Harmony of Lady Shadow Moon, DhNAi Divine [good beach reads txt] 📗

the girls' room with a new candle and old lighter.

Her terror was gone, replaced with something a bit more dangerous. Rage. And courage, mingling together to make a tasty blend. Aaron's, Aanu's, and Saki's stomachs clenched with fear as soon as the lights flashed off, but watching courage glow on Aniyla's face forced them to find some.

“Come on,” Aniyla commands, the candle light revealing her face. “We sleep downstairs under candle light. More candles downstairs.”

Aaron speaks up, capturing the ladies' attention, “That won't keep us warm through the night Gran-Nai. The temperatures drop.”

“I know that, that's why we have to stay close, body heat. The only other source is the firewood back behind the house. But I 'on't want anyone to go out this house.” She turned from the door to peer at Aaron. “I mean it boy. I don't want none a you out this house till mornin', hear?”

“So, you tellin' me this wolf don't kill in the mornin'?” His question laced in sarcasm and more of a statement than a question.

“Oh, you believe in the wolf now?” Aniyla snapped on him.

“No,” Aaron replies quietly, putting respect back in his tone. “But, Nana what difference does it make what time a day I go out? I don't want us freezin'. This wolf will not scare us still in the house.”

Aniyla's eyebrows raised, the flicker of the candlelight reflecting in her bottomless green eyes. She grabs her grandson by the arms. “You will stay put in this house till the sun comes up or...or you won't be welcomed to Nkosia. Don't try me. Not now. I love you too much. I love all three a you too much to lose you to this...this thing. Now,” she exhales, staring back at Aaron, “I'm gonna trust you, don't make me regret it.”

Aniyla swallows, remembering how it worked with the wolf. It was always easier to catch males, their pride forces them to fight passionately, but blindly. The wolf could always get the men stuck in his shit.

The three youngsters followed Aniyla downstairs, Aaron grumbled in the back of the group. Aniyla continuously checked over her shoulder making sure Aaron didn't bolt out the house in any fashion he could. The house was colder than ever before. Never once has the house become victim to cold in any of the family's visits. This couldn't have been a worse time for Aanu's and Aaron's mama not to come.

Aniyla couldn't agree more. Aniyla bared the cold better than the young ones thought she would. Curious. Gran-Nai ushered the kids into the living room, looking over them over and over again before she opened her mouth.

Her old pretty hands slid down her face, exasperated. “Damn,” she mutters, snapping her finger. “We need the mega mattress.”

“I'll get it,” Aaron announces, jumping up in front of the girls.

Aniyla without a doubt shook her head. “I don't think so. Have a seat.”

Aaron sighed, pleading, “Come on granny. Trust me. I'll get the mega and bring it in here.”

Aniyla rolled her eyes, then pointed at Aanujah. “Go with him. Help 'em.”

“Granny!” He says. “I 'on't need help, no offense Nu-Nu, but I don't need help. And I don't need nobody watchin' over me like a child. Just trust me Nai-Nai.”

She rolled her eyes once again. “Fine. But if you even think a walkin' out that door—” She let the statement trail off allowing his imagination to complete it.

“I hear you.”

“Gon' then,” she replies, waving him off, “hurry back.”

Aaron nods and grins, leaving the room abruptly before she changed her mind. It took him a few minutes to get back. The ladies calmed once they heard him dragging the mega down the wide hall.

“You need a light big bruh?!”

“I'm good Nu-Nu,” he yelled back. As soon as the girls saw him in the archway, they ran to help him get the mattress in the living room. The group pulled back the elegant couches, making room for the mega.

Saki looked to Aniyla, asked, “Where the covers Nai-Nai?”

Aniyla pointed to the hallway. “In the closet down the hall.”

“I got it, I got it.” Aaron ran to the hall, grabbing neatly folded sheets and thick blankets. As the women put the bed together, Aaron thought it best to slip out the back door. He didn't shut the door completely, knowing it would grab the attention of his family.

“Alright,” Aniyla speaks, moving back from the bed, inspecting it. “Get on the bed. All a you. Aaron?”

She turns around, calling for her grandchild. “Aaron? Shit. Aaron!” She ran down the hall and felt a chilly breeze run up her exposed thigh. Aniyla pulls her robe tighter around her body, then slammed the door...pissed. She can't believe Aaron not only disobeyed her order, but didn't close the damn door.

“Nai-Nai!” Aanujah calls out, not wanting to stand off the bed, too afraid of the possibility of her grandmother being gone.

Aniyla answers back, “I'm fine child.”

“Your brother,” Aniyla says, entering the room with the girls still sitting on the bed, “he left.” Aniyla vented her anger by knocking four unlit candles to the floor, breaking its glass shell. “I'm going after him.”

“No Nai-Nai!” The girls yelled, hopping up from their seated position.

“I have to. He don't know what he's up against, but I do. Sit down,” she demanded.

“Nai-Nai,” Saki said, carefully, “let's just give it a few minutes.” S'hkmanyu looked to Aanu for her to add.

“Yeah,” she spoke up, “he might even bring back some wood. A couple minutes Nai-Nai, just a couple.”

 

 

Time was up. No matter what the girls said, Aniyla was out. “Enough!” Aniyla growled, pushing away from the wall. “Enough,” she reiterated, closing the girls' arguments. “Ten minutes flew by and that was more time than I even wanted to pass.”

