The voice of the people is the voice of Earth - The Mighty Shadow

Adrian was flung into the room. Soucouyant was losing her human form as her chalk white skin started to show. Adrian held his mask trying not to be intimidated. If Moko was right then the power Maljo would protect him.

She watched the mask and opened her hand. The heat of invisible flames burned Adrian’s hands. It soon became too intense and Adrian was forced to put the mask on. Unbelievable power surged through his body.

Soucouyant seemed surprised as Adrian stood looking at her, his eyes burning bright blue. Maljo was telling him things. He stepped closer to her with his hands in a fist, teeth clenched and an almost uncontrollable rage.

Red flame fought for dominance over blue. In another step Adrian held Soucouyant.

“What yuh trying to do now?” he barely managed to get out through a mouth brimming with anger. Madame looked at Adrian, her hands moved over his face. She seemed sad.

“Adrian, why don’t you care for me like I care for you?”

Adrian stammered despite all things he felt for her when he looked into her sad eyes it was evident that she needed someone. He had lost Candace and Rhonda would never accept this life. He was beginning to reach out to Madame when her hands gripped his neck.

Instinctively Adrian screamed out calling on Maljo’s power.

It burned a hole through Soucouyant’s stomach. She tried frantically to maintain her grip on Adrian’s neck but she fell back, weakened by Maljo.

“Why?” she questioned with more hate in her eyes than anything else.

Adrian could not look at her; instead he looked at the broken glass on the ground. “I guess sometimes we must destroy to create.” He looked back at her and only saw smoke in her place. Never did Adrian feel more alone and lost.

Something stepped on some broken glass. Adrian spun around quickly in response to the sound, ready to attack Soucouyant.

“Easy dere. Is only me.” Moko stood in the light, displaying his creepy grin.

“What you want now?” asked the boy.

“Well….” Moko stepped toward him and started walking around him. He held his hands in the air as if to show him the club. “You rule. You maintain balance.

If you need any help just whisper, I’ll be around.”

After Moko left Adrian kneeled slowly to the ground and started to laugh.

“What a fucking mess!” he chuckled.
“Gahoor, stop it now!” Pan’s voice boomed through the caves. Rapso was at his side ready to attack. Gahoor turned around and laughed.

“What you really come here to do, certainly not to stop me?” Gahoor held up a copper mask. “I see that you managed to find the Dragon’s mouth.

Well I have the mouth of the serpent.” Gahoor put on the mask and stepped forward.

“When was the last time we did this? Come on help me now. Ah Yes the

1950′s I think it was. Not even the fire of the people was enough to believe in the idea of Pan eh.”

“Yahhhh!” Pan stormed after Gahoor his hammer catching lightning as it swung through the air. Gahoor immediately transformed into a beast. Parts of him gave way to decay and his left arm and right leg became bone. A stench emanated from him. At the same time the serpent’s mouth grew over his exposed bone, the copper rolling like mercury when heat rises.

It was one of these exposed limbs Gahoor used to parry Pan’s strike. He then punched Pan knocking him back on the ground at Rapso’s feet and started chanting propaganda curses for them.

“Want to try me now boy?”

Startled to see the mighty Pan taken down so easily Rapso held his hand.

Pan spoke to him. “The people’s power is not as strong as it in me as it is in you and can be. They believe in you, draw on that belief it is your strength and help me defeat this monster.”

“I will break you like I broke all the others. What is the profit in these people man come on?” Gahoor walked around the cave circling Pan and Rapso, neither making a move.

The Dragon’s mouth is an impressive relic but so were you Pan-when you were Carne Val. You Kaiso and Mas, not even the combined might of the three of you was able to stop me. Yuh come here now with a young one and think that is a winning formula. Yuh smoking’ or what?”

Pan who had been gathering his strength took his turn to talk.

“Yuh forgetting something, The Dragon’s mouth is the voice of the people.”

He said this taking off the piece and giving to Rapso, he continued. “and the people’s voice is the most powerful weapon you can have.”

“Really? No shit. Was it not me who taught you that lesson stupidee?”

“THE POWER OF THE WORD…” shouted Rapso and Pan continued lifting his hammer

“…IN THE RYTHMN OF THE WORD.” The hammer fell again this time on the ground in front of Gahoor. Rapso’s voice, which sounded like a million men shouting, rocked the entire caves and echoed in time with Pan’s pounding. With every pound Gahoor disintegrated from the shockwaves until only green smoke and the serpent’s mouth remained.

Rhonda dashed for her mask. Madame was not going to win this time.

“I am not here to stop you child, I am here to,” she paused as she looked at Adrian who had secured his blue mask, “…I am here to help.”

