Sycorax's Daughters

by Kinitra Brooks, PhD

  When they finally reached home, she poured a glass of her favorite wine and sank down on her couch. Mirrors filled every space on her apartment walls, and Naomi could see Alexa standing on the balcony, still peering in the direction they had just left, looking at the mass of city lights and dark buildings. It wasn’t like her not to speak, and Naomi blamed it on whatever had happened in that man’s studio with the strange wall.

  Javari.

  He had security inside as well as outside. What was he hiding or protecting? And why in the world could she not stop herself from kissing him?

  Naomi’s emotions were all over the place, and being unstable was not conducive to maintaining awareness of her spirit partner— at least not for long periods of time. It would disrupt their balance, forcing Alexa to instinctively take over and absorb the weaker vessel—her. Naomi had to get her mind together and confront

  her emotions. The power of thought was always the way back to control.

  Thinking of the night, of Pierce, of Javari, she came to a conclusion. Naomi had heard how the need to have sex was strong after the loss of a loved one. She was sure that was what she was experiencing about Javari. Killing Pierce certainly brought about potent emotions, and the sense of loss immersed her, tripling her stress levels. That would make sex quite appealing because it was a physical act of connection and release. That had to be what it was.

  Naomi set her mind on naming and claiming her emotional state—grief. However, she just wasn’t as sure as she wanted to be with her own self-diagnosis. She then told herself that uncertainty was also to be expected, considering that she had to kill Pierce.

  That was something she had to accept. She had killed her fiancé, and she now needed to allow herself some time to cope with that and heal.

  The wine glass shook in her hand, and she used the other to steady it. Lifting it up to her lips, she could only manage two

  sips. In her current state, that was more than enough to help her meditate, but instead it put her fast asleep.

  In the morning, Naomi had surprisingly found enough strength to take a shower and then lie back down in her bed. Her phone rang. She picked it up from the side table and looked at it.

  Is it him? Alexa’s voice was anxious.

  Naomi nodded. At least Alexa was also feeling better. She was talking again.

  Well, answer it.

  She didn’t want to; she felt she needed more time, but she clicked the answer button anyway.

  “Hello?” he said.

  Javari’s voice made her heart leap. Naomi felt she must still be under the effect of whatever had held her in his apartment.

  “Are you both all right?” He sounded sincerely concerned.

  Both? Alexa purred, Hmmm. “We’re fine,” Naomi answered.

  “I need to see you.” It was a humbling command, and Naomi’s first instinct was to obey him.

  She hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said. “Not here,” he said, “At the park in two hours.”

  Naomi’s notification sound went off. He had sent her directions again.

  “Please be there.”

  Alexa’s was in Naomi’s ear. Tell him to tell Jonathan I said hello.

  Naomi hung up the phone instead.

  You know you’re not right, right? Alexa said. So rude. You always hurt my feelings. She smirked.

  Naomi sat up in bed and looked at the open closet filled with clothes.

  We’re going, right?

  “We don’t know what’s going on, or what we’re getting ourselves into.”

  We never do, Alexa intoned. And there’s no one around to explain these “unexplainable things” either. We do what we have always done—We find out for ourselves.

  Naomi looked into one of the many mirrors around her room, seeing Alexa with that familiar challenging smile.

  “Okay, then,” Naomi said, getting out of bed. “Let’s hunt.” Alexa giggled. I have the perfect outfit.

  At the park, Naomi got out of the car, stretched her legs, and followed the latitude and longitude from the link Javari sent.

  Are we going the right way? Alexa said next to her. We’re getting

  farther away from the crowd.

  “We’re going the right way, Alexa,” Naomi said. “He probably just wants to meet somewhere in public but not too close to too many ears.”

  A few passersby looked at Naomi strangely, and she cursed under her breath. She had forgotten her earpiece that she had programmed to flash when she wasn’t using her mobile, for instances like this. Talking out loud to yourself in public was a dangerous taboo.

  “Possessed,” she heard someone say as she walked on.

