Witch - Chapter 1

Posted by AlOmega on November 07, 2001 at 15:01:54:

Detective Bouray had seen dead bodies before but nothing like this. He wasn’t
even sure if the victim was male or female. Bouray remembered when the coroner
had seen the first one. The coroner – always one to crack a joke or eat while
in the presence of gut-strewn blood and excrement – had turned green and almost
puked. Likely not something he’d encountered either, Bouray thought. He’d seen
floaters after crabs had been at them and seen worms crawling out of eyes and
noses. Bayou country was like that – lots of drownings, shootings, stabbings,
and drug deaths. He had even seen a beheading and a couple of hangings – just
about every which way someone could get killed. But this was different and the
fifth this month. It was as if everything possible had been sucked out of the
corpse leaving a dry husk of matter hardly recognizable as a person.

Bouray had seen something like this on National Geographic however - which was
why he had asked one of the college professors he knew to look into the cause of
death. Professor Wilson, who came from somewhere in upstate New York, had
informed him the first victim was as emaciated as a Peruvian mummy he had
examined two years before. But this one was even dryer. It was as if all the
water had been sucked out of the corpse.

So the corpse had been mummified. That might have explained what had happened.
But it didn’t explain the ‘how’ or ‘why’. Like how did someone who had been
partying in the French Quarter could be found dead near I-10 completely unseen
by anyone until early morning. Nor why even after a morning shower, the corpse
was still like paper. And most especially how mummification could take place so
quickly. Too many ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ to suit him, he thought. Nothing that he
could tag as ‘related’ like similar friends or relations or addresses. It had
to be murder but where were the similarities. Well they were found in the same
state and the victims were all fairly young. There had been two males and three
females. Two had been attending college and one was gay. Nothing consistent.
No pattern. It sure had him baffled.

That he and his bosses had managed to keep most of this from the newspapers was
a wonder. But it wouldn’t last. Someone would spring a leak to the press and
all Hell would break loose. Always did.

*****************************************************************

The stench riding on the sultry night air pushed the piss-smells of Bourbon
Street into the background. As Mystique walked, she noticed the change in smell
but dismissed it as nothing. She stopped though on hearing a faint whine from
the darkness of a side street. She had never heard him sound like that. She
called and was rewarded with the black head of a large Doberman. As he slipped
back into the darkness, she felt better. Though more her companion rather than
her protector, the demon-dog’s presence alone would discourage anyone from
bothering her.

She still called the demon-dog, Tooth. And he remained in his dog-shape though
the breed was likely to change from time to time. It was always dangerous to
keep a demon for long. One became too familiar with them. And with familiarity
came danger. However, they had come to an understanding – something perhaps
that had never happened before. Or at least she thought not. Sometimes new
things did occur - though rarely. She had not thought about that since living on
the West Coast. She wondered for a moment what had brought that time again to
mind.

Her shoulder-length black hair clung to her neck in the sticky New Orleans
night. If one looked closely, they might have noticed the pale lock at the part
of her hair. She had seen that in the bathroom mirror of the restaurant where
she worked and knew she had to address that white streak soon. Vanity might be
the assessment by another woman perhaps but protection from identification was
HER reason. Mystique’s violet eyes seemed to dance in the artificial lights as
she dodged revelers unwilling to let the night end. Her eyes had taken on this
purple glow when the mode hit her though she had never seemed to notice before.

But this night, she was neither happy nor angry. Only tired. That didn’t stop
the remembering of how she'd been here long ago. For her, this was one of the
Old Places. It remained unchanged even though people attempted to change it
daily. She had missed that comfort sometimes - which was one reason she had
returned. But eventually she would move on again. After all, it was not
advisable to remain in one location for long. People remembered too easily.
That alone made making a home here unsafe. Yet she did love the musty smells and
music which conjured up other smells and music from bygone ages from a past that
was visible only in her memories. The only part she hated was the stickiness of
rank humanity that pressed her from all sides. If Tooth paced at her side…. But
it wouldn’t have been prudent.

Once again that stench wafted across the messages of the night. She paused
sniffing, listening. Then the smell departed into the River’s mists. She
couldn’t imagine what bothered her about this ‘smell’. If pressed, she would
have said it was “unclean” or as if bugs were crawling in her underwear. She
gave a shudder at those thoughts.

A turn and another brought her to the darkened street leading to her home. Now
that it was safe, Tooth paced silently beside her – a wrath of black within
black. He paused himself as if sensing something strange or amiss. Not much
escapes him, she thought looking once more down the dark street. She turned
down another street. There was the movement of many feet as she heard a gasp
from someone near where she had been walking. Apparently they thought she was
an easy target. One of them turned down the street she was waiting in.

