Prologue

This story takes place in La Grange Georgia during the year of 1947.  There were two best friends. Malcolm and Kevin — both twelve years old and their mothers’ made sure that they were church going kid.  In fact, their mothers saw to it that they were in church every Sunday.  Mount Calvary Baptist Church was the only church for the colors and most of towns’ people of color attended the church.  Why used the colored church as a victim in this melodrama?  Simply, because this congregation is a symbol of weakness, and the lose fate in their faith.  The church was an old abandon one-room schoolhouse that the members had converted into a church.  Malcolm and Kevin were first cousins, the sons of two sisters. Talk is, the sisters got pregnant by the same man, so they maybe brothers.  They were born on the same day and the same year. 

Like most colored kids in the community, they had fun fishing on the local creek and playing baseball.  On this particular Sunday, there was something that happened in church that got their attention and the attention of most members of the church.  It was a woman no one knew of, or ever seen but the pastor — Pastor Jacks — was introducing her as a visitor and suggesting that she join the church as a new member.  But, when it was over she was gone, and many members of the church were dead. Sadie Isalove was an anathema to the whole community!

Editor’s notes:
This the first of two Novelette by Lee, special to “Black News.”

                       A Witch In the Church

A Novelette By Sinclere Lee

When we in church, Kevin and me always sat together.  I was sometimes a junior usher at the church and he would something sing in the junior chore.  This Sunday we ignored our church duties and sat behind Deacon Millsap and his wife.  They always talked loud in church; even sometimes over the Pastor Jacks voice.  When Pastor Jacks got to the lectern of the man-made stage, his introduction to us was always the same.  He welcomed all the church members to the Sunday services, prayed for the sick and shut-in and announced the collection for the morning services.  The money you were asked to put in for the morning service.  He seemed more interested in the collecting money than the congregation he was trying to get the money from.  Usually, Pastor Jacks introduced the guest at the end of his sermon — right before he dismissed the church, and after the final collection.  Now it was looking like the Pastor Jacks was going to introduce this strange woman to everybody in the church before the service.

“My fellow member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, we have a guest visiting us this Sunday.  She’s from Macon County, and her name is Sadie Isalove.’  The pastor said pointing at the strange woman sitting in the front row.  She stood and bowed her head out of respect for our pastor.

I noticed the woman before Kevin did, and perhaps before anyone else in the church did. She looked middle-aged, maybe in her mid forties.   She was black as cold, a broad nose and ugly features.  She was dressed in all black and wore a black hat with a large brim.   As I was making her out, she turned and looked at us if she knew we were checking her out.  How did she know that I had her in my glance on her?  Did she know me?  I thought?  Next, she gave me a hard stare, and her eyes were all Black like cat’s eyes.  I turned my head because I couldn’t stand her staring gaze!

“Kevin, did you see that?” I turned to Kevin and he seemed asleep. “ Kevin, did you see that?”

“See what?”

“How she looked at me!”  “Who, “ Kevin asked?

“The new woman!” I said.  “She looked at me like she knew what was in my mind, and in my thinking about her.”

Pastor started his sermon:  “Let’s take out your Bible.  I want to talk about forgiveness to day.  So, turn to First John Chapter One, Verses Nine.” The pastor asked of the congregation.  “We all at sometime want others to forgive us for our sins but Jesus is the great forgiver.   While we want our sins forgive, sometimes it’s hard for us to forgive others.”

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Pastor Jacks announced while pointed to the congregation who was sitting in dead silence.   “Now, turn to Psalm Chapter 103, Vers, 10-14’,” The Pastor said, and by now he was getting into his rhythm. And, he  was dancing on the man-made stage   “God has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for his mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.”

“Amen pastor, Amen Pastor, Amen!” Was the response from the congregation. “Amen pastor, Amen Pastor, Amen! Preach!”

