s not. We have to go before it’s too late.”
Before Netta can show the broad too much sympathy she smiles, showing her fangs and then leaps onto the windshield cracking it.
“Step on it!”
Netta finally follows Mama’s orders and guns the engine causing the woman to flip over the roof of the car and flat onto the street. Netta stops the car and looks behind her seeing a dead dog lying in the middle of the street where the woman should be.
They look at each other in silence, say a prayer, and continue on their emergency. I look down realizing Mama’s not bleeding anymore and the cramps have ceased.
I smack the buzzing alarm clock thankful to be out of that self-induced nightmare. What the hell kind of dream was that? Whatever message I’m supposed to get from that is overshadowed by the fear the vision left behind. Being shook up is no way to start my Friday morning.
I have quizzes in every class but drama. My weightlifting class isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. If I can’t make my way back onto the squad I hope they let me stay where I am. Lifting helps me work off a lot of steam that might otherwise turn into unproductive aggression. And with haters like Esmeralda and Mrs. Esop stepping up their game I’ve got to be on it if I’m going to beat them at their own games. Mama’s working overtime to get rid of Mrs. Esop’s vengeful tactic. After school I have to meet her at home to do some special spirit work while Netta handles the shop on her own. I guess we’re all in for a hectic day.
There’s nothing like a full moon to light up the night sky. Granted we do live in a city with street and porch lights, but nature does a better job at what man tries to accomplish. With the end of the day comes what I hope is the final hour of working with Mama. Me, Netta, and my grandmother have been working in the backyard for the past several hours and I don’t know about them, but I’m tired. If we don’t quit soon I’m going to pass out right here.
“Jayd, hand me the bucket of spring water, please,” Mama says, pointing to the white container next to the Mothers’ tree, the primary location for today’s events.
“Here you go,” I say, handing Mama the water before taking a seat next to the large fig tree. I look across the old, wooden fence into Esmeralda’s yard wishing Misty would rear her curly head. But instead, the same bat I saw the other night resurfaces and Esmeralda opens the back door to let it in. Her three pit bulls resume their spots in front of the back door and glance across the yard at me. I’ve had enough of them to last a lifetime.
Mama notices my concern with Esmeralda’s latest additions. “When we were young girls, Esmeralda would call the birds together and chat with them about their days. Imagine actually knowing what caves a bat’s been in and what mischief a mutt got into through their own words. It’s absolutely amazing, Jayd, as I know you know through firsthand experience.”
“You sure as hell didn’t want to make her mad, though,” Netta says, stacking the last of the mason jars full of different spiritual concoctions into the medium box on the white sheet covering the grass. “When I first started hanging around Lynn Mae in high school, Esmeralda got jealous as hell and sent those same birds after me during lunchtime. The principal thought I was crazy when I told him it was the evil wench and that’s just what she intended to happen. If your enemies can’t drive you crazy one way, they’ll certainly try and find another. Always have your guard up, chile. Always.” Netta’s right. I got too distracted by mundane shit to focus on the disasters that have come to light. Best believe I won’t make that mistake again.
“Spiritual houses war like that, too, Jayd. Churches fall apart over the silliest feuds. It’s human nature, plain and simple to want to belong. It’s like these silly gangs running around here claiming loyalty to one hood over another. Just craziness, I tell you,” Netta says, shaking her head in frustration. Unexplainable violence is a way of life around here.
“Jayd, start cleaning up. Netta and I are going to take these items to the shop. We’ll be back in a few minutes,” Mama says, walking toward the front of the house. Netta winks at me and follows Mama with her hands full of supplies. Saturday will be a busy day at the shop.
“Yes, ma’am.” I gather the remaining elements and stack them neatly next to the tree before folding the white sheet. Feeling someone’s eyes I turn around to see Esmeralda’s boyfriend staring at me. I nearly jump out of my skin from terror. There’s something about that dude I don’t like and it’s more than his single outfit wardrobe.
“Bon suer, mademoiselle,” he says, his yellow eyes piercing my brown ones. “You should really be careful out here at night, alone. You never know what could happen to a beautiful girl like you.”
I stare him down just like I did his three canine companions when they tried to attack me, letting him know I’m not afraid to stand my ground. He may scare the shit out of other people, but I know he’s just another one of Esmeralda’s converts and therefore as weak as they come, as far as I’m concerned.
In less than a second, he’s at the gate staring me down. I drop the clay pot in my hand and it crashes on the ground. How the hell did he do that?
“Like I said, mon cherie. Be careful. You never know what sort of trouble you might find yourself in, especially with a beautiful, virgin neck like yours.”
Instinctively I place my hand over my throat, protecting myself much to his amusement.
“Oh, mi petit. I know you know better than that. Nothing can protect you. If I really wanted to get you, I could.”
I’m paralyzed with fear, unable to scream or run. All I can do is stare back at him, focusing intently on intimidating him like he’s doing me.
