James Hackett

Last week: Staying true to her curse the Soucouyant had captured another child of the future. But as she will realise she is not the only supernatural force vying for souls of the youth.

Rhonda hurriedly slammed her book-bag on her bed before taking up some of her notes and a copybook to head back to the library. “You not eating anything girl.” her mother shouted out the door after her. Rhonda was already half way down the street. The girl took her usual shortcut through the cemetery.  In Rhonda’s path an old woman was sitting, in the shade of a tall Silk cotton tree at the centre of the cemetery. Rhonda was usually well mannered and would have told the woman good afternoon had she noticed her but she was in a hurry.

“You forgot your manners or what?” Rhonda stopped in her tracks held by the woman’s words. She had not seen the lady there.

“Hi, Good Afternoon.” The girl smiled and was about to continue on her way when the old woman came again.

“To find Bois you have to seek out the heart.”

“What?” Rhonda was caught by surprise.

“How did she know about this?”

The woman continued “To find Bois search for the heart, there death surrounds life.”

“What? Wait what you mean by…” at this time a strong wind blew and dust flew into Rhonda’s eyes. The wind carried a faint smell of salt. As she got back her eyesight she attempted to continue questioning the mystery woman. She was unable to do this, the woman was gone. After pondering for some time what she had witnessed, Rhonda turned and hurried on her way to the library looking over her shoulder ever so often.

“That is it? That is all she tells you.” Kayla was excited.

“Yes.” Rhonda answered, who was busy trying to catch up on her work in an effort to make up for lost time.

“So what we going and do about this now?” Keston asked her “Obviously that is a clue; we should pursue it, not so?” He continued. Rhonda put the pen down. Before that she was writing none stop, taking notes and references from the number of books she had around her until now.

“Keston I doh Know about you all, but I have to pass these exams okay. I could study that after exams done.” Saying that the girl continued writing. “Fine.”  Keston retorted. He stared at Kayla, as if for her to do something, the girl raised her shoulders. Neither of them had really done any studying. Idle gaping and small talk had long replaced concentration.  They could not help it, it was a disease and most people in the library had it. They would study home later when the symptoms died down.  The main topic for the evening was the upcoming graduations. Kayla turned to Keston, “So badly,” a nickname she gave him for his shiny head “You organise yourself for grad yet?” Kayla flashed a playful smile his way; he blushed as everyone else in the room faded. Sneakers, jeans and school uniforms were replaced with dresses, suits and shoes. Everyone was dancing and having fun. Soft music played in the background and in the middle of the crowd Keston was there with Kayla in his hands, dancing in time to the beat, he looked into her eyes and she would say to him…

“Keston you there?”

“What!” his images changed the library became the library again.  Kayla’s beaming face was still staring at him. Waiting.

Keston blushed and laughed uncomfortably. “Well,”  he said trying to be careful with his words. He did not want to be too obvious.  “I kind of trying to find that special girl, you know.”

“Well what yuh waiting on. This thing is the next couple of weeks.” Kayla started to pack her things. She was talking all evening. Her notebook only had two words written on the page.  Her things closed, she folded her arms and rests her chin on her arms looking at Keston still grinning mischievously.

“You better hurry, or you may not find her at all.” Keston paused for a second, was she giving him an invitation? Or was she just being helpful, playful or mischievous or all. He was Confused, it was times like this he wished he could read girls’ minds it would be so much easier to understand how to deal with them. Anton seemed to have that down cold, maybe he was a jumbie himself. Feeling uncomfortable he shifted the subject, and turned to Rhonda who was lost to the world in her work.

“You going grad Rhonda.”

“No!” The answer was abrupt and immediate.

“Wha? How come? We have to lim…”

“I say no dread. What so hard to Understand about that?”

Keston pursued “What the problem is? Is just for you to lime, with me and Kayla and …ahhmmm… whoever else we might have with we.” He had to make sure that it was not again so obvious.

Rhonda stood up, she was annoyed.

“Look go with your girlfriend and have fun alright. You are a rich boy, and I sure you do not have to worry about the things that I have to. Kayla I do not know what your story is, but you should get your act together. I gone.” With that she stormed out the library oblivious to the stares she was getting as she passed.

Dumbfounded, Kayla turned to Keston “Girlfriend?”  he shrugged, forcing back a smile.