James Hackett

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.