Kiss Me, Curse Me

Finally, the night breeze hit the barred window. Ahanu relaxed on the cell bed feeling the coolness. It was the only luxury the cell offered, as the light was dim, but he could see—see clearer than ever before. Every little crack in the cement wall looked like a ravine, as if he could reach a finger in and pluck some rare wild flower from it. The bars of the cell swirled with every miniscule, corroded mark, leaving it an interesting art, like marble, instead of just a dull, iron finish. Even the white ceiling looked like blanket of snow above him with the tiniest of inconsistencies appearing like crystalline.

Greatly relishing the new visual sensations, Ahanu noticed that the smells were not quite as pleasant. It was as if he was aware of every man that had ever used the latrine before him. He was getting used to the odor, but still it lingered strong. He wondered what else lay in store for him, as he contemplated the dark. He thought about how to escape, to be free in the night, to see his Coreen. She was it.

He could almost see her in that bed, breathing under the white sheets. He wanted to talk to her, wanted to just be near her and watch, protect. The ache of it was almost unbearable. He was madly in love with that girl, who had swept him away to an ocean he had never known, drawn him out to the open sea where pirates sail and mermaids tease. It existed only in his heart. He placed his hand on his chest thinking about the things that they could do together.

But . . . something was amuck in the sheriff’s office as Ahanu listened to angry quarrelling getting closer and closer.

“You can’t be here. Go home.”

It was Patty’s voice, that was for sure. The other he didn’t recognize.

“Let me at him.”

Ahanu moved to a sitting position. He shouldn’t normally be able to hear so well, sensing that they were many rooms away. The next sound was that of fists hitting flesh and an ominous crash. Ahanu stood now waiting as the heavy, enraged steps approached his cell. “You bastard. She’s my girl.” A disheveled Hank busted into the hall, keys jingling in his hands, foolishly fumbling with them. “You’re dead,” he said as he tried each one. “You killed her. I know it. I’ve seen you around. I should have known. You’re f*cking dead.”

“Hank?” said Ahanu, cold-eyeing him from head to toe. Hank had on his signature white t-shirt and worn denim.

“Yeah that’s right, you piece. You’ve been following us. I saw you at the fair that day and before.”

The lock clicked open, door swung all the way, Hank moved into the cell fists up. Ahanu didn’t move.

“Coward too? You can kill an innocent girl, my girl, rip the clothes from her body, rape her, and then drop her into the unforgiving river? What kind of a human are you? You’re not human; you’re squat in this town.”

If the way to freedom was through his girl’s other, then it was the way Ahanu was going to go. He jumped up and ran straight for Hank’s gut. Knocking him down to the ground, he threw one punch to the face, and Hank was out cold. Ahanu sat on his opponent’s body, examining his unscathed fist for a moment—surprising. He picked the keys off the floor and dragged Hank’s long body into the cell. He was heavier than he appeared—solid muscle mass. Ahanu pushed the thoughts away that this person had also kissed his sweet Coreen’s lips. He locked Hank away in the cell without a second thought and ventured out into the rest of the office, searching the rooms.

Patty lay flat on his back, blood oozing from the spot where he’d obviously knocked his head against the sheriff’s table. Ahanu dragged him back to the cell with Hank, locking it, and taking the keys with him.



***



“Oh, darling, wake up. I know it’s hot, but it’s not that hot,” said Roy. He held her there under the moonlight in his strong arms, and she wiggled and jostled, trying to get the enchanting young man to let her go.

Roy did not relent. “You know I’ve been watching you all night, and I saw you a few nights ago, but you were with that fella. He doesn’t look like such a nice fella. You shouldn’t be around the likes of him.”

“Who me?”

Turning, Roy saw the long, pointy black beard. “Yeah, you.”

“Betty is my lady,” Ed kicked some dirt up at Roy who leaned in to stop it from hitting the distressed damsel.

“Betty? This is Betty . . . the Betty?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Nothing,” said Roy innocently.

“Let her go.”

“Listen. I think you better go on back inside now,” said Roy, noticing that Ed wasn’t fully ticking right.

“You see, that’s where you’re wrong. You’re the new kid in town. You have no place here. You don’t know what you’re up against.”

