Raindrops Chapter 2

    The Loa and the Witch

    For the first few moments all I could see was pink, purple and white and a blinding light that shone before me. And then the fading light revealed to me a face…

    Several faces. Masks? No, these were the eyes of the Loa. I was staring right at them. Good God above! The ones responsible for the disappearance of the so called shadowman who I had come to set free.

    There were several smaller spirits in the forms of African-looking masks surrounding one other who was much larger and had a rather satanic appearance with the horns hanging down from their head.

    Their eyes all opened simultaneously, no pupils or iris, just blank white with a sinister glow, and they all peered down upon this simple mortal wondering why I had dared to disturb them so.

    I was so nervous, I could feel myself starting to tremble slightly. ‘Say something’ I thought to myself… “My apologies for waking you so.” I spoke, unable to hide my expression of nervousness. I had laid eyes upon ghosts before but nothing had prepared me for this. They just continued to glare at me, probably wanting me to explain myself. “I come before you as but a mortal. Humble and sincere.” I bowed my head as I submitted to their power, making sure to sound respectful. “I mean you no harm nor disrespect.”

    I was stuttering, they must have known that I feared them, my body language gave the impression of a terrified young woman. “I… I suppose you’re all wondering why I’ve summoned you here. To put it simply, I am aware that you have someone in your possession.” I managed to utter out. “I wish to negotiate their freedom, and their safe return to this world.”

    At that their eyes snapped open, seemingly shocked at such an impertinent suggestion. But I was entirely serious. They may have been powerful voodoo spirits but I was no ordinary mortal. However, I still needed to show as much respect as I could if I was going to stand any chance of being listened to by such entities.

    “I apologise if I seem bold but please, hear me out and heed my request. I may be a witch but I come before you as a humble human, nothing more.”

    I saw them stare at me questionably upon learning of my witchcraft.

    “You didn’t know?” I asked them in response. “I am...no stranger to magic.” I explained. “That’s how I was able to find you here.” I took a few deep breaths to try and steady myself. “I can prove it. I have gift inside of me that was given to me by my master.”  I dared to reveal such a secret about myself, but I was not dealing with any simple minded mortals and these Loa spirits needed convincing. “Search my soul. Know I am not lying.”

    Yes, I was getting rather brave, wasn’t? I I may be incredibly shy and timid but I can sometimes be brave when I need to be, especially when I was the one who had discovered this gentleman, I felt responsible for him now. I took in a sharp gasp and allowed these voodoo spirits to reach inside my soul and see me for who and what I really was. I know it sounds like a stupid thing to do but I had to make sure they knew just how serious I was.

    I saw the glow from the eyes of the central mask reach out towards me and pass through my body. I took a few steps back in fear. I could only guess they were trying to search my soul for the truth. Afterwards their eyes were no longer narrowed with a glaring frown, instead their eyes opened wide. Was it something they saw when they looked into my soul?

    I was able to manage a slight smile now that I seemed to have convinced them. “I did say I wasn’t lying. You see that now, right?”

    I decided to put that odd moment behind me and proceed with my request. I gradually pulled my body up from my aching knees and stood before the Loa.

    “Um, now… Could we discuss his freedom?” I obviously referred to the gentleman they were keeping on the other side. “What would you be willing to exchange?”

    Those eyes peered down at me once again as the other masks nodded towards me. I searched the area close to me. The only thing I could see was my rose, still radiantly glowing as if it was ablaze with light. “My rose?” I asked.

    The smaller masks shook their heads as the central one, presumably their leader or at least the more powerful one, narrowed its eyes and grinned in my direction. Wait a moment…

    “Me??”

    I breathed in a harsh trembling breath as the most terrifying chill ran down my spine and shivered like an electric shock...Me??

    There was no denying, even though they did not verbally communicate with me, they were proposing an equal exchange of goods. And eye for an eye. A soul for a soul.

    But I couldn’t! Of course I couldn’t!

    “No...” I began to attempt to reason with them. ”I understand a soul for a soul but I cannot agree to that. I...I have a purpose here and I cannot leave. There are too many other souls here who rely on me to exist on this side. I can’t for one moment venture onto your side.”

    After I had said that the mask-shaped demons began turning away and disappearing back to their own realm.

    “Wait!” I couldn’t let them leave! I needed them! I had to free this man. “Don’t leave! Please! There must be some way for us both to be satisfied! Would you accept another soul besides mine? If there is even the slightest possibility I could find one.”

