by R. L. Wilson
Derrick dips his toe in the water then twists towards the rest of us. “Come on,” he growls.
Oh, hell. Now I turn my nose up in disgust—the water is dark and murky. Seaweeds and lily pads float on top. And I’m not putting my vintage jeans and Nikes in that swamp water.
“Hell no, I’m not stepping in that,” Morgan barks.
She took the words right out of my mouth. We’re supposed to be healing lands, not swimming.
“Is there a boat that can take us across this water?” Morgan requests.
Leslie says no as she steps into the water and shivers.
I try not to wince as Leslie enters the dirty water. Imagining the bugs and small fish swimming through the water makes me hyperventilate. Shit, I miss Detroit.
“Morgan, worst case scenario is the water is cold.” I give a fake smile as if I’m not afraid. And as hot as it is, icy water won’t hurt.
“But I have on sandals.” She rolls her eyes.
“Come on, Morgan, put those feet to work,” Kato says.
Reluctantly, Morgan and I walk toward the water hand in hand. “There are no creatures in this water, are there?” Morgan asks.
“No. Maybe a frog or two,” Leslie says.
Morgan frowns and lets out a sigh. We trudge across the water, and she complains the entire way. The water only reaches our knees, but Morgan isn’t a swimmer and she doesn’t like bugs or frogs.
We get to dry land, and Kato helps us out of the water. The land is marvelous. The fog has decreased so the grass is greener now with the sun shining bright above our heads. This cursed land has its own spot in the world.
I’m preparing to heal the land when Andrea shows up, slogging through the water.
“Stop! Stop!” she yells.
She steps out of the water as it glistens on her long legs. She storms toward me, pointing her index fingers. “Don’t you heal this land!” she screams. Her face is bunched up and fire engine red.
“Why?” Leslie asks.
“This land is cursed for a very damn good reason. Leave it be,” she barks.
I’m fidgety and nervous. I don’t want to go to war with Andrea. Not to mention my mom is at her house.
Andrea blinks and continues shaking her finger in my face. “If you continue healing these cursed lands, you and Jeanette will be kicked out of New Orleans, or worse.”
“Get your finger out of my face,” I complain sternly.
I can feel the rage wrapping around my being. Like the tight grip of a serpent.
Something about Andrea isn’t right. Staring at her, I figure it out. This evil bitch doesn’t have a shadow. I don’t give a damn if they kick me out. I’m ready to leave.
Chapter Ten
I pause in my mental tracking of Andrea and her odd behavior. Numerous thoughts flood me. Her abrupt arrival is peculiar. How did she know I was in this cursed land?
“We need to get Momma out of Andrea’s house. She’s not safe there,” I explain. It’s weighing heavy on me. My intuition kicks in, and I need to act fast.
“I agree with you, but it won’t be a simple task,” Kato says.
“It could be a lot easier if we get help from the shapeshifters,” Derricks suggests.
Kato’s eyes catch my attention. They turned red then orange as he questions Derrick. He blinks repeatedly. “How much can the shapeshifters help with getting Jeanette back?” Kato asks, frowning in disbelief.
I’m not sure how much power they have, but it better be strong if they want to help us take on Andrea. She’s been blessed with the ability to use dangerous magic.
Derrick huffs and puffs as if he ran a marathon. Pissed is an understatement. His sinister gaze meets Kato. “The shapes have magic like everyone else here.” His lips are gridlocked. His facial expression and the tightening of his fist have me scared. Knowing there would be a battle between them, Kato walks away. The stiffness of my body eases and I exhale. That was a close one.
I agree to go farther into the land even though Andrea warned me they would kick us out of New Orleans. That would be perfect, because then she can kick Momma out of her house too.
Searching the land for traps, I stumble on a huge rock. Damn, how did I miss that boulder?
I continue trampling through the hot grass with Morgan following behind me.
“Didn’t she tell you to not heal this land?” Morgan croaks.
“I haven’t healed it; I’m searching for magical booby traps.” I lower my head and extend my foot, trying to tap any pressure on the land. “Something sent an alarm to Andrea. How else would she have known we were here?”
