The Soucouyant - Chapter 5

“Now old woman, speak. Tell me what going on.” Timo said to Tantie. She wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her wrist. Struggling to get a hold of her emotions which were trying to get the best of her senses, she walked over to the couch and sat down with a massive sigh.

“Where you was last night Timo?” she asked. “You ain’t hear what went on down by your house?” Timo was getting irritated by Tantie’s beating around the bush. He wished she would just get to the point. “Is your business where I was last night? Just tell me what went on, I getting really tired of all this pussy-futtin’ about. What happen down by my house? And what all this talk bout Sello?”

Tantie sighed again, forlornly. How was she going to be able to tell him the whole story without implicating herself? She had to very careful, for Timo was not to be underestimated. He had powers as strong, if not stronger than hers. And then, to make matters worse, that stupid boy had to go and get himself involved. She’d searched for him the better part of the morning, wasting valuable time. She needed Timo in her corner, desperately.

“Now, I don’t want you to get yourself all in a confusion. I want you to listen carefully to what I say, before you jump the gun.” Timo was becoming angry, she could tell, and hurried to get to the point. “Early this fore-day morning, somebody went into your house and cause a to-do. Miss Bella up and down round town telling everybody how Freddy see somebody burn down your house.” At this Timo sprang to his feet, heading towards the door. “Wait, wait! Timo, wait. I ain’t done yet!”

Timo pulled to an abrupt stop, looking at her over his shoulder he bellowed: “You is daft woman? I got to go see about my house!” Tantie knew she had to stop him from leaving. She had to prevent him from finding out anything before she had her chance to tell the story how she wanted him to hear it.

“Timo...you can't go to that house, Sello there”