Noticing Jamilla Page 5
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The evening after graduation, I wandered out into the garden while GrammyJo took a nap. The bottom of the moon’s curve had just appeared over the ridge hiding the road to the Hidden Pass, large, red, and almost completely round. To the west, the sun still hung, casting a faint red fire behind the clouds. I sat down, leaning against the apple tree to watch one circle rise in the sky and the other sink.
A scrabbling sound drew my attention to the back fence. My heart sank as Jamilla perched on its top like a vulture against the moon.
“What are you doing here?” I jumped up and gauged the distance to the door. “I didn’t invite you.”
Her smile sent knives of ice through me. “I told you I wasn’t through with you, Cassy Mae.”
The wind rose around me, sending the fresh grass clippings from the compost into the air. Jamilla leaned towards me. I reached down, grabbing one of the tomato stakes from the ground. I stood to face her and clutched the rough wood behind my leg, my teeth leaving the taste of blood in my mouth. The conjure bag warmed between my breasts.
“I don’t want to live in Santo Francisco. Got my fill of it.” I gasped for air, searching for courage, knowing I couldn’t run away from Jamilla’s menace.
“No matter. I’ll teach you to love it.” She licked her lips as a dry chuckle warbled deep in her throat. “Ooooo. Aunt’s right as usual. You are much too delicious to ignore.”
“Go away and leave me alone.” My voice broke, turned into almost a sob. “I won’t tell any one you came here.”
Without a word, Jamilla leaped, her hands extended like claws for my throat. Triumph filled her face. Her blood red lips opened to cover mine. I whipped the stake around, pointed it up at her chest, and leaned forward. She landed with a thud, and moisture oozed over my hands. But I shoved it in further, my teeth clenched with determination.
A shriek rose as the wind gusted harder. I pushed with all the power I could summon, ignoring the clammy wetness covering my hands. Jamilla’s weight broke the stake as she fell to the ground. As I stared, opened mouthed, a black ooze crept like steam from her chest.
The back door slammed. “Good gracious, child. What’s all the noise?”
GrammyJo bolted across the garden with the bowl of potpourri from the door in her hands. She shoved me out of the way. The contents of the bowl scattered over the ooze.
My voice strangled in my throat. “Jamilla jumped me and fell on the stake.” I shook so bad I could barely stand.
A gust of wind cleared the clouds from the sun; it blazed forth in its last glory. GrammyJo waved her hands, making signs with her fingers after she threw potpourri from the bowl she kept in the shop. The last burst of sunshine lit Jamilla too. The ooze disappeared, and Jamilla began to flake like bad paint. Flurries of wind scattered the flakes into the air and over the fence.
My stomach roiled, but GrammyJo drew me away from the sight before I spewed. “Come inside, child. We need to get you on the midnight bus in Auburn.”
Everyone knew the midnight bus went east. GrammyJo was sending me away. I gulped but said nothing in spite of the tears gathering in my eyes. We both knew I was a goner if The Markem found me after what I’d done.
After I cleaned up, I stuffed my savings in my pockets. Shoved clothes and a couple favorite books in a duffle. While I layered on more clothes in spite of the heat, GrammyJo filled my backpack with stuff in the kitchen. I sniffed down my tears and did as I was told, praying The Markem would hunt for me in Santo Francisco.
When we arrived at the bus station, GrammyJo stood behind me, holding my backpack while I bought my ticket. Even though I ran ahead with my duffle, we were too late to put it in the luggage bins under the bus. After a quick hug, GrammyJo hustled me up the steps and handed me my backpack. It was heavier than I expected, and I turned back towards her.
Gulping, I struggled for something that would let her know how important she was to me. Some way of saying I’d miss her. In the end, I only said, “Thank you.”
GrammyJo smiled with tears in her eyes and waved me up the steps. “I suggest you change directions in Salt Lake. Several more times along the way too, if you’re wise. And remember those two addresses.”
After I had scrambled towards the back of the bus and sat down in an empty seat, I discovered GrammyJo had put a hand-written juju book in my pack. I don’t remember whether the extra envelope of money or memorizing a quick cloaking spell from the book proved more useful on my long journey east.
So far I haven’t seen hide nor hair of The Markem or any like her, but I'm sure other demon-kind lurk out there. I light a candle for GrammyJo each night and pray that any new wrinkles she gets come natural. I hope my wrinkles’ll come natural, along with lots of gray hairs, but not too soon.
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Wish to thank all the people who critiqued, betaed, and offered good suggestions along the way. In fact, I dedicate this e-pub to you guys. Also wish to thank SpringLea Henry at The Grumpy Dragon for encouraging me to expand my Andor world. She’s the kind of editor writers lust for.
And thanks to you for buying my story. Hope you enjoyed it.
Noticing Jamilla is one of the short stories I’ve written, while exploring my new world of Andor, where demons roam looking for people to possess while angels and their allies try to fight them. Too bad the angels can’t be everywhere at once. This story is a prelude for the third book in a mapped out trilogy. The first book, There Be Demons, is to be published by The Grumpy Dragon in mid-2014. While no obvious demons appear in this e-story, I consider it part of Andor. You can learn more about my writing at my author website: https://www.mktheodoratus.com
Hint. Hint. A review would be appreciated.
My other world involves the Far Isles Half-Elven where I explore the effects of genetic drift on a hybrid elf-human population. I’ve self-published several pieces in that world. You can learn more and sample stories written about Mariah and her friends…and enemies…at my dedicated Far Isles Half-Elven website: https://www.half-elven.com
I also wander around various social media. Places where you can find me include:
My blog where I review books and comment of my writing progress…or lack of it: https://kaytheod.blogspot.com
My author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-K-Theodoratus/235376633158175?ref=hl
My Far Isles Half-Elven page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Far-Isles-Half-Elven/100514986718681?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaytheod
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5478544-m-k-theodoratus
Google Plus: Search for M. K. Theodoratus.