Ruthless and Deadly

by ML BINELLI

  "They have grown a lot, captain. Every day new establishments open. New people arrive. One can hear half a dozen different languages while walking down the main street. It feels like a miniature Europe!" said James having forgotten his previous concern and showing that his past was going to stay that way, in his past.

  "Do you know Europe, sir?" said Barbara, and as she talked her back arched unconsciously towards James.

  "Unfortunately, no ma'am. I got on the first ship out of Haiti and ended up here. Maybe the captain will one day take me over there. What do you say, captain?"

  "Let's see what the future has in store for us, James? I've been thinking, maybe we can take a move towards the port wine business before planting vines here. We can import it like we do in England. It is an interesting possibility. I thought about this in bed and it kept me awake for a few hours."

  "Even highland whiskey" said Vidal "might be interesting business. And beer for the Germans! With all the nationalities making this their home, there must be many pining for their home brews and willing to pay up for them,” added Vidal.

  "Mr. Vidal, we seem to be thinking alike, seeing commercial possibilities that can brighten our future." The captain grabbed Vidal's and James' hands with his strong ones, one on each side. “With both of you thinking as I do, immense fortune awaits us!" All three men laughed and Barbara smiled. Fortune was what she was least interested in at the moment. Her body seemed to be drawn toward James like a fragment of iron being drawn to a magnet. She stifled her movements but her breathe quickened. She took a deep breath and let the air flow slowly out through her mouth in an attempt to control herself.

  "You seem a little breathless, Barbara? Is the air here making you ill?" asked the captain.

  She took another deep breath, lowered her head, and recovered her composure. She realized that she was unable to hide her attraction to the mulatto and what was worse was that everyone could see it too.

  "I'm a little nauseous. But I think a stroll will do me good."

  "The nausea may be the harbinger of something more serious, perhaps the arrival a new visitor!" said the captain.

  "But what visit-" "Barbara suddenly understood what the captain was saying. "Captain, you are impossible!"

  "I don't understand!" said Vidal. "What visitor?"

  "A child, Mr. Vidal, a child," said the captain smiling. All three laughed at Vidal's naivety.

  "What a sluggish mind I have!" said Vidal, resting his hand on Barbara's. She made an involuntary gesture to withdraw it, but caught herself just in time. Vidal, however, noticed it and thought her behavior strange. He smiled and leaned his head towards hers. She then noticed a slight lowering of his eyebrows and knew he had noticed.

  When they reached the front of the church, James broke away from the group. He said he would meet them later and asked them to wait for him when mass was over. He wanted to show them another place.

  "Why did he leave, captain?" asked Barbara.

  "He'd have to sit away from us, along with the other blacks. I don't think he wanted you to witness this."

  "You don't see him as inferior, do you, sir?" asked Vidal.

  "For all I have said and my behavior, I thought it was clear to you."

  Vidal recalled what Alicio had told him about slavery and was saddened by the memory of his condemned friend.

  "Have you always thought this way, captain?" queried Barbara, "or did something happen to change your mind?"

  "When I was younger I did not worry about such matters, I accepted things as they were, and that was it. If they were slaves, let them be slaves. I was free and thought I was free because I was a white man. But over time, in my travels I realized that honesty, dignity, kindness and piety have no color. Nor creed. I did not tell you, but I have even met a few Saracens who are holier and purer than our dear bishops and cardinals. But forget that, I may end up in a fire because of my words. Let's change the subject. Do you want a drink while we wait for James?"

  While they walked, Barbara noticed an interesting detail. She noticed that the white women paraded their hairstyles up and down the street while the black woman had their hair covered with turbans. Some of the turbans were adorned with bird feathers, others with elaborate knots and cloths of many different prints and colors. While they enjoyed their refreshments, she asked the captain the reason for the turbans.

  "Well, it is not law, but a government recommendation for 'Good Customs' obliges black women, both slaves and free women, to cover their hair.

  "For what reason?" asked Barbara.