I snap my gaze to the left of me, to several small colorful symbols floating. “Morgan, can you see that?”
“What?” she yells.
I race over to the rainbow of symbols. Extending my hand, I’m not sure what to expect. They could be scorching hot or ice cold. I jerk my hand back from the extreme pressure. They’re the same symbols that were attached to the shadows at the haunted house. Except for the frigid temperature. Those are the alarms. I examine them carefully. I want to set one off to see who’s the caster.
“What do you see, Harmony?” Derrick questions.
“This place is riddled with spells that set off alarms.”
Derrick gives me a surprised look, but he listens to every word I speak.
“Andrea didn’t set the traps. But she knows who did.”
I feel dizziness and hints of nausea in my abdomen causing me to nearly gag. I can’t be sure. I think Momma is the caster of the spells. It’s sigil symbols, and she’s the only witch I know who does them.
I stagger off from the group after tapping Morgan on the shoulder. I will not tell the entire group that I think my mother has done this to the shifters’ land.
Her scent of perfume is overshadowed by the stench of swamp water. She sniffs around. “You smell that?”
“Yeah, it’s the swamp water that got in your shoes.”
“Ha ha, real funny. Can’t wait to get back to Jeanette’s and put on different shoes.” She flops off one sandal and flings it back and forth waving sprinkles of water on me.
“You seemed worried back there. What’s wrong?” Morgan prods, while slipping her clear sandal back on her foot.
She can always tell when I’m worried about something. I sigh. “I know who cast a trap around this land."
“Who?” she says with wide eyes.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions. Especially about my mother.
I shake my head. “I can’t be sure, but maybe Momma is behind this.”
She frowns. “No way.” She keeps her eyes on me as a look of confusion graces her face.
I’m thankful to have Morgan here to talk some sense into me. It doesn’t make any sense, but I have this strange feeling.
“I realize there is so much about my mother I don’t know.”
“Like what?” Morgan holds her hands up in the air.
“For starters, I did not understand she knows Prentiss.”
“Okay, that’s one thing.”
“And…” Before I can finish my thought, Derrick races towards us as fast as the speed of light, pulling Leslie along with him.
“Are you ready?” He asks while holding Leslie’s hand.
“I don’t know if this is an excellent idea. The entire land is trapped,” I explain.
He points to the center of the field. Surrounded by trees are two colossal statues made of stone. “If we make it to the statues without tripping off the alarm, she’ll never know.”
It’s at least three yards. How will I make it without setting off alarms? You can do this. You are strong, I chant to myself as I take a leap of faith.
“Here goes nothing.” I duck under one alarm, frost nipping at my arm. But I make it under without it sounding. Some alarms are freezing, and others are full of pressure.
Everyone trails behind me as I forge the path through three traps. Getting closer to the center of the land, I shiver in fear
.
Hopping across another trap then rolling to the center, I lie flat on the ground, out of breath. The surrounding air is thick with tension. The sensation of terror or an explosion oncoming is imminent. I frown but don’t try sitting up again. Too dizzy to move, I shut my eyes.
“Thank you so much for doing this,” Leslie whispers.
Her soft voice calms my soul. My eyes snap open to find her lips curled back, exposing her teeth.
The gratitude upon her face makes this all worthwhile. I gulp hard and slide into deep concentration. I rise to my feet, hoping to dip into my magic. My laser vision would work the best to awaken this land and break the curse.
A slight buzz tingles down my arm. It’s not as strong as normal, but it’s there. I open my eyes and wave my hand. There is no glow. A powerful burst of energy pushes into my side. I jump back. “What the fuck was that?”
“What?” Kato says.
Then another large jolt of electricity causes my body to shake. My heartbeat increases, and I grab my chest, fearing for my life.
“What’s wrong?” Kato screams.
Sweat rolls down my face and my teeth chatter. That bolt nearly knocked the wind out of me.
“I think the land is attacking me,” I gasp.