This went on for about a half an hour and by now Kevin was asleep.   By now the people were shouting and Pastor Jacks was dancing, doing his little two-step on the man-made stage.  He stopped, took out a white handkerchief and wiped his face.  Now, the ushers were up walking around for the final collection.   This was the time you tithe, giving up 10% of your earnings.  A tithe is 10% of your income given specifically to your local church.  Because the custom of tithing is biblical, many Christians and Jews practice it as part of their faith.  No one ever gave up 10% percent of his or her earnings; it was more like 1% percent at the most from people.

“God loves a generous giver, so, to please God from your heart, God knows your situation, and you can’t cheat God!” The pastor said, trying to convince the congregation that God is watching them if they didn’t tithe 10% of their earnings.

“Kevin moved over so I can hear what they are saying.”  I whispered to Kevin in a low voice so the Millsap’s couldn’t hear that we were saying behind them.  When Kevin scooted over, I was sitting right behind Deacon Millsap.  Him and his wife would say any thing about the way pastor was running the church.

“I don’t think Pastor Jacks should be inviting just anybody to our church.”  Said Mrs. Millsap.   “We don’t know anything about her and as far as we know she could be anybody.  Even a mass-murderer. She could be anybody”

“Mrs. Millsap, the pastor knows what he’s doing, and by the way this is God’s house and anyone and all are welcome.”  Deacon Millsap said to his wife in a stern way.  Suddenly, the woman the pastor called Sadie turned from her seat and looked at the Millsaps as if she knew that they were talking about her and saying things about her.

“Did you see that Kevin, did you see that?  She looked at them like she knew every word they were saying.”

“What you talking about Malcolm?   Kevin said looking straight ahead at pastor. “Sometimes you just talk crazy, “ He said to me.

After church, Kevin and me rushed home for supper.  It was chicken every Sunday.  Chicken for breakfast with gravy, rice and biscuits.  And for supper, it was fried chicken, rice and gravy, fried green tomatoes; squish casserole and pound cake for dessert.   We had sweet tea and lemon-aid to drink.  We ate so much that the only thing we thought of was to go to the creek and fish.

When we got there and threw out our lines, Jacob the fisherman was already there fishing with his nets.   Jacob had been it town for about two-years,  and I remember because Kevin and me had a birthday party that year together.  Nobody in town knew too much about Jacob; we only knew he was from New Orleans.  He was a professional fisherman and the fish he caught, he sent back to New Orleans for sale. 

When he pulled in his nets, he had scores of fish; Walleye, Sauger, Smallmouth bass, White bass, Catfish, Perch and Crappies.  Jacob would catch the fish and pack them in barrels of salt and take them back to New Orleans where he got good money.

Once he pulled in his nets and loaded the fish into the back of his wagon, we started to talk to him.

“Hey, Mr. Jacob what you gone do with all them fish?  I asked while Kevin went to the wagon the check out his haul.  “Them plenty lots of fish, and we been out here for over an hour and ain’t caught nothing.”

“You need to learn netting.  That’s the best way to fish in a creek like this.” He said and went to his wagon and came back with five large Catfish and a bunch of Perch he gave to the boys.  “I know y’alls mommas, they go and get salt for me sometimes.  They help me load the fish in the barrels.  They some good Christian girls and hard workers” 

“You boys— once you skinned the Catfish, you got some mighty good eating.  The Perch, I never give away ‘cause I can get a dollar per pound in New Orleans.”

“What’s your real name, Mr. Jacob?  Kevin asked while separating the Catfish from the Perch and placing them in our large nap sack that we used to carry our fish.  “We only know Jacob.  What’s you full name?” Said Kevin.

“My name is Jacob Laveau.  My momma was Marie Laveau a great leady of New Orleans.”

Marie Catherine Laveau was approximately 1/3 each African, Native American and European.  Laveau's only two children to survive into adulthood were a son Jacob and daughter Marie Euchariste Eloise Laveau.

Marie Laveau was a dedicated practitioner of Voodoo, as well as a healer and herbalist.  She was said to have traveled the streets of New Orleans like she owned the place.  Her daughter, Marie Laveau II displayed more theatrical  behavior by holding public events including inviting attendees to St. John's Eve rituals on Bayou St. John.  It is not known which mother or daughter had done more to establish the voodoo queen’s reputation.  Her son Jacob, was a well-known fisherman.

