Death in a Teacup

by Vered Ehsani

  Mr. Turner moaned and nodded his head.

  “This way,” Death said, indicating a direction that appeared identical to every other direction.

  We followed Death in a scattered formation, each of us meditating on some private thoughts except Yao. Unfortunately, his thoughts were seldom private.

  “Boring place,” he muttered as he stomped a flower into submission. “No food. No life. No Wanjiru. Oh, no, no Wanjiru, my love. No blood.” He glanced at me before resuming his rant. “There is blood but not for Yao.”

  “Dear Yao, don’t be glum,” Koki purred. “At least you have your body. Remember when we visited the Underworld and we were given our true bodies?”

  She laughed, the uninhibited sound pushing back the silence for a moment.

  Scowling, Yao wagged a finger at the she-demon. “You are a bad woman.”

  Her smile widened, a bright white slash against the darkness of her skin. “Why, thank you, Yao. That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  “Is the sun setting?” I asked, wondering if time was different here. We’d met with Anansi midmorning.

  “No,” Death said, his voice low and reverent. “We are entering the domain of Olapa.”

  Kam halted and held up an arm to stop Death while Koki hissed.

  “Shouldn’t we be looking for Enkai?” I asked, crossing my arms and wishing my glare could cause combustion.

  “Yes, Le-Eyo,” Koki snarled. “We aren’t here for a lovers’ reunion.”

  Peering down his nose at us, Death’s full mouth twitched in a sneer before he said, “We will need her assistance.”

  “How convenient,” I said.

  “Not really,” Yao complained. “Yao is hungry. Can we go home now?”

  Kam stepped toward Death, his head tilted as if to better study the former god before zapping him with a lightning bolt. “Why do we need her?”

  Bristling, Death swallowed his retort as Koki casually strolled closer, but there was nothing relaxed in her glare as she tapped a finger against his leather vest and said, “Yes, do tell.”

  Yao tugged me away from the hostile group. “Miss Knight,” he whispered loudly in my ear, “if they decide to kill each other, we should run away.”

  “Where?” I demanded. There was no sign of the entrance that connected this place to the cloud and Anansi’s silk cord. “We need Kam.”

  Nodding, Yao lifted his chin and called out, “Koki, Death, you can do what you want to each other but don’t kill Kam. We need him.”

  I smacked my palm against my forehead. “Yes, I’m sure that will stop them.”

  Ignoring Yao’s wide smile, I debated sending my wolf into the fray before fists, claws and lightning bolts flew. Before I could, light vanished from the sky, to be replaced by an impenetrable darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “OLAPA SURE ISN’T friendly,” Yao muttered then yelped as someone smacked him. Only when he shifted into a firefly and buzzed around my head, his rapidly blinking bottom casting a dim light upon us, did I realize Death had somehow found him despite the darkness. I suppose there was only so much one could tolerate, and Death had in fact restrained himself.

  “She’s very friendly,” Death said, scowling at the firefly.

  “You would know,” Koki said.

  Mr. Turner groaned and shook a hand at us, losing another finger in the process. My wolf sniffed at the shadowy ground, then lifted its nose and growled at something beyond our weak circle of light.

  “Enough,” I told the others, hefting my walking stick and squinting into the darkness. No energy field sprung up so I inhaled deeply, relying on my highly sensitive olfactory senses. “I smell something.”

  “It wasn’t Yao,” the vampire protested as he shifted back into his human form and sniffed under his armpits. “Not this time, at least.”

  Koki rolled her eyes, clucked and said, “You disgust me.”

  “It smells like…” I sniffed the air. “Feathers. But I didn’t see or hear any birds up here.”

  Kam’s normally impassive expression shifted to something approaching alarm: his eyes widened, his brow wrinkled, and he seemed to cease breathing.

  “What?” I asked just as Koki said, “Tell me it isn’t so.”

  Glancing behind him, Kam said, “It is.”

  Before I could demand an explanation, sheet lightning noiselessly lit up the field to reveal a large, black-and-white bird of prey circling close overhead. As tall as a man, the creature had a wingspan at least four times as long as its body. Its iridescent black wings were embodiments of night itself while its white head, chest and tail feathers glowed with an internal light that brightened after each strike of the sheet lightning. The bird landed near us, flapping its wings three times to the accompaniment of thunder.

