Possessed

by Kira Saito

  The following week he married the Spanish lady and the pain was worse than that of a hundred lashes.

  Chapter 36

  Dreams Come True for a While

  New Orleans, March, 1836

  The years flew by at a quick pace and Jacques never looked at me the same way again. He didn’t remember how I had saved him and how he had saved me. Our past and love didn’t exist. For years I tried to reverse the trick that was placed on him but every spirit told me the same thing. If the trick was removed he would die; that was the price I had to pay. I could watch him live but I could never actually be with him.

  Instead of being a place of dreams and hopes, the plantation was transformed into a place of profit and extravagance because that is what his wife wanted. Slaves were brought in, cotton was planted and watching it all broke my heart yet I still stayed.

  Mrs. LaPlante insisted that the land was simply going to waste if it just sat there. She wasn’t like Jacques at all. Jacques was warm while she was cold and indifferent towards us. I could tell that she never truly loved him but wanted him for his name and wealth. Although her family was supposedly wealthy we had heard rumors of how they were facing massive amounts of debt. It was common practice, especially among the wealthy, to put on false appearances.

  I stayed because there was simply nowhere to run and somewhere deep within me I still held hope that he would remember me. I suppose that an outsider looking in on my life would have called me foolish for not trying to gain my independence and running for my life but I knew that there was no point in running if it wasn’t going to get me anywhere worth being. The truth was I wanted to be by Jacques’ side; it was the only true freedom I’d ever known.

  Jacques was never cruel to any of the slaves but the drivers were terrifying and harsh. They put on an act whenever he was around and the brutality that went on in the fields was well hidden.

  I was fortunate enough to work in the big house as a nurse and a cook and rarely ever had to help out in the fields, but that brought its own set of problems.

  “Why are you leering at my husband?” Mrs. LaPlante caught me shamelessly daydreaming while staring at Jacques.

  I couldn’t help it. With every passing year he became increasingly handsome. Having the one you loved so close yet so far was like living in a state of eternal turmoil and despair. I wanted to hold him, smell the scent of his warm skin and run my fingers through his hair. A few years ago they would have been such simple gestures but now they were impossible. I imagined that this is what death would be like. Being so close to the one you love but being unable to touch or communicate with them. To Jacques, I was dead.

  I lowered my head as I placed the tea on the table. “Sorry,” I muttered, as I fought back bitter tears.

  She grabbed my wrist and dug her claws into it. Her wide brown eyes were deceptively kind on the surface but I could see right through them. I could see her soul and it was full of greed and hunger. “Don’t you ever look at him.” She knew that I knew what she had done.

  Arelia would have shouted screw you, but Marie simply nodded.

  I had resolved never to ask the spirits to cause harm to another person. After all the pain I’d experienced throughout my life, the last thing I wanted was to transfer that to another person. Besides, the world I lived in was one which was full of fear and superstition. The whispers of Voodoo-related arrests and persecutions sent shivers down my spine. Even though everyone knew that wealthy upper class woman employed Voodoo Queens to land husbands, case in point Mrs. LaPlante, all of that was swept under the rug. The public was made to believe that Voodoo/Hoodoo was a savage and heathen practice that involved mass human sacrifice and spirits that were only pleased through lewd acts. The truth was people feared what they didn’t understand. People feared what made them uncomfortable. I made the world uncomfortable, so I bowed my head and tried to fit in as best as I could.

  I took a deep breath and mumbled some excuse about all the work I had to do. Instead, I grabbed a knife and snuck out to the rose garden. When all hope was lost and I felt like I had nothing to live for anymore the rose garden was the one thing that kept me going.

  The air was sticky and sweet. It was March and the world was coming alive again. The white and pink roses danced around me and at that second I knew I needed Jacques to recognize me, even if it only was for a moment. I needed him to remember so that maybe he could free himself. I needed to feel his love.