“Oh I think I do.” Roy stood, lifting Betty up with him, holding her securely like he’s already won the prize. “You wouldn’t hit a lady now, would you?”

Ed scowled, “I’ll be seeing you later, you southern red—”

“Ah, ah . . . I wouldn’t go there if I was you,” Roy chided.

“Hiding behind a lady, my lady, doesn’t deserve much respect. I’ll catch you on the side later.”

“Who said she was your lady? Not what it looks like to me, now or earlier.” “That’s it. Drop her. This is on.” Ed took his combat stance.

“Now I didn’t come all the way up here from Georgia to be dropping the likes of her. That’s not how I was raised. Maybe you do these sorts of thing in these parts, but not where I’m from.”

“Oh, just get the hell out of here. I don’t want to hear another word out of you. Just take her in already.” Ed moved out of the doorway to let them pass, annoyed and bored.

“Oh, Betty . . . Betty. What happened?” It was the beautiful ripe seaberry.

“She fainted out back. I’m an intern. I’m Roy. I can help if you can get me to a room or something.”

Seaberry smiled. She had long, blonde hair and was dressed in a simple, tight, black dress to the knees. Her makeup was perfectly done with enough black liner to make her dilated pupils pop just as black, “Oh, you’re a doctor?”

“New in training. I have a few years till I’m on my own.”

“This way. I’m Raska.”

“That’s an interesting name. I can hear you’ve an accent as well.”

“Russia.” She showed him upstairs. There were no girls in sight—they were all behind stage getting ready. “All the rooms are open, just go on inside. I have to go now. I’m needed. I don’t know about fixing my boss. Undo her corset, I guess.”

“Now I can’t do that.” Roy almost blushed as he laid Betty upon the scarlet bed.

“No, no . . . to help her breathe. It’s too tight. I can tell these things. I’m going now.” Raska closed the door.

“Okay, Betty. I had no idea who you were. Doc had mentioned your name, but not a thing about your looks. I s’pose he did that on purpose.” Roy rolled Betty on her side with her back to him and began to release the black, silk strings from the corset loops.

Her breathing deepened and slowed.

“Ah ha! There you are sweetheart; you’ll be up in no time.”



***



The curtains unveiled and the show began, it was like nothing those men had ever seen before. The women swarmed out, scantily clad in black, feathered corsets, each outfit exactly the same in intricate design and detail with a little plume of feathers crowning their bottoms. They all carried large, dramatic, blooming feathered fans.

The cabaret began: the legs kicked high, the music roared, and the crowd went crazy. Men hollered, whistled, slammed their glasses down on the tables, and burst a few brain cells at the sight.

Sheriff Doby completely forgot what the hell he’d come there for in the first place as his stubborn jaw just about dropped to the floor. He couldn’t move an inch as his eyes were glued to the swaying hips, their little poofs, and the high heels. The music slowed as did the pace, and a young, red-headed girl, maybe about the age of eighteen, decked in the brightest-red, skin-tight dress, edged in the same fluffy stuff, moved her way forward, out from the center where the women had hidden her. All eyes were on her as she sang a deep French seductive melody.

“If I didn’t know any better—the Great Depression is now over,” said Doby to some sweaty runt next to him. The runt didn’t notice.

The crowd seemed to inch its way tighter and closer to the stage as the girls undressed here and there. Doby noticed Ed sitting at a table all alone but had absolutely no way to get to him. He decided to just wait—the honey on stage would pass his time just fine. The show concluded with the men smiling and throwing their bills on stage. The girls giggled and snatched their riches. Some days were better than others, and it had been a long time coming.

“That Betty—she knows how to please,” said Doby, pulling a chair out in front of Ed. The onlookers had shifted, most of them back to the bar for quenching, some outside to get that needed after-smoke and fresh air. Doby wasn’t about to worry about the ensuing brawls. He had a couple guys around the scene—backup, in case Ed wasn’t in a cooperative mood.

“Betty’s been all secretive about her latest showstopper, and for good reason after what I just saw—that redhead. I have no words for her. I know I’ll be making a tall order soon. Anyways, cut to it, Sheriff. You heard what I said, I’m sure of that.” Ed’s drunken words could peel the wallpaper off the walls.