Aniyla leaves the room to head for the basement. She moved briskly on her feet, knowing if she was gone a second too long the girls would freak. She returned to her grandchildren with a black handbag in her grip. She whipped out two stout bottles, one held a milky-white thick liquid and the other a cherry-red thin liquid. The final item was a thin umber branch with long leaves protruding out.

“Stay on this bed, while I handle my business.”

Granny dips the leaves in the thin red liquid and allowed a few drops to hit the bed. Her voice called titles of Gods' and Goddesses' of every variety. Gods and goddesses of Vodoun, Yoruba, Kemet, Native American, her ancestors and many more. She shouted names followed by Ashe, circling around the bed, shaking the red liquid off the green leaves. Aniyla finished the libation by pouring the thick liquid on all four sides of the bed, creating a symbol of protection. “I'm goin' now.”

But still the ladies protested, standing up once again. “We should go,” Aanu said, looking to her best friend. “Not you Nana. What you go protect yourself wit'?”

She plainly states, “The gods. They got me through this ordeal before and they'll get me through it again. They will protect me.”

The girls start up again, but Aniyla shuts them up with one hand motion. “I am the adult. So it is as I say it is. Don't. You two dare come out of this circle 'till mornin', or the same thing I said to your brother will apply to you too. I don't care if I don't come back in tonight! You will stay in. Do you hear me!” The ladies' nod is their answer. Aniyla sighs, “I love you girls.”

“We love you too Nai-Nai,” Aanu says.

“I love you,” Saki said, “please be careful.”

“I'll do my best.”

The ladies are silent as they listen to granny's quiet footfalls, praying she decides to turn back. Not another member of the family need to be somewhere in the woods. The girls knew granny wouldn't dare to turn back. She was nowhere near being a coward, especially when it came to her babies. Hell would freeze over before she stands by and do nothing.

The girls yearned to be the same way. But on another note, they didn't want to disobey Gran-Nai's word. The three youngsters knew she was serious, when she said they couldn't come back. It was going to take years of their mother talking Aniyla down. Saki and Aanu sat on opposite ends, rocking as seven minutes flew by, then another, then another, finally one of them squealed.

“We gotta see whatsup.” Aanu murmured as though talking to herself.

“Let's do it then,” Saki responded to it, “we can't leave 'em out there like that. Ain't no tellin'. You think we should go get Tim or somebody?”

“Hell yeah, but Tim live too far up. We'll just be wasting more time. We gotta do this on our own. Go grab them big jumbo flashlights from the hallway closet. There should be at least two in there. I'll go get the gun Nana keep in the basement.”

Saki turned to face Aanujah. “You know how to shoot a gun?”

“Since I was six years old. Pa-Pa got me started. Every break we was here, he would teach me and Aaron.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah, come on let's do this.” The ladies break, rushing to retrieve their items.

S'hkmanyu held the flashlights and made it back to the living room first. She waited patiently, doing her best to not let her fears get a hold of her. But she couldn't help it. Aanu was taking too long to get back from the basement. The guns were always set out in the open, on display, the bullets just on the shelf next to the guns.

She paced, biting her nails wanting to wail out her best friend's name. Instead she chose to go in the kitchen, and shout Aanu's name from the top of the stairwell. Just as she entered the kitchen she could hear Aanu's feet climbing the steps.

“My bad,” Aanu apologized, “Nana put the gun display in the back room.” Saki just nodded, too shaken to speak. “You good Sak?”

Saki shook her head no. “You got the bullets in?”

“Locked and loaded baby.”

The young ladies towed out the door, arms locked together, trembling. The air was frigid, but the tremble was the fear. S'hkmanyu held both big flashlights with only one light blaring, while Aanujah held the gun up and steady. Only every few could a night sound be heard, as if the creatures were sending quiet warning to the girls, urging them to go back. Go back before it's too late.

The wolf was really in. But neither girl cared, knowing it was their love ones possibly at his mercy. Chips of wood from the finely carved firewood was leading a trail. The wolf leading them to Gran-Nai and Aaron, dead or alive. Aanu and Saki took steps deeper into the forest.

A place where they haven't been since kids, the time when no place was closed for discovery. They've come long ways from that fearlessness resident in most children. They've grown into paranoid and suspicious young adults. But, nevertheless the girls couldn't let fear stop them this time. They knew they were Aniyla's and Aaron's only hope.

After walking through endless densely packed trees the girls made it to a clearing. Logs of wood scattered around the opening, the robe of Nana discarded to the dirt ground in a brawl. No sight of Aaron's clothes, only ruby liquid drops that trailed to his unmoving body. The ladies covered their mouth trying to stifle a long-awaited scream.

“My Nai-Nai,” Aanu whispers, running to her still body sprawled out behind a small pack of trees. Saki stood next to Aanu, who was kneeling by Aniyla, standing guard with the flashlight. A low growl sounded in the clearing forcing Aanu to alert. The girls locked at least one hand, back to back, leaving nothing to chance.

“Aanujah,” a lick of a whisper tingled her inner ear.

“Fight in the open like a soldier!” Aanu shouted to the creeping darkness.

“And I shall,” the tongue of speech licked at her ear again.

A blue mist lit in front of S'hkmanyu, a jackal face behind it looked into her eyes.