  Under a large bush of pink roses I kept a secret altar decided to Erzulie. I stabbed myself seven times and called upon her:

  Seven stabs of the knife, seven stabs of the dagger,

  Lend me the basin so I can vomit my blood,

  Seven stabs of the knife, seven stabs of the dagger,

  Lend me the basin so I can vomit my blood,

  My blood is pouring down.

  “Marie. Marie. Some things are meant to be but cannot because others make them impossible,” whispered Erzulie.

  I kneeled on the wet ground. “Why?”

  “I know you’re in pain, my child, but do not give up hope. Never give up hope that tomorrow will bring a better day and a brighter future.”

  “Give me a reason to stay hopeful. Please make Jacques remember me, even if it’s only for a few hours, please. That will give me enough hope to last the rest of my life. Please.”

  “A price needs to paid, you know that. Are you willing to exchange your freedom for a few hours of his love? Are you willing to be a slave at Darkwood for the rest of your life?”

  I nodded without even thinking about it. I wasn’t free anyways. The world I lived in was that of rules and restrictions that were so oppressive that even if I gained my freedom, it would be in name only. The only freedom I had ever known was in Jacques’ embrace. “Yes. Yes.”

  “Very well, my dear. Very well. Come back here tonight and he will recognize you, but only for a few hours.”

  “Thank you. Thank you, Erzulie.”

  That night I put on my cleanest dress. Sadly I was back to wearing potato sacks but I didn’t care. I knew that Jacques would look past my outer appearance and directly into my soul. He had been the only one who had bothered doing that.

  The moon was the exact same shape and size it had been when I had met Jacques in the swamp. My heart raced as I stepped inside the rose garden. The sweet smell of roses surrounded me and when I saw the outline of Jacque’s broad shoulders under the moonlight I nearly fainted.

  “Jacques.”

  He turned around and our eyes met. He was my Jacques. “Marie.” His eyes filled with tears, as he ran towards me and took me into his arms. “Marie, m'ange de le lux. I feel like I’ve woken up from a nightmare. What’s happened?”

  “We don’t have much time,” I said, as I took his hand and ran towards the swamp.

  The moon guided us as we fought our way through the maze of wild oak branches. The swamp animals hummed and sang as if they were welcoming us back after a long absence.

  “Do you remember?” I asked him, as I guided him to the spot where we had first met.

  “The last thing I remember is waiting for you at the ball, but you never came back and then the world went dark.” He examined me intently. “Why do you look so sad, Marie. What have I done?”

  I let out a small sigh. There was no point in explaining it to him. Even if I did he wouldn’t remember and I didn’t want to waste the precious few hours Erzulie had granted me. I softly stroked his stubbly cheek and looked deep into his troubled eyes. “Nothing. You’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. Look,” I said, as I pointed up at the sky and tried to get a smile out of him. I wanted to remember him exactly as he had been. “We’re always going to hop from the stars to the moon and then back again in a world that doesn’t have outdated rules and regulations.”

  He smiled and his face lit up. He held me close, and when his lips pressed against mine the ugliness seemed to disappear again.

  Chapter 37

  My Baby

  N
ew Orleans, December, 1836

  My baby was born on Christmas day. He looked exactly like his daddy from the moment he came into the world. He loved to smile and found wonder and joy in everything. Everything from his chubby little toes to his deep eyes were perfect. When I held him in my arms for the first time I sobbed uncontrollably. Not because I was happy. I was devastated and heartbroken that I wouldn’t be able to give him the life he deserved. I brought him into this world, but he would never be able to be free because of whom I was. I was torn because he could have had such a wonderful life if it wasn’t for the ugly world we lived in and the circumstances that surrounded us. However, from that day forward, Louis became my light, joy, reason for living and hope that there would be a brighter future to look forward to.