  "Usually anything that is different from what we are accustomed to attracts attention. It seemed that some ladies became offended by the admiring looks that their husbands and children were directing at the hair of the black women. Their hair can be sculpted and shaped into the most varied forms but the hair of white women cannot be shaped, only arranged in different ways. They went to the Intendant and practically forced him to make this change.

  "But captain looking from here, they seem to have become even more beautiful!" added Vidal.

  "True, Mr. Vidal. It seems that it had an opposite effect to what they were proposing. But look, James is here with the carriage."

  "Come on in, I want to show you something."

  "What, Mr. James?" asked Vidal suspiciously.

  "A little surprise. Come with me."

  "Where are you going to take us James?" asked the captain, not knowing what to expect.

  "We are going to the Congo quarter!”

  Yes, let's have some fun!" said the captain.

  As they approached, they heard singing and the sound of drums.

  "What is this, Mr. James?" asked Barbara. The sound got louder and louder as they drew nearer.

  "Slaves are allowed a rest from heavy labor on Sundays." Most gather in this block to meet and enjoy themselves. There are several music and dance circles. Look, we're almost there!"

  "Is it safe for us James? I mean, for whites?" asked Vidal.

  "Don't worry, Mr. Vidal. This town is a boiling pot of various races and colors. We are slowly mixing, in terms of our various cultures, do not misunderstand me."

  They got out of the carriage and walked towards the block. There was a mixture of sounds and movement that sounded and looked completely foreign to the couple. They paused at a few groups dancing and singing folk songs in different languages. While they watched the groups, Barbara heard a drumbeat that drew her attention to another area. Without the other three realizing it, she separated from the group and walked over to another. At a group offering food and drink, a man was twirling, he seemed to be dancing, but like a doll, a puppet, pretending to fall and spin to either side, doubling over and back. He was wearing trousers but his upper body was naked and he was barefoot. Without realizing it, Barbara began to swing from side to side, her shoulders moved in rhythm with the beat of the drums. Suddenly, her eyes were watching but she could see nothing. She began to spin. Those beside her began to move away. She entered the circle of people and began making the same movements as the black man. Both embraced and began dancing together.

  James looked to the side and realized Barbara wasn’t there anymore. He asked the other two men about Barbara's whereabouts and they too had not seen her. They all set out looking and wandered over to the circle that was gathering the most people at that moment. When they reached the front, they witnessed Barbara twirling with a bottle of aguardente in her hand and the top of her dress was pulled down to her waist, her breasts bare. She brought the bottle to her lips and drank the liquid in large gulps. She then stopped and began talking in a strange language. She went back to dancing and spinning. The black man approached her and kissed her. She pulled up her skirt, showing her thighs and continued dancing.

  When Vidal saw what was happening, he moved to try to get into the circle but was held back by James.

  "Don't do that! She's in a trance! If she is suddenly woken up she may lose her mind!"

  "She is what?" asked Vid
al.

  "An entity has gotten hold of her body. Don't touch her until it leaves her. If you approach her, she will not recognize you and you may cause the religious people around her to become hostile.”

  "What religious people? How is this a religious ritual? She is naked, for God's sake!"

  "It is, Mr. Vidal. It is well disguised, but it has rites just like your church. Do not get involved now. Let it finish."

  Regardless, Vidal tried to reach her and was prevented by four black men.

  "Let me go, imbeciles!" he said while struggling to get away from them.

  James and the captain stood there motionless. Suddenly, the drums stopped for a moment and both dancers crumpled to the floor, covered in sweat. A few people entered the circle and carried them outside, into a small tent. They left them there and closed the tent. A black woman followed them inside. Vidal was then freed from the grasp of the men. James and the captain stood beside him.

  "Calm down, please," said the captain. "Let's wait and see what happens!"

  "But she is in there alone with a naked stranger!" screamed Vidal.

  "Calm down, Vidal, look. The boy is walking out."

  The boy approached one of the older men who was standing beside the drums smoking and kissed his hands, lowering his head. The old man touched the back of the boy's neck and the boy left.