Morgan grabs my arm as Leslie dashes to my side. “This land would never hurt anyone,” she grunts with confidence while also nervously shaking.
Racing across the field is a thin woman with flowing blonde hair. She’s coming towards us, glaring at me. Is she the one sending this electricity toward me? The way she runs, dragging her left leg, I can see she’s a shapeshifter.
I inch away. Her aura twinkles. In her hand, she carries a sealed can.
“This is our leader, Mia,” Leslie says softly.
Mia’s eyes are glowing green, but there’s so much pain on her face. My side is still hurting from the bolt of lightning. I should be the one in pain.
She moans like a wounded animal. Leslie grabs the can from her hand and attempts to pry it open.
“She only has twelve words a day. They trapped her voice in the curse of our land.” She hands the can to Derrick. “Her voice box is in here. Once the curse is broken, she can say all the words she wants.”
Derrick tugs at the lid, cracking it open.
“Why did you stop?” Mia squeaks once the box is open.
Her voice reminds me of a mouse. But I can’t laugh, I’m in too much pain.
“I stopped her,” a voice rings out from behind us. I close my eyes in case I’m dreaming. It’s Momma’s voice, but that’s impossible because she is at Andrea’s house.
Morgan drops my arm, and I feel her movement. “Jeanette,” she states.
I open my eyes and now the pounding of my heart hurts my sternum. Slowly, I twist around to view Momma standing there in the flesh.
Chapter Eleven
How the hell did she get here? I’m utterly confused. Her deranged appearance made me frown. Her hair is uncombed and disarranged. Her shirt is oversized and unbutton. She had pajamas on when she went to Andrea’s house.
And why did she stop me from healing this cursed land?
Momma glares at me for a moment. Then she lets out a huff of exasperation. She’s annoyed, but I didn’t ask her to come.
I gravitate to Momma, but I’m skeptical. She seems more alert and assertive, a bizarre personality. There is no point in hiding my desperation. I am desperate to get information.
“How did you know I was here?” Glaring at Momma, I freeze. I tried not to set off any alarms. So why is she here?
“I sensed your aura,” she mutters with a snarl.
My left eyelid spasms. I’m quite nervous to be around Momma right now. When I left her, she was barely talking, just following Andrea to her house. Now she stands in front of me with a sinister grin upon her face. Is she possessed? I hope I don’t need an exorcist.
I’m shaken to my core. Andrea let her leave? Can’t be.
“Is this woman your mother?” Leslie asks angrily as her eyebrows knit together. Her focus is on my face, and the stare is quite intense. She is staring so hard she could burn a hole in my face.
I dart my gaze to everyone’s faces. I’m scared to say yes. She asked like it was a crime. I hesitate and then nod my head yes. “This is my mother.”
Momma walks over to my side and folds her arms. “Is that a problem?”
Mia and Leslie back up and race across the field. Mia nearly drops her voice box, trying to get away. All I view is smoke and her skirt flowing across the field like a kite.
“Why are they running?” Morgan questions.
They’re frightened of Momma. I understand why her energy is dark today. Some of Andrea’s evil ways must have penetrated Momma’s soul, because this is so unlike her. Truthfully, since we rescued Momma, she has been a stranger. Who is this woman?
If I thought she wouldn’t get any stranger, I was mistaken. She holds her hands up in the air. And Kato gasps. Before I get a word out, a bolt of lightning shoots from her hand. She is releasing sigils in the air one after another, like fireworks.
“What the hell is going on?” Morgan mumbles while her eyes stay on the colorful bolt of lightning. Once the lighting hits the air the color changes to blue and purple. The colors then turn into individual shadows. Recognizing one shadow, I stumble back and step on Kato’s foot. It’s the shadow of a kid in one of my crazy-ass dreams. I put my hand over my eyes to shield them from the bright magic.
Momma waves her hands in the shapeshifter’s direction. They are almost out of sight. Running as fast as their legs can carry them, I’m sure. The shadows take off, floating toward the shapeshifters. Momma lowers her hands and pats them on her jeans, as if she is dusting dirt from her hands.
