Last night, it took me forever to fall asleep. I had all different manners of questions in my head, and the only person who could answer any of them is a magical talking bull. Therefore, it is imperative that I speak to him. Strangely, I find myself eager to do so. Outside, in the darkness of the early morning, the cold bites into my skin, even with me wearing a sweater, and Kwamé is no where to be seen.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6lbQFAiYO
"Kwamé-"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0KS6crmju
"Right here," he tells me, his voice startling me as it comes from behind. I turn around quickly.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gZCv5ttzQ
"Listen, I believe you," I admit. He doesn't look at all surprised by this revelation. I clear my throat and continue. "I believe the things that you've said. I want to trust you, but I know next to nothing about you. All I know is that your mother named you after the day you were born, which was a Saturday, and that you probably weren't the nicest person when you were alive, hence your current state."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULh8AcqaGV
"You looked it up."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡld2DLvrWL6
"What?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz88oNjsag
"The meaning of my name. I never told you that I was born on a Saturday."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziOadGcRRZ
"I was curious," I say defensively.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvuhOn03cm
I expect him to make some remark or comment on it. Instead, he acts as if I've said nothing. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPBFp1ZUj3
"What else do you want to know about me?" he asks me, wrinkling his moist, pale pink nose.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGaGabG1Tw
"Do you kill people?" This is something that has plagued my mind for a while now, and his answer will determine how comfortable I will be around him from now on. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyWmqUi8SV
"I don't make a habit of it." I don't miss that he hasn't directly answered my question. Despite the newfound chilliness in the air, I choose to ignore it. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwpE72bMYK
"What did you do to make you this way?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ644Kk6NmIM
With that, any amount of playfulness vanishes from the atmosphere.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmO7Qyl6e2n
"I betrayed the people I loved. Now, I'll never see them again; not even in death."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLzyQ2gEOs
"That sounds messed up." Lame, I know, but it's all I can think of in this situation. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQRJVRoRQo
"It is. And once you hear the full story, you'll never look at me the same way again."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbyq8WGzZU
"I'll try not to judge." Even if I do, I won't hate him. I know that. I don't hate people. Resent, yes. Dislike, yes. Hate? No. Not even my mother. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlA0fQdyOw
He laughs without humour, and then exhales deeply.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZaMH2fe1C
"That's a story for another time, darling. I'd rather have you not turning against me today."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaES2GwKQV
I crack my knuckles out of habit, trying to look for something else to say. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfd1ohrcfyS
"Have you ever tried letting all of that negativity go?" 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gNUmdlTuS
"Are you asking me to forgive myself?" he asks quizzically, almost looking as if he's raising a brow at me.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAiefESpQG
"Maybe."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbwibMBdCG
For a second, I think that I can make out a half-smile on his face. Then, it drops.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvjpAkevlW
"I can't. The very thing that I am is a ever-present reminder of what I did." 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCygaSOFxkO
"Fine. Let's talk about something else," I suggest, deciding to let him wallow in his misery. It's none of my business, anyway.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmePv1JcDp9
"Let's."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXFapYXnDq
I know that I'm going to regret my next question before I ask it, but I do it anyway. "What does this woman, my mother, want from me? She has ignored me for twenty years; I hardly see why she should care now." She shouldn't; she should crawl back to wherever it is that she came from, and leave me alone. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgt0SbSnL6t
"She loves you. She wants to be with you. Wants to help you."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsAUXfzeT8
"Really? She loves me?" I question him, sarcasm dripping from my voice. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuCtBt5taX
"Yes."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUz2GNqdTX
"Well, I want to believe that her intentions are good, but she was never really my mother, was she?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5fi0UzifH
"Nya-"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡry4k0vlLAH
"I grew up with no mother. What makes you think that I'd want to see her?" I just want to find out what she really wants. Is that too much to ask? Either way, after about 25 seconds of speaking about her, I am already uncomfortable. It makes me wish that I had picked a nicer topic. Like favourite type of cheesecake or something. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OAmEUQHCS
