by M. K. ROZE
Adelyn’s eyes widened—certain he wasn’t mistaken. She
knew it was Muma inside of her.
He patted her leg. “I’ll be back in shortly to check on
you. And I’ll have one of my nurses give you steroids for that
bite under your eye.”
“What bite?” Adelyn touched under her eyes and felt a
bump under the left one.
Dr. Diaz said something to the nurse, but she couldn’t
hear what he said. He looked back at Adelyn. “I believe that
you may have been bitten by one of those spiders that were
in your room. This would explain the fever and the violent
behavior you’ve been having in school for the past two days.
And again, a few minutes ago. Some bug bites can do that.
Especially those Florida spiders. But no worries. The bite will
go down in no time.”
When the doctor walked out, Adelyn sat up and groaned
from her achy body. She hesitated before trying to convince
her parents about Muma, but she tried anyway, hoping they
may be able to help her. Especially Mom, knowing she
believed in the paranormal. “It’s not the bug bite,” she said
in a low voice. “It’s something evil inside of me.”
Dad’s eyebrows raised, and he looked away.
Mom sat next to Adelyn and rubbed her shaky hand.
“There’s nothing evil inside of you. You’re reacting to the
bug bite. You can hallucinate from it as well. This is why you
thought you heard the woman in the house the other night.”
Adelyn exhaled, not convinced. “Mom, you told me and
Dad the paranormal world was real. It’s happening to me
now. Please believe me. She wants to kill me.”
“I know I told you that, and I’m sorry. Please trust that
it’s only a reaction to the bug bite, honey.”
Adelyn sighed. “Why would an infection cause me to
speak with an evil Romanian accent? And I spoke with a
Southern voice too. I know you guys heard the Romanian
one. I tried to tell you the other day when I asked you about
someone being drugged.”
“We did hear your accent, honey,” Mom said. “But like
I said, infections can cause erratic behavior. I’ve seen it in
many people. We’ll have you see Dr. Perry. He will know
what’s going on better than me.”
Adelyn looked at her dad, who had his eyes on the floor.
She wanted to tell him about what Detective Able did to
prove she wasn’t lying, but she feared the detective would
kill them if she did. She knew it was pointless even trying to
convince them. “I hope you’re right.”
Dad leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Get
better. I need to go back to work and clock out. I’ll be back
soon. I love you.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
Dad kissed her forehead, turned to Mom, and kissed
her. He walked out with his head down.
“Mom, where is my mirror?”
“What mirror?”
“Forget it.” Adelyn lay back down—sure it was left at
school or Dad had it.
Mom kissed her on the temple. “You need to rest. I’m
going to work overtime and keep an eye on you. I’ll be right
here when you wake up.”
“How long do I have to stay here?”
“Only for the night. Dr. Diaz needs to make sure you’re
alright before he can release you. Now, fall asleep for me,
please.” Mom looked at her vital signs and started for the
door.
Adelyn thought about Muma and wondered if it might
have been all from the infection. “Mom?”
Mom opened the door and turned to her. “What is it,
honey?”
“Can an infection cause your body to become paralyzed
and make it where you’re not able to talk?”
“It’s possible. Why, has that happened to you?”
Adelyn wanted to tell her about the previous night, but
she knew her mom didn’t need more stress. “It felt like I
didn’t have any control when I was freaking out a little while
ago.”
“That was from the meds we gave you to calm you
down. It’s one of the side effects, honey. Now, please get
some rest. You need it.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
When Mom walked out, Adelyn knew she didn’t have
any medicine in her the night she became paralyzed. She
knew she had to be possessed by Muma or she was a psychic
with a mental illness. That was the only way she would know
about the dead bodies. She closed her eyes and tried to
relax—sure Muma would be back.
***
Adelyn woke up to the gurney shaking. She sat up and
looked around the room breathing heavily.
Take my mirror back, Muma ordered.
Adelyn gulped, desperate for help. She grimaced as she
tore off the white tape and yanked the catheter out of her
vein—blood squirting all over her hospital gown. She took
the pillowcase off and wrapped it around her hand and slid
off the gurney.
Adelyn opened the door, looked up and down the
empty hallway, and walked to the chapel. She knew if anyone
could help her, it would be God.
As Adelyn walked down the hall, a male nurse came
from around the corner and headed toward her. She calmed
her breathing, trying to act normal, and placed her hands
behind her back, hoping he didn’t see the pillowcase.
When the nurse smiled as he passed her, Adelyn picked
up the pace and took the elevator to the first floor. She
glanced at a couple crying and eased past them, where she
continued down the long hallway to the small chapel.
