“Jacques?”
“Oui,” Jacques said, throwing up his hands. “I’ve got nothing.”
Jessie looked past him to The Enchantress. “Maybe I can find something out.
“You would go back in there for me?” Jacques asked, following her gaze.
“We need something to go on, and she did mention the prophecy last night,” Jessie said. “I think it’s time to find out what she knows about this.”
“It must be love, oui?” Jacques grinned.
“Yes, it’s official. I’m crazy.” Jessie sighed, not knowing which subject she’d just referred to. She was crazy! I’m in love with a ghost and about to willingly enter the certifiably insane woman’s shop for him.
“All right, but you must take your mother as I can’t go in with you,” Jacques said.
“I can’t take my mother,” Jessie whispered loudly.
“What was that?” her mother called out. “Jessie, did you call me?”
“Marco,” Jessie said.
“Polo.” Her mom laughed.
Jessie followed her voice until they both stood in front of the most perfect tree she’d ever seen. “That’s so beautiful,” Jessie said. “I can’t believe a tree like that is still here.”
“Ah-you haven’t seen the other side.” Her mom gave her a glance that made her laugh.
Jessie peeked around the other side and found a huge gaping hole at the bottom. “If we put it in the corner no one will ever know.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” her mom said.
“I say we get it.”
“And I say we get it flocked.” Her mom nodded.
“Excellent idea if I do say so myself, Watson.” Jessie grinned at her mom who was obviously delighted with the find.
“Why, thank you, Holmes.” Her mom laughed.
“And you think I watch too much television,” Jacques whispered when her mother went to purchase the tree. “I think your family takes the cake, nest-ce pas?”
“Mom, I wanted to go into some shops here,” Jessie said when she joined her at the counter. “Could I meet you back here at,” she looked at her watch, “four?”
“Sure, honey,” her mom said. “I wanted to do some shopping too.”
Chapter 13
The chimes on the front door sounded her arrival. Jessie was disappointed that a teenager was at the counter instead of the owner, a certain Ms. Sondra Breaux.
The girl looked up to see her, popped a bubble with her chewing gum, and returned to what she had been doing.
Jessie milled about the store, hoping the enchantress herself would show up. She picked up another dream catcher and a bobble headed pirate that she couldn’t resist. There was a corner of handmade faerie dolls that hung from a fake tree that stood in the corner, its branches reaching across the ceiling.
The young girl looked up to blow her gum again.
Jessie decided to brave it and went to the counter. “Could you help me,” Jessie asked.
“Yeah.” The girl popped another bubble.
“Could you get the white angel down from that tree for me?”
With a sigh the girl set her phone down and picked up a pair of extend arms that old people use to pick up the newspaper. “Which one is it?” She popped her gum.
“The one in the corner,” Jessie said as she watched her retrieve it from her spot overlooking fairy land. “She didn’t know why, but she really wanted the new angel.” Jessie heard the back door to the store open, but was disappointed to see an old woman come out of the back instead of the proprietress. She watched the ancient one slowly make her way to the front of the store, going outside.
“Here.” The girl handed the angel to her, brushing her hand accidently against hers. Jessie waited to see if she’d start talking in tongues too. . . . Nope, nothing.
“Is that it?” The girl popped her gum and without waiting for an answer she texted something, giggled, typed in ROFL, and then walked off.
Jessie stood staring after her. It wasn’t exactly tongues, but her conversation was strangely disconnected nonetheless. She took her things up to the counter. “Is Ms. Breaux here?”
POP! The girl chewed. “Sondra’s doing a reading. She’s been swamped all day.”
Jessie paid for her items and then waited for the girl to finish her text. When she looked back up she seemed to be surprised that Jessie was still there. “If you want a reading, you’ll have to come back tomorrow or make an appointment.”
Jessie noticed Jacques outside the window. “No, that’s alright, but thank you,” Jessie quickly said and headed for the door only to find Jacques sitting next to the old woman outside on the bench. Jessie shook her head giving him the, nope, got nothin' look, and was surprised when the old woman spoke up.