Marie Laveau, started a beauty parlor where she was a hair-dresser for the wealthier families of New Orleans.  Of Laveau's magical career, there is little that can be substantiated about her life, including whether or not she had a snake she named Zombi after an African God.  Laveau was also known as a female religious leader, community activist, and herbalist.

“Wow, your mom was Marie Laveau the voodoo queen?”   “We heard a lot about her and New Orleans from our moms.” I said while amazed ay who Jacob was.  I helped Kevin load the fish and we left the fishing and headed by home to tell mom whom we met.

On the way back home, we noticed lights on at an abandon house that no one occupied for years.  We went to the house to look inside.  We saw it lit with kerosene lanterns, and a potbelly stove was aflame.  At first, I didn’t see nobody, but Kevin said look.  “There she is,  “that Sadie Isalove coming into the kitchen, and she is cooking a cake.”

“Be quite, she may hear us!” I said to Kevin.  She was putting something in the cake batter.  It was a green liquid and she poured it into the mix and put the cake into the oven of the pot-belled stove.

“What is she doing?”

“Be quite!” I said and she heard me and came to the window.  We ducked down to the ground, and when she went back to the cake, we ran fast as we could back to my house.  “What was she putting into that cake, Kevin?”

“I don’t know!  It was something that looked green!”

“Boy that was a close a call!”  Kevin went home and I went to my room to get some sleep.

The next morning on our way to school, we saw Sadie Isalove with a cake taking it to Deacon Millsap’s house.  Decon Millsap opened the door and let her in, and she left without the cake.

“We got to tell Deacon Millsap not to eat that cake. It might be poison!” I said to Kevin.

“Do you think they will eat it?”

“Sure, he loves pound cake, and his wife do too!” I said.  “Lets’ go and warn him not to eat it.”

When we got to the deacon’s house, he had cut the cake and they about to eat it.  I knocked on the door and yelled!

“Don’t eat that cake! It may be poison!”  I said as the deacon open the door.

“What you talking about Malcolm?  You kids should be in school!” The deacon said with anger.  “Get outta hear, you just want some for yourselves, but this cake is for me and my wife.  Get outta here ‘cause y’all ain’t gone get none!”

“I hope it ain’t poison!”  I said to Kevin and we went on our way to school.  After school, we saw the High Sheriff’s car parked in front of the church.

“What’s going on?” Kevin asked me.  We looked but hurried home from school.

“Pastor Jacks, I have some bad new about Deacon Millsap and his wife.” The sheriff said to Pastor Jacks who was standing in the middle of the church.  “They both were found dead at home.   For what we can tell, they died from natural causes. They were eating breakfast when they died.  Since they were in their seventies, and when you get that old anything can happen.”

“Them both dying at the same time seems odd to me sheriff.  I know they were both old and had health problems, but how often does two people die at the same time?” Pastor Jacks was confused.

“We still investigating the cause but it looks like they died of natural causes.” The sheriff said as he turned to leave.  “We’ll take the bodies to the undertaker, and you and the church can handled it from there.”  Pastor Jacks was in disbelief because he just saw them both in church Sunday, and they looked in perfect health.  He walked back and forth shacking his head in disbelief.

“This can’t be true!  I just saw them yesterday!” He said.  He was obviously upset.  “I just saw them both yesterday!”

“Here yesterday gone today!” The sheriff said and left Pastor Jacks in wonderment.

Part Two: In the final chapter, Sadie Isalove kills more people in the church until Malcolm and Kevin with help of Jacob, the fisherman stop Sadie with voodoo, spieals herbal concoctions and magical spell.

A Witch In the Church: Part 2

This Sunday was a solemn occasion for the church.  Pastor Jacks didn’t have much to say, but as usually he quoted from the Bible.

“My heart is heavy and my hopes are low. What does the Bible say about death? Turn to John Chapter 5 Verses 28-29  “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” The pastor read from the Bible. “There is no doubt that our brother Deacon Millsap and his wife will be heard when Jesus return because they have done good to the resurrection of their lives.”