  “Ooo, pretty,” Yao cooed, his hands clenched over his heart.

  “What…” I began to ask.

  “It’s Impundulu, the Lightning Bird,” Koki said, her gaze not on the bird but on Kam, her eyebrows drawn together, her teeth nibbling on her bottom lip.

  “Oh, my,” I said. “You’re worried. But Kam’s the God of Lightning, so they must be close acquaintances.”

  “So pretty,” Yao breathed out as he stepped closer to the giant bird.

  “Until it gets hungry,” Koki warned, grabbing Yao by the arm and yanking him back so hard his jaw snapped shut with a loud clack.

  Rubbing his jaw, Yao glared at Koki while Death slid next to the she-demon and in front of me, blocking my view.

  “What does it eat?” I asked, standing on tiptoe to see over Death’s shoulder. The bird’s eyes alternatively glowed oily black and shiny silver. The sheet lightning continued to snap across the sky.

  “The blood and pain of its victims,” Death murmured as he too studied Kam, his expression one of mourning.

  “Well, there’s no edible blood around here… Oh,” Yao said, glancing at me and taking note of Death’s position. “Miss Knight, don’t let that bad bird see you.”

  “I think it’s a bit late for that,” I said as the bird’s hooked beak dipped in my direction, its glowing eyes widening. I tapped Death on the shoulder. “And where’s Olapa when we need her, hmm?”

  Before he could defend his former lover’s absence, the bird flapped its wings again, the thunder crashing against us and causing us all to flinch against the barrage of noise. The wings curled around the bird’s body, hiding it from view for a moment before the feathers exploded outward, beating against us in waves of black and white.

  When the attack ended and I dared to remove my arms from before my face, I beheld a tall, perfectly proportioned African man, his skin as black as his black feathers had been, his hair and eyes glowing white, his teeth and fangs dazzling. His lips twisted up into a smile tinged with cruelty as he noticed my amazed stare, and…

  “Good heavens,” I spluttered, squeezing my eyes closed and hiding behind Death.

  Yao leaned against me, his cheek brushing mine, as he whispered, “Don’t worry, Miss Knight. We won’t let that nasty bloodsucking bird near you.”

  “I should hope not,” I said, gasping. “He has no clothes on.”

  From my other side, Koki snorted. “Is that the first thing you notice about a person? How very superficial of you, girl.”

  Refusing to open my eyes to glare at her, I frowned with great intensity and said, “You are already well informed regarding my opinion on appropriate attire. There’s simply no excuse for dressing poorly, and even less so for not dressing at all.”

  The naked bird-man chuckled a thunderous sound while sheet lightning continued to brighten the world even through my closed lids. “I am Impundulu,” his voice rolled around me.

  “Bloody imp, indeed,” I muttered.

  “Shush, it’s rude to interrupt,” Yao said while Koki nudged me with her elbow.

  “Those who seek an audience with Enkai must prove their worth,” Impundulu continued. “A quest it shall be.”

/>   “Wait, what?” I said, opening my eyes to glare only to remember why I’d closed them in the first place. Squeezing my eyes closed, I said, “Blast it, don’t you have a loincloth lying around up here?”

  “Oh, goodie, a quest,” Yao said, clapping his hands as if the Lightning Bird was handing out treats.

  Death growled softly in front of me, mirroring Koki’s snarl. From Kam there was silence. Mr. Turner stumbled nearby, the scent of decay swirling around me.

  “Retrieve six thumb-sized diamonds, one for each of you, from the cave of Grootslang,” Impundulu said, “and only then will you be granted the honor of meeting Enkai.”

  Thunder, lightning and a cloud of feathers enveloped us. I opened my eyes in time to see the large bird fling itself into the sky. As it flew off, the darkness lifted.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “GROOTSLANG,” KOKI SNARLED as if she was uttering a curse. “Enkai has lost his mind. If he wants diamonds, he can bloody well retrieve them himself.”