“She went here, I think.”

A growl from Tooth brought him up short. Four others materialized beside the
first male. As the five, no six, walked toward her, Tooth growled his warning
once more. Perhaps it was the growl itself. Or most likely those yellow-red
eyes that seemed to emit sparks. In the silence, she heard the quick patter of
a rat to the left of the men. Not enough moonlight to ascertain who they were
but enough starlight to determine that they were backing away. A helpless woman
perhaps; a creature like this, never. The staccato patter of feet followed that
of the other rats as they vanished into the night. And again Mystique smelled
something amiss once more before it vanished into the starry shadows. Tooth
growled before looking up at her.

“You smell it, too?” She asked – though her the question was like a statement.

Tooth whined once.

“Something’s here that shouldn’t be and others can’t detect. Well I can’t do
much now. But there’s someone who might. Perhaps tomorrow.”

Tooth scratched himself.

“You’re starting to be TOO much the pooch, I’m thinking.”

Tooth smiled.

They arrived at her small apartment without further incident. Taking the
remnants of a cold pizza out of the refrigerator, she heated it up in the
microwave. While she didn’t like microwave pizza, Tooth did. She gave him the
hot concoction topped with sausage and peppers and microwaved some macaroni and
cheese. While eating, she reviewed what had first started nagging at her.
There had been a wail as well as the smell and both had tasted OLD. Not
something that the locals knew either she realized. Perhaps Sonya might though,
she thought.

Sonya lived a few houses down the street and though she looked to be in her
thirties, she was older and wiser in such things – especially in the OLD
things that might be found. Sonya could live here because she had a modest
income and raised no questions even with the always-suspicious police. She was
considered a native. But Mystique knew differently. Sonya was older – had been
alive long before there had been a New Orleans.

Yes, Sonya would know. Yet even as her thoughts strayed to that possibility,
she felt the throes of sleep claiming her for its own. She shook her head once,
placed the wards she felt necessary, and heaved her body to the bed. Tooth
curled up before the door and slept also.

The next morning sent shafts of sunlight through her eyes forcing her awake.
Mystique did a quick shower before greeting the day. Pulling a large-brimmed
hat down over her eyes, she advised Tooth once more to remain quiet and use the
bathroom if he had to. Tooth sometimes made mistakes. Not for the first time,
she wondered what the arrangements were for disposing of demon excrement in the
demon worlds.

Not many people up at this hour, she noticed. Too late for those who partied
but early for those who lived here – a twilight of the morning in this place,
she thought. At least the smells weren’t so bad. Streets and clubs were – or
had been - cleaned and that helped. And she didn’t have to walk that far.

She stopped in front of Sonya’s place. Nothing remarkable except for the bars on
the windows and locked steel-barred door. Though Mystique sensed it was like a
cage, she also knew that the bars were to keep the animals out rather than in.
And though the bars were something new, the house was very old. Sonya had
picked it precisely because of the Old.

The door opened just before she knocked. Mystique wasn’t surprised. Sonya had
always been very perceptive. She looked around as Sonya locked the door once
more. Yes, the plant was still growing out of the window. Why Sonya didn’t
remove it….

“I knew you would be here though the ‘why’ of it remains a mystery.” She said
leading Mystique to the cozy kitchen. She took the proffered tea and looked
around. When sipping teas even on a warm morning, it made everything else so
homey, relaxing. So it wasn’t long before she began talking.

“……and it was that smell? Yes I noticed it too but smells are common here –
especially in the summer.”

“I sensed it was on another plane or perhaps of another time foreign even to the
times we lived in then and now. Its Ancient though whether its for good or
ill…. I’ve thought about evoking the Three White Ladies.”

“Danger in that, my dear. But you were ever impetuous.”

“Not this time, Sonya. They owe me for another favor. And they may help here
though I’d thought to wait until I was in dire need. But there is something in
this that I must do. I feel it deep within.”

“Times when we do; times when we do not,” Sonya paused for a moment before she
stood. Turning, she opened a cabinet and withdrew a packet.

“I’ve not cast the auguries for some time but perhaps that should be remedied
tonight. Come back tomorrow for what I find. Then maybe you could try the
Ladies. I don’t trust them. I do feel that this will be of assistance
though the ‘why’ of it….”

Placing a hand over Sonya’s, Mystique smiled. “I understand. I don’t entirely
trust them either. They are too different. By the way, do you need money for
this?”

“Shitt, you pixilated bitch. Though you were my student … how long ago(?) …
here ‘tis and I’ll not take anything for it. Besides, you’ve brought me things
I’d’a never been able to obtain and not asked for the money.