“Not so loud. I need you for the lineup.”

“Lineup?”

“Yeah, I need you to look at a lineup of suspects and point to the one you think you saw, hopefully that kid, the one you came to us about, remember? It’s the only way we’ll know for sure. We need to know for sure.”

“What, you think I’m lying about what I saw that night? I saw that Indian with that girl. I told Patty. He knows.”

“It’s not that simple, Ed, you know that. You’re coming down to the station with me.”

“Right now? Hell, I’m not going right now after what I just witnessed. I’m having some of that redhead.” Ed puffed out his chest, his body shifting the way it does before a man was about to either get into a fight or pass out.

Shifting his chair out of the way, Doby gave Ed an arm up.

“Off of me.” Ed slurred his words and shoved Doby back onto the stool.

“You’re going to buy a night in a cell, you keep this up. Up you get.”

Ed’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell over backward in the chair, everything crashing to the floor. A circle of men opened up around the blacked-out lump.

“Well, don’t just stand there looking like fools,” Doby yelled. “Get him outside. I’m Sheriff. Do it.”



***



“Where am I?” Betty opened her eyes.

“Safe,” said Roy, taking her hand.

“Oh, you.” She smiled. “I’m sorry. I feel embarrassed.”

“No need to feel that way. I didn’t properly introduce myself. I’m Roy Harp. I work for Doc.”

She moved to sit up, noticing her corset was loose. She tried to fix it up again, but Roy stopped her.

“Don’t bother yourself with that. We have privacy here.”

“I have to go. My show is on.”

“It’s done.”

“What?” Betty stood and hurried over to the door, corset strings hanging down her back, Roy enjoyed the allure of her smooth back and pulled her back into his arms. “Darling, it was a hit. I don’t think you have a thing to worry about.”

“Oh, I missed it. Do you know how long I’ve been planning it? I wanted to watch it. My girls have been working so hard.”

“We could stay here.” He swung her a bit, pushing his hips into her.

“No, Roy. I have to go check on Coreen. I have to go check on my girls, see what happened. There’s so much to do.”

“Have it your way,” he said sadly.

“Come on, Roy. There’s always time for that. Later on, okay? Just come with me now.” She slipped her hand in his and led him to her own room—only to discover an empty bed. Coreen was gone.





It had been too easy; Ahanu awoke to the thought. He had his mini fort he sometimes slept in when he took to wandering deep in the forest. Coreen lay there by his side under the tightly woven branches, in a thick made of thin branches and moss. A ray of light spliced through as the sun hit high in the sky, highlighting a spot at the top of her forehead. She was so beautiful lying there. The trek overnight had been long, but he knew exactly where he was going. He gave her a simple kiss on the lips, but she did not stir. In some fresh clothes that Betty had left for him on top of the dresser, he felt back to himself again.

Does she feel anything? Can she hear me? Ahanu told his sweet that he loved her and kissed her again. She felt a little warm. The bandage looked white and clean against the crimson color of some harlot’s dress, layered in intricate patterns of lace and fancy beadwork. It was all he could find in a hurry.

He had picked her up and carried her through the woods, energized by her presence. It was a wonder, considering he hadn’t slept a wink. Reuniting with her was all he had been able to think of, and he knew that there was only one thing to be done with her. He stood outside Kanti’s cabin an hour later.

The red Shaman sat in wait on a lone chair on the patio, like he already knew guests were coming.

“Welcome, my son. Bring her inside.” He spoke, but his lips did not move. “Here we will unite you both.”

The inside, which Ahanu had not noticed before, was lined with more skulls of many animal types and quite a few that were human as well. They consumed the walls, an odd candle dancing shadows around the place—looking as if the skulls were stirring. He held Coreen tighter in his arms.

“You’ll marry us?” Ahanu asked as they went deeper into the Shaman’s lair. He took them down the steps to the sacrificial room.

“Perhaps . . .before. . .” Kanti took his stance before a small, bloodied alter. It was his work area. He picked up a long blade, which was spotlessly clean, gleaming sliver in the low light.

“What’s that for?” Ahanu asked, though he already suspected.

“It’s time.” Kanti ran his finger along the blade to make sure it was sharp.