  "Come, let's talk to the man." said Vidal. James was reluctant.

  "Do you speak my language, sir?"

  "What do you want?"

  "Could you please explain what happened to my wife!" asked Vidal.

  "Be respectful, Mr. Vidal." James whispered in Vidal's ear.

  "Please" Vidal added.

  "Sit around me. In our Yoruba belief, there are several deities that take care of our needs. It so happens that some people have the characteristics of some of these deities. On some occasions some of these gods, we call Orixás, enter the body of a person attending one of the rites. That's what happened here."

  "What deity, if I may ask?" queried James.

  "Nanã, my son."

  James shuddered.

  "And who is this deity, sir?" asked Vidal.

  " Nanã is the Orixá of rain water, the marshes, mud and death. Look! She has recovered. She will not remember a thing, do not worry. If you need any help, look for me."

  "Where will you be, sir?" asked James.

  "I'm here every Sunday. Now go, take her home, she must be tired."

  Vidal went to her side since she is walking with difficulty. The woman who came in to help her get dressed was holding her up as well.

  "What happened? I was here looking at the strange man dance and I woke up in a tent."

  "You don't remember anything? Are you drunk? You drank a lot of alcohol."

  "No, I don't feel anything. Just tiredness. I'd like to go home now."

  35. An error

  When they arrived at the house, a violent argument broke out between Vidal and James because Vidal believed that James had provoked the series of events.

  "Forgive me, Mr. Vidal, I did not imagine for a second that this is what would happen."

  Vidal punched him in the face. James stumbled to the ground and Vidal hit him again. The captain tried to pull him off James, but Vidal pushed him away and started strangling the black man. James began to lose consciousness and his strength and was unable to shake off Vidal's grip. He passed out. Vidal, however, continued to squeeze his throat. Barbara was in despair, the captain remained standing motionless without knowing what to do. Barbara walked over to the table, picked up the statue of Pallas Athena and smashed Vidal over the head with it.

  Slowly James began regaining consciousness. His throat burned and his vision was blurred. His right hand went to his throat. When his vision returned, he realized that he had blood on his hands and on his face. He stood up startled.

  "What happened? What did I do?"

  He stood up and tottered while trying to step over Vidal's corpse. He was frightened and distanced himself from the body by stepping back but he slipped on the pool of blood on the floor.

  "God, God, what happened?"

  He then noticed Barbara sitting and hugging the captain in tears.

  "No, no, what did I do? What did I do?," she cried.

  "Calm down, now there is no turning back. James, hurry, wash up. Ma'am, please go to your room, change your clothes. We need to clean everything up before Marie arrives in the morning. Come on, Mrs. Barbara, I'll walk you to your room."

  James returned and found the captain waiting for him sitting with his hands covering his face.

  "What madness, James, what madness of this man! He lost his head, he was about to kill you. If it was not for the lady, it would be you lying here in the living room."

  "What do we do, sir? Call the constable?"

  "No, have you lost your mind? The lady would go to prison and we would find ourselves involved in a story that could cause serious complications for us. No. Nobody here knows them, only Marie. We'll come up with a story for her tomorrow."

  "What about the body?"

  "Help me, we have to get him out of here. We'll clean up the room and we'll persuade Mrs. Barbara to keep her mouth shut. Where should we take him? And how?"

  "Get an empty sugar sack. We’ll put him inside one of them, and take him to the mill!"

  The captain thought for a moment and agreed with James' plan.

  They left in a small wagon used for carrying cargo. They passed slowly through the crowded city streets. The bag was covered for fear of it might become stained with Vidal’s blood. They trundled along with their heads down. They ignored a request to stop for conversation by acquaintances, making it clear they were in a hurry and on their way out of the city. Every look from passersby seemed to accuse them. Everywhere they looked, eyes seemed to be following them, as if everyone knew what they were carrying. They were only able to relax a bit after leaving the town and nearing the mill. The sun set and the moon now illuminated their path. They made their way through a wooded area carrying their somber cargo.

