Monster's Ball :Shadow In Time (2 page)

“You alright, girl?” Annie asked as she and Lilith joined her in the incredibly hot room.

He had the prettiest gray eyes! The color of the sky before it rains. Maybe it was his handsome face that mesmerized me!
Knorr thought.

“Knorr?” Annie repeated.

“Yes, I'm Ok.” she muttered as all three set about the dreary task of cleaning the kitchen
. It's best to stay far away from the man though, especially if the mistress has her sights set on him!
She had to remind herself.

                                                       ***********************

                                                               Two months later

Climbing off his stallion, Gavin's powerful, well-muscled body moved with grace as he glanced around, making certain no one spotted him heading to the furthest part of the plantation. It was a heavily wooded area where a small, but nearly crystal clear pond was located, a favorite gathering spot for the slaves to enjoy themselves and picnic, on the rare occasions their mistress allowed them a day off. Breathing a sigh of relief, he was confident no one had noticed him leaving town earlier (where he had attended a secret meeting) and head back to the Whitman Plantation, where he was still staying as a guest.

Making his way through the thick woods he smiled again, in anticipation of meeting Knorr yet again, albeit in complete secrecy. For the past two months, try as they might, neither had been able to resist their attraction to one another, and had given in to the temptation of getting to know each other better. While neither one of them cared how wrong society might think their relationship was, they were still realists, and knew they had to keep their affair of the heart secret, at least for the time being. Whistling softly, Gavin's heart sang, knowing that his plans to get Knorr away from the Whitman plantation and to Canada would be coming to fruition shortly.

Stepping into the clearing, he watched as Knorr finished braiding her thick hair as she stared into the woods, seemingly deep in thought.

“What a beautiful sight you are.” His husky voice echoed.

Turning her lovely face towards him, her mahogany skin seemed to glow from her earlier ablutions. “I would think you would find Mistress Whitman more to your liking.” She huffed, turning her back to him, her long, wet braid whipping over one shoulder.

Stung, Gavin sighed, knowing she was still hurt. But the way he saw it, he'd had little choice but to 'entertain' the embarrassingly desperate widow, on a nearly nightly basis. After all, he needed for her to want to keep him around as a guest, in order to facilitate the escape. What other choice did he have? When the time was right, he would be able to move about the plantation without arousing suspicion. Then he, along with Knorr and several others, would be free to make a break for it.

“How does she treat YOU? Better than she does us, I'll wager.” Knorr snorted, still unable to hide the hurt in her voice.

“Sweet Knorr, you know why I have to.....humor that woman.” he replied in a quiet voice, then sat down behind her, pressing his face into her thick braid and inhaling the scent of honeysuckle. “What I do, I do in order to help free you and the others. But especially you, my love. When the time is right, we'll leave, and can start our own family.” Wrapping his strong arms around her waist, he pressed his lips to her neck. “You're the only woman who possesses my heart.”

Squirming, she was both frightened, yet exhilarated by the sensations that coursed through her as she felt his lips on her bare neck. Pretending to be aggravated, she struggled to contain a giggle. “Stop it, your beard is itching my skin!

“I'll shave it off, LATER!” he murmured, then resumed his earlier activities.

Thinking about what she and Lilith had talked about earlier, her smile faded, and she spoke with a heavy heart. “Lilith says you're trifling with my feelings. That no white man can truly love a negro woman.”

“Lilith isn't me, and doesn’t know how I feel, or you feel.” He murmured.

“I want to believe you, I...” she whispered before being interrupted.

“The first time I laid eyes on you I knew you were my soul mate. I knew it just as surely as I knew the sun would rise the next day. Our souls are one now, until the end of time.” he whispered as he turned her in his arms. Slowly dipping his head, he kissed the tip of her nose, then both cheeks, the base of her throat, and finally, his hungry lips sought hers.

Melting in his arms, she moaned contentedly, suddenly convinced he was speaking the truth. It did feel as if their souls were one.

When he finally broke the kiss and raised his head, his mesmerizing gray eyes twinkled.

Caressing his bearded face with one hand, she closed her eyes when he grabbed it and kissed the inside of her palm. “Gavin, Mistress Whitman is evil. Folks say she's a mountain witch. Many slaves have suffered horrible deaths at her hands. If she finds out about us, I'm afraid of what she will do to me.” she whispered, feeling her body shake as she spoke.

“Darling, I won't let her or anyone else hurt you.” he vowed, deciding that he would get her off the plantation that night, after he returned from an errand in town.

                                                        ****************************

                                                                        Later that Night

“Soul mates live as one
I ask you my dark lord
to give me the power to keep their
souls apart for all time!” Mariotte chanted.

“You fool, did you think I would let him choose a slave over me? Did you think I wouldn't FIND OUT?” a furious Mariotte screeched as she drained blood from the dying girl into a golden chalice.

Knorr's breath rattled as she struggled to hold on to the last bit of life. “Ta..take..my soul..please don't kill...Gavin.” She wheezed, begging for mercy for the man she loved.

“Your soul for his life? Do you mean it? And you will give this freely?” she hissed like a snake, leaning over and looking into the glazed eyes of her hapless victim.

Unable to answer at the moment, Knorr nodded weakly.

“You understand there will be no salvation for you..you will cease to be, never returning from the dark. But in trade, I spare Gavin.”

“Yes....ye..” her ratting voice croaked desperately before it was interrupted by a series of gurgling coughs.

