Love Magic

Racquel Fagon, Variety Editor

Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Variety

• Print
• Email

• Page 1 of 4 next >

The district was located in a valley, about two hundred miles down from the peaks of the Mocho Mountains which surrounded it. The valley was the womb of the mountains. It nurtured and protected the four fresh water springs, two rivers, and innumerable fruit blossoms and seeds that the mountains naturally produced. It created a luscious and bountiful offspring that we called Lodgie Green. It was predominantly a farming district, in which livestock pleasantly decorated the landscape, and crisp green, ripe vegetables and fruits populated most of the land.
The houses scattered around the valley were boxy and neat, made with a solid concrete frame and painted bone white. The roofs added color to the structure, as they were painted with the various colors sprouting in the valley, complementing them superbly. No fences separated the homes. It was one big yard with separate occupants who were only a shout away for any conceivable reason, even if it were simply to borrow some cane sugar. Also, there were no individual gardens; the valley was the community garden, a vast expanse of panoramic, flowery beauty, with all imaginable species, colors and scents which suffused the atmosphere in sweetness and delight.
The people added to the magical beauty of the district with their easy-going natures and unconditional giving to each other. The vice that kept the district in check was their unmovable belief in the power of magic. Few people in the district practiced the craft, but those who did garnered a fearful respect from the others. My Auntie Vie received that respect from the district. But when the obeah she lived by took Charm from her and the district, the serenity and the warmth in the valley changed to a cold, anxious dread that has never left to this day. Ten years later, the valley remains the same, but is now a place of whispers and unspoken names. The day of Charm's death came back to me like a boomerang. I floated back to that time, remembering…

Everyone started to crowd around the bed, each trying to touch Charm before Mrs. Lyn from the funeral parlor came for the body. The entire district seemed to squeeze into my sister's tiny bedroom, which contained only her single bed, her bureau and a chair in the corner. Auntie Vie had always told her she could do more with her personal space.

Continued...

Page 1 of 4 next >

Article Tools

Share:

• Facebook
• Blogger
• del.icio.us
• digg
• newsvine

Subscribe:

• My Yahoo!
• Google

Be the first to comment on this story

• Name: (required)
• Email: (required)
• NOTE: Email address will not be published
• Website:

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Email notify will not work because you are not currently logged in.
Click here to quickly login or create a free account.

Type your comment below (html not allowed)

  I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.