“Well, I’ll be damned, your mother’s magic is sizzling,” Kato says as he stares at Momma in amazement.
I cringe as my stomach bubbles. I have a fucking cruel spirit as a Momma. Searched for her shadow, I tear up realizing it’s right there. . I shake my head. Prentiss had to have cursed my mother…this can’t be real.
“Momma, what are you doing?” I scream. “Who are you?” Another loud scream escapes my lips as my anger boils my blood.
She snaps her head in my direction as darkness descends from her being. “I’m trying to protect you,” she claims.
“From what, Momma?” I cry.
Her eyes are crazed and smoke flares from her nostrils. “Those damn shapeshifters.”
If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought she was going to choke me. I’ve never seen Momma in such a rage. Tears flow from my eyes continuously. The Momma I know is not here. Will she ever come back? The sad thought makes my heart thump.
Viewing my circle of friends, I realize Derrick disappeared. But Kato and Morgan both stand at my side. I attempt to calm my inner witch. Had this been anyone else, I would have unleashed electric bolts of fire from my palms.
“You just wipe those damn tears from your eyes. We don’t have any time for tears,” Momma proclaims.
“Where is Derrick?” I demand to know from Momma.
He’d disappeared at some point after her releasing the shadows and attacking the shapeshifters.
She shakes her head and stutters I-I-I. But before the lie slips out of her mouth, the pounding of footsteps coming in close vicinity rings out. I’m so confused by this woman in front of me I can’t turn to view what is racing toward us. But it sounds like a stampede of some sort.
The footsteps pause. The silence reveals my loud breathing, air rushing in and out of my lungs so quick, but barely giving me any oxygen.
“Oh, fuck,” Morgan whispers.
With the grim look upon Morgan’s face, we are clearly in the midst of danger. A glance over my left shoulder exposes thick sun. The odor of wet hair continues to pound on me.
I hiss at the six wolves surrounding us. One’s larger than the rest, with metallic silver fur. Wearing no smile, he bares his canines as saliva drips from his
mouth.
His eyes are planted on Momma. He lets out a howl, then licks his lips like Momma is his last meal.
They are all in wolf form, but I’m sure some are shifters. Perhaps they know Derrick. Even though Momma is acting really strange, I’m not going to let them attack her.
“Hey,” I scream as one wolf runs his paw across the grass as if he’s going to lunge at Momma.
“Hold on, what’s going on here?” I scowl over the entire pack, moving closer to Momma until I’m standing in front of her.
“Outta the way little girl, this is grown folk’s business,” one shifter growls as his eyes turn an evil red.
I try compromising with them. Explaining that I’m personal friends with Derrick, but they are not trying to hear shit I have to say.
“Can you at least tell us what’s this about?” Kato questions while walking closer to the wolves.
“Ask Jeanette, she knows what this is about,” the silver wolf growls.
Paranoid and dazed by all this fresh information, I wonder why Momma doesn’t unleash some shadows on them, as she did the shapeshifters.
“Unless you want a war with the wolf pack, get out of our way,” the wolf barks.
I’m shaking, my feet unsteady, barely standing. I’m not moving. I won’t be able to live with myself if I stand here and let them attack Momma. Besides, she has done nothing to them.
“I have not done shit to the wolves. Y’all can leave me the fuck alone,” Momma screams.
This is not a street fight. She’s ready to swing her fist. Something tells me whatever beef they have goes back years or decades.
Swiftly, I jerk back to look at Momma, her face red and filled with anger. She balls her hands into fists. She isn’t scared at all. But I’m terrified.
She raises her hands up as she did before. I close my eyes, not wanting the vision of any shadows or the bright lightning. Seconds go by and I only hear Kato trying to reason with the wolves. I snap open my eyes. Momma is still holding her hands up, but nothing happens.
The wolf throws Kato to the side, and with one quick turn, I kick the first wolf charging toward Momma. He swats at me, claws bared, nearly slicing my face. I grab his arm, trying to break it in two. He slips out of my grip, jumping up into the air then landing behind Momma.
