James Hackett

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.