“Rousseau, mi amor. Stop toying with the child,” Esmeralda says, coming to the door dressed in a long, red negligee. I’ve never seen her like this before. She looks as young as Mama does. I’ve never seen Esmeralda wearing anything but large wraps and long skirts. This Esmeralda is stunning, like Oshune in her youth. This is definitely the result of some twisted spell. “Je suis neccissete.”
I’m sure she does need him, but for more than being her man. Rousseau is a means to an end. She wants absolute power and his diabolical ass is her way of getting it.
“Your grandmother should’ve joined by choice. Now we’ll have to make the connection for her through you.”
“You have no power over us,” I say, not taking my eyes off Rousseau for a second. From my wicked dream last night I know he can change shapes faster than I can blink. I’ll be damned if I let him get too close to me.
“Yes, this is true. But I do have power over them, and them, and him,” she says, pointing to the inside of her living room where Misty, Emilio, and Hector are standing, their collective shadows dancing against the candlelit white walls. From this angle they all appear to be in some sort of trance, and Esmeralda’s animals are emitting the same blank stare from their eyes. Rousseau is the only one who seems to be completely aware of his actions.
“What have you done to them?” I ask. I knew she was evil but this is way beyond anything she’s ever done before.
“Exactly what they asked me to do. I’ve made them my soldiers. Your grandmother’s never liked much of a following, but I thrive on it. And I needed someone I could trust to make sure my services are appreciated.”
“Who better than your ex-boyfriend, the shape-shifter?” I ask, wishing Mama and Netta were here to have my back. It’s rare for any of the men to be home on a Frida
y night and this evening’s no exception.
“That’s not all he is, dear. He collects payment when accounts are not paid in full, like your grandmother’s. And I intend on going after her however I can.”
“And I just want to feel the warmth of her neck in my mouth,” Rousseau says, growling like the dog he’s morphing into. So these really are his dogs. Esmeralda conjured him from the dead to serve as her bounty hunter and her new congregation has given her the ashe to do it.
“It won’t work, Esmeralda,” I say, trying not to let my fear overtake my otherwise calm head. “Whatever you’re planning will fail—I’ll see to it.”
“You can’t do a thing to stop me, little girl. Like the saying goes, if you can’t beat them join them. Won’t you join us, little Jayd?” Esmeralda asks, reaching her arms out like Daddy does from the pulpit at the end of Sunday service. New members have the opportunity to join the congregation with the support of everyone who came before them gathering around to catch them just in case they become overwhelmed with the Holy Ghost. I’m not sure of the spirit, but I feel like I’m being taken over by something out of my control.
“Place your arms across your chest, now! Make sure your jade bracelets are protecting your heart.” Maman’s urgent tone leaves me little choice but to do as she says.
I place my arms in front of my body, each fist meeting the opposite shoulder and stare as hard as I can back at the evil wench ahead. The green light beaming from my eyes meets her blue gaze midway, causing the bright light to bounce off the bracelets.
“Such a pretty neck; her veins are ripe and full of their blood,” Rousseau says, eyeing my neck through his golden canine glare. I have to get out of here or I might not get another chance to escape.
“Take your time and draw as much as you can without killing her,” Esmeralda says, directing her pet without letting go of my sight. How do I keep him down with my vision and fight her at the same time? “We need our mule alive to do our work.”
Esmeralda stares into my eyes attempting to break me down with her icy glare. I glare back, mirroring her ice with Maman’s powers sending her pain right back to her.
“Enough!” Esmeralda says, closing her eyes. “I’m done playing games with you, child. Marie, I’ve got a present for you,” she shouts at me, aware of my great-grandmother’s presence in my head. “Consider it a sacrifice for the queen.”
Rousseau jumps the fence in one leap breathing down my neck in an instant. Esmeralda’s worn my eyes out leaving me too drained to stare her partner down. This was her true intention all along. All I can do is run. Rousseau and Esmeralda laugh at my attempt to escape, but I keep running, never looking back even if I can feel the pack of dogs on my heels. I look at the crow on the back gate ahead, knowing it’s Esmeralda.
I reach the gate, but the dogs are hot on my tail. Before they can move any closer, a loud shriek comes from the front yard. It’s Mama back from the beauty shop just in time to save me from being eaten alive. The dogs disappear into the backyard, deterred by my backup’s arrival.
I run through the gate and onto the driveway where Mama’s knelt over Pam’s limp body. She may have been known as the neighborhood crackhead to most, but she was one of Mama’s godchildren nonetheless. “No!” Mama screams again, this time breaking my paralysis.
“Netta, call nine-one-one.” Mama yells, completely beside herself. Netta runs to her truck parked haphazardly in front of the house, but we both know it’s too late. Whoever sliced Pam up like this didn’t mean for her to survive.