  Wordlessly, Kam crossed his arms over his chest, his markings glowing as he stared toward the horizon. Not nearly as impassive, Death paced around us, mumbling to himself. As such behavior never bodes well for anyone, I kept my distance and instead directed my questions to Koki. “What’s a Grootslang?”

  Running a hand across her closely shaven head, Koki glanced at Kam, then at me. “Grootslang is a fifty-foot-long, fire-breathing serpent with a love of diamonds.”

  Mr. Turner gurgled and clapped his hands, dropping another finger in the process. Yao whistled and said, “Fifty feet. Fire.” Shaking his head, he grinned. “That’s not a serpent. That’s a dragon! Yao likes dragons. They have pretty scales and make fire. Fire. Yum.”

  My expression mirrored Koki’s: slightly slack-jawed with disbelief combined with a sneer. Death stopped his pacing and rubbed his hands over his face, shaking his head slightly. My wolf dropped down by my feet and whined.

  “Ah, yes, little firefly,” Koki purred. “Grootslang is a very pretty dragon. Metallic green scales, glowing green eyes. Oh, and did I mention it’s the only known natural predator of adult elephants? It devours them whole, in one bite.” She paused to let that fact sink in. “One elephant, one bite.”

  “But it’s pretty,” Yao insisted, his jaw set in a stubborn line.

  Growling, Death stomped away while Kam glanced over at Yao, a raised eyebrow his only reaction.

  “And the diamonds?” I asked.

  Koki tilted her hip to one side, her ankle length, sleeveless dress swishing about her, and studied her long, sharp nails. “Like its European cousins, Grootslang hoards treasure and guards it ferociously. Diamonds just happen to be the most readily available option in its homeland.” Before I could ask, she peered at me. “South Africa.”

  Yao clapped his hands and bounced on the balls of his feet. “Yao’s never been down south. Let’s go.”

  “This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen,” I grumbled, glaring at Kam as if it was his fault, which it very well may have been. After all, he was the God of Lightning. Surely he and the Lightning Bird were well acquainted.

  “Did you really expect this to be easy?” Kam asked.

  “No, and it wasn’t,” I said, my voice rising. “But it was supposed to be simple: Come here, chat with the Creator, put back the life-death cycle, and go home in time for afternoon tea. We didn’t discuss going on a quest for diamonds.”

  “Quest first, chat later,” Yao said, grinning at the prospect of stealing diamonds from a giant dragon. “Do human women like diamonds? Maybe Wanjiru would like one.”

  “No, she wouldn’t,” I snapped. “Diamonds are useless trinkets, and this quest is designed to send us to our deaths.”

  “But then we will pop back to life,” Yao pointed out.

  “Do you consider that as living?” Koki asked and indicated the decomposing Mr. Turner who was ambling after Death. “If so, then let me speed you along right now.”

  “I’ve had enough,” I said and spun away from the group. “I’m going home. There’s a pot of tea calling my name.”

  “Yao doesn’t hear anything,” the vampire said. “Ouch,” he yelped as I twirled back and swatted him with my walking stick.

  “They need you,” a voice whispered in the warm breeze.

  “They can manage to die without me,” I grumbled.

  Yao shifted closer to Koki and said, “She’s talking to herself. That’s a bad sign for humans, isn’t it?”

  Glaring at him, I realized everyone except Mr. Turner was watching me with various expressions ranging from amusement to concern and outright trepidation. The reanimated corpse was chewing on a flower.

  “What?” I asked.

  Angling his head to one side, Death narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin. With a gasp, he rushed toward me and gripped my shoulders. “You hear her, don’t you?”

  Shrugging his hands away, I said, “You’re all crazy. Have fun fighting the dragon.”

  “Pfff. That doesn’t sound like fun,” Yao said, scratching his chest with one hand. “Or funny.”

  “Stay together,” the voice whispered and a woman appeared from behind a peach tree.

  “Olapa,” Death cried, his arms raised in adoration as he sank to his knees.

