No Mercy (11 page)

             
“Being a grown man is about more than getting this so-called respect you all claim is owed to you. It’s about owning up to the responsibilities that life brings your way. It’s about honoring yourself and those around you. It’s about honoring your word.”

G catches my ey
e and makes an inappropriate tongue gesture. Before I can check his nasty ass my site locks onto his and I’m in his mind. I can see him walking past Esmeralda’s house late at night, her crow landing on his shoulder and pecking him in the neck. G swings at the bird but it flies away before he can get to it. Once the bird is safely inside, Esmeralda takes the blood from its beak, drops it into a vile and then mixes it with something else. She then places the liquid onto a male voodoo doll and pins a tiny satchel onto its body. There are also four other dolls next to his who remind me of Misty, her mother, Emilio and his godfather, Hector, a priest in the religion who also has a bone to pick with Mama.

The image skips to G selling ecstasy and other pills on the street. After he collects the money, Esmeralda manipulates him through the doll to bring the money back to her house. She gives him a bottle of pills and sends him on his way with G none the wiser that she’s actually pimping his ass out. When he finds out what’s really going on all hell’s going to break loose. 

“Jayd, did you hear me?” Daddy asks, snapping me back into the present moment. “I want you to lead the reading. We’re in First Corinthians.”

I look at G who doesn’t seem to notice that I just left his head. Do I tell him what I just saw? I don’t know what to do with the information but it must’ve been given to me for a reason. I’ll have to wait and ask Mama when she wakes up this evening. As always, she’ll know what to do.

“Nature's in all things. We can't be separate from creation because we are a part of it, including our minds."

-Jayd

Drama High, volume 10: Culture Clash

~8~

A BLESSING AND A CURSE

After the church session is over I rush around the corner to Dr. Whitmore’s office. I know that he
and Netta are in the back working feverishly on a way to help Mama. I have to tell them about my vision right now before any of it fades. I know it sounds far-fetched and I can’t prove a thing yet but they need to know exactly what we’re dealing with. Mama’s sleep walking vision was on point. Esmeralda’s taken her war with Mama from the spirit world to the streets, damn the innocent victims.

“It’s happening again, Jayd!” Netta screams at me upon entering the otherwise serene space. “Esmeralda’s got her sleepwalking, that evil witch!”

“How?” I ask, scared as all get out. I take out Mama’s voodoo doll and empty the contents of the bag the old priest made for me to throw off Rousseau’s scent. Mama’s going buck wild and speaking in tongues like she’s under the influence of the Holy Spirit; we know there’s nothing holy about this power.

Dr. Whitmore recognizes the root workers’ instruments and cuts his eyes at me. I know there’s history there but now is not the time to dig.
“You’re the only one who has a chance at reaching your grandmother in this state.”

“But how?” Last time Mama snatched me into her vision and that shit hurt. I don’t want to do that again.

“Jayd, relax,” Dr. Whitmore says, his voice even and steady.
“Focus all of your energy on calming her breath. Willfully fall to sleep and dream walk with your grandmother. Her life depends on it.” Dr. Whitmore lights a few incense sticks and dims the lights. How does he always remain so calm?

“Here, baby,” Netta says, ushering me toward the massage table. “Lay down and do what the doctor says. I’ve got Lynn Mae.” Netta follows my grandmother around to make sure that she doesn’t hurt herself. In this state Mama’s liable to run through a glass window or better yet attack one of us. Damn Esmeralda for this shit.

“Okay,” I say, doing as I’m told. “I need to spread these herbs around the room. It’ll help us both.”

Netta looks at Dr. Whitmore who reluctantly nods his head in affirmation. She takes the contents and sprinkles them around the room.

“Listen,” Dr. Whitmore says, softly ringing the brass bell. “When it rings, breathe in. When it’s quiet, breathe out and fall into a deep sleep.”

“Just like that?” I say, closing my eyes. Falling instantaneously into a deep sleep isn’t that easy at night let alone during the day. 