  Naomi quickened her pace and made sure she kept her lips closed no matter what questions Alexa asked. Anyone, anywhere could call the church, report her as possessed, and they would send a Splitter. Alexa would be gone forever.

  She and Alexa had been connected since birth, first as an invisible playmate, until scientists realized that too many children claimed to have playmates while doing and knowing things beyond their abilities. Naomi had hidden her talents and carefully suppressed information Alexa learned about others and whispered into her ear.

  It was hard to grow up knowing that if anyone found out about Alexa, she would immediately be seen as abnormal. It seemed to Naomi that anyone who had communication with their spirit partner opened the doors for others to do the same; thus, Splitters were formed to protect society, as they said. Splitters separated pairs whether it was a good or bad union. But all Naomi knew was that without Alexa, she would be alone and empty.

  She slowed her pace as her eyes came to rest upon Javari. He stood near the edge of forest that circled the park. He looked appealing in jeans and a bright, loose-fitting t-shirt.

  Yummy. Alexa echoed Naomi’s thoughts.

  Naomi stopped her approach, keeping a safe distance between them.

  “Hello, again,” he said.

  “Hello, yourself,” Naomi replied in a flirty tone, despite herself.

  Javari got directly to the point. “We’ve been researching about last night, about what happened between us.”

  “Researching?”

  He nodded. “It’s what we do.”

  A waiter who researches? Naomi imagined Alexa lifting an inquisitive eyebrow.

  “I know that this is going to sound strange,” he continued, “but I couldn’t keep my eyes off you from the moment we met in the parking lot. And Jonathan says he loves Alexa. And ever since you left, since that kiss, I can’t stop masturbating.”

  “Excuse me?” Naomi wasn’t expecting all of this.

  “I don’t mean to offend you,” Javari said, raising his hands in defense. “I know I’m saying a lot, and this sounds completely weird and strange, but the body, the mind and the spirit are one. They’re connected. And even more so with guides like Jonathan and Alexa.” He looked Naomi directly in her eyes. “Since we are connected to them, why can’t we also be connected to each other?”

  Naomi didn’t have time to think about his words, as the familiar feeling of dread and anxiety seeped throughout her inner being.

  She looked toward the forest.

  “Javari,” she said, “we’ll have to continue this discussion later.” “Naomi, please.” He wasn’t going to let go this time. “I know

  I’ve come across as strange, unhinged, and pretty much offensive, but I need you to listen to—”

  “I will,” Naomi said, walking off to the forest. Then, she said the only thing she knew would get him to stop pursuing her. “I’ll meet you back at your place. I’ll call you,” as she turned and quickened her pace before he could say anything more.

  As Naomi found herself deeper in the forest, she searched around. “Is he following?”

  No, Alexa said.

  Naomi unsheathed and removed her dagger. Its blade caught and reflected the sun’s rays that escaped through the leaves of t he trees. Her eyes found the source of her prescience.


  A teenager walked down the path with an unnatural gait. Her neck was cocked to the side. Her clothes were filthy, and a foul odor emanated into the air. Teenagers were more susceptible to possession, as they were always overrun with uncertainties and fear. It was the worst part of Naomi’s job—splitting a teenager from what could have begun as pure, but had corrupted into evil and sin. Adults who willingly accepted such a befouling union were harder to split. But teenagers—they were the saddest. They never got the chance to fully understand how to control what was happening to them. Nonetheless, they were a danger to society, and she knew what she needed to do.

  “Excuse me,” Naomi said.

  The teenager turned around. Her face distorted as she roared.

  Alexa jumped into Naomi, and the dagger morphed into a sword for those who could see the unseen. If they had Truth Glasses, they could also see the lioness head and Egyptian warrior that was now Naomi.

  The demon attacked and Naomi/Alexa dodged the stream of wind meant to blow them off their feet. They struck a few blows, trying to find the tether between body and demon spirit. It was located in one of three places: the forehead, the hand, or the rib. Once they found it, they would only have one chance to strike again before the demon would reinforce its power to make the connection to the host stronger. If they missed, splitting would require a few more strikes, and the longer one battled a demon, the weaker one became.

