The Soucouyant - Chapter 6

Matthew was growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. And when Sinclair took two steps
back, he only grew more scared. He took two steps forward with his hand outstretched with the
offending bottle. Sinclair simply took two more steps back, putting a safe distance between
himself and Matthew. He never took his eyes from the bottle, staring at it as though mesmerized.
"Boy, you don't know the trouble you brookin' with that thing", offered Sinclair. His face had
grown ashen in his apprehension. "You don't know what you holding? How you could pick that thing
up boy? Nobody ain't never tell you what that thing is?" "Sinclair, what you talking about? Tell
me! I need to know what kind of trouble I in!" whined Matthew. All the while he was trying to get
Sinclair to take the bottle from his hand. When it became obvious to him that Sinclair was not
going to relieve him of his burden, he decided that he would just drop the malevolent bottle to
the ground and run as fast and as far as he could, away from it. But for some reason, he couldn't
get his hand to release it. It seemed stuck to him.
It seemed that Sinclair could sense his dilemma, for he simply shook his head pitifully. "It too
late now for you to try to get rid of it. It belong to you now, and you can't throw it away until
you do what it is it want you to do." he said.
"But what it is it want me to do, Sinclair?" wailed Matthew. "I don't know what it is it want!"
Sinclair took another step back. "Well now," he said, "That is for you and the soucouyant to come
to terms over." "Soucouyant! Oh lawd Sinclair, don't tell me that, I don't want to hear nothing
about no soucouyant. What that is?" "You mean to tell me you don't know what a soucouyant is
Matty? Boy, you is in a whole heap of trouble. I ain't sure if I can help you. But if you want my
help, you going to have to be honest and up front with me and tell me what happen exactly, minute
by minute, last night."
Matthew sighed. He realized that something bigger than him was at play here. Something that he
wouldn't be able to handle by himself. He realized that he'd made a very big mistake in picking
up the bottle without knowing what the consequences would be. "It ain't my fault Sinclair, I
didn't know!
"So spit it out, and let's get to work. Only for God's sake put it back in your pocket before
anybody see it." Matthew struggled to get the bottle back into his pocket. He didn't want it
there. It seemed to emanate a sickly heat, and almost seemed to pulse as though with a heartbeat.
He shuddered, but knew that he had no choice. He had to put himself in Sinclair's capable hands,
and hope for the best. And pray to God that Tantie didn't find out...