“Yes, Jayd. Just like that.” Dr. Whitmore says, standing at my feet.

The first couple of times the bell rings I can’t relax. My heart is pulsating and I’m breaking out into a cold sweat. I’m scared of falling into the dream. I’m also afraid of failing Mama. The third time’s the charm: I’m inside of Mama’s dream world and it doesn’t look so bad. It’s actually quite peaceful, contrary to what it appears to be in reality.

“It’s about time you showed up,” Mama says. She looks young and vibrant, the complete opposite of Esmeralda’s youthful transformation, which is more reminiscent of a harlot’s revolution. “I’ve missed my grandbaby.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” I say, wrapping my arms around Mama. It’s then that I realize we’re standing on top of the same alligator she was riding in her last vision. Oh hell no.

“Don’t be afraid, Jayd. He won’t bite.”

The hell he won’t. I look at the large reptile and plan my escape without us becoming his dinner. “Mama, I need you to come with me,” I say, grabbing Mama’s hand tightly like I used to do when I was a little girl crossing the street. “This isn’t your dream; it’s Esmeralda’s.”

“Oh chile, please,” Mama says, tossing her head back and allowing her wildly curly hair to flow freely across her shoulders. Mama’s always stunning but I’ve never seen her glow like this before. “You don’t think that I know the difference between a dream and a nightmare? Look at me; I’m gorgeous! Esmeralda would never make me dream like this.”

She has a good point but she’s still wrong. “Look, I don’t know why she’s allowing you to appear in your prime but I’m telling you, Mama. This isn’t your dream. Rousseau hunted you down and Esmeralda took over. Trust me, we need to go. Now!”

“What did I tell you about minding your business, little girl?” Esmeralda says, rising out of the water. She walks on top of the water in our direction.

“Oh my,” Mama says, staring at her nemesis shell-shocked. “But I look so beautiful,” Mama catches her reflection in the river and begins to comb her fingers through her hair ignoring the danger we’re in. What the hell is wrong with her?

“Mama, watch out!” The alligator rises out of the water at Esmeralda’s command. I realize that we’re actually riding Rousseau.

I toss Mama off of his back and safely onto the shore.

“Not so fast, my pretty,” he says, charging out of the water straight for me.

“Rousseau, don’t let them get away!” Esmeralda shouts from the center of the water. “I need them in the water!”

“Mama, wake up!” I yell, hoping she snaps out of it before it’s too late, but it’s no use. She’s too busy staring at herself in the reflection, reminding me of Maman’s warning: We never know what lies beneath the water.

“Oh shit!” I say, losing my grip. Instead of falling into the water like I did in my own narcissistic vision, I catch myself and jump right back on.

Rousseau changes from an alligator into a huge crocodile and attempts to toss me into the water. He keeps changing forms, trying to throw me off of his back but I’m not going anywhere. He could morph into a goddamn dinosaur for all I care. I’ll keep riding him like the mule that he is until my grandmother wakes up. 

“Mama, please! Stop looking at yourself and get off with me. Please!”

Mama looks at me and stares. “Do you think I should dye my hair? There’s so much gray.”

Oh hell. She’s really gone now. Then I remember the words the old witch doctor told me to repeat:

“The only reality is the one we make. In this dream world it’s give and take.” I say the words quietly at first. With each repetition they become louder and more forceful.

“Shut her up, Rousseau!” Esmeralda screams, flying toward my grandmother who’s still caught up in her own reflection. I’ve never seen her like this before.

I repeat the mantra again, this time directing the words directly at Esmeralda. She should know better than to underestimate my determination. I force Mama’s forehead to mine like she did; our powers are united. My eyes begin to glow with Mama’s sight. I look straight into Esmeralda’s crystal blue eyes and shoot her look right back at her. This isn’t the first time I’ve given her a taste of her own poison.

