James Hackett

Previously: Whilst Rhonda and the others make plans to search for Papa Bois, the Soucouyant have started to make plans of her own.

Adrian stood outside the building, a big Georgian style house. It was late evening and everything was beginning to change appearance, contrasting to their diurnal bearing. He held the card in his hand, having been kicked out his home he needed money. He got this job offer, an easy one; he had to make some old woman happy.

“I really have to do this boy?” he mused for a while, he made his choice and walked up to the building. He stepped onto the front porch. Gorgeous tiles lined the floor sparkling in ethereal beauty, playing with the fading light. The door opened, it was a girl of about 19. Her face was as white as a full moon. Pastel shadows of blue and green were cast on her face thanks to the tiles. This bothered him a bit, but he pushed the thought to the back of his head as he thought of the money. Adrian told her his name and without a word the strange girl turned and walked into the building. As he followed her, he felt creepy -he had to think of the benefits of the job not to leave. They then entered another hall larger than the first one. Adrian was puzzled; the house did not seem so large from outside. The girl pointed to a door at the far end of the room. She turned and left making no sound, her long dress gliding softly on the floor appearing as though she floated instead of walked.

He pushed open the huge Cedar-wood door; it was different from the others he had seen. It was older, grander. He stepped in gingerly; the woman was by the window looking at the setting sun. She was not as old as he had thought her to be. Without turning her gaze from the window, she beckoned to him to sit in the chair opposite her.

“You like the night Adrian?” she asked idly not as if she had expected any real answer. Her skin was also a ghostly white, which contrasted sharply against the red dress she was wearing. Her clothes were stylish yet conservative. Somehow her haunting beauty possessed him.

The sun was almost under the horizon; she got up and walked across the room away from Adrian. He watched her profile. She was probably French Creole.

The sun sank lower. “Do you like this place?”  He hesitated

“What it is with all these questions dread.”  He thought. She answered for him.

“Exquisite isn’t it.” Adrian was beginning to forget the money.

She turned to him “I need you. I like most people have needs. I hunger… Adrian.” the boy shifted in his chair a bit, she was walking toward him.

“The nights for me are long and cold…I need heat.”

“I need…” she paused and focused her eyes on his. The sun set even lower. Its light became more red than orange. Things were definitely not right and Adrian was beginning to think this job was a bad idea. He made a motion to stand, but he was immediately pushed back into his chair as if by some unseen force. The woman, no longer on her feet, floated closer to the boy. Her hands outstretched as if she was an opera singer making some grand performance “Nooo!” she hollered, gliding towards the boy. She held his face and he thought that she was going to do something to him. Adrian’s mind was in frenzy, he wanted to bawl and though his mouth moved no sound came out. He looked into the face of the woman, he should be afraid, instead he felt sorrow. The woman looked torn; she was fighting with inner demons.  She spoke to him. “I need company. Of all the power, of all the things that I can do, I want love.”  Adrian wanted to know if he had gone out of his mind to feel for this weird woman, but her sorrow was so tangible he could almost feel it. He closed his eyes and they kissed.

The sun finally sank behind the horizon. A haze of red, and violet and deeper blues waited to consume the remaining light. A wave of energy overcame Adrian and he shuddered catching the power. When he had come to, he was no longer bound in an embrace with the woman; rather she was before him, a floating fire apparition. Everything in Adrian told him that he should be afraid, but he was not. He immediately looked at himself; his own skin had turned white, no longer the rich brown it used to be. He wanted to speak to the woman but he had lost his ability to speak. He waved his hands wildly at her.  She floated down to Adrian.

“Sssshhh” a fiery finger went to her mouth, “You have done your duty well child. Do not try to understand, I will teach you in time.” With that she flew into the night. He stood alone at the window; a tear had begun to fall down his pallid face.  Someone took his hand that lay limp by his side. He turned noticing it was the girl; a tear was also making its way down her cheek. She too was a victim. Together they looked out the window as the last rays of the sun succumbed to the darkness.