Rhonda had one brown mask and a multicoloured one. The brown mask glowed in her hand. Slowly at first but then a bit more courageously she put the mask on her head. Soucouyant seemed desperate as Adrian considered putting on his own glowing blue mask. Moko had told him that it was the mask that would give him control over the jumbies.

“Adrian,” she cooed lovingly, “I took you in and treated you well. You know I love you Adrian.” Tears streamed down her eyes.  Adrian watched her and clenched his jaw, detecting the oncoming guilt trip.

He held the mask up to put it on not saying a word but keeping his eyes on Madame. She was unnerved that he was saying nothing. She grabbed Rhonda and held her around the neck; the multicoloured mask fell from Rhonda’s hands.

“Adrian you listen to me. Don’t put that mask on – if you do that I swear I will kill your friend here just like… Candace.”

Adrian eyes twitched he watched Rhonda.

“Adrian, listen to me. I am safe don’t worry about me-EEEEE!” Soucouyant threw Rhonda on the ground.

“Okay listen to me. I am sure we can work this out, I overreacted. Let’s go back to the Club, have a drink and we can talk about this,” Soucouyant cajoled. She approached Adrian, her outstretched hands came to rest on his shoulders. With narrowed eyes.

“Let me go,” he whispered. Soucouyant was puzzled.

“What did you say? We can talk about this Adrian.  Don’t close me out. I am here for you,” Soucouyant continued.

Rhonda had managed to gather her wits and realised that a portal of sorts was opening within the shadows. Soucouyant had plans.

Rhonda picked up the other mask.

“Look,” Adrian had noticed Rhonda and decided, “it is time for me to leave.”

He stood back and began to put the mask on.

“NOOOOOOO!” Soucouyant shouted as she grabbed Adrian and began to drag him into the fully opened portal. She grabbed for Rhonda but the girl managed to stay just out of her grasp.

“ADRIAN!” Rhonda screamed. Adrian turned to her.

“I could handle this.” They made eye contact, their silence speaking volumes.

“Okay,” she whispered as she ran out of the area. She looked back briefly – Soucouyant’s eyes burned her back.

“You may run girl, but we are everywhere. You cannot hide.”

Her laugh echoed through the tree as Rhonda ran tried to get away and out of the cemetery quickly. Mama D’glo had told her that the other mask was for Kayla; as for Keston she said that there were other plans for him.

Rhonda found Kayla on top of a truck with Keston. They were frantically singing a tune.  It seems as though they were having a sound clash with DJ Midnite who had revelers screaming in the crowd for him. She could feel evil in the presence of the revellers, though she doubted they knew that she was their target.

Someone shoved Rhonda, a boy with blue paint and glowing eyes. Instinctively she reached for her mask. Her hands tingled when she held it, and as she put it on the boy shoved her again and Rhonda fell onto the drain on the side of the road. Some more people gathered around her and surrounded the fallen girl. The mask would save me, She thought closing her eyes. Brown light glowed from within her mask and she looked at them all that were jumbies she could see clearly, scared, Rhonda shouted out for Keston. After doing that she thought about how foolish the prospect was. She stood up.

“No Fear.” whispered Rhonda taking a tentative step toward the crowd of Jumbies. Some snarled at her, and other undead creatures cursed at her. Despite all things they did not touch her. It must be the mask, she thought. She arrived at the truck a little shaken. Kayla noticed Rhonda and she jumped up on the truck with her.  Kayla and Keston were an amazing team their tunes had enchanted the crowd. Rhonda could not help but feel proud of her friends’ accomplishments.

“Where allyuh get them beats from Kes?”

“Is just some beats I had there working on home. We was desperate nuh, so I called down some ammo for ‘Sound Bwoy’ dere.” Keston looked across to Midnite, eyes burning behind his dreads.  He was bitter beaten sound boy.

He entered the room and saw the girl on the ground. Blood was everywhere. He bit into his lip. He was hurt, very hurt. He felt like breaking something. Someone had killed Candace. He looked around trying to find some kind of evidence as to who or what could have done such a thing. He thought that one of Madame’s jumbies might be responsible. His anger made him glow very blue; Maljo was feeding off his rage. His powers heightened as he sensed another person in the room. Mr. Gahoor stepped out from the shadow.

Adrian wondered no more. He knew it was Gahoor who had done the deed.

It made avenging Candace’s death that much better. Gahoor assumed his true form.

The beast jumped back and threw a massive claw at the boy.

Blue power lashed Gahoor in his chest. A scream emanated from the man-turned-beast as he flung himself on the ceiling and dived away from and behind Adrian.

“Come,is me yuh want, eh?” he taunted. His voice was different.

“Stop this! Stop this now.” Madame had entered the room. She held Gahoor back and watched Adrian. Then she noticed Candace’s lifeless body on the floor.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“There is no problem here nuh, ’cause I going to deal with it.” Adrian advanced toward Gahoor. Gahoor growled low as he reverted to human form.