Still leaning over her, Mariotte's true, hideous, pockmarked face was finally revealed as she began mumbling incantations. Swaying from side to side like a charmed cobra, she seemed to go into a trance as the stench of sulfur slowly filled the room.

Suddenly the entire room began shaking, then stopped as a ghoul materialized, his hideous body naked, his clawed feet scratching the wooden floor. “What is it you wish of me, hag?” the thing slurred from a mouth that had three rows of short, pointed teeth.

“A pure soul, in exchange for a bit of power from the Dark Lord.” she mumbled in a voice as icy as a December wind.

“A pure soul?” the ghoul replied in a voice so hungry and greedy that even the dying Knorr shuddered visibly.

“Yes...a pure soul....a virgin.” she replied as she handed the chalice to her hideous confederate.

Taking the chalice in his clawed hands, the other-wordly creature gulped down the blood greedily, and after draining every drop, used his forked tongue to lick the chalice clean. “Ahhh yes...a pure soul...an innocent. You shall have your wish, hag.” he rumbled, sounding completely sated.

Shuffling several feet forward, the creature's clawed hand was suddenly hovering over Knorr's near-lifeless body, near her heart. “I take what was promised to me.”

Suddenly screaming as if she was being flayed alive, Knorr's entire body convulsed and jerked as bloody foam and spittle flew from her wide open mouth.

Laughter booming like the sound of thunder, the creature's entire body jerked and convulsed, much as Knorr's had a moment earlier, as a bright golden orb emerged from her mouth, then flew into the ghoul's open right hand. “Tonight, I feast on this soul!” he cried.

Crashing down on the table with terrific force, Knorr's limbs trembled for a moment, then went limp.

“It is done, hag.” the creature hissed. Bringing the glowing orb to eye level, he studied it for a moment. Turning his attention back to the woman who had summoned him, he warned, “Be mindful of how you wield the power, it could be your downfall. Especially if you draw the attention of my brother.”

“Return from whence you came!” she replied in a dead voice.

“Remember, hag, we all have to abide by certain cosmic laws.”

Watching as the ghoul sank into the floor and disappeared, Mariotte paid scant attention to his warning as she felt her newly acquired powers surge within her. Both hands flying above her head, she looked to the heavens and screeched, “Tonight, no soul shall be spared on this, my property! Tonight it will be the home of the damned!”

                                                                  ***********************

Making his way back onto the plantation, Gavin felt something was off. Everything seemed too quiet (even the nocturnal insects had ceased their chatter), and nothing stirred in the darkness. It also didn't go unnoticed that there were no slaves roaming about their quarters, although they were usually still active at this time of night. His wide shoulders tightened as he thought about what Knorr had said earlier, and her fears about the widow.

Arriving at the mansion, he lowered himself from the stallion, surprised when the young footman suddenly appeared out of nowhere and took the reins.

“Evening, master.” the young man greeted him listlessly, sounding as if he had had a bit too much to drink.

Looking in the young man's eyes, Gavin thought they seemed unnaturally dull, and were trained straight ahead, as if staring past the stars and into another universe. His ebony skin was also gray, and lacked its usual healthy glow.

Thanking the young man as he always did, he stepped onto the front porch. Before he could even knock, the door opened, and the old butler greeted him, both his looks and demeanor frighteningly similar to the footman's.“ The mistress is in the drawing room, sir, if you'll follow me.” he said in a hollow voice.

Following the old man's lead, the farther into the mansion Gavin walked, the stronger his sense of foreboding waxed.
Where is Knorr?
He wondered as he finally stepped inside the drawing room, which was dimly lit.

“You came for that darkie, Knorr?” a mangled, gravelly voice called.

Skin crawling, Gavin's eyes grew wide with shock as his gaze settled on a now hideous looking Mariotte, whom he somehow recognized, by instinct. While it was true she had never been much to look at (some could even call her somewhat plain), she now looked like a hag of at least a hundred. Her hair was white as snow, and was blowing wildly around her head, despite the fact the windows were closed and there was no breeze stirring. Chilled beyond anything in his previous experience, he glanced at her hands and saw they were covered with open sores, the fingers gnarled and twisted, like tiny branches on an old willow tree. “Where is she?” he demanded, ready to kill the woman with his bare hands, despite his fear.

Cackling, Mariotte clasped her knotted hands together and screeched, “She traded her soul for you! Now I will bind you to me forever, we'll be immortal lovers!”

Thunderstruck, Gavin felt as if someone had just reached inside him and tore his heart from his breast. Not caring what happened to him, he dropped to his knees, weeping bitterly.

Standing in the middle of a five-pointed star (with black candles at each point, lit), Mariotte began to chant the spell that would bind him to her forever:

“Oh Lucifer, Oh Shining Star, touch him,
burn him from afar...
Revenge now will have its day, for thine enemy starts to fray...
Bind this man to me so no other may have him...
make him immortal so he can love me....”

Gavin screamed as he felt his large body suddenly being pulled viciously in every direction, as if some unseen entity was trying to rip him, literally, limb from limb.
Stop her before she completes the spell!
Knorr's disembodied voice screamed in his head. Struggling with all his might, he somehow made it to his feet, drawing a bowie knife that had been strapped to his side. Running to her and screaming, he plunged the knife into her black heart.

As he collapsed to the floor, dying, he could feel his very soul slipping away as he began blacking out. “God help me...” he moaned.