“No. You can’t do this. I want to be with her. I want to marry her before. Do this for me. I’ve never known you. Give this to me as a gift. For years, you’ve hid away from me, not announcing your place. You owe this to me if you are my real father.”

“You will be with her. You will both be with the wolf in marriage, if that’s how you want to think of it. Together you can embrace what is for you. I did this many years ago.” Kanti gave him a flash of yellow in his eye as to show off his power.

“She’s fading already. I don’t want this. Do you have to take her? Can’t you save her?”

“My son, it is the way.”

“Marry us first.”

Kanti looked down at the long blade.

Ahanu shook his head, “I will join her in death then. I don’t want to exist without her. She means everything to me.”

“No, you will not. I have plans for you. Great plans. There is much for you to learn about our ways. This has been passed on from generation to generation. My time is nearing an end. Someone has to take over this duty.”

“What duty? I don’t understand. What is it that you do? I mean you’ve been out here all these years doing what?”

“You will find out soon enough what it is that I do here. It is necessary for the survival of all of you.”

Ahanu laughed now, “What, you’re our protector? That makes no sense—you kill senselessly. She is not a sacrifice for the wolf. I feel him in me now. I know that he’s there inside me, and maybe he always has been there in some form, but can’t you do this for me? I beg of you. Don’t take her.”

“I will not re-state that which I already have. You know what will be done.”

“I only came back here for your help. I know you have what I need, what she needs.”

Kanti raised the knife directly above Coreen’s heart.



***



“Wake up there, fellow.” Doby gave Ed a firm slap in the face. “I can’t carry you in there myself; you’re a load, that’s for sure.”

“It’s the middle of night. Can’t I just do this in the morning?”

“It is morning—late. You slept in my car. You’re golden, as far as I’m concerned.” Doby flicked his cigarette butt onto the sidewalk. “We are going to do this, Ed. I don’t have the full lineup here yet, but it’ll be any moment now. You’re here and we’re doing this. I can’t count that I will find you again anyways.” Doby opened Ed’s door.

The brute followed the sheriff in with leaden steps and poor posture, “I need some water.” He slumped down on a waiting room chair.

“No, no, up you go; water’s this way. We’re not here to serve you, Ed. My secretary has much to do, can’t be running around for you. I know you’ve grown accustomed to that sort of thing where you hang, but you’re in my station now.”

“God.” Ed shook his head. “I’m not in the mood for this shit.” He remained seated, feeling a strong headache and an awful sense of nausea.

“I can put you in a cell, if you prefer? You could lie down a little, kick off your shoes?” Doby gave him a very welcoming grin and opened a palm, showing the direction to his holding cell.

“Yeah, if you’ll let me back out again. There’s a bed?”

“I was only kidding.”

“I feel like I need to lie down. It’s not as if I haven’t graced this place before. You know, those beds are fine once you get used to them, and it beats the bed I have now in the dam camp.”

“You’re serious? You’ve been there long enough . . . haven’t they moved you up by now?” Doby motioned Ed to follow him to the cell block.

Ed got up slowly, gaining his balance, “No . . . well, yes. . . my main guys are in Tent Town. I’d rather be with them, you know.”

“I hear you. I’m the same way.”

Doby pushed open the heavy metal door to the cell block.

“It’s about time! Where have you been all night?”

Doby stood in shock to see a sweaty-looking Patty and a miffed-looking Hank leaning up against the bars.

“What happened to your head?” asked Doby, going through the keys.

“Ask him,” said Patty, nudging Hank.

“It’s my fault,” said Hank.

“I can see that. Where’s our boy?” Doby clicked the lock open.

“Well, Ahanu knocked me down and escaped,” Hank said with as much guilt as he’d ever expressed.

“What were you doing—going in his cell?” Doby was hiding his anger as he let the scruffy pair loose. The two of them smelled—stunk—like prison. “You can go in and lie down, Ed.”

“Nah, I’m fine now,” said Ed, energized by the scene.

“Wipe that smirk off your face,” said Doby, pointing his keys at Ed.

“You still need me?” asked Ed.