“This is who you want to take charge of this place?” said Gahoor to Madame as he turned his back on them both and looked through the tinted glass panel. The room that they occupied overlooked the dance floor and Gahoor smirked slightly as he watched the children partying below. Disgust was displayed clearly on his face. “Look at them,” he continued, “these people stupid. They just waste themselves away willingly. They don’t even deserve to live.”

He turned slowly and watched the body on the ground, with the same smirk on his face.

Madame had a hard time holding Adrian back. She was concerned about the new power he had with him, but the present situation was more pressing.

“Such contempt for life, Gahoor, is foolish. I prefer to rule a place of life than one of death.”

Ignoring her, Gahoor looked at Adrian and whispered three words: “Rush me nah.”

That was the only encouragement Adrian needed to break away from a surprised Madame and crash with Gahoor through the glass.

It was absolute chaos on the dance floor. Some who were too high to realise what was going on, thought the incident was some crazy dance routine and started to cheer for the pair. Red flame burned the ground and the searing heat stopped the two protagonists.

“Not here, not in my house,” Madame’s voice commanded.

“Gahoor, Adrian is my choice and I will do what I will. You have no right interfering with things this way.”

Adrian was breathing heavily, Maljo burned in him and he was beginning to get weak.

Most of all, he was hurt by what had happened to Candace, his only friend amongst these crazy jumbies. He thought of the mask and what Moko told him. Madame was quarrelling with Gahoor. It was almost J’ouvert morn.

“Look, yuh see all this, I gone.”

“Adrian!” Madame called after him.

“You can call all you want, I know what I have to do. That boy has the power Maljo and I dunno where he get that from. I going to protect myself.” With that Gahoor left.

Madame stood in thought for a while and beckoned to DJ Midnite.

“You go ahead and deal with the carnival business; I have something I must see to.”

“What all this about?” he asked her.

“Just be careful. Things are about to get hot.”

J’ouvert was about to begin and Rhonda cursed herself—she was in a cemetery poking around. She was at the foot of a massive silk cotton tree when something dived out of a hole in the ground. Rhonda braced for the attack, but a blue beam of light pushed the creature back. She looked up, and knew who it was before his face formed in the blue haze.

“What you doing here?”

Adrian quickly got behind her. He looked a bit tired. “You were safe. It was me they were after. I have no mark on me so the jumbies will attack me. I need your help to enter.”

“Why do you need to get inside there?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

“There is a mask that belongs to me,” he said, cautiously eyeing another creature that was trying to find a way around Rhonda. Reaching the tree, with their backs to all the jumbies, a passage opened and they fell inside. It quickly closed behind them.

They heard the rapid thuds of jumbie thugs against the sealed entrance.

Looking around anxiously, they noticed that the place glowed eerily from within. The atmosphere of the tree assumed a life of it’s own.

They had been walking for a couple of minutes when Adrian spotted something.

“Look over there,” he said pointing at a small opening. Lights came from it, as did a strange humming sound. “Watch it there,” he said, taking the lead.

“Fine,” Rhonda said rolling her eyes. He stopped and looked back.

“What?”

“What you mean, what? Like I am some kind ah invalid,” she said,

following him.

He stood still simply staring at her. That cold Adrian stare. He sucked his teeth and walked on. “Girls yes,” he mused.

Rhonda looked at him in amazement as they both entered the room in silence.  An old man was on the ground humming a tune that was unfamiliar to both. He was Arawak.  At the far end of the room, three masks were stuck onto the wall. The old Arawak got up and spoke. He spoke first in his native tongue, and then he said, “The girl must take two masks and the boy one. I have been waiting a long time and now you have come to affect change. This will ripple—throughout all realms and ‘scapes. Take the masks and do what you must.”

He touched both youths. At his touch, gnarled and ancient hands sent a slight energy through them. “This is my last duty, now I must go. Enter….ARRGHHHHH!”

He was struck to the ground and as the hem of long red dress brushed over him Madame became visible, her eyes blazing.

“Enter J’ouvert.” She said.

The name glowed brightly in colourful neon outside the building. The black light caressed the carnage of children dancing, body to body, blood to blood, obeying the commands of the music. There, dreams were traded for a night of desire. It is the heart of Soucouyant’s empire-the opposite of Adrenaline City, and-unbeknownst to most—the portal to the depths of hell. The Club was rocking. Adrian was making his rounds keeping everything together. He was the one that Madame had entrusted with most of this work. For some reason she had found favour in him, and he had found favour in this life. This was a far cry from his Maloney beginnings. He was heir to an empire. At times Adrian wondered if he could wrestle all this from powerful jumbies like Madame and Mr Gahoor- A Ligahoo that had redefined himself as a powerful businessman. Gahoor hated Adrian and he always tried to get rid of him. Adrian was glad that Soucouyant had liked him or he swore that he may have been faced with the option of hitting the streets again-or even far worse, knowing Gahoor’s ‘bad mind’.

