10 Chapter 8

He looked over at her sleeping body. He poked her and snapped his fingers in front of her to make sure she was asleep. When she didn't move or make a sound, he got to work. He took out a plastic filled with different containers of herbs, spices, leaves and other trinkets. Each item was important for what he'd planned to do.

He took out a purple candle and placed it on her study table. A purple glow accompanied by a loud whoosh and a small breeze spread throughout the room. An anti-spying candle. No one would see what he did, hear what he said or know where he was. When switched off the candle would erase his scent and any trace that he was there save for his graphic t-shirts Mbilu loved to wear. He first opened a container of pure white sea salt he'd gotten from the mer living in the coves underneath his seaside home. He took out the containers with rowan berries and crushed ash tree leaves. Pouring the contents into an empty container, honey was mixed into the salt, berries and leaves. Walking to the door, he dipped a brush into the mixture and painted a line across the door. He quietly muttered a spell of protection. No fae would through the door. He'd repeated the same gestures to the windows and any entrance passage ways of her room.

When done, he took out a container of invisible ink and another brush. He'd opened his Quran and opened it on the scripture used to banish djinns. He took the brush and rewrote the scriptures on her doors and walls. Once the long task was completed, he'd moved on to the next set of creature to dispel from her home. He went to her and tucked the blanket tightly around her. He couldn't afford to mess up this most important part. The furniture around her room had already been rearranged as not to disturb him or her slumber. He stretched out both his hands towards her bed. Took in a deep breath, blew out a breeze strong enough to lift the bed off the ground. The heavy queen sized bed haphazardly levitated off the ground. The wind wasn't strong enough and his slowly depleting magic wasn't stable enough to keep her above ground for longer than he expected. Swiping his arms, he'd moved the bed to the other side of the room and gently placed it on the floor. The bed slightly shook but she remained asleep and unbothered by the little movement. A sigh of relief escaped him. He'd put on a pair of thick rubber gloves, put on his sneakers, his mask and goggles.

Goosebumps formed on his arms and his body recoiled as he took out a bottle of holy water he'd gotten from an angel nurse at the hospital. His tail had wrapped itself around his leg and hid inside his pyjama pants. A sliver of fear threatened to force him to put the bottle away. One look at her peaceful face had strengthened his resolve. It was for her. All for her. His love. Taking in a breath and steeling himself, he opened the top of the bottle and dipped a new brush into it. He drew a circle of protection with the holy water on the spot where her bed would normally be over. He then dipped the brush into the water and flicked it across the room. Mbilu's overly religious mother would be proud to see her room covered in holy water. He chuckled to himself.

Mbilu had never been overly religious only in specific times. But wasn't that the same for everyone? Only trusting and being faithful when it suits them? He recalled the time they watched a horror movie. She'd never been allowed to watch one because of her very religious family. He sat her down and found an entry level horror movie. It went well at first then it got scarier and scarier. Eventually they'd reach the conjuring series. That had scared her so much that she had a nightmare about it. She'd woken up at the middle of the night terrified. Her mind playing tricks with her. He tried calming her down but she wouldn't have it. She'd taken out her bible and holy water. She made a cross on her forehead with the holy water and slept with the bible in her arms. He couldn't get near her after that. It was the first time he'd figured out what happened when holy water touched a djinn. Holy water was hot as ice. Cold to the point that it burned. He couldn't react to it because she'd be scared though once she closed her eyes, he'd went to the bathroom and muttered every curse he'd ever learnt. Holy water was dangerous stuff. As much as she didn't truly believe in it, holy water was powerful to the all seeing eyes.

He'd placed the bed back to its original spot and went on cleaning the mess he made and making sure the protection spells and wards were never seen by the human eye. Once his tasks were completed, he changed out his protective gear and slid back into bed.

**

Her grip on her bag handle had tightened. She had a strange sense of dread follow her since she left the shops. Mbilu carried her grocery bags to her apartment. The shops were a five minute walk away from where she lived. The streets were still empty seeing as majority students had to be kept in quarantine until the two weeks were over. She quickly turned back to look behind her. No one was following her. Readjusting her glasses, she put one of her bags on the ground and bent down as if she were tying her shoelaces. She reached into her handbag and took out her knife. Uncapped it, she placed it in the front pocket of her jacket. Easy for her to reach and closer to her shopping bag handles. Picking up her bags again, she'd quickly went to her room.

She'd reached her room without an incident. Opening her door, a small crunch resonated from her foot. Her bags were placed in the kitchen before she turned to the source. A little note on the floor beside her door. An uncontrollable grin formed in her face, a rush ran through her veins and excitement bubbled up within her. A letter. It must be from Remi, she thought to herself. She loved Remi's letters. They were beautiful and enchanting. She wasn't moved by the words written, he was a bad poet and they both knew it. Her excitement came from the images he'd drawn or painted for her. His images were what gave her joy. It had been a while since he'd sent her one. She figured he was busy with it being the end of the Summer season and everyone was being foolish before the year had fully started. Her bed creaked and moved partially when she jumped onto it like an excited school girl. She'd carefully opened the letter and took out its contents. The letter that accompanied it was odd. It wasn't made from paper.

Well in her case the paper she was used to. It carried the strong scent of the ocean and forest. She recognised the salted wind that blew from the coast and the wet dirt underneath the trees at Newlands forest. The letter itself was comprised of dry seaweed. That would explain the sea salt smell but not the forest scent. Quickly taking the letter to the study table, she'd taken out an exam pad and re wrote the contents of the note before the letter withered up and died.

What would it take

To make a mistake?

Maybe a slip

Maybe a trip

Peek-a-boo

We found you

Next time don't party

Under the moon

That came from the first letter. A warning. Was it to her or to someone else? It must've been to her or it wouldn't be delivered to her home.

You wish to know the truth

For ignorance will make you rue

Follow the length of your plight

Where the flightless approach flight

Where two opposites meet

The freezing cold and warming heat

For right in between

Two great divides become a mean

From the second letter.

What did this mean? What did any of this mean? The first riddle was complete nonsense to her yet she could understand the second riddle. She didn't know how but she knew it was meant for her. The second riddles was hers to figure out. She just had to wait for the quarantine to end then she could continue her hunt.