There was not a dry eye in the church, and some members were crying aloud.

“While we’re mourning the death of our brother and his wife, we must celebrate their lives, and what lives it were.  Lives filled with giving and loved.  Lives that we all should celebrate.” Pastor ended his message with a prayer. “Let us pray.”

“While we will miss the work Deacon has done in helping us build a new church, his great works most continue.” Pastor Jacks was speaking to the congregation. “To help with the building of the new church, I have asked sister Sadie Isalove to take Deacon’s place on the building fund-raising committee. She has gladly accepted the job, and I look forward to contribution to our church.”

Most people looked at each other with wonderment as to say, “Why her?”

Kevin and me were suspicious of Sadie Isalove since we had seen her put something in the cake and take to Deacon’s Millsap house.  I though if we told pastor’s wife that she would somehow put a stop to the woman we thought was pure evil.  Pastor’s wife was standing outside by her car talking a woman named Gertrude Long. They were best friends and neither cared much about Sadie Isalove.  Like Kevin and me, they suspected her evil intend.

I tried to get Kevin to tell them but he didn’t want to, so I did it myself. “Mrs. Jacks, I need to talk to you about the new woman in church.”  They were talking about why pastor would put her into such and important position at the church with her not even being a member. “Mrs. Jacks, I think there’s something you should know about the death of Deacon Millsap.” I said as I approached them.

“What is that Malcolm?”

“We saw that Sadie Isalove take Deacon Millsap a cake the morning they died.  Kevin and me were going to school, and the night before, we saw her put some green stuff into the cake mix.  I think it was poison.” I told her but she didn’t seem surprised, and she looked at me a shook her up and down.

“We never trusted that woman from the first time we saw her, and me and Gertrude gone drive to Macon County to find out more about her.” They got into her car and drove off.  Kevin and me went back to my house for Sunday supper.

Late that evening when we were coming back from fishing, when we saw the High Sheriff again parked in front of the church.  We stopped and peeped into the window, and the sheriff was talking to pastor and pastor was sitting on the floor crying.

“Pastor Jacks, they were on their way to Macon County when they lose control of the car when it ran off the road, hit a guardrail and went down a ravine.  The car caught afire and their bodies were burned beyond recognition.  We’ll tow the car tomorrow to find out just what went wrong.” The sheriff said lifting pastor off the floor and consoling him at the same time. “You got to get it together pastor! You got to be strong for the people in the congregation.  You got to be strong for them!”

The sheriff left the church and the pastor fell back to the floor crying.  We went home to tell what we saw.  What was so wrong that the pastor had broken down like that?

Sadie was outside and she heard everything.  She was outside and she saw everything.  She knew what happened because she had cut the break-line to pastor’s car, and the death of his wife and her friend was apart of her master plan.  Now, she enters the church as a seductress and she was there to seduce Pastor Jacks.

“What you doing in here.  What you want!” Pastor asked after he looked up and saw who it was. It was Sadie Isalove.  She walked over to help him to his feet, and she didn't looked like the old rundown hag that first joined the church, but suddenly her appearance change.  She was no longer the Black big nose, nappy hair monster, but a raven-haired beauty no man could resist.  She was able change her appearance at a glance, and able to seduce better men that pastor.  He ran to her and tried to embrace her but she was gone. 

They ended upon the floor and he was having his way with her and then she changed back to the old Sadie Isalove. The witch — Black ugly, big nose, nappy hair’ a monster.  Next, she pulled a long hat pen from she had and stuck in the neck of Pastor Jacks. He turned and twisted for about five minutes like chicken with its head cut off.  Now, he was dead Still from the hat pen that had that green poison on the tip.

That was a terrible Sunday when Kevin and me got to church. We found a horrible situation.  Pastor Jacks and his wife were dead; Deacon Millsap and his wife were dead, and Gertrude the pastor’s wife best friend was killed with her in the car accident.  Other members of the congregation were crying in lamentation about the mishaps befallen their church.  On the man-made stage, a deacon was introducing Sadie Isalove as the temporary replacement for Pastor Jacks.  She was seated in pastor’s seat behind the lectern.  This was the worse of the worst for the church, and somehow the boys had to do something to stop Sadie and what was happening.