  As they dodged swipes of its hands and tree limbs flew through the air, the forest filled with its roar of rage. Then, she saw it. The hand.

  They swung the sword again. The demon howled as it flew from the body of its connection. And with another swipe, they cut through its spirit hand so that it could never connect again.

  The teenager fell to the ground, and the whirling wind and sounds of the demon’s cries faded away as it retreated.

  Naomi/Alexa dropped the sword to the side and separated.

  Naomi stood next to the girl and waited for her to regain consciousness. She would be confused at first, and then the memories would come flooding in: the people she had hurt; the accidents she had caused. Release from possession always came with nightmares.

  Unlike Splitters, who used their swords to split any person who became aware of their spirit partners, The Grasp only Split those dangerous to themselves and society. Pierce had tried to make his argument to Naomi that they were working toward the same goal— to protect the people. But Splitters worked in fear of what they did, without knowledge or understanding. Naomi’s organization, however, continued to advance their learning and fully understand the knowledge of their spirit partners. Because they had to remain hidden from Splitters and The Church, this belief was in the minority.

  Naomi made the call to The Grasp and texted her location.

  They would take the teenager in, send her to a facility to regain some sense of normalcy, and, if she so chose, she would join their ranks and operations. Most did. Keeping busy with a cause helped ease the nightmares of what had happened to them; it gave penance and filled the emptiness inside.

  When a few members of The Grasp finally arrived to collect the teenager, Naomi set out for Javari’s place. She had a bone to pick with him. He had known her name

  Naomi’s mobile number was unlisted, which made it impossible to learn her identity. And the name registered with her apartment wasn’t hers either, nor was it on any bills or other mail that was left at her inbox or front door. So how did he know her name?

  Naomi stood at Javari’s front door, waiting for the security cameras to identify her. The door slid open and he immediately greeted her.

  “Naomi. For a moment, I thought you would not come,” he said.

  “Well, as you may come to know,” Naomi passed by him to enter the room, “I keep my word.”

  Standing face-to-face with him was still a bit uncomfortable, even though she tried to mentally shield herself with her suspicions. But as soon as the door opened, she could only think of what she wanted his body to do with hers. She had to place some distance between them, so she went toward the other end of the couch, remaining standing.

  He, too, seemed to need distance because he didn’t move away from the front door.

  “Keeping one’s word is a rare trait,” Javari said, and then added, “So, you’re saying I’ll be seeing more of you.”

  And we want to see more of you, Alexa cooed. Especially since the way you say our name sounds so lovely to our ears.

  Naomi had notice that. She answered him. “Only for right now.”

  “Well, for right now,” he repeated and walked toward the mysterious wall, “let me show you something.”

  Another security system unfolded before her eyes: a camouflage doorway and facial, fingerprint and DNA access. It was so secure, Naomi had to present all three identifying signatures to walk through.

  On the other side, she saw bright lights, machinery, advanced computers, and—.

  Naomi took a step back as she looked at another Javari standing in the middle of the laboratory. His hair was long, not short like Javari’s, and he wore khaki pants without a shirt. His naked chest was curved with manly sexiness.

  “It’s okay,” Javari said. “It’s just Jonathan.”

  A movement behind her made her jump, and then she saw herself standing beside her.

  “Alexa?”

  You see me, she answered.

  Javari opened his arms. “Think of this place as a huge Truth

  Glass. The waves of light bounce off from wall to wall.”

  Naomi stared at Alexa, and then at Jonathan, whose face relaxed into a welcoming smile. Her eyes then moved to a conveyor belt where dozens of Truth Glasses lay.

  My, my, Alexa said. He’s a billionaire.

  Naomi could barely form her words. “You’re the Truth Maker.” Javari smiled. “And you’re a Demon Slayer.”

  Before Naomi could ask how he knew this, he pointed to Jonathan.

  “He saw you at the park. And he was quite impressed.” Javari walked over and stood next to Jonathan. “But I remember seeing your face in The Grasp archives.”