"She can mentor you. Wouldn't you want to see the extent of your powers? She's not just any obeah woman, she's powerful, and that power lives in you, too."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsm5aWMQYDW
"If what you say is true, I can look up obeah spells on the internet. Hell, maybe I'll even try voodoo." Not that I actually would do this but I'm just saying, if I wanted to, I could. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzpoqotNS1
"It's not like that," he says patiently.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgP9J7TX1CU
"Like what?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gV5iiRX5g
He exhales with a huff. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYcOBjsorU
"Many people can do obeah - you just have to have the right energy - but only a few can do what you can do. Your mother doesn't need spells to do extraordinary things. And you have that very same thing in your blood. Obeah isn't something that you can look up on the internet and master, either. It's something that you feel, something that comes from within."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKQQWZE94F
"So she can move objects with her mind?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmzdtzF3BD
"Maybe."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1czVJMKufQ
"Shut up." I roll my eyes at him. Either he's a pathological liar, or this word is limitless in its insanity. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWf1wHaAyK
"You need guidance." Guidance. As if I want guidance. What I want and need is for things to go back to normal so that I can live my life the way I always have. Yet here I am, trying to get answers from a rolling calf. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVXqFJqqTO
But wouldn't that mean that Kwamé would cease to be a part of your life? Do you really want that? 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvDzTjrILn
I gulp, because despite me barely knowing him, he's some form of entertainment to me. Since I stopped fearing him two nights ago, the idea of him has become more fascinating. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyTywGadPS
"Like Hogwarts, then?" I ask quite seriously in an attempt to clear my mind of negative thoughts. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaJsFgp4wC
"This isn't a joke." He speaks as if talking to a small child. If he were human, he'd probably be rubbing his forehead right now. I'm tired of this, too. Feels like this conversation is going in circles. Partly because of me. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8G765sH00C
"What if I don't want to explore my powers?" I ask him. They seem so pressed on getting what they want; have they, for even one small second, asked themselves what I might want? I'm afraid of obeah. I don't know if I want to unlock whatever is brewing inside of me, if that is what it is.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHOzWnckAR
You also like him, Nya. As annoying as he may be. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6tBpALNpT
I shake my head, trying to clear it. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9Z2jwQne1
"Why wouldn't you?" He sounds as if he knew that there was a chance of me not wanting to explore some magical, mystical side of myself. I really would rather not. I've seen all the different ways that people die in Harry Potter, The Originals, and some other magical movies and shows that I can't remember right now. My point is, the magical world seems dangerous, and I'd much rather be safe. And unaware.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkX56cbfmnk
"Because I'm quite content with life the way that it is."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJ5shbwZ0M
"I'm aware. But are you sure that you'll always be content with this? All alone? No friends, no family? Even then, are you going to go back to pretending that you didn't become acquainted with me? You're going to forget me? Or will you convince yourself that this was just a bad dream?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCn70JXyt59
"I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to run away with you to meet some obeah woman claiming to be my mother." Just then, I think of another reason to not meet her. If this woman is so powerful, she probably has a lot of enemies. I don't want to be killed by some enemy of my mother, probably a real life version of Voldemort.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiujonjFiQk
"Don't you want to at least know, Nya? Know why she left you, why you grew up without a mother?" 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwilJ6ok61s
Why she left. Why she abandoned me. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmu7hJqeUZ
I've lived for twenty years, happy to be away from this woman. So why am I suddenly so tempted by his words - these words in particular? Nothing else he's said, nothing else at all has made me desire to meet this woman, but this specific question has done something to me. He must see it, too, because I can see the glint of hope spark in his eyes, too human of the face of an animal. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ximrSGZMc
"Tell me why she left," I demand. Maybe if I simply have the knowledge, I won't have to meet her, and face whatever dark foolishness exists in their world as a side package with her.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90xnZJO21d