The Morris family felt the same way! Momma Morris, the matriarch of the family decided that she would confront Sadie Isalove about what she thought of her.  Sadie was in the church when Momma Morris caught-up with her.  “Since you been here, we at the church have had nothing but luck and trouble.  Pastor Jacks and his wife are dead!  Deacon Millsap and his wife are dead!  The pastor’s wife and her friend are dead!  I think you’re behind all this!” Mamma Morris yelled at Sadie!

That night after the Morris family had supper and went to sleep, someone turned on the gas oven, late that nigh and gas seeped out into the house and killed the family of five.

Another member was found dead in the church when he asked about the Morris family. He was found hanging unside-down. It’s that Sadie Isalove! “I knew it to be her.” That's the way she kills i told Kevin.

The High Sheriff became suspicious of Sadie, and wanted to talk to her about the murders. They agreed to meet at the church. Sadie was waiting for him hiding behind the door. When the Sheriff entered the church, she jumped him. They fought in the church struggling over his gun. She got hold of the gun and shot the Sheriff, and took his body in the woods next to the church. Kevin and me saw everything.

So scared we were, we left the church and went down to the creek hoping to find Jacob there to tell him what’s happening to their church, and hoping he had answers.  He was there as usually casting his nets, and we immediately got his attention. “Jacob! Jacob!” I called out to him, and he turned and started walking towards us. “Jacob, we got to talk to you about some strange stuff happening at our church.”  I was glad he was at the creek and gladder he would listen to me.

“This woman came to our church one Sunday and all bad things started to happen.” I began to explain. “Our Pastor Jacks and his wife were dead; Deacon Millsap and his wife were dead, and Gertrude the pastor’s wife’s best friend was killed with her in the car accident.  I think all this was the work of the new woman, Sadie Isalove!”

“We even saw her kill the High Sheriff!” Kevin shouted! She's cold blooded killer.

“How does she look?” Jacob asked the boys, wanting to know more about Sadie Isalove.

“She is ugly, black and with a big nose. Her hair is nappy and she looks like a monster.” I said to Jacob. “We saw her baking a pound cake that she gave to Deacon Millsap and his wife.  She put something green into the mix and they ate it and died.”

“Sound like y’all dealing with a witch!!” Jacob said with a loud voice! “Sound like an evil spirit has come to town and the church welcomed it!”

“How we gone know it’s a real witch Mr. Jacob?” Kevin asked.  “How we gone know Sadie is a real witch and not just a mean ass woman?”

“I got just the thing so you can tell.  I got a witch bottle and it will drive out the evilest of witches.  My momma made it and it’s made from Voodoo magic and my mom used it all the time in New Orleans.  She was the Queen of Voodoo.  Most Blacks in America can trace their religion and culture back to Voodoo.  But, they let Christianity take control of their religious lives.  My momma gave me this bottle, and I’ll give it to you boys to help you out.” Jacob said and then went to his wagon can came back with a bottle full of all kinds of stuff.  He called it a witch bottle.

“What’s in that bottle?” I asked Jacob

“It’s a bottle full of fishhooks, human teeth, shards of glass and an unidentified liquid that I can’t tell you about.  All this is placed in a bottle to ward off witchcraft.” Jacob said.  “Take it back to the church and place it near Sadie, and if she jumps, she’s a witch.  You got place it in within two feet of her, if not, it won’t work.”

We took the witch bottle and ran back to the church.  When we got to the church, Sadie was on the man-made stage preaching.  As we reached front of the church, we stopped, and I had a plan.  Kevin was to take the witch bottle on his hands and knees, and then crawled behind the stage. When he did, he placed the witch bottle under Pastor’s seat.  I was to act like I was shouting to distract attention from Sadie. 

