Medium (1)

ch.1 The awakening

Every night my grandmother said the same thing:
"Wailanee, remember to pray for the poor children in Africa. Always ask God to
grant your Mom and Dad health and prosperity. Ask him for strength, for clarity so
you can understand the world.." And so forth she would carry on for five more
minutes until I felt I couldn't possibly remember the long list of things to pray for.

So I made my own little prayer that was short and to the point:
" Dear Lord in the sky,give Mommy and Daddy ,Grandma, Grandpa, aunties and
uncles , all my cousins, my sisters and all the children of the world, health, strength
and patience to live their lives, Amen."

One day as I was reciting my prayers, I had the odd feeling I was being watched.
The little room I often shared with my uncle Maximo was dark and damp from last
night's storm. The mosquitoe netting grandma placed around and over my bed
made everything look like in a dream,sort of hazy. I had to blink to get a better look
pass the window. Distorted water lines were running down the window panes. If one
looked hard enough, one could almost see a face pressed on to it . Get lost on a
pair of dark eyes. 'Oh,no' I thought. 'I don't want to see you'.

I covered my head with my quilt and blanket and held my breath as much
as I could. I thought that if I kept very nice and quiet, whatever it was would go away
and nothing would happen. Only a few minutes passed ;I could tell by the ticking of
the kitchen clock. But to me it felt as though it were hours I'd spent under covers.

Suddenly I felt a tingling sensation on my right foot toes. Kind of like when you're
barefooted in a shoe store.A cool breeze swept over me and I swallowed a scream.
I tried to smother a shudder as I felt "something" standing next to me.

I don't know how to describe it as I was 9 years old and although I could be
quite precocious about certain things like my mother claims, this is not one of
them. I felt a light breathing now. Just a stiring of the air near my head. I shut my
eyes waiting for the worst to come. I took a deep breath and threw the blanket back
and prepared my self to see a monster in the flesh.

She was standing right in front of me.Looking right at me with eyes that were
pitch black. She looked cold, alone and waiting. Her hair was hanging loose and her
clothes looked rimpled and outdated. Her feet were bared and dirty. Her arms hung
loose by her sides as if she was tired.

She blinked once and I felt all the blood drain from my head. The air felt cold as we
continue to stare at each other. My hands grew clammy and I tried to focus on her
face. 'Say something' I thought to myself 'Say something you idiot'.

"Ah..Are you dead?" I asked as I tried to get up.

She didn't anwer instead she walked-floated to me really fast. Now I regretted
opening my mouth. She was standing right next to me peering at my face. The hairs
in the back of my head rose as she touched my wrist and held it tight.

I took a deep breath because it was ice cold. I tried not to cry but the tears
escaped my eyes hot agaisnt the coldness around me. My breath expelled in a
misty cloud as she said the words: "Help me".

I think I must've fainted because I felt lightning in my head. I fell back on my bed
as a horrible tremble took over my body. My eyelids fluttered while I ground my jaw
to keep from screaming. Then it was over.

I opened my eyes to a room awash with sunshine. I could hear the animals in the
back yard awakening. My grandmother was feeding the hens.I must've over slept.
I dashed up and to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and peed at the same time.
That was a weird dream I had last night , I was thinking as I changed to go help.

I grabbed a bucket with corn meal and started clucking the chicken when Grandma saw me.

"Lanee, how dou you feel?" she asked feeling my forehead. "Last night I heard
you talking to yourself. I went and found you laying on the floor. You were very cold."

"Really, nana?" I took her hand " I had a nightmare".

"Oh man, I'm sorry. Why don't you finish this and come have some breakfast."

"Ok" I took the bucket and waited 'til she went inside before turning around
and saying. "Listen you little witch, you bruised my arm. Don't be sneaking around
me trying to scare me .Tell me what do you want?."

She was standing in the hen house.You could barely see her but to me she was
as clear as daylight. The darkess inside was relatively cooler even in the summer.
As I stepped inside she breezed foward and stood next to me and said:

"I want to go home. She won't let me go home."she whispered

"Who?" I asked my eyes wide with fright

She swiveled her head her eyes still looking at me. Then looked towards the
door and pointed. Just then my grandmother appeared at the kitchen door and said:

"Wailanee. Dona Maria wants you to go to the store for her."

With tears welling in my throat I side-stepped grandma and left the bucket on the
stand. I looked over my shoulder and watched Grandma stare at the hen house.


( to be continue...)