Rousseau, concerned with his master’s health, halts his attack on us and morphs back into the man beast that he is, dropping us in the process. “Mon amour,” he says, holding her in his arms. She’s aging rapidly, changing back into her true self.

“My head!” Esmeralda screams, covering her ears. The headaches her eyes bring on are no joke. I haven’t had one in a while and don’t care to share hers. “Make her stop!”

I pull my grandmother to the shore and force her to look into my eyes. “Mama, you must wake up.”

Instead of looking at me Mama looks straight through me, catching her reflection in my eyes. “What a lovely vision you are, my sweet,” she says. I don’t know if she’s talking about her or me but it really doesn’t matter. I lock onto my own reflection in her emerald eyes and force her back into reality.

“Jayd, are you okay?” Netta says, holding me by the shoulders. “Lynn Mae is awake.”

“I’m okay, I think,” I say, shaking off the bad experience. I sit up on the table and stare at my grandmother across the room. She looks like a frightened child. “Mama, are you okay?”

Mama stares at me but doesn’t answer. She looks around the Chinese medicine shop completely confused.

“Lynn Mae, drink this,” Dr. Whitmore says, passing her a small jade cup filled with green tea and a little something extra.

Mama dutifully takes the cup without saying a word.

“Lynn Mae, it’s okay,” Netta says, walking Mama over toward the futon against the wall. They both sit down in silence.

“Jayd, you should have some as well.” Dr. Whitmore passes me the drink and I gulp it down.

“It’s vanity,” Mama finally says, barely audible. “She’s using Oshune’s vanity against me and her other victims.”

“You think?” I say, still aggravated that Mama took me for the ride of my life. If I never see another river again it’ll be too soon.

“I’m sorry, honey. I wasn’t aware of my actions. I feel like I had a mental breakdown,” Mama says, rubbing her temples. She attempts to get up but Dr. Whitmore forces her to stay seated.

"Ain't nothing wrong with a little breakdown every now and then. It's good for the soul. After the breakdown comes clarity. Always. Every time." Netta pats Mama’s hands, noting
that her cuticles need tending to. “Don’t you worry about a thing, Lynn Mae. My sisters will be here tomorrow to help with the shop. And I won’t let them try to run a damned thing like they did when we left on our last adventure. They know it’s us and nobody else. And Jayd will be there to keep them in line, too.”

Netta fights back
her tears and I know how she feels. Mama’s not looking good and we all know she can’t tolerate another dream snatching like that.

“
I had a vision through G’s eyes earlier,” I say, remembering the cold sensation. “G is another one under her influence. Esmeralda’s selling drugs and using his body to do it. I have a feeling she’s also setting him up for Pam’s murder to save herself.”

“Jayd, are you sure?”
Dr. Whitmore asks. He further checks out the contents of the brown paper bag the old priest gave me, planning his next move.

“Yes, positive.” I look at him and shake my head in affirmation. “
Misty, her mother, Emilio and his godfather are also her mules. She’s got dolls for each of them.”

“Jayd, are you po
sitive?” Netta asks, but she knows I’m telling the truth. My dreams never lie even when I wish they would. “If this is what she’s been up to we’ve got to stop her now before someone else gets hurt.”

“I can’t be sure, but I think she’s selling ecstasy and other party drugs. She’s using G’s street conn
ects to get her product out. Misty and Emilio bring new clients to her. I don’t know Hector’s place in all of this yet, but she’s been very busy from what my vision said.” I’ve heard of every block having a candy lady who sells sweets out of her home, but this is an entirely different spin on the neighborhood staple.

“Rousseau’
s her watchdog and enforcer, no doubt,” Mama says, staring off into the distance. “Esmeralda’s days are numbered.”

“Lynn Mae, what are we going to do? Your children and
mine are in danger if that heffa gets away with murder.”

Netta’s right
about that. If my uncles find out Esmeralda’s got the hot shit in her house they’re liable to either become clients, sales representatives, or try to rob her, all of which will be the end of their lives in one way or another.