Candace called him; he stepped under the women that were dancing in the tubes, which hung from the massive ceiling. This was the lowest level of the Club and it was here that the vilest things occurred. Adrian had almost become accustomed to the sordid happenings of this region. Almost, he thought, as he watched prostitutes go at it in a far corner. Candace was still mute, the transformation from Madame having never left her system properly. She was essentially different at heart and Adrian cared for her as she did for him when he had first entered the crazy world of Madame. He kissed her on the forehead and they walked to another quieter part of the Club.

“Yuh good?” he asked her. She shook her head.

“Aaaahhh!” Adrian felt a pain in his head. Something was calling to him. Now it was Candace’s turn to be concerned. He shrugged it off and told her to meet him later; he kissed her, trying to hide the throbbing pain. She knew he was hurt but he gave her no opportunity to pry. He left quickly and headed for the roof. Candace turned around. A massive hand grabbed her and pulled her into a side room, her desperate screams inaudible.
A shadow spoke to Adrian as he stood on the rooftop trying to ease the pain in his head. It was one of the places Adrian would go to get his thoughts together.

“The power Maljo can do many wondrous things, Adrian. It is this which has brought me to you.”

“Who…who are you?” Adrian stammered.

“The face that no one must see,” was the shadow’s reply. “Don’t talk. I have an offer that you cannot refuse. I have here the gift of the night. It allows any human that possesses it to control the spirits of the underworld. I know you want dominion over this place as I know also that your place is here.”

His headache diminishing, Adrian looked at the figure that stepped into the light. He was about 15 feet tall and wore all white. He was well dressed in a suit and broad brimmed hat, which hid his face well.

“I am Moko. Don’t take me simple. What I say is, and that is all you need to know.

You children always have too many questions.” He paused and looked down over Adrian, towering over the young boy. Adrian had seen too much to be intimidated by this stranger easily, but he was cautious still.

“I have one question though,” Moko’s head tilted. “What is it with you Jumbie types and me?”

“Didn’t your parents teach you respect? You are among the Chosen. Your place is to someday maintain the balance between the good and the bad in this place.

Soucouyant threatens that everyday, and Papa Bois almost muck it up by having too many ‘good soldiers’. I have however dealt with that,” Moko answered almost angrily. “I come to you with the power Maljo which can only be wielded by one that is not of the undead. But it weakens the wearer. However there is a mask that would allow the user the chance to live whilst using Maljo. If you decide yes, then there is much to talk about. If no, then I will have to kill you now. Make your choice and do it quickly.”

“You really not giving me much of a choice I take it.” No answer came.

“I will buy this.” For the first time Adrian notice teeth forming in the obscure face.

“Listen well.”

“You know I really doh like that shitong, Midnite,” Keston said disgusted, as he packed his equipment. He had some DJ work to do that night.

“Look you still on he?” Kayla responded with a steups. “You have too much to worry about, like getting your act together for that Carnival Gig. Midnite is ah @$$, what you tying up your head with small matters so for.”

“I just have a problem with people lapping up all that crap, from one fake @$$ DJ, with even faker dreads, and all he know to do is to talk with all kind of slang.”

“Them time will dead soon you know, you just have to do your thing, because I sure as hell doing mine,” she said throwing a mike for Keston to pack.

Keston smiled, “I know I know, your album coming along nice, any takers yet?” he asked peering outside. “I think I hearing something.”

“Nah, but I may be hooking up with my cousins to try some rock gigs after carnival.”

Keston was by the door, “What is this? You never told me about this.”

“I know, ’cause I knew you would have told me…KES!” someone pulled Keston through the open door, Kayla ran outside only to wind up face to face with Tania.
Kayla instantly reached for the blue around her neck only for Tania to grab her hand. Blue smoke sizzled from her fist and she showed signs of slight pain.

“This is just a warning. Allyuh killed my baby, I eh taking that easily. Soon the mark that protects you will no longer have strength over us. As for this blue…”

Tania ripped it from Kayla’s neck. “It eh go do shit soon.” Kayla stood up, she wasn’t going to take this easily.

“Anytime you ready, my mother eh raise no punks, star!”

Tania just smiled and wagged her tongue at Keston. She called her crew—bigger bunch of douens was with her now—all looking more menacing than before. Both Keston and Kayla swallowed hard.

“Since when we were marked?” Keston asked Kayla

“You worried about that? I more concerned with when they come back. We have to find Rhonda,” she answered, looking at the smoking piece of blue on the ground.