Women and Other Monsters Read Free Page A

boy immediately,” Clarissa said.
     
    “But Mrs. Jennings, we caught him stealing.”
     
    “I said let him go.  That is my property and if you harm one hair on his head, I shall see you lynched.”     
     
    The workers released him and glared into the crowd as he ran toward his mother.  Clarissa told Henry Jim to let her down, and she balanced on one foot when she said, “Every white man here is to leave immediately.  Go back into the house until I return.  That includes you, Mr. Paul.” 
     
    “Absolutely not,” he said.  “And leave you alone with these animals?”
     
    “Henry Jim will stay with me.  He will make sure nothing happens.”
     
    The field negroes eyed Henry Jim suspiciously, but he stood firmly at Clarissa’s side and extended his arm for her balance against him.  Once the others left, Clarissa said, “Who among you says I have been consorting with this African devil?” 
     
    “Him is not a devil,” a voice called out.  “Him is tasked with taking souls across to dey other side.”  An old woman limped past the others to face Clarissa.  She wore a necklace of carved ornaments and beads that rattled as she walked.  “You was meant to cross too, but Lord Gauna refused to take you.”
     
    “Don’t you listen to none of their mumbo-jumbo,” Henry Jim said.  “They just stupid mammies.  We should go back now-”
     
    “Why did he refuse me?  I did nothing to him,” Clarissa insisted.
     
    The old woman shook her head, “Maybe to teach you a lesson.  Maybe because him have other interest in you.  That don’t matter.  All that matter is that if he don’t want to do his job, we must make him.”
     
    “Then make him,” Clarissa said.  Henry Jim’s eyes widened and he began to protest, but Clarissa spoke over him, “Let us go at once.” 
     
    The woman looked at her and said, “First get me that chicken.” 
     
    ***
     
    “Lord, have mercy,” Henry Jim muttered, lifting a lantern over his head.  He stumbled in the darkness, following the old woman through a narrow alley of makeshift huts.  Clarissa was clinging to his back and Henry Jim turned his head to say, “I don’t like nothing about these people.”  
     
    “Stop sounding foolish and be silent, Henry Jim.  These are your people.” 
     
    “No, ma’am.  I’m with you folks up there on the hill, through and through,” he said. 
     
    The old woman took them toward one of the last dwelling and threw back the blanket covering the entrance.  She ducked inside and waved for them to follow.  Henry Jim bent his knees to go in and said that it smelled, “Worse than a hog house in August.” 
     
     There was a rusted pot on the floor, set above a smoldering fire.  The old woman told them to sit and asked for the chicken.  “We must call Gauna to us in order to bind him,” she said.  “It is him that blocks your path to the next world.” 
     
    She held the chicken over the pot and wrenched its neck, twisting until its head came off in her hand and chucking it past Henry Jim’s ear.  She stifled a laugh when he flinched.  Blood from the flapping carcass went into the pot, bubbling on the surface until white smoke rose from the broth.  The old woman pulled out a bottle of whiskey and yanked the cork out with her teeth, pouring the bottle into the cauldron.  She dipped a ladle into it and brought up a spoonful of steaming muck.  “Drink,” the old woman said.  “This potion make you irresistible to Gauna.  Him come running.”  
     
    Henry Jim put his arm around Clarissa protectively.  “Ain’t no way.  That’s enough of this mess.  I’m taking you back up to the house, Miss Clarissa.” 
     
    Clarissa shrugged him off of her and took the ladle from the old woman.  It smelled foul and tasted of iron, but Clarissa slurped it down quickly.  She passed back the ladle to the woman and wiped her mouth with her shirt sleeve.  “What now?”
     
    “You must finish