Oh, my God. What if they have more than one Voldemorts? Like an entire army of dark obeah kings who hate her, or something?639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TugwWCSyZ
I shake my head to clear it. Why am I even thinking about that?639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBqW69z2UF
"You'll have to find out from her."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMn57GjP4a
I keep telling myself that I don't care; I can't afford to care. I've made it this far independently, luck ever on my side, but now this woman has to come and screw everything up. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6IqJ0YSdL
Truthfully, I don't care about her, or want any form of relationship with her, but I care about me. I want to know what the hell happened to me. In this moment I realise that if I don't go, I'll be plagued with "what if"s for the rest of my life, wondering what would have happened if I just said yes.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwCbANoGjF
"Fine."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaMOnf0qMY
"Fine what?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSx3Utluoc
"I'll come and find out the truth behind my history. That is all. No magic, no vampires, and no Voldemort."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQc4M4RhuD
"We don't have a Voldemort," he tells me, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice. He clears his throat and gets serious once more. "When?"639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMrgE2lu3a
"Is it within walking distance? Because I'll probably change my mind by tomorrow."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1NyYGN1AT
"Yes, it is actually."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3l46x5V2i
***639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlanvZPYRx
"When you decided to live on your own, you were drawn to your mother's energy."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYbb0RArb6
"So I ended up across the street from her. Right, that's just perfectly normal, isn't it?" I reply as we walk to another set of apartments across the street. Then, I stop walking and turn to him. "Kwamé, I'm not sure about this anymore." The closer that I get to the front door, the more afraid I become.639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2MKiGqVX4
"Just at least say hello," he insists. "Apartment number seventeen. Tell her that I'm outside."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LN6NSCDLl
I continue to walk around and search, until I finally find the right door. It's a white door, with a garden like all the other houses. The only difference is that this one has a rather extensive collection of orchids. Apart from that, there is nothing outstanding about this house. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQKvHCT1Ly
Nervously, I give three loud knocks. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEl9QGlXMDU
"Nya," I hear a calm, female voice call out. How does she know that it's me?639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡry9XcxTerg
"Yes."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBU6WjpAO1k
"Come in. Please."639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80caVBMY9N
Briefly, I wonder why she doesn't open the door. She probably wants to make me feel as if I'm doing this on my own terms. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr59ivhQgcN
I enter the apartment, and feel my heart in my mouth. I can hardly breathe. It feels as if the air is clouded with some unscented chemical, causing me to asphyxiate as I walk. The feeling is somehow neutralised the second I see her. I feel an array of emotions, including but not limited to confusion, awe, and curiosity. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUwUN1BQZt
"Nya," she purrs, walking out of a room into the open so that I can see her. Its like looking at some weird mirror of desire. She's my height, my size, shares some similarities in terms of a facial features, but she is definitely more beautiful. Additionally, this woman cannot be older than twenty two. How the hell is she my mother? Sister, maybe, but mother?639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVvuzg7xHV
I can't sense any insecurity as she stands before me, looking as sure of herself as anyone can be. Her beauty is honestly very distracting, and I find myself wondering if I'll ever be this beautiful. Would be nice. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DcSmygkto
She pulls her lips into a gentle smile as she looked at my stunned form. I don't know if it's for my benefit, or if it's because she sees the awe in my expression, or if she's truly happy to see me. There's no way of telling. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRByIev52T7
She continues to look at me, assess me, before speaking again, her voice as relaxing as warm breeze and the scent of the earth right after it rains. That's what it reminds me of, the kind of voice to tell a bedtime story to an infant, soothing the child into unconsciousness. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6mNIaHjvn
Her next words seem to come naturally, with enthusiasm but gentleness in her voice at once. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUF2vARw8U
"I've been dying to meet you," she says, the corners of her lips turning up even more. 639Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnST9xjC6xp
I don't know what to say to her, but somehow, I know that she knows that the feeling is not mutual.
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