“By the way, you still have Tooth with you?”

Mystique nodded.

“Foolishness, girl. Demons are best left on the other side….”

“As if you haven’t told me often enough.”

“As if you ever listened, you mean. Always impetuous. It’ll get you into
trouble some day - or dead perhaps.”

Sonya took another sip before staring at Mystique over the rim of the herbal
cup. “Child, have you been keeping up with the news?”

“Of course.”

“Then perhaps you’ve noticed that some people have turned up missing. Just make
sure you don’t turn into one of the casualties. I’ll not be looking forward to
seeing you placed at Death’s Door.”

“Now, Sonya….”

“Don’t ‘now, Sonya’ me, girl. I’ve known you too long for that. You just watch
out – especially while dealing with the White Ladies. I only hope they can
help.”

They could have continued that direction or taken a different road to
recollections. But neither thought there was a need. Perhaps later, they
mutually agreed silently. Mystique gathered the packet to herself and, guided
by Sonya, left this first house she had ever claimed as home.

As she entered her apartment, she was met by a bored Tooth. Not surprising, she
thought. I’ll have to figure out something soon or send him away during the
day. She noticed his smile though and asked.

Someone had knocked apparently. And Tooth recalled the rhythm of feet after
he’d growled. So that’s why the scattered flyers had been abandoned in the
hall. Tooth seemed so pleased with himself that she couldn’t tell him about the
restrictions on dogs in this apartment. At least he hadn’t growled at or
frightened the mailman.

She thought once again on what she and Sonya had discussed. It was fortunate
that she had the weekend to ferret out the problem. Still she planned to be
here for a good deal longer so it was better to find out what was bothering her
and get on with life.

*******************************************************************

It was nearing midnight. One last swim in the pool perhaps; and, she really
needed it. The moonlit night was hot and dryer than it had been. And even with
the air conditioner running full blast, she hadn’t been cooled. And she needed
cool if she couldn’t have damp. Besides, conditioning air dried it terribly for
her needs.

Anyone looking at her would have thought she was a coed at Tulane. She looked
the part and actually attended classes. But she was much older than that. She
remembered crying her songs from ragged rocks in the sapphire Aegean as sailors
were lured to their doom. But that was a memory best left unstirred. Too many
bad things had happened since. Some would have called her a demoness or succubi.
She was both and neither though she did steal from her lovers – male or female –
taking their essence and their strength and their lives as her own. She always
had even though she remembered a time when that wasn’t so. Again she shied away
from that recollection with a pang remembering only that she was, and always had
been, alone.

She was beginning to weary of her girlish body and life as a perpetual college
student. She had been matriculating in the same guise at one college or another
for nearly a century. She knew that she’d go insane if she had to dissect even
one more cat or dog in biology. But youth had its advantages for such as she
and a university campus is a wondrous feeding ground in these times when so many
young people turn up dead anyway from drug abuse. But she was simply getting
tired of the same old things day after day. She wanted something more. She
wanted change.

With one last glance at her door, she went into the sterile white bathroom and
pulled her nearly dry bikini down from the shower rod. Pinning her hair up, she
silently promised herself that she wouldn’t get it wet this time. The chlorine
in the pool was really too strong. She felt a few blond tendrils brushing her
neck as she tied the halter-style top. Then donning the bottom of her bikini,
she stood back looking at the mirror for a few moments examining her reflection.
The high cut of the bikini bottom made her legs look longer while the halter
pulled her breasts up showing a shadow of cleavage. The air conditioner was
blowing cold air over her – enough cold air that goosebumps rose on her skin and
nipples pressed firmly against the clammy inside of the bikini top. Would be
enough to entice another for her nightly feeding, she thought. But that would be
for later. She didn’t have to feed as often these days. Besides feeding could
draw attention that she’d rather not have. Nor for the first time she wondered
if she should move on.

*******************************************************************

She was here somewhere. He could feel it – smell
it. He didn’t know precisely where she had hidden herself this time. But she
was definitely nearby. He had to find her quickly for he wasn’t sure how long
he had to live. It had taken too long to locate her last time. And if he missed
once more, they might never break the curse. She never remembered. That was –
had been - left to him. He himself had remembered only in the last few hundred
years. That was when he had found the elves.

The elves, though ancient, knew very little of the story. However they thought
that perhaps with a little coaxing he might find his answers in the lands of the
Water People. And the Water People had led him to the Source. And within the
Source was the story of who and what he was and why he was incomplete. So now
he searched as he had before. This time he knew she was near. And perhaps she
could remember and that which had been would be again.