is a witch? How do you know this?”
“Papa, just follow along with me!” She pulled me ahead, onto the grass and through the trees toward the rear of the house. When we were close enough to hear, I forced her to stop and hide in the shrubbery. There were at least ten women, and a few men. All of them appeared to be the servants of several residents in our town. They sat on fallen tree trunks around a large fire, their faces decorated with streaks and spots of white and black paints. I could not understand what they were saying, but they appeared to be chanting in unison in an African language I had heard many of the town's servants speak to each other.
I recognized Miss Hattie instantly. She appeared to be the leader. She walked around the fire, animatedly waving her arms in the air while shouting into the heavens. It was frightening. I had heard tales of witchcraft; however, I had never seen anything with my own eyes. Emma leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear, “We will be safe in the fire circle.”
She released my hand and walked out of the cover of the shrubbery. I called out to her and demanded she return. She continued on her path. Not one of the witches reacted to her presence. Emma walked with confidence directly into the circle and straight to Miss Hattie, who immediately accepted her being there and placed her hands upon Emma’s cheeks.
As her hands met Emma’s face an enormous ring of searing fire encircled the entire group, shooting up from the ground and rising at least ten feet in the air before dissipating back to nothing. The heat and power of the flames knocked me off my feet and into the grass.
Emma pulled Miss Hattie close and spoke in her ear, pointing her hand to the shrubbery where I was still hidden. Emma remained with the other witches as Miss Hattie approached me. I stepped back slowly from the shrub as she approached, with fear inside me. She stopped just before she reached me, outstretched one of her hands and spoke in a heavy African accent, “Master Owens, come with us into the circle. We can protect you.”
After a brief hesitation, I reluctantly stepped out of hiding and joined them all in the circle. She led me to the center of the group near the fire, placed her hands upon my cheeks and chanted words I could not understand. Blistering flames once again rose from the ground, soaring high into the air before disappearing into nothing as they had previously. “What is this you are doing?” I asked.
“We have placed a protection spell on you and your daughter to keep you safe and hidden from the demons of the dark.”
“What about my wife and my other daughters?”
“It is too late for them. The demons have them.”
“Demons? What demons?”
“Your wife has been captured by the alloquets.”
“What is an alloquet? I have never heard of such a thing.”
“The alloquet is a beast you cannot escape without great intelligence and cunning. It can run twice as fast as you and can kill you with a single stab of its poisonous tail. Going in search of an alloquet is going in search of your own death.”
“How can I find them? Please. You must tell me!” I pleaded with her.
“There is no way to find them. You must forget them and move on with your life and keep yourself and Emma safe. The dark witch has used her black magic on them. Your wife is surrounded by demons. Your daughters are lost in the caligo.”
“Lost in the what?"
“The caligo is a darkness created by evil magic. A darkness that occurs in sleep. Once you are lost in the caligo, you are lost forever. It is full of demons that were created to keep you there and capture your soul. There is not a mortal alive who can defeat it. The dark witch will claim you if you go into it. She grows more powerful with each mortal life she claims. She is soon to claim three more. Her powers will triple in strength.”
“What happens if I search for them?”
“You must not search for them. The caligo will claim your life as well. Who will care for your remaining daughter then?”
“I cannot just abandon my family. You must help me.”
“Helping you is futile. You will not find what you are looking for. Only the darkest magic exists