Page 1 of Scent of Desire
Twenty years ago
Drums played in syncopated rhythms, matching the beats of my heart.
Different shades of green from the tall exotic plants blocked the view ahead to the lianas inside the jungle. It was too humid as Mom and I sank deeper into the wilderness, following our guide. The sound of the drums was getting closer, like a lion chasing after you before it devoured you until only your bones remained as an offering to the vultures.
I gazed at the ground, looking for the remains of victims from the past, but sand was itching my eye, clouding my vision. The sun was fading, but my flesh still burned. Light wasn’t my friend.
Our guide, or Tiger’s Eye as I named him, swept aside the savaged plants with his arm, clearing the way. A group of people who lived on the island was gathered around a fire. They either wore plaid outfits with diverse colored patterns or white tunics with some kind of white sheet on their heads.Jewels.My eyes sparkled at the sight. I had a thing for gemstones and associated my thoughts on people with them.
When our guide suggested we join them, my first instinct was to gaze upon my mother. I didn’t like strangers, nor the souls of most people.
“Don’t tell your father we’re here.” Mom’s bright smile was enough to make me feel safe.
I nodded, and she intertwined our fingers together, leading us to the fire so we could take a seat. I didn’t understand. People held machetes. A group of women waved smoking tree branches. I recognized the odor: it was sage. Mom used this for cleansing rituals. A priest drew secret symbols in the dust before he poured alcohol on top of it.
“They’re honoring spirits,” Mom whispered. She was a believer, just like the amethyst; she had pure wisdom and the gift of foresight. My mom could predict the future with a set of tarot cards—but she hid it from Father. He said it was witchcraft. I thought it was magic.
My eyes widened when I caught a glimpse of what was hiding beyond the smoke of the fire. Immense flowers stood like columns. They were taller than me in a purple color, with almandine garnet layers. Shivers traveled over my skin. I must be in a land of giants. A parallel universe.
I’d heard Father say earlier that this island had been corrupted, that we were there on a humanitarian mission to close a mine. That’s why this morning, I’d searched for precious stones near the beach. I thought it’d help him. I heard diamonds were shining through the sunlight; that’s why I wanted to hold one. But all I had found was a sunburn.
I wrinkled my nose. The flowers smelled weird, like they were from the ashes of an old fire. I felt like death filled my nostrils. It was creepy but not unappealing. An older woman shook a rattle and bell, ambling in our direction. She wore a white tunic that contrasted with the brown of her skin. She squatted in front of Mom, a light smile on her face.
“You seek freedom? Heal your sorrow?” the woman asked my mother, but the pitch of her voice meant she already knew the answer. Her gaze drifted to mine. “Is it your son?”
“My Radcliff,mambo.Can theLoaprotect him?” Mom said with worry.
The mambo’s lips curved into a half-smile. She approached closer, her hand reaching for mine. I pulled away, not used to strangers touching me. My eyebrows knitted together in hostility. I didn’t like it.She thinks she can read me.My fist clenched.
“Protection isn’t what the boy needs.” She chuckled, and I swore something sparkled inside her eyes. “That boy. Strong. Like iron.”
“What is it, then?”
“Let’s find out,” the woman added.
The mambo priestess headed to the center of the ceremony. Her eyes didn’t leave mine, and I gulped. It looked like she wanted to penetrate my soul—even if Father was convinced mine was gone. I furrowed my brows harder and squinted my eyes. Offense was the best defense.
Drums beat harder. Hands clapped. Maracas shook. The mambo sang the same melody over and over again.
Limen balenn nan – o an n rele lwa yo.
Sonnen ason an – rele Papa Legba.
Nan kafou a, o nou angaje.
Papa Legba – louvri baryè pou lwa yo.
“They are invoking the spirits…” Mom murmured to me. “They’re opening the gate between the world of the dead and ours.”
The flames reverberated inside Mom’s pupils, rising higher like they were possessed by a stronger force. The gate between worlds was truly opening. The dancers did aggressive warrior stances. Men seemed to slice and cut the thin invisible air with a sword. With their machetes, they were warriors.Strong as iron.I’ll be just like them when I grow up.Their expressions were blank, focused on the task.
But it wasn’t just men. Women followed with violent steps on the ground. They thrust their chests and lifted their legs high with each step. Most of them had paint that looked like flour on their faces. Sometimes, the dancers would jump or run frenetically. My heartbeat galloped as I watched them losing control of themselves.
My face switched constantly from shadow to light. The shadows on the red sand widened until they blanketed the huge flowers like demons rising above.
With the rising pulse of the beat of the drums, the dancers increased their movements. The mambo closed her eyes for an instant, stepping on the ground faster and faster like she wanted to break it. I felt the earth shatter under my feet. My heart followed the drums at a blistering pace. I put my hand on it, afraid it’d beat out of my chest.
But then, the mambo fell to the ground. The rhythm of the drums decreased. Everyone waited. Only the scared squawk of an animal echoed through the night. The mambo took a fistful of the sand before looking straight ahead of her. Her eyes were darker when she lifted herself up. Was she possessed by the spirit?