After almost an hour the police and paramedics finally arrive on the scene. Esmeralda and her flock step outside with candles lit, feigning sorrow, but I know she had something to do with Pam’s murder. And her new man is conveniently missing in action. Just then the same bat I’ve been seeing for weeks circles her house, landing on the roof and eyeing the scene from its perch. I don’t know how, but I’m going to get justice for Pam. We may not have an army, but the streets have soldiers and I for one am ready for the ensuing war.
Epilogue
The police were here for all of two hours investigating Pam’s murder. After the coroner left with the body, Esmeralda and her crew retreated back inside leaving the cops to question everyone else present when she’s the only person they need to investigate. Because Pam’s one of several notorious local drug addicts and a black woman, the cops could give a damn about what really happened to her. In their words, they have more pressing matters to attend to than another dead crackhead on the streets. Mama and Daddy were enraged by their response and have been talking to members of the community for the past few hours about what should be done next. It’s a miracle, but my grandparents have come together to help see the neighborhood through this tragedy.
“There’s a new type of evil aiming to take over our streets,” Daddy says from the driveway where the chalk outlining the bloodstained concrete is still fresh. “It’s unnatural, cannibalistic. This type of evil can no longer be tolerated in our neighborhood!” Daddy shouts like he’s on the pulpit at church.
The crowd stops their individual chatting and focuses on Pastor James. Daddy can command a crowd with the tone of his voice alone.
“We’ve taken the ‘neighbor’ out of ‘hood’ and there lies our problem,” he says, pointing from one end of the long block to the other. “Young folks running around here shortening words, thinking they’re original with their revolutionary ideas and feelings of hopelessness. But the mistreatment of the hood by the very people that are supposed to protect the citizens has been around longer than any of us has been alive.”
“Well,” the church ladies say in unison. I even think I heard Mama hum on that note. She hasn’t moved from the spot where she found Pam’s body with Netta right beside her.
“Love thy neighbor as thyself. Isn’t that what the Lord commanded? Can you honestly say you even know your neighbors, let alone care about them as much as you care about yourself?”
A few people look around feeling guilty for their own reasons. The James’ household doesn’t have that problem. We know our neighbors all too well.
“If we lived in a true neighborhood sister Pam would be alive, healthy, and strong right now. We failed her, neighbors. We failed God.” A few guilty souls lower their heads in shame as Daddy continues his impromptu sermon.
“You may think he has won; the one my wife calls the destroyer. If God has created all of the good things in life, this other evil is the antithesis of God’s work. You may think the devil is too powerful to defeat, but I’m here to tell you, God’s children, that the answer to these perilous times is right here in this small congregation with a big heart and the favor of God. I’m telling you we, the people of the First AME Church of Compton give our word that we will find justice for our neighbor, Pam. We will find justice for all the nameless neighbors out there who the police have thrown away like trash every Tuesday and Friday of the week.” My grandfather’s on a roll and taking everyone present with him.
Someone has to make sure whoever killed Pam in cold blood and left her on my grandparents’ property is held accountable. The people next door are the first on my list of suspects. Esmeralda will never get away with killing one of Mama’s spiritual children, no matter how lost Pam was. Vengeance is Mama’s and it will be executed before it’s all said and done.
A Reading Group Guide
Drama High, Volume 14
SO, SO HOOD
L. Divine
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The following questions are intended to
enhance your group’s reading of
DRAMA HIGH: SO, SO HOOD
by L. Divine.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you believe in vampires? What fascinates you about these supernatural beings, if anything?
2. Should Jayd give Jeremy another chance? Would you if the circumstances were the same?
3. Do you think Jeremy needs help with his drug and drinking habits or is Jayd overreacting?
4. Have you or anyone you know ever been under the influence so strongly that you lose space and time?
5. Does it surprise you that Misty’s showing vampire tendencies and that Esmeralda’s trying to steal Mama’s blood through Jayd or any way she can? How do you imagine this story-line playing out?
6. If you were a shape-shifter, what would you transform yourself into and why? What kinds of things would you do in your new form? Would you use your powers for good or evil?
7. Should Jayd use any means necessary to get Cameron off her and Jeremy’s back for good?
8. What does being hood mean to you? Are you proud of where you are and where you’re going?
9. Has anyone in your neighborhood ever been hurt or killed? How does that event affect your feeling safe in your hood?
10. Does Pam deserve the police’s attention even though she was a known drug user and prostitute? Should Mama help them find the real killer?
11. Would you go through a ceremony where you were restricted from doing everyday things if you knew it would help you? Explain your limitations.
Jaydism #6
Apple-Cider Vinegar is not only a powerful cleanser, it’s also a nutritional powerhouse that helps to lower blood sugar and aids in digestion. It can also be used as an astringent for your skin and delivers essential nutrients to your body all in a small dose of about a tablespoon or two. Whether you add it to greens like Mama does or sprinkle it on a salad, try it out and see the benefits manifest through glowing skin and a diminished craving for sweets.
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Courtesy of the DRAMA HIGH series
ABOUT THIS GUIDE