“Scorpion, mixed with black pitch from de Earth, and de blood of chicken,” the old woman said almost to herself.
Jessie wrinkled her nose. It sounded like a rather unappetizing recipe. She looked over her shoulder to see who the woman was speaking to.
“It keeps de jaguar from seeing.” the old woman continued. “Dat type of protection keeps both de good and bad out.”
“Hello,” Jessie said when she realized the old woman was talking to her.
The old woman clicked her dentures in her direction as way of greeting. Jessie looked at Jacques who gave her the, don’t ask me look, while patting the bench on the other side of him so she wasn’t just standing there.
“I had to come out to find de Sun.” The old woman looked at Jacques despite the fact she looked partially blind. One eye had cataracts and the other a white spot in the iris. “It is long I have waited to speak with you.”
“As I you,” Jacques said. The woman nodded sagely in response. “What have you come to tell me?” Jacques asked her.
“De sacred stone must be made whole,” the old woman stated succinctly with a final nod.
“Tell me, how does one do this?” he asked curiously.
“In de beginning, there was Ixiptia de very center of creation, de sea, and Cipactli, de goddess,” the old woman began. Jessie googled the name, coming up with the image of the crocodilian Earth monster, showing it to Jacques as the old woman continued.
The old woman told the story with what eyesight she had focused on the distant trees. “Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl created de world from Cipactli’s body. A temple was formed to protect de first sacred stone dat was formed from de Earth’s birth.” She paused. “Tepeyollotl, de Heart of de Mountain.”
Jessie typed the name into her phone’s search bar. This time a jaguar deity popped up on her phone’s screen. “The lord of animals, darkness, earthquakes and thunder, his spotted coat represents the stars in the night sky,” she whispered to Jacques.
The old woman nodded before starting again. “De gods fought to become de ruler. . . . De first Sun,” she said, “Tezcatlipoca, the most powerful of the gods won, but Quetzalcoatl, full of jealousy, knocked him out of de sky.
The old woman looked back at Jacques with her strange eyes. “So enraged Tezcatlipoca became de jaguar and destroyed dat world and its people. In de fight, de sacred rock cracked and a shard fell. Tezcatlipoca’s sacred knife was made from dis piece.”
“This Tezcatlipoca and Tepeyollotl are one?” Jacques asked.
“His Nagual.” The old one nodded. “His shape shifting animal,” she said, clicking her teeth again. “Tezcatlipoca sent a great wind dat devastated de Earth and de second Sun, Quetzalcoatl. The people who survived were turned into monkeys.”
The old woman looked back to the trees. “Tlaloc, the god of rain, became de third Sun, but Tezcatlipoca sent fire which destroyed de world. 'Dose people who survived became birds. Chalchihuitlicue, de water goddess became de fourth Sun, but a great flood destroyed de Earth and de people, who were den turned into fish.”
The woman clicked her dentures again with a nod of finality signaling the end of the story. Jacques turned to Jessie to see if she had anything to add. She gave h
im the, nope, got nothin' look, again.
“What is the prophecy?” Jacques asked the old woman.
Again she turned to look at the distant horizon. “It had been foretold dat de white god will come again. He will bring de two halves together and heal de stone. If dis does not happen by de time de Earth’s Sun passes de point of origin, de gods of de underworld will unleash their destruction on de people.”
“What of the dagger?” Jacques asked the old woman.
“De sacred rock must be made whole by de time of de solar solstice, when the Earth once again passes de point of creation, Xibalba. If not, de gods of de underworld will destroy de Earth and darkness will reign forever.”
Jessie found herself staring in horror at the old woman. Was this for real? She’d barely paid attention to the Mayan myths or Sun calendar before now.
Looking across the asphalt surface of the parking lot filled with cars to the distant tree line that lay below the gray hazy sky, Jessie couldn’t help thinking how hard humans had been on this planet. She had heard many variations about the end of the world, but never had she thought about anything like this woman’s tale would spell.
