09-14-2016, 04:24 PM
Relief wilted his shoulders. Ekene glanced at the floor as they walked, blinking rapidly until he gathered himself together. His fear that she had died had strengthened to belief in order to prepare himself for the possibility. Learning otherwise sparked uncertain tears to his eyes. But he didn't want to cry.
"Suwa'ye. Bad luck, Jared. We shouldn't talk about them."
Ekene frowned. "In the villages the kɛmamɔi come for witches. Teach them to be better. Cleanse the wickedness, see? But sometimes the witchfinders take them away. When the crops die or houses burn."
He wasn't sure how much to say to an outsider. It was complicated after all. Not all witches were bad exactly, but the ones with fever were dangerous. He considered that Jared might listen where Natalie had not.
"She had fever. The one here. That's why I warned Natalie away. I didn't want her to catch it. They always take away the ones with fever. They're bad luck, Jared, the suwa'ye."
The heat and noise hit her immediately. Natalie wasn't entirely sure where she was in relation to where she had left Jay, but began to make her weary way back through the chaotic corridors, more than eager to leave the hospital behind. He would not exactly be difficult to spot. But it was gruff yelling that drew her attention first, followed by Jay's shout. Her face paled, and she swallowed decorum to fight her way through. The corridor congested with a swelling audience as she neared, until finally spotting the back of his blonde head.
Five minutes. She'd left him five minutes.
Her body reacted without mind's consent. The gift rushed in sweet but quickly needled sharp; she was too weak to contain it, and it burned as it pulled her further in. A dangerous precipice, but still she pushed on, using the euphoria as a crutch in lieu of strength to push her way through the people gathered.
Natalie knew snatches of Mende, and slightly more Krio; the latter of which she used to call out sharply, not unlike she might have spoken to unruly pupils. "Duya lɛf!"
She shouldered her way through despite a faint tug against her shoulder, an unseen attempt to urge her back. One man already on the floor, another clutching at his face, a third wielding a fire extinguisher.
She wasn't thinking as she shoved her way into the middle of them, lit inside out with invulnerability. It was deep rooted instinct that sought to calm the situation. And maybe a touch of irritation. "There has been enough blood spilled, sir."
Spindles of light danced electric before her eyes, spinning and twisting, their edges fraying in a worrying manner. But she didn't know how to stop it even if she wanted to.
A pale, determined gaze met the doctor's glare; more bluff than she cared to admit, for she could feel the weariness eating her up. The fire extinguisher grew heavier in his hands, a coil of light tangling its base. Small wisps plucked at his fingers, slipping his grip. Urging him to release it. "We're leaving,"
she added softly. Sweat beaded her brow. Control began to slither free as surely as his hold. It hurt too much to hold on.
The threads snapped suddenly. Natalie took a sharp breath, just as the doctor darted forward.
"Suwa'ye. Bad luck, Jared. We shouldn't talk about them."
Ekene frowned. "In the villages the kɛmamɔi come for witches. Teach them to be better. Cleanse the wickedness, see? But sometimes the witchfinders take them away. When the crops die or houses burn."
He wasn't sure how much to say to an outsider. It was complicated after all. Not all witches were bad exactly, but the ones with fever were dangerous. He considered that Jared might listen where Natalie had not.
"She had fever. The one here. That's why I warned Natalie away. I didn't want her to catch it. They always take away the ones with fever. They're bad luck, Jared, the suwa'ye."
The heat and noise hit her immediately. Natalie wasn't entirely sure where she was in relation to where she had left Jay, but began to make her weary way back through the chaotic corridors, more than eager to leave the hospital behind. He would not exactly be difficult to spot. But it was gruff yelling that drew her attention first, followed by Jay's shout. Her face paled, and she swallowed decorum to fight her way through. The corridor congested with a swelling audience as she neared, until finally spotting the back of his blonde head.
Five minutes. She'd left him five minutes.
Her body reacted without mind's consent. The gift rushed in sweet but quickly needled sharp; she was too weak to contain it, and it burned as it pulled her further in. A dangerous precipice, but still she pushed on, using the euphoria as a crutch in lieu of strength to push her way through the people gathered.
Natalie knew snatches of Mende, and slightly more Krio; the latter of which she used to call out sharply, not unlike she might have spoken to unruly pupils. "Duya lɛf!"
She shouldered her way through despite a faint tug against her shoulder, an unseen attempt to urge her back. One man already on the floor, another clutching at his face, a third wielding a fire extinguisher.
She wasn't thinking as she shoved her way into the middle of them, lit inside out with invulnerability. It was deep rooted instinct that sought to calm the situation. And maybe a touch of irritation. "There has been enough blood spilled, sir."
Spindles of light danced electric before her eyes, spinning and twisting, their edges fraying in a worrying manner. But she didn't know how to stop it even if she wanted to.
A pale, determined gaze met the doctor's glare; more bluff than she cared to admit, for she could feel the weariness eating her up. The fire extinguisher grew heavier in his hands, a coil of light tangling its base. Small wisps plucked at his fingers, slipping his grip. Urging him to release it. "We're leaving,"
she added softly. Sweat beaded her brow. Control began to slither free as surely as his hold. It hurt too much to hold on.
The threads snapped suddenly. Natalie took a sharp breath, just as the doctor darted forward.