9 Chapter 7: Protector of children

Chapter 7

"This is it. Legba Forest." I looked around and see a bunch of tall trees and no uh, roads.

"How can this be a crossroads? This is a forest! Are you sure we're in the right place?" I said. This place is creepy, dead silent. All you can hear is the sound of the wind swooshing and crickets.

Hello darkness my old friend, I come to talk with you again... And in the sound of

silence...

I thought I was having a music background in my head and it turns out Sera is singing.

"Yeah dumb-dumb. Your nana brought me here, well all the apprentices were brought here to offer some offerings. Imagine how many gods and goddesses we gave offerings, it took us a whole month with no proper sleep. We traveled a lot. Why can these gods live in one place?" She said.

"Yeah fine. But the question is where is the crossroad?" I opened my phone to open the GeoMap. An app where you can find places accurately. Thank you modern technology.

"It says here that there are no roads in this forest. Of course who would put roads in the middle of the forest. This is useless." I turned my phone off and put it inside my bag.

"Wait. The clue said Mutt be your guide." Sera said while sitting down and looking for something.

"The legend say that a mortal can entry the road to the spiritual world if they can summon the dog. Papa Legba's dog." Sera said.

"How do we summon it? Bones? Dog food? Squeaky toys" I asked.

"No dumb-dumb. The dog is not your average mortal dog, it's divine and majestic. That's what they say." I thought she knows about this stuff!

"Don't look at me like that. I only learned about them but I haven't met them!" Damn she must've read my mind.

"Young ladies? What are you doing here in the middle of the woods? It's dangerous for you here, especially at this time of night." said a black man who is carrying 2 sacks of something on his back, wore a straw hat and a wooden stick.

"Good evening Sir. We're looking for a road here?" I asked and showed him my phone.

"A road? In the middle of the woods? That's preposterous! There's no such thing." He said. He is obviously struggling to carry the sacks. It seems heavy.

"Let me help you with this Sir. Are you living around here? We can help you carry this to your house, we're not on a hurry anyway." Sera took the sacks.

"No. I'm living anywhere. On the bus stops or anywhere that is a good place to rest. My dog is running towards here and I'm looking for him. We haven't eaten yet. I won't go without him." I feel pity for the old man. Sera took something from her bike. A big bottle of water and some beef jerkys. She gave it to the old man.

"Does your dog have a name?" She asked to the old man.

"No. I haven't gave him any. He always followed me around so I don't need to call him. It's the first time he ran out like this." Sera just gave a nod.

"Here doggy doggy." Sera is looking for the dog. Awwww. I don't know she had this soft side. If she could have showed me this soft side of hers, I think I'll like her. She's always stiff. All the time.

"So Miss. Why are you looking for a road in the middle of the woods? That's quite uncanny." I stayed with the old man while Sera is off to somewhere near to look for the doggy.

"Yeah hehe. I know this might sound hilarious. But we're on a quest to save my sister from, Kalfu. She has been held captive for 11 years, I think. She has been gone far too long, she needs us. She waited for years to be saved. I lost her once, I can't loose her again. Yeah it sounds fictitious but I believe it's true. I'm still new of this Voodoo stuffs". It was uncomfortable for me to say these, I bet he's laughing on the inside about this. Not all people are believers of this Voodoo. Real or not, I'm going to save Rizanna no matter what.

"Kalfu? The moon god?" He said.

"Yes sir. We only have a week to get to him before he comes back for another 37 years. I can't wait that long, now that my sister is in his hands. I still have to pass 7 gods and goddesses-- Uh. It's a long story." I smiled at him.

"Don't worry sir, my friend Sera will find your dog in no time. She is trustworthy." I patted his shoulder for his assurance.

"How old is this sister of yours?" he asked.

"She was taken from us when we're 11. She's actually my twin." I replied.

"When you showed me your phone, I saw you and a lot of children with you. Are they your family?" I think he's asking about my wallpaper.

"Oh yes, this? I consider them as my family. I'm a volunteer of a children's institution for 6 years now. I started when I was 16. These children are victims of abuse, orphans and abandoned by their parents. Youngest are a few days old and the oldest is 16. We help these children to overcome their traumas. These kids have been a lot than an average adult have. These poor angels are in the process of healing. I know, I've been there too. The joyous smiles on their faces makes us going. They are innocent little buttercups. They are still children you know?Then they should feel like one. To be loved and to be protected. And for them to feel safe. I'm sorry." I didn't realized I was crying. I wiped my eyes and smiled shyly at him.

"These children are precious. You did a great job. You're a good woman Ro. I know you are. Everything falls into place if you always take the right path. You and your friend may pass." I didn't quite processed what he said. Did he just called my name?

"I'm sorry but do you know me?" Before he could even answer, he looked at me and took my hand, he touched it. No, he squeezed my hand. It felt warm and comforting.

A dog came running from behind me and the dog joined his owner. He walked straightly towards a huge tree and to my surprise, he went straight at it and the whole image of the woods warped like it was some sort of a green screen.

The whole setting changed. From the Legba Forest, I am now in a sort of a crossroad. In an intersection between three roads leading to something.

"Praise Damballah for this!" I jumped when Sera popped out from my behind.

"Shit. You startled me Sera!" I felt my heart pounding. I looked around and looked for the old man and he was gone.

"I saw everything Ro! The old man we met is Papa Legba! Remember I told you that he is perceived as an older man in a straw hat or old tattered clothing, walks with a crane with a dog! While I was looking for the dog, I lost track of my way and I was lost. I saw the dog and it led me here to you! That was insane!" That was incredible. He felt real. This Voodoo thing is real! I'm experiencing it. We're experiencing it. Wow.

"We have three paths to choose. Where should we go next?" Sera is referring to the three paths in front of us. One on the left, one on the middle and one on the right.

I took out my notes and looked at the second clue.

________________________________________________________________________________

2. ) "Feminine lives by the water of her beauty. Queen of wealth, abundance and bounty. Be wise words with honey."

________________________________________________________________________________

"Does it ring a bell?" I asked.

"Feminine lives by the water of her beauty, water? Feminine means a woman--

"A goddess of water?" I cut her off.

"Yes. But there are two goddesses of water. Oshun goddess of rivers, streams and water. Adjasssou goddess of spring water. The question is which of those two?" she's right. I looked at the clue it says the queen of wealth abundance and bounty.

"Which of them is a goddess of wealth, abundance of beauty?" I asked her.

"I'm not sure. But I think it's Oshun. Do you think the 'Be wise words with honey' is referring to a real honey?" she asked.

"I don't know. I'm not sure. But what I know for sure is we should take the right path." I said.

"Yeah. Yeah whatever. Take the right path, do the right thing. Yaaay." Note her sarcasm.

"No dumb-dumb.Do you take me as a fool? Papa Legba told me ' Everything falls into place if you always take the right path' can't you see? He's giving us directions!" Her eyes widen in excitement.

"You know? I can go alone. And you can head back and do some novitiate thingys you're doing. You're such a nuisance. You never failed to annoy me. Go fuck yourself!" I turned my back at her and I headed to the right path. The right road. The right--- duh forget it.

"C'mon Ro I just. Look I'm sorry okay? I------"

"Blah, Blah, Blah." I totally cut her off. She keep blabbering about something and I don't gave a damn. So screw her. I am so certain that her "apology" is sincere, she may have an apologetic expression but she's chuckling like a fool. I'm gonna strangle her to death. You'll see. Dumb bish.

Sigh.

This is going to be a long, long day.