The old woman once again focused her sights on Jacques. “Be warned, de sacred knife of Tezcatlipoca attracts both de good and de bad.”
“This I have discovered for myself, oui?” Jacques nodded.
“Non!” the old woman said, the word flavored with her Cajun roots. “You have only begun to battle de darkness.”
Jacques turned to look at Jessie, a little taken aback by the old woman’s revelation. The concern in his expression was obvious. “Just one more thing.” Jacques turned back to the old one. “Where is this stone?”
The old woman looked at him like he was daft and cackled.
Jessie looked up to see the librarian, who had quite rudely kicked her out of the public library, leaving the store followed by the enchantress herself. “I will conduct the séance tonight at the library. This presence that has made itself known to you will be gone,” Sondra Breaux said as they walked out the door.
The snooty librarian’s eyes widened in surprised horror when she noticed Jessie sitting on the bench with the old woman. Jessie was quite sure the librarian hadn’t wanted her to overhear that one. Hmmpft, Jessie thought, and to think she had had the gall to file her away with the hippie books!
Jacques, still sitting beside Jessie chuckled. “That will teach her.”
“What did you do?” Jessie asked under her breath.
“I may have emptied a few more shelves of books to even the score.” Jacques grinned. Jessie shook her head.
“Serves her right, dat one.” The old woman nodded approvingly.
“Mamere,” Sondra said as she turned to see Jessie and the old woman sitting there. “What are you doing out here?”
“I told you.” The old woman laughed again. “I had to find de Sun.”
The enchantress looked at Jessie, finally recognizing her. “I just finished up a reading. Did you want find out about the presence I felt?”
The old woman clicked her teeth and mumbled,” I already gave the reading.”
Jessie could see her own mother headed down the sidewalk. “No, thank you. Maybe some other time.”
“Time?” the old woman said. “Time is running out!”
“Mamere,” Sondra said. “Let’s get you back inside before you catch cold.”
“Thank you,” Jacques said to the old woman as he got up.
“It is you I must t'ank for your sacrifice.” The old woman’s eyes followed his movement as she watched him.
“Mamere,” Sondra sighed, “let’s get you your medicine. She took my mother’s recent death very hard.”
“I don’t need medicine, and dat was no heart attack.” The old woman clicked her teeth, looking at Jessie, “She sees, but she is blind.”
“I’m sorry,” Sondra said to Jessie, like one would say of someone who has been left to suffer the effects of dementia. The old woman sighed and clicked her teeth in response. “I see just fine, Mamere, I have your gift,” Sondra said patiently.
“Bah, you are half blind den.”
“Did you get your nap?” Sondra asked her grandmother the way one might ask a cranky child.
Jessie stood up as well. “Thank you for sharing your wisdom.”
“Please, come back tomorrow,” Sondra said as she helped her grandmother up.
“No, you must go,” the old woman said sternly, shooing them away with an old blue veined hand. “De Earth must be healed.”
“Mamere, you can’t keep chasing away the customers,” Sondra said with a long suffering sigh.
Jessie watched her mother who was steadily approaching then glanced at her watch. “Good bye and thank you,” she said once again and then started walking to meet her mother.
Jacques laughed humorously as he strolled beside her. “Talk about irony.”
“What is ironic?” Jessie asked, trying not to make her lips move.
Jacques sighed. “You know my great-great-great-great grandfather took that knife to prevent any more sacrifices being made to the gods.” Jacques looked at her. “And now as it turns out, I am their final one.”
“Jacques.” Jessie looked at him sadly and fumbled with her bags so she could talk. “What are we going to do now?”
“We are not doing anything,” Jacques said. “I am not risking you.”
“Jacques, you are going to need some help,” Jessie said. “You can’t carry the knife yourself.”
