The Cycle

Chapter Twelve

TAYO, the old flame that was never kindled. Snuffed by diabolic threats that came from wishful lovers, his mother, his sisters and brother; and all promised inexplicable harm to her person.

"I'll take your name to baba, and have you reduced to an infirm," the sister had said.

"I'll bury your star, and you'll amount to nothing; I'll steal and exchange your face for that of a beast, and men will flee at the sight of you," said the brother.

"I'll carve a figurine in your image, prepare a grave, perform the burial rights, and you'll become a living corpse, and your stench will drive all men from you," said the mother.

After that, the whispers of witch were reinforced. The mother, the sister, the brother, all stared with strange questions in their eyes, when she came to visit her family. She had laughed within herself, how stupid; they had carried out their threats, yet she still walked, not an infirm, men didn't flee, and she had mocked their perceived sense of power, she thought failed.

As a young girl strong in the faith, she'd mocked them and their gods.

As a woman who rejected the faith, she'd mocked them and their gods.

Stupid.

It was simple. The power in her, though dormant, was stronger that what they had called forth to hurt her.

But she had been devoid of the knowledge then.

Her belief that all were powerless.

That the Universe dealt what it dealt in a manner that pleased its dispassionate self. Bad luck, good fortune, everything were whims, there was no system to gamed, by prayers, sacrifice, offerings . . .

You take what is given, and squeeze out what you can. Then die.

How great was my blindness . . .

"Who is everyone?" she asked.

"Forget that. You need to leave."

"Why are they coming for her?" Abigail asked.

"I can't explain. There's no time."

"We are not in a hurry," said Myra, "speak."

"Mabel who are these two?" he asked.

"At least tell me why I should run."

"I don't know where to start. I believe, yet still can't believe it. It's another thing to have your belief confirmed. Like it's a terrible nightmare-"

"Stop the melodrama, and get to the point," said Myra.

Tayo narrowed his eyes, and Myra raised a brow. "I'm waiting," she said.

"Myra, don't antagonize him," said Abigail. "Ta-yo . . . Please, speak."

"A child died last night, butchered, so was another family. The corpse were shredded; lined the street in front of their home. They were running from the things that kept all eyes open, last night."

Mabel tensed. The creatures had struck. The bloodbath had begun.

"I heard them last night," he said, "I don't know why, but they couldn't enter my home. They growled just outside my windows, sounds I can't describe. I heard their footsteps, they were animals. I was too scared to look out the windows, afraid of what I'll see . . ."

You would have seen nothing.

". . . they patrolled my house Mabel, all night. I did not sleep. No one did. They were everywhere, every home. And with first light, people broke out of their homes. Ran to shrines and the church."