  Both men dug Vidal's grave. When they finished, they threw him in and covered him with dirt. The captain made a small cross using branches and a piece of string that he carried in his bag and placed it on Vidal's grave.

  "Let's say a prayer for him, poor Mr. Vidal. I did not think his jealousy would lead to this!"

  "What do you mean, captain? Jealous of who?"

  "Don't play dumb, James. You have been ogling that woman since we arrived and apparently, she has returned your looks, I am not blind. As I have eyes, Mr. Vidal also had them, God bless him. It took only one day, one spark, for this whole thing to turn into a Greek tragedy. Come, let us pray for him. What is done is done and we cannot undo it. How I regret having made their acquaintance on my ship. I certainly didn't want responsibility for his death!"

  "It is not yours, captain! The only culprit was Vidal himself!"

  "Don't be an ass! All three of us are guilty for his death and we will pay our debt when we meet him in the other realm. Until then, we can apologize if any apology could be enough. Poor man!"

  Both men knelt and prayed several Our Fathers and Hail Marys begging for the soul of the poor man who had the misfortune of crossing Barbara's path.

  When they finished, they returned home with their heads hanging low from the burden of guilt. Upon their return, they went to Barbara's room. She was asleep on the bed, naked. The captain saw her dress thrown in a corner of the room and picked it up. They closed the door and returned to the living room. James went to the pantry to get the cleaning supplies. They cleaned the room, washed the rags and brooms, burned the blood-stained clothes and opened a bottle of wine. They were exhausted, not from the physical work but from the mental strain. While they drank, the captain picked up the bust of Pallas Athena. They had not cleaned it properly and it had bloodstains and a piece of Vidal's brain stuck to one of its corners. He took it to the kitchen and washed it. He returned and stood by James holding th
e bust.

  "I damn the moment I received this bust. It seems that it had a destiny to fulfill. Saving your life, but sacrificing another in its place! Goddess of Wisdom, my ass!" The Captain flung the bust to the ground where it shattered into many pieces. He kicked the shards everywhere in his anger. He then sat down again and drank more wine. Both sat in silence and gradually fell asleep where they sat.

  After the captain had taken her to her room, Barbara lay on the bed whimpering, her tears no longer so plentiful. She fell into a deep sleep out of pure despair.

  She dreamed. She entered the church of São Roque and Vidal was waiting for her at the altar alone. There were no godparents or priest with him. She looked to the side and saw Jonas holding her arm.

  "What did you do, girl? You have made a great mistake!"

  "It's good to see you, Jonas. It calms me to have you here by my side."

  "Barbara, why did you do that? Do you not realize you killed your greatest ally? The only one who was truly by your side, come what may? Did you not realize that Vidal actually loved you and would give his life for you, like I would give mine? And why?" To save a man you met only a day or two ago? Girl, girl, you have no idea how this death will change the course of your life. My soul is full of sorrow for you. You do not know what is in store for you."

  She turned to Jonas, but was unable to keep holding her gaze. Tears began to run down her face. She lowered her head and raised it slowly, seeing Vidal as she saw him at the wedding, well dressed, handsome, with a smile on his face. "He already loved me, I can see it in his eyes now. He loved me without even knowing me."

  "What can I do, Jonas? I acted on impulse, I did not think about what I was doing, and I struck him blindly. Poor Vidal, poor Vidal!"

  She no longer felt Jonas' touch. When she looked to the side, she saw him walking away. His clothes were becoming more threadbare, his skin seemed to be swelling and his eyes faded away leaving just two black holes in their place. He disappeared as she watched. "God, God ... is he dead too?"

  She continued walking alone looking at Vidal. When she arrived at the altar he stood there motionless. His image began to radiate light. She extended her arm, but he did not move. He turned around for a moment and showed her the wound she had inflicted. The blood gushed out of him like a macabre waterfall. She was frightened and stepped away. She looked at her feet and they were standing in a sea of ​​sticky blood. She looked at him in despair and started screaming, "Forgive me, Vidal, forgive me!"