  Gliding toward us, the grass and flowers untouched by her passage, was a tall, willowy woman with pale brown skin and eyes, and a gentle, radiant countenance. Her long, skinny braids floated around her face. While her beauty was enchanting, I was more interested in her attire which, thankfully, covered all the necessary bits and pieces, even if it left more skin exposed than was entirely decent by European standards. At the very least, she wasn’t naked, and that was good enough for me.

  “Le-Eyo,” she murmured, her arms gracefully opening up before her as if she would embrace us all.

  I glanced at Koki while gesturing to the former lovers. Before I could enquire how to handle the awkward situation—leave them to a private reunion and risk the ire of Olapa’s disgruntled husband, or remain to ensure nothing indecent occurred—Kam stepped between Death and the moon.

  “Olapa,” Kam said, his voice rumbling as he tilted his head in deference.

  Answering his silent question, she smiled at the God of Lightning. “I am aware of your mission, and the additional quest with which you are burdened.”

  “Then you’ll assist us?” I asked, ignoring Death’s stare.

  “Alas, I cannot,” she replied, placing her hands in a prayer position before her, as if begging us for forgiveness. “Enkai has forbidden it.”

  “But don’t you owe him that much at least?” I pressed on, gesturing to Death who was rising up and glaring at me.

  “That’s not how it works,” Yao said as he tugged at my sleeve.

  Still smiling, Olapa held her arms out, palms up. “I am grateful for Le-Eyo’s intervention. Every month as I move through the cycle of birth, life and death, I am reminded of how near I was to a permanent death. As the moon, I only approximate death for a few nights each cycle.”

  Placing one hand over her heart, she swept the other in front of her, from left to right and back again. “Yet his actions deprived the children of men their second chance and the advancements that would have allowed. To compensate humanity for this loss, I encourage the movement of tides to bring food close to the shore.”

  “And on behalf of humanity, let me express our eternal gratitude for such a gift,” I said, ignoring Koki’s snicker. “But have you seen what Death’s current banishment is doing down there?” I tapped my walking stick against the ground. “We’re going to have a planet covered with creatures like him.”

  We all glanced at Mr. Turner who moaned through a sloppy grin. Something wiggled inside his slack mouth, and I couldn’t be sure if it was his tongue or something else.

  A delicate frown marred the perfection of Olapa’s forehead. “That would be messy,” she conceded, fluttering her hands before her face.

  “Exactly my point,” I said, plea
sed to have found another who appreciated the importance of a tidy corpse.

  Kam cleared his throat and asked, “Whom did your husband prohibit you from assisting?” Thunder rumbled around us.

  “Ah,” Olapa said, smiling again. “Of course.”

  “This is taking too long,” Koki said, both hands on her hips, fingers tapping. “Assist Miss Knight then, instead of your rejected former lover.”

  Death seemed to be choking on the air while Yao tugged at my sleeve, trying to pull me away from the center of the mounting tension. Unconcerned, Olapa shook her head and lowered her arms. “I was expressly forbidden from providing assistance to Death, Miss Knight, the Mantis and the God of Lightning specifically, and to any vampires generally.”

  We all swiveled to stare at Mr. Turner who gurgled and nodded his head. His neck looked like it might snap.

  “That means, ‘Please help me. I’m not a vampire or anyone remotely important,’” I said.

  “Works for me,” Death said, his gaze fixed on Olapa.

  “Miss Knight, you can translate dead people’s language?” Yao asked.

  Shrugging her bare shoulders, Olapa said, “Works for me.” Holding her arms straight out in front of her, she clapped her hands three times, and the ground disappeared.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  IN THE MOMENT before I plummeted to earth, I heard Koki scream an unrepeatable curse. After that, my ears were vibrating with shrieks that echoed off the glowing white walls of a vertical tunnel. Despite my approaching death, the only image my frantic brain could present me was one of Simon returning home to the messy corpse of his zombie wife. What would happen to the baby?

  The howling wind quieted to gentle gusts as my fall slowed until I floated softly to the rocky entrance of a giant cave.

  Koki stumbled beside me, followed by Kam, Death and Mr. Turner. Only my wolf made the transition from falling to standing look graceful before he vanished into my metal hand. Wherever we were, it was back on the planet’s surface.