What do you think you’re doing? Muma asked.
Adelyn ignored her and opened the door. She glanced
at a priest kneeling in front of a Jesus statue, praying.
The priest stood and smiled at her. “I will leave you to
pray in private.”
Adelyn grabbed his arm with tears trickling down her
face. “Can you help me, Father? I think there is something
evil inside of me.”
The priest stood back, glanced at her hand, and looked
at her with concern. “Why would you think that there’s
something evil inside of you?”
When Adelyn went to tell him, she got a stabbing pain
in her chest. She let go of his arm, staggered over to the pew,
and an unseen force pushed her into the Jesus statue
breaking—the ceramic pieces scattering everywhere.
“Miss, are you alright?” the priest called out as he ran
over to her.
Adelyn turned to him with pure hatred. “Get away from
me, you godly bitch.”
The priest backed away with caution and took off out
the door.
How dare you try to get rid of me, Muma shouted.
“Help me!” Adelyn screamed.
Shut up, thief, Muma ordered and cackled.
Adelyn tried to crawl away, but something grabbed her
foot and dragged her across the floor—the ceramic cutting
her back.
“Stop, please stop,” Adelyn begged and moaned from
the burning pain in her back.
The unseen force picke
d her up and pushed her against
the wall. God can’t save you, Muma said. Now, take my mirror
back.
When she was released, she fell to her knees, crying
uncontrollably. She was hopeless and terrified of how strong
Muma was. She looked at the broken statue of Jesus. “I hate
you for allowing her to torture me.” She glanced at the
ceiling, hoping God heard her. “And I hate you more.”
The door flew open, and two security guards walked in,
followed by the priest and a female nurse.
“What’s going on in here?” the guard asked as she
approached her with caution.
Adelyn knew she needed to come up with a lie that
everyone would believe. “I came here to pray, and then I
started to feel dizzy. That’s when I fell into the statue.” She
looked at the priest with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry for what
I said to you earlier. Please forgive me. I have an infection
that makes me angry sometimes.”
That’s a good thief, Muma said.
Adelyn ignored her and looked at the priest nodding.
The nurse walked out and came back in with a
wheelchair.
“I can walk on my own,” Adelyn insisted.
“It’s for your safety, especially if you’re dizzy.”
Adelyn sighed and sat.
The nurse took Adelyn back to her room, with the
security guards following them. Another nurse came in and
helped Adelyn get back into bed.
When the nurse that brought her there left, the other
nurse followed her out and she returned a few minutes later.
She looked at Adelyn’s hand. “Didn’t that hurt when you
took the IV out?”
“A little.”
“Please let us take it out next time, okay?”
Adelyn nodded.
“Can you look at my back? It’s on fire.”
“Let me take a look at it.” The nurse stepped to the side
and untied her gown. “How did you get all these cuts and
scratches all over your back from a fall?”
“I fell on my back.”
“It looked like you were dragged across something
sharp.” The nurse went into the cabinet and got gauze out.
“Are you sure nothing else took place in the chapel with the
priest?”
Adelyn wanted to blurt out what she went through, but
she was sure Muma would show up and shut her down, so
she played it off. “Yeah, I’m sure. I think I may have dragged
my back against the floor while trying to get over to the pew
to get back up.”
“I see.” The nurse poured a clear solution on the gauze
and then began wiping Adelyn’s back down gently.
Adelyn grunted.
“Sorry. I have to wipe the blood away to see if you need
stitches.”
“Do I?”
“Not yet.” The nurse went silent and kept cleaning her
back. “Nope, no stitches.”
“Is my mom still here?”
“Yes, but she’s in surgery with Doctor Diaz. I will tell
her you’re asking for her when she gets out.”
“Okay.”
After the nurse cleaned her hand off from where she
took the intravenous line out, she gave her a new gown to
wear and walked out.
Adelyn lay on her side, staring at the vital sign monitor,
wondering where Muma was when she wasn’t inside of her.
She stopped trying to figure it out and thought about how
she was going to get the mirror back to Florida, so Muma
would leave her be.
he following day, late afternoon, Adelyn was
released from the hospital. She got sent home with
antibiotics and steroids for her bug bite.
On the way home, Adelyn was trying to figure out a way
to tell her parents she was going back to Florida, but she
didn’t want them to question her, so she didn’t bother.
Adelyn knew she had to take off without telling them when
she felt like she could drive without crashing her truck.
Mom looked back at her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Mom smiled and turned around.
