Medium (2)

ch.2 Acceptance

The confusion made my head spin. I ran all the way to Dona Maria's, next door.
As I opened her porch her dogs ran to meet me. China, Broom and Willie were
friendly dogs, but their smell always made me gag.

I made my way inside the woman's house trying to hold my breath, because
unlike grandma's fresh lemony scent, Dona Maria smelled of sickness and dirt.
She was the neighborhoods weirdo. It was rumored that she was over a hundred
years old. She was a pre-school teacher that had even my oldest uncle as a
student.

Between us, I always thought of her as witch. With her long purple robe and her
beady old eyes. As huge as my grandfather ,she surely weighted 250 pounds.
As I tip-toed my way to her living room I found her kneeling in front of a cupboard
table. Both small doors were spread open and the glow of the candles danced off
the walls.

She was chanting words I didn't understand. In her hands she held a small
doll made of rags. She was pierced it with another pin as she chanted. My gut
twisted and the hairs in my neck stood on ends. I tripped. Looking down I saw
a fat cat scampering away as it growled.

Startled, Dona Maria turned wildly, her face distorted with anger. She banged the
doors shut and stood up massive in front of me. Her view blocked any excape.

"How long have you been standing there?" she demanded eyeing me suspiciously

"I just got here. Here's the castor oil" I stepped back as she took it.

" What have you been up to this summer?" She asked as she drank a spoon of the
oil.

"Just helping Grandma with the animals" I replied bowing my head

"Good" she moved sideways to put the bottle away when I saw it.

Tucked between the candles and the sea shells was the picture of a little girl.
She looked happy dressed in what looked like first communion wear. As I stared
in disbelief the face on the picture flickered, like something underwater.

I felt something inside me grow very hot and still. I felt angry. I stepped forward
forgetting Dona Maria and snatched the picture up. I felt heat coming from it.

"Dona Maria?" I asked " Who Is This?"

"That's Angelica." She took the picture and held it to her chest

"She was one of my best student. That little Angie was bright and sweet.
There wasn't anything she could not do. She passed away of a unknown disease"

" How old was she?" I asked looking in to her dark eyes

" She was nine just like your ma. They were best friends, you know? Yourmother was very upset for a while. No one ever found out what happen to her" she
was now watching me closely. I felt as if her eyes were piercing my head.

"I'm gonna go now, my grandmother must be waiting for me" I headed towards
the door when she called my name.

"Wailanee! Be a good little girl and my your grandmother. Keep yourself out of
trouble" She said wagging her finger at me

" Yes, ma'am" I answered as I left the porch. This time I decided to walk.
I had much to think about. I'd come to accept this "thing" that's happening to me
as a gift of God. I couldn't be crazy or evil. I would never hurt anyone.



(to be continue)