“I will think of something, n'est-ce pas?” Jacques said, “Until then I am going to check on Henry. I am almost positive he is ready to show me something. . . . How many cookbooks can a man read?”
With that he vanished. Jessie looked up to see her mom a few feet away. “Do you think the tree is ready?”
“He said it would be,” her mother said. “Let’s put our bags in the car and go get it.”
Jessie pasted a false smile on her face for her mother’s benefit. . . . It was hard, especially when she really felt like crying. Why was it that when she had finally found a man whom she could love with all her heart, why did he have to die . . . again?
Jessie placed their packages in the back of the Fiat and stood looking at her car. How are we going to get that big tree home? Walking over to Bob’s Tree Lot they found that the tree still hadn’t been flocked.
“It’ll just take me a minute,” the man that ran the lot said. “I’ve had a little run here and been swamped.”
Jessie noticed as he walked over to a compressor and started it up that the name patch on his blue service shirt was Bob. Both she and her mom stood a few feet away as Bob stood the tree up and started blasting.
White flakes flew from the nozzle just as Jacques appeared in front of it. For a moment he stood coated in the sticky globules of white flocking. Jessie watched as he waved his arms in surprise and then disappeared. The white impression he’d made fell in a fine mist to the ground. She turned to see both her mother and Bob standing with their mouths agape.
“Did you see that?” Bob asked, looking over at them.
“I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” Gloria whispered.
“I’m sure it was just the way the light was diffracted over the particles as they dispersed,” Jessie said, glancing over at Jacques who had moved to stand next to her.
“That’s quick thinking,” he whispered in her ear.
“I got a picture of it!” A woman who had been taking a video of another tree said. “I was just taking this for my husband to see the tree, so he could help pick it out since he’s at work.” She held it up for them to see. “Look, you can see it.”
“Oh, boy,” Jessie sighed.
“It’s an angel!” Bob the tree guy announced to one and all.
“That’s amazing.” Gloria breathed shaking her head in wonder as she looked at the image again.
Jessie looked over her mother’s shoulder at the photo. It was Jacques alrigh
t. His mouth was open, and he looked a little surprised. Jessie stepped back as other people started to crowd in to see the proof.
“It looks like it’s trying to tell us something,” Bob said.
“I don’t think that’s my best side,” Jacques whispered.
“It’s a Christmas miracle,” another man in the crowd called out to more people.
“The only miracle,” Jacques whispered in her ear, “is that they think that I’m an angel. My mother would roll over in her grave and laugh at that one, oui?”
“It looks like Jesus,” the young woman who’d taken the photo said. “I’m posting it on YouTube.”
Jessie looked at Jacques who held his hands out and shrugged in the, what can I do about it, move. He was an unlikely savior, she thought of the task before them, but he was her angel. She smiled.
“How are you going to get this big tree home?” Jacques asked.
~*~
“Isn’t that amazing how the tree just seems to defy gravity?” her mother said as they drove slowly down the street toward the house.
Jessie looked out her side view mirror where she could see Jacques hanging on the back of the car, holding up the tree. “Yes, this day has been full of surprises.”
Her mom looked at her phone. It was nice of that nice young girl to text this photo. She held up a flocked photo of Jacques with his arms up. “How do I send this on? I want to text it to Mavis and Katie.”
“I’ll have to show you when we get inside,” Jessie said as they pulled into the driveway.
“Oh, good,” Gloria said. “Jonathan is home next door. “I’ll just go get him to help with this tree, and I can show his mom in person.”
While Jessie untied the tree, Jacques went to check on things. She waved at Mavis who opened her door to her mother. They stood in conversation for a minute with her mom’s phone in hand. Soon Jonathan was headed out in her direction.
Jacques popped up next to her. “We have a problème.”
Jessie turned around to answer. “What is it?”
“My journal is missing.”
“Did you look under the bed?” Jessie asked.
“I looked everywhere,” Jacques said on the verge of hysteria.
Treasure of the Jaguar Warrior - Mystery of the Mayan Calendar Page 14
