James Hackett

Narrowly escaping Redman and his crew, Rhonda and her friends seek to put an end those that have been like a picker patch in their sides from the beginning.

As the children fled deeper into the tunnel, Rhonda found an open space with a current of fresh air blowing -a possible exit- and shouted the news back to her friends. Rhonda stepped through the hole and realised that they had been under the cemetery still despite the distance they ran. Grabbing a stick she pointed to a break in the cemetery wall. Redman and the others were in pursuit not far behind.

“Run!” commanded Rhonda.

The last to come through the wall, Rhonda stopped and hid. Kayla and Keston had not realised that they had run so far ahead and came back to where Rhonda crouched in waiting.

“What you doing?”

Rhonda was fumbling in her pockets.

“I have an idea.” She produced a piece of blue which she had bought to whiten her school shirts. She had a more immediate use for now. Redman and the others would soon be coming through the opening. Rhonda rubbed the blue on the stick. She spoke to her confused friends when she finished. “My mother would always tell me that this blue is a powerful token, and some people use it to ward off jumbies.”

“Oh yeah I hear about that,” Kayla added, “that is like when people would put the blue cross on their children to protect them from soucouyant.”

“Yeah, something like that,” replied Rhonda. “But nobody never attacked them with the blue.”

“Yeah, blow it in they face!” Keston froze when he saw Rhonda’s withering stare.

“Allyuh dense or what? Maybe the blue could damage them, that is probably why they afraid of it.”

“Yeah boy, for real.” Keston said, finally getting Rhonda’s real intention.

Redman emerged through the hole with a triumphant grin on his face, he had them.

“ARRGGH!” Rhonda rammed the end of her stick into the boy’s side. It went right through him glowing brightly as he fell to the ground. Tania and the twins stood back in fear after seeing what she had done to their leader.

Rhonda waved the stick at them. “We have the upper hand now. Leave us alone if you know what good for you.” She motioned to her friends: “Keston and Kayla, allyuh run.”

They turned and fled from the douens, from the cemetery, and from their fears.

The following Saturday…

Keston had gotten his driver’s permit. The thing was that he suddenly hooked up with a gas brain to go to grad with him. Kayla was not too happy with this event and she was at Rhonda’s fuming jealously.

“So what your real story is Gyul? Is not like both of all yuh was really going with each other!” Rhonda was trying to cool Kayla down.

“Is not that, is just that I think he should have gone with some body else!”

“Like you?” Rhonda said, striking a nerve. Ignoring that last comment Kayla asked her friend a question.

“What you going to Grad in?”

Rhonda became serious. “I am not going. We talked about this already.” The conversation continued with Rhonda having to explain her economic situation to her friend, the girl could not afford any expensive dress and the option of some guy buying one for her was out of the question.

“So why you did not say this before.”

“Because…” She paused “Just because… all right.” She was not the type to ask for help and neither was she about telling every John, Dick and Harrylal her situation.

“Rhonda girl, don’t worry,” Kayla said holding her friends arm. “I go organise a dress for you!” Rhonda smiled in gratitude. She really wanted to go and there were some real cute fellas who would be there, especially David Kaine, from Sixth Form. She was on him for months now and would really like to meet him there.

On the way out they met Keston driving his car with the girl in his front seat-a sexy Smallie from Convent.

“Aye, what going on? I was now coming by you Rhonda. Where all yuh going now? I’ll give you all a lift”

“No thanks,” Kayla said dryly. “We have some things to attend to. Besides, we might keep you back.” She paused, motioning to the Smallie, “Your hands look full already.” She and Kayla turned and hustled down the road.

Keston looked at the Smallie. He was feeling for Kayla but every time he looked into the girl’s mysterious brown eyes he melted.

“You okay, babes?” the Smallie asked Keston, her silky voice cascading into his brain!

“Yeah man.” Said Keston speeding down the street -Smallie liked it when he drove fast. She squealed, her loud laughter echoing down the street.

Rhonda and Kayla watched the car driving off. “Something not right, Kayla?”

“He get car stupid that is what!” the girl replied a bit disgusted.