  I told everyone that he was the son of William Jones. William Jones was a runaway slave of mixed race who had recently been attacked and killed by blood-thirsty hounds. No one questioned who his daddy was, and if they did they dared not say it aloud. The last thing Mrs. LaPlante wanted to hear was that her husband had gotten a lowly slave pregnant, especially when she had just given birth herself. Even if they did say anything, Jacques would adamantly deny it because he didn’t remember any of it. He didn’t remember us.

  Lucus LaPlante was born on the exact same day as his brother. He was a little angel with a mop of loose curls and eager eyes. He was an exact replica of his father, and it wounded me just to look at him; yet I always wanted to make sure he was safe and protected. I nursed him anytime he was ill, sometimes even leaving Louis alone in the cabin. I loved them both equally and with all my heart. I sang them the same lullaby:

  Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

  Go to sleepy little baby.

  When you wake, you shall have,

  All the pretty little ponies.

  Blacks and bays, dapples and greys,

  Go to sleepy you little baby,

  Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

  Go to sleepy little baby.

  Daddy's boy Mama's joy

  Watching my poor Louis suffer and work in the fields was heartbreaking, but he was eternally hopefully and joyful. Before my eyes Louis and Lucus transformed into handsome young men who led very different lives. I found it funny that I was the only one who bothered to notice how similar they were. I suppose when you really love someone you search for a piece of them in everyone around you.

  I dreamt of a day where Louis and Lucus could officially meet and embrace each other as brothers, but given my situation, that day seemed like a distant dream. I kept my head down and avoided drawing attention to myself or to Louis. Sometimes the only chance of survival you have is keeping your head down and hoping that tomorrow will be worth living for.

  Chapter 38

  My Death

  New Orleans 1853

  It happened on a dreadfully rainy night. The fever was running wild at that time and the state of Louisiana was in a constant state of fear and paranoia. I had warned Lucus may times that he should stay away from the city but he was wild and never paid attention to warnings. He was too busy gambling, drinking and taking part in the chaos that drew so many to the most prosperous city in America.

  “Marie! Marie! They need you in the main house. Lucus is dying from the fever!” shouted Simon, another slave.

  I grabbed my bag of herbs and oils, and without thinking started to run towards the main house. Watching Lucus die would be the same as watching Louis die- there was no way I was going to allow that to happen. As I ran, I grew weaker and weaker until I fell into a hole so deep and so dark, I knew that I would never return to the land of the living again. The last thing I remember was rain drops bouncing off my body and attempting to wash away the ugliness that had surrounded so much of my life. I wasn’t angry or sad that my life had ended the way it did. I was worried that I left my baby alone in darkness and he would never know what happened to me.

  Eventually, piles of dirt were thrown on top of me and Papa Ghede called my name.

  “Marie. Marie. Time to party with us on the other side.”

  “No. Please. Please.” My soul knew that my baby was in trouble and there was nothing I could do to help him.

  “Marie. Marie. Do you really wish to stay in that cemetery until the end of time? You’ve got an awfully long wait, darling.”

  “Yes, please. I need to makes sure my baby is safe.”

  “You do realize that if you ever hope to leave this cemetery, another soul needs to stay here in your place and you need to use their body to communicate with the living?”

  “I understand. I’ll wait till the end of time to make sure he’s safe. I’ll wait forever and forever. It doesn’t matter how long.”

  Chapter 39

  Of Course

  My head emerged from under the filthy swamp water and I was relieved to find that I was back in my body, even though I was utterly drained and exhausted. Walking a mile, or a few years, in someone else’s shoes was a lot harder than most people assumed. What I had seen had left me horrified and shocked beyond belief, but above all it left me with more understanding. I had felt Marie’s pain and her love. I had shared her grief and her hopes. I could understand why she made the choices she did. She wasn’t mad at all. She was just a girl who had a really hard life under really difficult circumstances.