“Ed— Christ.” Doby wiped his face. It was too early for this shit was all he could think. “Ugh. I need coffee. Why don’t you all join me? Hank, I could just knock you out. Do you know how much time we spent yesterday walking in those damn woods?” Doby sat at his office table, kegs up, staring at the tired teen sitting before him.

Hank sunk his head into his palms. “That a*shole. I had him. I could have taken him out.”

Patty slapped Hank on the back, hard. “Wake up, son. No, you couldn’t have. That Indian was fine right where he was. What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t, all right? I was angry. I was so angry, I couldn’t even think. I just wanted to pound him, kick him till he couldn’t move. It’s my girlfriend we’re talking about here. He’s going to pay for what he has done. He’s a sick murderer. He’s sick. He should hang for this.” Hank stood up to get more coffee, slammed the empty tin mug down on the table, and poured the hot liquid, drinking it even though it burned him—didn’t care.

“Now, now. I get that, really I do, but there is the law you have to consider here. This boy has to be tried like the rest of us would be, and we don’t really know for certain what happened to Coreen. All we have is her dress and this witness. You sit back down, Ed.” Doby pointed at Ed, who looked like he was about to sneak out the door. “Ed, you’re in this too now, whether you like it or not. You came to us, remember? I’ll call your boss, get you excused from dam labor. And Hank . . . well, you’re just as dumb as the rest of the morons that I have to deal with on a daily basis in this town. Everybody is angry about something. He was in a cell, for cryin’ out loud. He was locked up. He was here. We had him.” Doby bent his tired legs and stood leaning on the dark table, giving them all a look like they were all in the deepest rigmarole they’d ever been in. “Now you all listen up. We’re going on a search to find that kid and bring him back here. He knows something. I know from the depths of my soul that he does, and until we will find out what that is—we’ll never know the truth about a lot of things.”

Patty nodded in agreement, wearing the same look of disgust on his face as he looked at Ed and Hank. “We move out now. No ifs, ands, or buts,” said Doby, reaching for his shiny wood- stock shotgun and tucking a dull, black revolver into his ankle straps.

Ed grumbled, Hank cursed, and Patty assisted in pushing them all out of the station.



***



Betty scrambled around her bedroom in a black slip after waking, fixed her bed, cleaned, dusted, and moved a bottle of swank perfume from one side of the dresser to the other. It was all she could do to calm her nerves before Doc arrived. She had quickly shooed Roy away and told him to come back later the next day. God, it had been hard to do that—he was such a bite—had to though, didn’t know what the hell was going on. Get rid of them. That was her line, one she’d repeated over and over through the years.

There was a time it had been easier for her there in her risqué home of homes. Seems like the men came and they went and there was no mix-up, no longings for more, no significance, no commitment.

“That dam,” she muttered, splashing water on herself to clean up a bit. She was wilting even in the cool, morning breeze.

“That dam, I’d say,” said Doc. “Roy filled me in on our missing little lady. I’d have come sooner, but I’ve been all night with dear Doris.”

“Doris. I don’t need to know names, Doc. That name is familiar. Well, to be honest I only know one Doris, from the bakery. It’s not her, is it? Oh, don’t tell me; I don’t need to know, really I don’t. She’s Irish, I think. I don’t know what to do here. Her bread is the best, I’ve ever had. Don’t tell me it’s her.” Betty fixed the pillow where the blonde had laid her head for so many days, like she missed her or something.

Doc sat on the bed with a look of concern, one that could not be appeased. “Did she up and leave? Did the medicine actually work? I mean, it’s good stuff if it did.”

“I don’t know. I was preoccupied, you know, Doc. I’ve got things going on here.” She bit her lip. She continued her fretting about what to wear. Doc followed after her into the walk-in closet, watched her flip through the wire hangers. “What? What is it?” she asked.

“You were supposed to be watching her.”

“I know. Jeez-o. You don’t think I know that? I wasn’t pitching woo here. I had the show. All my girls had to be downstairs. Rose had to be front and center. Singapore had to be on too. I couldn’t just leave her out. She’s the only Asian I have, and the boys would have missed her. She brings good tips. She was a geisha, you know. I won’t let her paint her face white, and she gets mad about it sometimes.” She pulled out a simple, pink dress and pulled it over her slip. “All I can say is that it was crazy last night. I can’t even begin to tell you about it. Zip me up, would you?”