    They turned back and faced me again. The smaller ones shook their heads as the leader mask in the middle narrowed its eyes towards me once again.

    “Why mine?” I asked with a fearful and begging tone to my voice. “What’s so valuable about my soul compared with everyone else’s?”

    This time they gave no reply. They simply lightened their expressions and but kept the obvious leer in their eyes and smiles.

    “I can’t accept this…” I whispered, in part to myself. “But I can’t leave him there with you either. I can’t leave him another minute. I gather that one soul is not equal to another. What if you release his soul now and I find a soul even more valuable than my own to pay you with later?”

    The little ones simply shook their heads again.

    “No? But I will repay you. I will not lie. I don’t have it in me to betray my responsibilities. Isn’t that evident enough at this very moment?”

    I thought long and hard about what could be done to keep them interested and keep them listening. There had to be away to free him, but they would only accept my soul, for the time being anyway. Wait. Yes! That might work.

    I had one idea that might just meet them halfway. “Is there a way to take my soul and keep it for a little while? Without preventing me from ending up on this side?”

    They looked at each other in turn. “Would you do that?” I asked pleadingly. “Have only temporary custody over my soul until I found another way to repay you? And in the meantime release the gentleman you’re holding captive?”

    After a few moments of receiving each other's approval they then faced me once again as the minion masks nodded.

    Yes, I was making progress. But there was much more to be said first before anything was set in stone. “How much time would you grant me?” I respectfully questioned.

    The satanic mask turned to looked over my shoulder at the other side of the room. I looked across the room as the arrow of a broken ouija board levitated and flew across the room, landing on top of a wooden calendar.

    I saw the long block showing the month and the two larger blocks revealing the date changing position. I looked upon the carved wood and briefly studied the date. It was the day my time in New Orleans would be at an end.

     “The day I’m due to fly back to England?” I started to panicked. “That’s just eight weeks. I don’t know if that’s enough time!”

    I looked back up to see the spirits starting to vanish once again.

    “No, wait! Can’t we discuss this further? Come back! Please come back! Wait!”

    I begged them! Crying out my pleas for them to return and almost making myself weep. I couldn’t risk losing this opportunity, I might never get it again! I couldn’t leave him there! I couldn’t reason with them! I couldn’t keep them waiting!

    “I’ll do it!” ...Please, don’t ask me why in the cosmos I said that… “Just...release him...and I’ll do it.” I held out my hands with my palms facing up, offering them what they wanted. Me. “Take it.”

    ...What in Suenamoon’s name had I just done……?

    The mouth of the satanic mask opened wide to reveal a swirling green portal leading into their world.

    I just stood there gasping and breathing, heavy and fast. What was about to happen to me??

    A harsh beam of green light exploded from the portal inside the mouth of the demon and it felt like something had just punched me. The muscles of my face tensed up as the light pierced through my eyelids. Could just see the shadows of many hands crawling out from the bottom jaw of the demon’s open mouth. I could feel them grab hold of me as their shadow touched mine. How!? They were only shadows!

    “No! No, don’t touch me!” I pleaded helplessly as I was pulled to the ground where I landed on my hands and knees. My pleas were ignored as they restrained me at the limbs with claw-like grasps. I felt a pounding in my body, slowly moving from my heart to my back. Was that my soul!?!

    All I could do was just endure what was happening to me as several whispers of light came flowing off my body began swirling in a spherical motion in front of the green portal. Pieces of me, pieces of who I am were extracted from my body and mended back together outside of me in the form of a glowing sphere.

    I started feeling very weak. My limbs were shaking in the shadows’ clutches, I would have fallen and collapsed if they weren’t binding me so tightly.

    I looked up one last time to see my apparent soul enter into the demon’s mouth and pass through the portal, out of my body and out of my hands…

    ...But then, something else appeared in its place.

    The silhouette of a gentleman with broad shoulders and a distinct top hat slowly came into focus as the light shone from behind him.

    I could no longer keep my head up as I let my neck go limp and my heavy skull drop down with it. But I would not remain that way for long, as a dark skinned spider-like hand slid under my chin and slowly forced my head to rise up.

    I saw no eyes as they were covered by the rim of a black and red hat, only a malicious grin with a thin black mustache welcoming me into the world horror in which I had found myself.

    “How’ya doin’?” Those were the hauntingly friendly words that hummed out through this sinister smile.

    The binding grasp on my limbs from the shadow hands finally released as my body harshly collapsed onto the ground. There I remained, motionless on the bare wooden floor.

    ...That’s the last thing I remember.