When she finished preaching, she went to sit back down in pastor’s seat, and as soon as she sat down, she jumped like her ass was on fire.  Kevin crawled back towards me and Sadie saw him. She pointed her finger at him, then, she disappeared in a puff of smoke.  When Kevin got back to me, he was braking like a dog.  We both ran as fast as we could back to the creek to tell Jacob what had happen.

We ran back to the creek as fast as we could. When we got back to the creek, I was out of breath and Kevin was still barking like a dog.  “Jacob!  Jacob! It worked!” I said!  “She’s a witch!  She’s a witch!!” I exclaimed over and over! Jacob came over to ask me what had happen? “When we got to the church, Kevin took the witch bottle on his hands and knees then crawled behind the stage, and placed it under pastor’s seat.  To distract her, I was acting like I was shouting then Kevin made his move.”

Kevin was still barking when Jacob got to us; he put his hands on Kevin’s head and he stopped barking just like that.  He wanted to know more.

“What happened after that? Jacob asked.  “When she saw it was Kevin and me, she pointed a finger at us and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.”

“She’s a Doppelganger!” Jacob announced! “She’s a Doppelganger!!  She’s endowed with witchcraft, Satanism and she’s in league with the devil!!”

A Doppelganger is a non-human look-alike or double of a living person, sometimes portrayed as a ghostly of bad luck with an evil twin.  All living creatures have a spirit double who is invisible but identical to the living individual. These second-selves are perceived as being distinct from ghosts (which appear only after death), and sometimes they are described as the spiritual opposite or negative of their human counterparts referred to such as a specter.

“My mom had a cure to get rid of a Doppelganger witch,” Jacob said to the two boys. Then, he went into a wooded area and came back with a wet rag. The rag had three plants wrapped in it.

“What you got there?” I asked Jacob.

“This is what we need to stop a Doppelganger witch.” Jacob answered with a smirk on his face. “These three poison plants Ivy, Oak and Sumac when put together will take away powers of a Doppelganger, but, you got to douse the plants with water before it works”

Jacob took the three poison plants and looped apiece fishing string through each poison plant, and tied the ends together into an ankle bracelet. He showed how to connect and disconnect the two ends to make the bracelet hold.

“You boys better be very careful, a Doppelganger witch got special powers and can sense trouble!” Jacob warned the boys “Remember, you got to use the water to activate the poison plants.”

“You ready Kevin?” I looked around and Kevin was shacking like a leaf, scared. I took the rag with the bracelet and called out to Kevin! “Kevin, get ready to go get and Sadie!” He stood there for a moment and walked over to me with his head down. I was scared too but we had to stop that witch Sadie.

“What happened after that? Jacob asked.  “When she saw it was Kevin and me, she pointed a finger at us and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.”

“She’s a doppelganger!” Jacob announced! “She’s a doppelganger!!  She’s endowed with witchcraft, Satanism and she’s in league with the devil!!”

A Doppelganger is a non-human look-alike or double of a living person, sometimes portrayed as a ghostly of bad luck with an evil twin.  All living creatures have a spirit double who is invisible but identical to the living individual. These second-selves are perceived as being distinct from ghosts (which appear only after death), and sometimes they are described as the spiritual opposite or negative of their human counterparts referred to such as a Dark Specter.

“My mom put a hex on to get rid of a Doppelganger witch,” Jacob said to the two boys. Then, he into a wooded area and came back with a wet rag. The rag had three plants wrapped in it.

“What you got there?” I asked Jacob.

“This is what we need to stop a Doppelganger witch.” Jacob answered with a smirk on his face. “These three poison plants Ivy, Oak and Sumac when put together will take away powers of a Doppelganger, but, you got to douse the plants with water before it works”

Jacob took the three poison plants and looped apiece fishing string through each poison plant, and tied the ends together into an ankle bracelet. He showed how to connect and disconnect the two ends to make the bracelet hold.

“You boys better be very careful, a Doppelganger witch got special powers and can sense trouble!” Jacob warned the boys “Remember, you got to use the water to activate the poison plants.” Jacob knew all about Voodoo, and I believed he had the to stop Sadie.

