Richard was becoming less troubled by his abilities, but no more comfortable with me. He spoke with his wife each night and we had lengthy discussions every day. He would leave soon, I knew that. He wanted to get back to his wife, but he needed to get a handle on his new life first. He was also different from his mother and I in this way, he had a real shot at a life and now, with his own family, so much more to lose.
He learned much about me, my abilities and my relationship with his mother. He also discovered that he had an innate capacity to recognize evil in others, in beings like me. He had this sense for as long as he could remember. Ironically, beyond an understandable distaste for me, he says he senses little of this evil from me…a small comfort.
It was the night before he left. We were both at his mother’s house, discussing that some day that he would return. Both of us telling him that we expected nothing more than for him to protect his family. Fortuitous. I sensed them approaching from the brush to the back of the house.
The legend of soucouyants on this island is largely built on the females of my kind and their propensity to shed their skin and appear as a blazing ball of fire. Many had managed to control this part of their nature, but others seemed incapable of such restraint. I had not had an encounter like this for some time and it was curious that they would dare to attack anyone in my presence. “Stay with your mother.” I said, before disappearing into the night. Most are not a match for me, still when they hunt in packs it can be challenging. I counted seven moving lights. I sidestepped the leader, slashing her face before crushing her throat. I turned to face the others, and realized I had help. A figure moved swift and silent out of the shadows meeting the crazed attack of three soucouyants with methodical, bone breaking ferocity. As the final body fell by my hand, I approached the shadow, now illuminated by moonlight and covered in crimson. It was Richard and he couldn’t stop staring at his blood soaked hands…
No comments:
Post a Comment