  A hacker, Alexa said. Intelligent.

  “So, that’s how you know my name,” Naomi said.

  Jonathan’s mouth moved as he spoke soundlessly, and Naomi looked at Javari.

  “He said,” Javari looked away, slightly embarrassed, “‘And a very nice name it is. As is Alexa’s.”

  Charming, Alexa stepped forward.

  “Alexa.” Naomi’s warning stopped her spirit partner short. “We don’t want to harm anyone, Naomi,” Javari said. “Never.

  We want the same thing The Grasp wants—to open the eyes of every human being to what has been hidden from us. We want all to be educated, to grasp their own potential as you have done, so that possessions don’t occur.” He paused before adding, “So, what you did at the park would no longer be needed.”

  Naomi kept quiet. His voice held a tone of sadness, the same way she felt after each Splitting.

  “But anyway,” he said, “What I wanted to tell you was—uh,” he lost the words. “Well, let me just start from a beginning where I won’t come across as a pervert.” He laughed nervously.

  Naomi liked his laugh.

  Javari leaned his lower back against a table, as if settling in for a long discussion. “The Egyptians were attuned to their Jinn, as you and I are, but they limited the knowledge to royalty, educators and nobles, making them gods amongst men. I, for one, do not want to repeat history. I want to free information for all to use, and I believe The Grasp could help achieve this.”

  Naomi glanced at Alexa before asking her question. “The Truth Maker has been hidden for quite some time. Why now? And why a waiter?”

  Javari smiled shyly. “I work several different areas part-time. It’s the best way to be seen, but not seen, as I choose to whom I send my glasses. One can learn a lot about people by observing habits and engaging in simple conversations as a waiter. As for being hidden? Old habits. We’v
e worked alone, just the two of us, for so many years. We watched for all potential threats, and for future allies.” He gestured toward his lab. “Progress is slow, but we were finally reaching people. We’ve never really had an incentive to go to the next level—until now.”

  “Incentive. Which is?”

  Javari looked at her from head to toe, and Naomi knew exactly what “incentive” he meant.

  He continued, “I can only produce so many glasses a year. But with The Grasp’s help and resources, we could reach thousands.” He walked over to one of the tables and picked up a black box. “It’s perfect timing. Making these takes a lot more man-hours than I have available.”

  Javari walked over to Naomi and lifted the lid. Inside, something very small floated in clear liquid.

  “It’s the prototype. Truth Contact Lenses.”

  The thought of such a thing for The Grasp ran through Naomi’s mind. No more having to retrofit Truth Glasses to look like normal shades or prescription glasses. No one could ever see that Truth was on your eyes.

  “More inconspicuous than the glasses,” he echoed her thoughts. “It could help in more ways than one. The Grasp can use them to watch and see unhealthy infusions before they happen; that way, Splits, like the one you performed today, would not be necessary anymore.”

  Alexa leaned over and whispered in Naomi’s ear. He’s an inventor, smart, and supports our cause. Me likes.

  “But back to what I was saying at the park,” he said, his tone lowering a bit. “I really didn’t mean to offend you when I said,” he decided to refrain, “what I said. Sometimes words come out wrong when I say them. But we’ve been doing some research about what’s happening between us. And when I mean us, I mean you and I, Naomi, and between Jonathan and Alexa.” He glanced at Jonathan, who nodded at him. “All relationships are based on energy.

  Throughout history, there have been ceremonies involving a way to enhance and strengthen this energy in physical ways. To be more explicit, practices that involve more of the sexual side of religion and belief.”

  He went to his computer, and a large monitor above displayed what was shown on the smaller screen below. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and Greek and Roman images of phallic symbols and bodies in sexual acts appeared in paintings and stonework. “Sex was a part of day-to-day life for society and thought to be the energy of life, birth, goodness and prosperity. It’s not discussed much in today’s schools, of course, but it was a part of the everyday routine in ancient societies.” The images continued with highlighted words: tantric, kama sutra, erotic energy, sacred sensuality, sensual consciousness.