Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. I | ✓

Chapter 62: A Fate Unknown

**

When the day was over, I sat on my bed in my room, staring at the blank walls and listening to the insects make music outside in the night. I couldn't help but smile, and I was eager for the next day I would spend with Sajida. The entire day consisted of working on my meditative skills and reading spell books, but it made me want more. I needed more. When I was around Sajida, I saw a future for myself that I could never see when I was around the Coterie.

And despite Sajida's claim that her cooking wouldn't be a daily occurrence, we ended up having gumbo for dinner; she admitted that she had begun prepping for it that morning before I woke up.

I looked down at my hands as I sat on the bed. There was nothing interesting about them; they were normal hands. They were not Sajida's hands. But I continued to stare at them, moving my fingers and imagining a flame appearing on my fingertips; I imagined being able to move things. Having the ability to do incredible things with them.

I thought of my mother briefly, and as the pain settled in, I pushed the thought of her away from me.

Three knocks on the door. Sajida came in, checking to see if I was doing alright and reminding me to be up early the next morning. Her dress had changed into something all black, the collar low cut and revealing. I didn't comment on it; what she did after 9PM was none of my business. Although I did wonder when she found time to sleep.

"You need anything, you make sure to let Kira know," she said to me. "She'll take care you real good."

"I will." I looked at her dress, finding it hard to bite my tongue like I told myself I would. "That's a nice dress. You going somewhere?"

"I visit some witches near Houma on Saturday nights; I buy some spell tomes from Ursula out that way once every blue moon."

"Houma." I hummed. "That's kind of far out from here?"

"Not for me." She smiled, leaning herself against the doorway and letting her smile fade. "You getting home sick?"

Her question came as a surprise, but knowing Sajida, she must have sensed my nerves from a mile away. I couldn't like or sugarcoat anything to Sajida anymore.

"I've been thinking about Mama. And Abraham. But it's nothing to be pressed over; I just need to get a good grip on my nerves."

"What was Abraham yapping about with you on that balcony?" she asked me, but by how hesitant I was to even open my mouth, she knew I didn't want to answer; the memory of Abraham's hand around Hezekiah's neck made me stiff and uncomfortable.

"This burden you carry ain't gonna go away overnight. You have to learn how to rise above it, slowly but surely. I know it's hard, but be patient. You'll get there."

I nodded, confident in Sajida's judgment. I trusted her. I saw myself as her one day.

Sajida wished me a good night's rest and that she would see me in the morning. When the door was closed, I reached over and turned off the bedroom light.

**

It was in the middle of the night when everything began to change, violently and abruptly.

I was awoken by the sound of tapping on my door. In the pitch blackness, I sat up and looked at the light from underneath the door and saw two little shadows underneath, moving around; the Damiyas.

Quickly, I turned on the light and sat at the foot of my bed. I stared at the door as the tapping continued, gently but constant, like the effort to get my attention was a grand one. I got up, put on my glasses, and stalked slowly towards the door. My hand turned the knob and opened it slowly, finding two dolls standing in the hallway, looking up at me with their black, beaded eyes. Pentagram and Triquetra stepped back and tilted their heads to look at me standing above them. They didn't move, just stood there and stared at me, their bellies still marked with the insignia of their corresponding names.