Lucia’s Brilliant Idea

Lucia Dickman.

If you ask other people about her, they would say stuff like: the weird one in the family; the troublemaker; a menace; and so on and so forth.

In short, she doesn't fit into the image people have in their minds about how a Dickman should be. Smart, acts with elegance, good with whatever business they get their hands into, and most of all, well-respected. And none of these describes her. Quite the opposite, in fact.

***

A quarter past twelve in the basement of the luxury villa on the east coast of Bonaville. Inside the room filled with candles, dead animals (dying ones too), tiny bottles with suspicious liquid, a typewriter, and a skeleton.

Wearing a black regal dress, Lucia sat on the rocking chair at her favorite spot. At the most corner part of the room. The spot where the lights from the candles failed to reach.

Sitting across from her was her older brother, Henry Dickman. His right hand was holding the cup of tea (if you can even call it a tea) that Lucia insisted for him to drink for, according to her, vitality purposes. It was a mix of random herbs and grasses she found in their backyard and some other things Henry would never want to hear.

If he wanted to have a proper conversation with her he needed to do this much.

"Ahem! So, uh, Lucia. How have you been? Aunt Martha told me you never left the basement for a week. May I ask you why?"

"Aha! You came to ask me that? But what about George?" She asked. Her doe green eyes shouted innocence but don't be fooled. For inside her head were various ideas on what she would do after Henry finished the cup.

"No. We will get to that. Uhm, okay, let me get straight to the point. Are you available right now?"

But instead of answering, Lucia just stared at him, her smile was getting bigger. And watching this, Henry suddenly had a bad feeling. He nervously looked at his cup. Only a quarter was left. 'It was spiked!' he realized. But it was already too late.

His eyes widened as he slowly lost sensation all over his body.

He felt funny in his joints so he stood up but strength left his knees. All his limbs turned into noodles.

"Wav hav you done to ve?" Henry tried to yell at his younger sister, eyes bulging, his jaw wouldn't move the way he wanted them to be.

"Forgive me, Henry. I've been dying to do this since we were kids. George can make dust. Owen can hypnotize. But how can you make animals go zoom and zap? I don't understand! I know it was a curse from when papa did the nasty but it just doesn't make sense, does it? That's why I thought I should see what's inside you. I will open you up and I promise it will be painless. I already tried it on that cat on the table."

Henry's eyeball moved to the side in search of the said table. Beside the typewriter was the cat that once had a fluffy gray coat. It barely had any hair left, unmoving with only its eyes darting in all directions, tongue hanging to the side of its mouth.

Henry shivered.

He was aware his sister wasn't quite right in the head but he let his guard down, assuming she wouldn't do anything to him as they were siblings and they've always been close since they were kids.

"Djoooords! Djooords!" He screamed. Desperate to stop this madness.

"Hmm? Did you say George?" Lucia asked him. "Right! You did mention George when you came. But what about him? Although I was sad he ran away. I was supposed to open him up first, you know? And then Owen and lastly you. But you're always mad at him and now he's gone so I decided to open you first instead."

'What is this woman talking about?' Henry thought. 'At this point, that foolish son of mine will really destroy this family like the book of prophecy said.'

His mind churned faster than usual. And although he didn't like the idea, he thought this was the only way.

With painstaking effort, he forced his mouth to move to scream, "Faaand Djoooords!"

"Huh? I don't understand you."

"Faaand Djoods! Faand ma son!"

"Oh! I think I get it. You want me to find George?"

"Go!"

Lucia was silent for a while. She was thinking. Then a few seconds later, her mouth stretched into a grin.

She thought of a brilliant idea!

She smiled innocently at Henry before saying, "Okay, I will find him." Then she shoved a funnel into his mouth and poured all the tea from the tea pot into it.

"See you soon, Henry." And with that, Lucia left the basement and headed to where Owen was.

"Hello, my other nephew. Your father told me to find George and you are coming with me."

Owen put down his cup and stared straight at his aunt.

"Are you sure? Did he really say that? Where is he?"

"In the basement. In return for finding George, he has to do me a favor."

"And that is?" Owen had a feeling something's not quite right.

Lucia snickered.

"Nothing much," she said.

***

Meanwhile at the Bonaville North Cemetery.

"Thank you so much, Fobela Taki-Taki. I will never forget your kindness." Diego said. Carrying George on his back.

"But remember, lad. One week. Within one week, that living person must become a graveyard resident lest he will lose his right to both worlds. Be careful. And don't make the mistakes that I did."

"I will remember, Fobela Taki-Taki. Then we'll be on our way. See you soon." Diego said.

Then Fobela took a large bronze key from the pocket of his oversize robe. And with it, he opened the padlock of the gate.

He stood there for a while until he couldn't see their backs anymore.

The lingering smoke of the candle of Manda-Taki dissipated and he returned to being a statue.

But who would have thought that a few minutes after that came two black dogs. They have long heads and sleek, muscular bodies. Ears standing erect. They were the two Dobermans Henry sent to find his son.

The scent of their master's son ended there but the person in question was nowhere in sight.

Their wagging tails drooped, disappointed. And they went back to where they came from to report to their master.