He did. “You should have had someone.” He reiterated, knowing all well Betty would stick to her story regardless. “She could be anywhere by now. I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make you some eggs.” She led him to the basement kitchen area, and after a few minutes, the two were eating.

“You need to send someone to look for her.”

“No, I don’t.” said Betty mid-chew. “I’ll send Roy out. I can handle things by myself for a while.”

Betty focused on her scrambled concoction. “Fine by me.”



***



Kanti held the knife steady over the girl’s chest and sang.

“Wait,” said Ahanu. “No.”

“Shhhh. Not yet, not yet,” said Kanti, his words coming through the song.

The singing was odd. It was a tune Ahanu hadn’t heard before—or had he? He recalled an odd walk down to the falls and thought he’d heard the same song one time when he was a boy. Was this the same tune?

Watching the ritual to prepare the blade for sacrifice, Ahanu saw Kanti return to his work table.

Ahanu followed. “Did you watch me, father?”

“Of course. I’ve always been around, though you could not see me.”

How was his skin so red? Ahanu wondered if it was just paint or something more. Kanti caught him watching.

“You’ll take this coloring too, over time, we are the blood.” Kanti moved closer, taking Ahanu’s hand and running his long-nailed finger along a plump vein.

“Blood?”

“Yes. The blood.” Kanti pressed his finger down, cutting off the vein’s flow.

Ahanu pulled his hand away.

Kanti stood close, too close for comfort, but Ahanu remained steadfast, feeling something flowing between them. Kanti said, “Don’t worry, my son. This is just the beginning for you.”

“How did you come to this?”

“The same as you.”

“But my mother. She’s never spoke of you. My father, well—” Ahanu stopped.

Kanti waited for him to finish, but nothing further came. “She wouldn’t speak of me. She doesn’t fully remember. I stay away in my physical form. She may feel a familiarity from my presence. That is all.”

“How could she not know? This makes no sense.”

“It was just a dream for her; she was asleep. I came in the night.”

“You raped my mother!” Ahanu shook his fists in a sudden fury.

“No, no, son . . . it was not like that.” Kanti put his hand on Ahanu’s shoulder to calm him. The wolf in the boy was not in control yet. Kanti pushed a soothing flow to him like a calm stream.

“I feel calm now. You did that? What is that?” Ahanu sighed, feeling the comfort, as small as it was.

“Another trick you will soon learn. Not now. The dreams were many. She accepted me in her dream form, and we met for that one night in the physical domain—and that was it. For her, it is an uncertainty. She dismisses the reality of it.”

“What do you mean she accepted you? You had relations? You two talked?”

“You can learn to do this too. Many more things here for you to learn, about how this world and the spirit world are connected. It is your dreams that bridge them together. You will learn to move between them as I do.”

“What did my mother say?”

“Whatever. She told me of her life, her hopes, and her dreams. She wanted another son. I gave her you.” Kanti’s voice softened, so different from the serious tone that it always carried.

“What, you love her?” Ahanu was in disbelief.

“Yes. I love her. I love you. It’s simple.”

“Do you still visit her?”

“Not often now. She’s busy worrying about you. It comes out in her dreams. I let her take that on.”

“She worries about me?” Ahanu directed his gaze to the boiling mix over the fire, the steam billowing out.

Kanti kicked a log down to get it back to a simmer. “Soon now. Yes, she worries all the time. You are not aware of her emotions? She is your mother.”

“I guess I am,” said Ahanu, feeling guilty.

“But you don’t think about it. I know. You are like me that way.”

Ahanu watched his father at the fire, mulling about over the brew. Kanti gave it a stir. Coreen still lay on the table where Ahanu had once been—the only difference being that she was unchained. The room seemed more pleasant to him now. Before he had writhed in fear, now it seemed like home. He looked up at the yellow python sprawling across the ceiling.

“First, she will drink,” said Kanti. “It’s not ready yet. Needs more time.”

“What is it?”

“You will see. First we will bring her back, back to this world. She must speak first. She must be cleansed.”

“Cleansed of what?”

“Her sins. She must be purified before she is bonded.”

“Sins? And then what?”

“You will take her life.”



***