Beauty is mysterious, right? I grew up in Lavenra with everybody saying – Barbara is so beautiful! And every time I hear it, I told Mum and she would just smile.
Mum – Mrs. James – but I prefer to call her, Sylvia is an overly beautiful woman. You know that kind of beauty that makes you jealous of someone? That is what Mum has. Sometimes I wish I could just make it mine by any means. Sylvia has blue eyes, seductive lips, angelic face, succulent body – which any man would die for – full breast, desirable hips, a sonorous voice and every other beautiful trait, I hate to mention. But I am consoled with what she always says: "One day Barbara as a grown up woman, you would be more beautiful and better than I ever was – I promise!" and I can't wait for it to come to pass.
Mum spends most of her time with me, since the death of father – James Bentley- who died when I was only four. The little I remembered of him in addition to Mum's praise makes it a registered fact that he was a good man.
With no siblings around, I spent most of my time with Mum – telling her about everything and she also tells me about her private affairs.
I remember telling Mum about a guy I had a crush on in my first year in high school, thinking that she would be disappointed rather she gave me some tips on how to win him over and it worked! Mum still has a wounded heart – which I know – so she always tries to run away from love. Many responsible men made advances at her but she always turned them down; saying the time was not right – I pray she picks one someday.
Lavenra was a county – beautiful and serene – very close to a railway track; you sure know that vibrations and sounds are our daily companions. Like any other county, Lavenra stands tall with beautiful lawn, sloping meadows, blue streams and rivers, myriads of flowers, mountains, hikers and lovely neighbours. The county is the pride of the nation for its hospitality and vast tourist attraction. Mum chose the second house close to the railway track – growing up I would sometimes sit alone or with Mum and we would wave and watch travelers.
Few blocks away from home is the revered – Charlock High School – a mixed school, which I attended. Being the cheerleader was easy, topping my class easier and now at my finals, what I think was the most difficult thing I did in school was to engage Dave Cage – the renowned playboy; hottest and cutest guy in school – in a monogamous relationship and to many, that was unbelievable!
***********
Turning seventeen, I started noticing changes in Mum. She started acting weird. She would be spying on me as I slept, absent minded in most of our conversations and her hairs would be unkempt during holidays. During the night, whenever she hears the hoot of an Owl, she would start crying and after consoling her, she would ask me to promise her that I would never step foot into her village – Stave Ville – no matter what.
Sometimes when I become rebellious, Mum would be so angry that her eyes would turn crimson and as she yells, I could feel the house vibrating: though, she says it coincides with the passing train.
When I had a brawl with Jessica for running my Prom dress with wine, her parents came over to confront me at home; they started shouting at me as I opened the door, Mum came and told me to go inside and some minutes later came in. The next day, when I met Jessica in school – she started apologizing and later that day when her parents came to pick her up, they also pleaded with me. Needless to say, Mum has a way with words; remembering when the principal sent me home for unpaid fees and Mum accompanied me to her office, as I stood at the corridor waiting, all I heard was initial shouting from the principal and this faded, later Mum and her came out smiling and no one bothered to ask for the unpaid fees – or maybe she was enchanting.
And some nights, when I slept in Mum's room, she would be cold and pale when she is fast asleep but when I woke her up, her glowing skin returns.
Mum also had a tattoo of a black snake close to the foot of an oak tree at her back; where the lock of her bra is positioned.
********
During spring, as I was coming out of my room to the sitting room, I heard Mum making a phone call; so I stood at the door, listening;
"Good morning! Mrs. James, please who am I speaking with?" Mum said.
"Mr. Stone? Can't remember any Mr. Stone."
"Stone Ford!" Mum shouted.
"How did you find me?" Mum said looking frantically around the room as she cowered.
After Mum listened for some time she shouted;
"Listen Stone, I don't want to have anything to do with you again and I don't want to see you anywhere near me! …" as she was to continue the caller hung up.
"Hello! Hello!" with that Mum slump on the sofa – wide eyed. I quickly emerged and ran towards her. She embraced me, kissing my head and later said with her hands on my cheeks.
"Promise me Barbara, that you would do as I tell you?"
"I would Mum." I blurted.
"From now on Barbara, you would stay indoors until I get us out of here and whenever you see any man called Ford with deep blue eyes like mine and curly hairs, run to the police station!" Mum said.
"Ok. But Mum why?"