When Dad pulled in his parking spot at home, Adelyn
looked at Marissa and Nellie standing on the front steps of
the cabin, holding overnight bags. “Why are they here?”
Dad put the truck in park and peered over his shoulder.
“They were worried about you, so I told them they could
spend the night. Is that okay? If not, I can tell them you’re
not up for company and send them home.”
“No, they’re fine.”
Mom got out and opened the back door for Adelyn. She
reached out her hand to help her out.
Adelyn refused her kind gesture. “Mom, I’m fine.” She
scooted off the seat and got out.
“We ordered pizza,” Dad said. “Your mom and I are
going back into town to pick it up.”
“Okay.” Adelyn walked over to her friends and took
turns hugging them longer than usual.
“Are you okay now?” Marissa asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine, minus my body feeling like I got ran
over.”
“Why are you so sore?” Marissa asked.
“I had a seizure from the fever.”
“Whoa,” Marissa said. “I’m glad you’re alright now.”
Nellie wouldn’t take her eyes off Adelyn’s face. “I’m
sorry that happened to you. I don’t mean to ask, but what’s
that bump under your eye? It’s huge.”
Marissa nudged Nellie with her elbow while looking at
Adelyn. “Ignore her.”
Adelyn giggled. “She’s fine.” She found Nellie frowning
while rubbing the side of her stomach. “I got bit by one of
those spiders that were in my room.” She paused and glanced
up at the moon. “Well, that’s what the doctor thinks.”
“So that’s why you were wacky at school,” Marissa
joked.
“Funny.” Adelyn stepped inside and looked back at
them.
Nellie shot Marissa a nasty look. “That was way meaner
than what I said.”
Marissa smirked and stepped inside. Nellie rolled her
eyes and smiled at Adelyn as she closed the door.
Upstairs, Nellie and Marissa set their bags on the floor,
while Adelyn examined the room, hoping her father put the
mirror there. When she didn’t see it anywhere, her stomach
formed into a knot, ready to puke—sure Muma would kill
her if it was missing.
“What are you looking for?” Marissa asked.
Adelyn sighed and sat on the bed. “My mirror. I think
Dad left it at school.”
Nellie sat next to her. “The mirror everyone at school
said you wanted to kill Mary over?”
Adelyn looked down and nodded, not wanting to think
about that horrible day.
Marissa dug through her bag and handed the mirror to
Adelyn.
Her eyes widened. “How did you get it?”
“While we were waiting for the ambulance to show up,
I overheard the principal tell your dad he was going to keep
it until the end of the school year, so I grabbed it when no
one was looking.”
Adelyn traced her finger over it and t
urned to her.
“Thank you. Did you look into it?”
“Um, no, why?”
“Yeah, why?” Nellie asked with a puzzled look.
Adelyn stood and paced the room. “Remember when I
told you about the woman I saw in the mirror?”
Marissa sat next to Nellie. “Yeah.”
“Her name is Muma,” Adelyn said.
“Wait,” Nellie interrupted. “How come I never heard
about this? And what do you mean, you saw her in the
mirror?”
Marissa scooted back against the wall. “Because you
weren’t in the office when shit went down. Duh.”
Nellie rolled her eyes. “Who is Momma?”
“Muma,” Adelyn corrected in a harsh tone. “When I
was in the stall looking into this mirror, I asked it, ‘who did
this belong to.’ Or something close to that. That’s when an
old, ugly witch appeared.”
Adelyn paused, waiting to see if Muma would show up
from what she just said. When nothing happened, she
resumed. “She said she was Muma, and I had to return the
mirror from where I got it or I would pay. It rhymed, but I
can’t remember it right now. She’s the one who is taking over
my body and making me say things. It’s not from the bug
bite like people think. She’s too damn real to me.” Adelyn
lifted her shirt and turned around. “This is what she did to
me last night in the chapel.”
“What the fuck,” Marissa said. “What happened?”
Adelyn lowered her shirt, turned around, and looked at
Nellie, who was grimacing at her.
“Yeah, what happened,” Nellie said in a low voice like
she was scared.
Adelyn exhaled and sat on the edge of her desk. She told
them everything that took place in the chapel.
“Do you seriously expect us to believe that you were
attacked by an evil force?” Marissa asked.
“Fine, don’t believe me.”
Nellie squinted her way. “Let’s pretend that this is real.
Why would Muma tell you to bring the mirror back but then
try to kill you? That makes no sense, Adelyn.”
“Probably because this Muma bitch was pissed off that
she stole it and she made her go to the chapel to repent.”