“You ready Kevin?” I looked around and Kevin was, scared shacking like a leaf. I took the rag with the bracelet and called to Kevin again! “Kevin, get ready to go so we  can get Sadie!” He stood there for a moment and walked over to me with his head down. I was scared too but we had to stop that witch.

Meanwhile, Malcolm’s mom and her sister Maya were concerned that the boy’s hadn’t come home from church for Sunday supper. “They never miss Sunday supper with fried chicken, greens and potato-salad!” Maya said! “We need to go look for them!”

The two sisters left the house headed for the church. They passed the abandon house where Sadie was staying and noticed that lights were on. “Ain’t nobody is suppose to be living here!” Maya said.

“You think somebody is in there?’

The two sisters walked around the house looking in the windows. Didn’t see anybody, but Sadie saw them. She walked to the door and stood to the side door entrance to stop anybody trying to come in.

“The door is opened!” Maya yelled to her sister and she peeped in the door. Then she walked in.  When she entered, Sadie was waiting for her, and threw the voodoo dust in Maya's eyes. Maya fell to the floor. That’s when Ann, Malcolm’s mom walked in. She got the dust too in the face as well and she fell to the floor. Sadie dragged the two women to stares to then up to attic and tied them to two chairs. Tired, Sadie went back down to rest and had fallen asleep.

As we got to the house, we couldn’t hear a sound. “Let me look in the window to see what I can see.” I told Kevin and then I stood up to look in the window. I saw Sadie; she was sleeping in the chair. “I can see her!” I said quietly to Kevin. “Let’s go to the front door and if it’s open.” So, we crawled on the ground until we got to the front door. “Want me to go in first?” I asked to Kevin.

“Yeah, you go in first” he answered.  So then I stood up and tried to open the door and it open. I could see Sadie sleeping in the chair. I stepped inside and Kevin was in tow. I gave him the rage with the poison bracelet, and told him to crawl on the floor and put it on her ankle. He acted like he didn’t want to do it at first but I egged him on.

“Go now!” I said in hushed voice. He looked at me and crawled to her. When he reached Sadie, he took the poison bracelet from the rage and wrapped it around her ankle. I was afraid she would wake-up and she did. She felt Kevin’s hands on her ankle and looked down at him. Then she jumped up and kicked at Kevin. He moved just in time, but dropped the vile of water we had to put on the poison bracelet. Before Kevin could get away,  she was on his back. Then, he rolled over on top of her. She pulled a vile of Voodoo dust, and tried to through in Kevin’s face, but she dropped it.

As Sadie and Kevin fought on the floor for the Voodoo dust, I was scared stiff. So scared, I couldn’t even move. Kevin reached for the vile but it rolled under the table. He picked the vile of Voodoo dust and as he stood up, Sadie came at him like a wild animal. They struggled and Sadie pushed him back on the table knocking over a kerosene lantern. Now, the house was in flames, but they were still fighting. I saw a picture of water and used it to try to put out the fire. When I threw the water, most of the water landed on Sadie and rolled her leg onto the poison bracelet. She let loose of Kevin and started spinning like a top. Kevin took the Voodoo dust and threw it in her face, and she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

I heard my mom crying for help up stairs. The house was burning fast.  “You hear  I what I hear?” I asked Kevin.  “It’s our moms and we went up stairs and untied them and we all ran from the house.

As we left the house, it blow up in flames. Then, in the smoke, an aberration appeared in the sky. I knew then that Sadie had gotten away.

That Sunday morning, the solemnest was gone from the church.  There was a news pastor, a new deacon board and several new members. Kevin gave me a high five, and we went back to the creek looking for Jacob to tell what had happened, but he was gone.

                                         Two week later in Savannah
“My fellow member New Zion Baptist Church, we have a special guest visiting us this Sunday. She’s from Macon County, and her name is Sadie Isalove.’ The pastor said pointing at the strange woman sitting in the front row. Again, Sadie stood and bowed her head out of respect for our pastor. And, the members of the church welcomed her as one of their on.

The End