"Soon, you would understand." With that Mum just held my hands and stared into space.
********
Weeks after that day, all I did was sit at home and prepare for my exams and when Mum returns she was always worried about my safety.
Then one day, at night, Mum came to my room and spoke with me at length, then she sang her favourite lullaby and left.
Minutes later, she ran to my room, burst the door and woke me up.
"Barbara wake up!" as I woke up. She dragged me towards the window and we peered through the curtain; on the road were three men on black suit, they walked to Jessica's house and Jessica's mother pointed towards our house and the men started coming…
"You see those men; they are coming to get you, Barbara – run!" Mum shouted and at that instant the door bell rang.
Mum dashed off to get the door, while I squeezed myself through the window and ran away.
********
As I boarded the train, looking through the window, I saw the three men speaking to some passengers with a photo and the passenger pointed towards the train that I am in. The men started running towards the train and then the engine of the train roared and we started moving. At a good distance, I just fell on my seat, exhaled and started crying.
On the final terminal, far from Lavenra, I alighted and started walking with my mind engrossed with thoughts of my swift change of fortune.
Getting to a stream, deep in the woods, I sat at the bank and slept off.
********
When I opened my eyes, I felt that I couldn't move and I stared to the skies – the moon was hiding behind an ash blanket – then as I looked I saw the three men in black suit standing in front of me. Then I realized that I and Mum – opposite me – were tied to stakes close to an Oak tree.
Then the three men held hands in circle, muttering some incantations and they started swirling.
After a split second, they were engulfed in a dark whirlwind with horrendous shouts, flings of swaddling clothes and visible skulls shouting in a derisive gnaw.
Then, minutes later, their figure changed, the three men emerged in company of some females – fifteen – with their upper body human and the lower body that of a snake. They looked like humans facially only with protruding fangs and forked tongue that flicks as they cackled. As I looked towards Mum's direction, she was in tears, her body became like that of the others and when she looked at the change, she would scream and shake her head and would become human again.
"Stop fighting who you are Sylvia!" the leader said.
"Hey, Barbara!" the leader said turning towards me.
"I am Stone Ford, the leader of this cult called The Black Mamba; we are first order serpentine witches that stay deep in the wood. Oh! Mum didn't tell you about us, right?" Ford said smiling.
"Sylvia – your mother – was my sister and also the priestess of this cult. Now let me tell you her story.
Long ago, a hunter came one night to hunt and passed the night in the bush, before he slept he sang a song and the next morning, he found a dead deer in front of him. This persisted until; he noticed and wanted to know the cause of his good fortunes. Then, your father – James Bentley – fell for her." Ford paused.
"That vegetable!" a sickening voice sounded from the trunk of the oak tree, as I looked I saw diminutive imps with bent long hats, crooked conspicuous nose and long claws as nails in group fuming.
"With all my warnings, Sylvia fled from Stave Ville and relocated to Lavenra with your father. Thinking that her love would wane soon, I didn't bother. Then, some years later, we summoned her love, still hoping she would return but she didn't and now she has run out of time. So, let the celebrations begin!" Ford shouted to the joy of the host.
Then one imp flew down from the trunk and on touching the earth, transformed into a bent old woman using a stick for support. She walked towards Mum with her thumb raised and Mum shouted;
"Barbara – don't do whatever they tell you!" as she was saying the last words, the old woman's thumb touched Mum's forehead and as she withdrew her thumb, Mum's spirit followed – leaving her body motionless. She walked straight to the Oak tree, pressed her thumb and retrieved it – depositing Mum's spirit into the Oak tree.
Within seconds, a big pot was placed on top of a lit hearth and from it a grave stench emanated. Then, they cut off Mum's hands, her head and her other body part into bits and cooked it with the pot.
I was so sick that I threw up severally before fainting. When I woke up;
"Now Barbara! I would ask only once, would you become the priestess of this cult in your mothers stead, Yes or No?" Ford asked as he flicked his tongue.
"To hell with you and your cult, I would never be part of this insane cult! Never!" I screamed.
"OK, fine! Let the ritual begin!" Ford shouted.
Then two men took a narrow pipe, pierced it into my fingers – I screamed till I lost vocals – passed it over the Oak trunk such that my blood dropped on the trees body with the host at the foot licking it with haste, while some engaged in orgies and when my blood started trickling, they sucked at the pipe, until…