A WALKING TALKING MIRACLE

MOTHER MAVIS: THE SEER-WOMAN

CHAPTER 2
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Marcus drove them down to Perseverance village, which was west of Couva, the following day, to visit Mother Mavis Chapman. As she and her mother got out of the car when they arrived, Melissa noticed that there were three buildings on the compound. On the right, there was a small, but well built concrete house painted in cream and brown, the front porch was laden with potted plants. To the front left, there was a very small building and directly behind it, there was another large building. On closer inspection, Melissa realized that the building behind on the left was a church, the name was written in large bold letters above the front entrance to the church:

"MT CARMEL SPIRITUAL BAPTIST CHURCH"

A middle-aged woman appeared suddenly, from the direction of the church, she was a tall striking woman with dark skin and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. She walked over to the small building at the front-left and motioned for them to follow her inside. They walked into the small room that was filled with the scent of burning insence and candle. There was a wide table with two chairs in front of it, the woman told them to sit down and disappeared behind a curtain screen. She stayed behind the screen for a short while and then reappeared, holding a huge black bible in one hand and a yellow candle in the other.

She sat down before them and stared at Melissa, a strange expression on her face. Her eyes remained fixed on Melissa as she put down the candle and motioned for Melissa to cut the bible, which was basically just opening the bible half and half. When Melissa had done this, the woman looked at where both of Melissa's thumb fingers were and told her not to move them. She took the bible and looked at the scriptures Melissa's fingers had marked on both sides.

"A woman on your job did this to you girl, someone you believe is your friend and trust very much." The Baptist woman said calmly, looking from mother to daughter, as she continued:

"She sent that spirit in yuh head to send you crazy and also to spoil up your appearance, because she is very jealous of you, your life is in danger."

She began to describe the woman in graphic detail, and Melissa's eyes grew wide as she realized exactly who Mother Mavis was talking about. It was none other than her supervisor, Rosemary Lalchan, her pal and supposed ally on the job. She was a plain-faced, brown-skinned woman of East Indian descent, Melissa had always felt that Rosemary's beauty and charm lay in her bubbly and perky personality. She brought a room to life, when she walked into it, and always made them laugh with her ridiculous jokes. She was loquacious but made up for that by being an excellent conversationalist, it was unbelievable that, that person whom she thought she knew was now being accused of almost completely ruining her life!

"I not telling you nothing to frighten you, I telling you the truth, this woman don't want you to complete that degree and will not stop until you staring mad and eatin' out of a dustbin." Mother Mavis said quietly, she turned to Madeleine Johnson and began telling her about her past life. She really was good at this seerwoman thing, Melissa thought and under different circumstances would have found it highly amusing. This situation however, was very far from amusing, someone she knew, no, thought she knew, and trusted was trying to destroy her life, life didn't get anymore unamusing than that! She listened as Mother Mavis, outlined what she had to do to get rid of the spirit. She would have to go and bathe in the sea. It would have to be done today, Mother Mavis told them.

Mother and daughter exited the small room and walked back to the car. Marcus who had been dozing flew up and looked at both of them anxiously, a question in his eyes. They all turned as Mother Mavis walked out with a bag in hand, she walked over to the car and Marcus opened the door of the right side back passenger seat for her to get in. Mother and daughter quickly got into the car and they were on their way to Carli Bay, which was the nearest beach. When they arrived at Carli Bay beach, they got out and mother Mavis motioned for Melissa to walk down into the water.

Mother Mavis was wearing a simple blue dress and her head was wrapped in a white lace head tie. They walked far out into the water together, then Mother Mavis stopped and began to pray loudly and speak in an unknown language. She took out a small vial filled with a pungent scented liquid and began to empty the contents on Melissa's head. Mother Mavis bathed her, while she continued to pray and speak in tongues. Melissa was very apprehensive, not sure about the outcome of all these spiritual shenanigans. Throughout, she just listened to Mother Mavis' melodious voice as she carried on:

"Ta You! Jesus! Jesus! Ah send them back from whense they came! Go! Go! right now!

She began to recite the twenty-seventh psalm. She continued reciting Psalm after Psalm as though she was reading directly from the bible, it was amazing. When they finally got out of the water, both of them drenched, Melissa gave a sigh of relief because she didn't understand any of it, and as a result had been absolutely terrified. Another vehicle had arrived to pick up Mother Mavis, so from there they drove straight home. Her mother had come prepared, having been told by the Baptist woman that she would have to take Melissa to the sea. When they got home, a severe lethargy overtook Melissa and she went straight off to bed. Her mother came in a short while after to check on her, an anxious expression on her face.

"You feeling better darling?" Her mom asked quietly.

Melissa said yes just to please her mother, who could not seem to understand the battle taking place on the inside, no one could. Her mother kissed her lightly on the forehead and left. Melissa, released a shudder, this was an indelible experience, she could never forget it, if she survived this ordeal, it would live on as a legend through her children and grandchildren. She fell into a fitful sleep. A few hours later however she was awakened by a fresh onslaught of attacks, she felt as if bugs were crawling about in her head.

She cried silently, biting her sheet, she wouldn't, no couldn't let her loved ones go through this right now, this too shall pass, this too shall pass, she repeated silently trying to prevent herself from screaming. There was no one who could take this thing out of her head, Mother Mavis had tried her best and failed, because this problem still existed. I going to become insane and then I'm going to die, she thought helplessly. Why me? What had I done to deserve this? she questioned silently, tears streaming down her disfigured face.

She straightened her shoulders, she would just have to be strong, she would have to fight this tooth and nail, she knew this by instinct that this spirit knew how she felt and what she thought and could use it against her, she wasn't stupid, It was smart, she knew it and would have to be careful. It, they, yes there was more than one now, picked and proded at her brain, it was like something that should be in a horror movie! What had her life come to? There were things crawling about in her head, she barely slept, had missed an important exam because of all this and was turning into a basket case. There was just one thing left to do, pray to God, yes she believed in a higher power. She got down on her knees, weeping silently and prayed quietly, begging for help of some kind, help that only a higher power could give.