  The sun shone brightly above me while the birds hummed and snakes hissed. Of course Ivan and Lucus were brothers; that’s why Louis had looked so familiar when I saw him in his real body. He had subconsciously reminded me of Lucus. Of course Marie had been the love of Jacque’s life and not actually the Mad Marie of legends, and of course she had nothing to do with the curse. Of course Lucus’ mom was crazy. Was she the one responsible for the whole thing? Why did I have to be the world’s worst detective?

  “Sabrina.” I shook her limp body and wiped away the hair that clung to her forehead. I wasn’t sure whether or not Marie was still in there. “Sabrina,” I said again as I pulled her towards a nearby rock. “Wake up, please. Are you in there? We have to get out of here.”

  Her eyes snapped open. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell my baby what you saw. I’m not going anywhere. You’re not going to hand my baby’s soul over to Mait Carrefour. You’re not going to hand Lucus over to him either. I won’t have it. You’re going to convince my baby that he has a chance to be happy and that he should never give up. He’s given up on living. He’s an animated corpse and we all know what happens to animated corpses.”

  Crap. Marie was still in there. “No. No. I’m not going to do that. I promise. I’ll take you back to your baby. He’s in the house. I’ll help you find out who murdered you. I’ll help you with it all as long as you get out of my friend’s body now, please. I’m sorry for the horrible life you had, Marie. I’m so sorry. I know sorry is such a lame thing to say but I swear things are different now. The world is different. Please leave Sabrina’s body and I’ll help your son. Please.”

  Her eyes bulged and she started bobbing her head again. “No. Your friend’s body doesn’t have much energy left in it. I hear Papa Ghede beckoning me back to the cemetery. You go and explain it to my baby and you need to go now. I don’t care how I died. Give me peace by helping my baby.”

  “But I can’t leave you here in the swamp. It’s not safe. You know it’s not safe for my friend’s body.” The thought of an alligator eating Sabrina was horrifying. “Explaining all of this to your baby is going to take time.”

  “No it won’t and can’t take time. You don’t have much time, Arelia. You have to hold my baby, make him see what you saw, make him remove the trick he placed on you and unite him with his brother. That’s the only way I can be sure that he’ll eventually let go of all the anger he’s been carrying around. My baby needs to let go of the anger and work with his brother. You need to give my baby the chance he never had.”

  “Marie, I’ve been trying and trying…” But your baby can be such an ass. He’s done some pretty horrible things to me.

 
“You haven’t tried hard enough,” she hissed. Yes. She actually hissed like a snake which made the whole head bobbing thing even more terrifying. “Everyone claims they try but they really don’t. They don’t try at all.”

  “Who did this to Lucus and Louis? And why? Do you know?”

  “The only thing I know is I didn’t do it and I don’t want my baby angry at his brother and daddy for eternity. I love his daddy and I always will. I want peace so I can meet Jacques on the other side. I know he’s waiting for me on the other side. I’ve waited so long to be with him but I can’t until I know our baby is safe. Give me peace; help unite my baby with his brother. They can only be free if they work together, not separately. Go now. Go before it’s too late for your friend. I can hear Papa Ghede calling her name.”

  “Okay, I’ll go. I’m going right now, but you’ve got to promise me that you stay right there on that rock. Please promise me that you won’t let anything happen to my friend’s body.” I was going to threaten her with an or else but threatening the dead was a pretty hard thing to do.

  “Go now. Go right this instant and do as I say and I’ll let your friend go. Her body doesn’t have much energy left. Run. Run now.”

  “I’m going. I’m going.”

  Chapter 40

  Sweeten Him Up

  I made a mad dash out of the muddy water and into the forest. Drenched in slime and mud I was a demented swap creature on a seemingly impossible mission. Honestly, I had no clue what I was going to do or how I was going to convince Ivan to reverse the trick he had placed on me and embrace Lucus as his brother. Oh God. How was I going to explain to Lucus that the perfect illusion he had of his parents was all actually a lie? How? I couldn’t do that to him. I wouldn’t. He would have to figure that out on his own. As for Ivan, I was numb just thinking about what had happened to his mom.