Bastet's Box

“What does it mean to have someone to truly have your back, to have unwavering loyalty, to have someone you would go to the ends of the Earth for you and you would do the same. What does it feel like... to love and lose, to hope and have faith, to trust and feel. Questions like this make you look deep within yourself and wonder how much are you missing by not paying attention to fractures of yourself the mirror holds the key. We ask who the greatest story ever told, your story defines life, pain, hurt, love, and hope. It shows you what you are missing when you create a painting a stroke of the brush represents you. So, you ask yourself are you doing enough? Creating enough? Reflecting enough? Not one person reacts the same, they could do the same thing but for different reasons, they can share similar experiences with different backgrounds. They say when you have no one nobody will save you, we can save ourselves reach out for help. The next time you look hard on yourself look deep within your shadow and face the darkness”

Everyone clapped their hands as Nairobi walked off stage.

“Thank You Nairobi Ndiaye for that beautiful speech, as everyone leaves you can talk to your favorite professor when you exit the room, Thank You! Enjoy the rest of your night!”

Everyone walked out of the room, talking to the professors as they exited the auditorium. Nairobi got up to speak to Maiko.

“Maiko Haruna, Hello! Thank You for seeing my off stage!” Nairobi said

“Well anytime lovely lady it’s interesting to see you speak, more interesting of not seeing you with your best friend Zoraida Ramirez” Maiko said

“Well, she was a little busy trying to finish her sculpture for her art event next month” Nairobi said

“Oh yes that’s right well I hope to see you there?” Maiko curiously questioned

Nairobi nodded “I’ll catch up with you later” she walked away, headed to the parking lot. Nairobi put her keys in the car and drove to her home. When she entered the house, it was empty, she walked to the room in the back and opened the door “Zori? Are you home?” she got no answer. Nairobi walked further down the hall; she heard a tinkle down the hall. Nairobi followed the noise; she opened the door to find Zoraida sitting with her wireless headphones in. She was focusing on bending and molding her wax into a person, she was using glass on the side of the face of the sculpture. Nairobi walked over and tapped her on the shoulder, Zoraida jumped she took her headphone out of her ear looked up at Nairobi and smiled “Hey! I didn’t know or hear you come home! How was the lecture?” Zoraida questioned

“Haha it was not a lecture it was a seminar and it went fine”

“Well, that’s good I’m sorry I didn’t make it!” Zoraida said with a sad look on her face

“No, it’s okay you had to work and then do more work. The doctor who moonlights as artist to fundraise for the hospital she owns.” Nairobi said

Zoraida tilted her head to the side “Really?”

Nairobi smiled “No usually you come through, I understand. By the way don’t forget my Mom wants us for dinner tomorrow and she wants you to bring Camilo”

“I remember, and he has it in his calendar, he loves coming over to Mama Zahabu’s” Zoraida said with smile

“Great, I’m going to bed see you tomorrow at dinner. Please do not stay up so late! You have work in the morning!” Nairobi said as she walked out of the room, she headed for her bedroom opened the door and laid in her bed.

The next morning Nairobi got up and walked to the kitchen, she fixed herself a bowl of cereal. A loud bang happened outside in the back yard when she looked out the window, she didn’t see anything. Nairobi walked back over to her bowl sitting on the island. A red light flashed in the entire room and her left ear was ringing. When the light faded, she looked up and didn’t see anything. Nairobi finished her bowl of cereal got up and went back to bed, wondering if she were losing her mind. When Nairobi woke up it was almost time to get ready and over to her mothers’, she hopped out of bed, ran for the shower and got dressed. Nairobi got in her car and headed home, when she pulled up to her mother’s home, she noticed her brother’s car was sitting in the parking lot, she sat in her car staring at her childhood home; looking at the little green door that she and Zoraida would run out of as their parents would be in the back yard cooking food.

Tap Tap

Nairobi jumped, she turned to see Zoraida at the door “Having sad thoughts?”

Nairobi sighed “Just thinking”

“Hey Robi!” Camilo said

“Hey Camilo! Are you ready for dinner, at this point you are family”

“Always ready for dinner” Camilo said with a big grin

Nairobi got out of her car, and walked with the two of them to the door. Nairobi used her key and opened the door they each walked to the kitchen

“Ah Hello!” Mama Zahabu walked over to Nairobi and gave her a hug

“Zoraida! I am glad you made it! With Camilo! Hello Camilo” Mama Zahabu reached out and gave Zoraida a hug

“Hello Mama Zahabu” Camilo said as he gave Mama Zahabu a hug

“Come sit let's eat! Your brother’s wife and I have been working in the kitchen” Mama Zahabu said

Each of the room walked to the dining room and sat down

“Nai! It’s good to see you!”

“Jahir! Hey Eno I’m sorry you have to deal with this one for the rest of your life! When is the baby girl due?”

She laughed “It’s okay, I knew what I signed up for! Two more months and she will be gracing us with her presence and not playing kickball with my kidneys” Eno said

Everyone laughed, they all sat down, enjoyed their food and conversed between each. When everyone was down eating. Nairobi and Zoraida got up and took everyone's plates and cleaned up, when they were finished, they went back to the table and sat down.

“Nairobi when will you go back to the lab, instead coaching people to make and do great things you could be doing the impossible” Mama Zahabu said

“I don’t know Mama; I like what I do” Nairobi said

Zahabu groaned “Hey Mama, maybe she feels right pushing people around, you know she was very good at leading the pack” Jahir said everyone laughed

Nairobi bent over in pain; her ear was ringing again. “Nari, are you okay?!” Zoraida said

Nairobi lifted up when it was done “Yeah, I’m fine”

Mama Zahabu and Jahir looked at each other

“Hey Nai, how long has this been happening?” Jahir said

Nairobi looked at her brother and her mother they looked concerned but knowing

“It just started today, why?” Nairobi asked

Jahir glanced at Mama Zahabu, tapped his hand on the table in a fist “Just curious”

A loud crash happened in the kitchen and a red light flashed in the room, everyone covered their heads. When they looked up, two women were standing in the room. They both had staffs in their hands, their bodies adorned with red and gold fabric. The one in front looked at Mama Zahabu with her head held high. Mama Zahabu stood up and banged her hands on the table “NO! She is not ready!”

“You did not give her time to be ready, Zahabu!”

“Mom what is going on?! How do you know them”

They all looked at each other, Mama Zahabu sat down and looked at the women, she took a deep breath “Our family is from a long line of powerful magical warriors, where we come from there are many things you would not imagine is real. It’s where we lived before you were born, because Jahir had refused to use his power to fight, we were shunned but they wanted you. Your father and I made a deal with the leader to raise you away from our people until you were ready”

Nairobi’s face dropped and she laughed “You have to be joking right?” the room was silent

“Jahir you are condoning this?” Nairobi questioned

Jahir closed his eyes and started humming in a deep earthy tone, he spread his hands over the table and the table lifted. Nairobi and Camilo were shocked, Zoraida was excited

“You have to come with us” she stood in front of Nairobi

“Why is it so urgent she comes now Kacela?” Mama Zahabu said “Tabia?”

They both looked away, “Answer me! You are taking my daughter and you won't answer me?” Zahabu said

The tall slender woman with breads turned to Mama Zahabu and put hands across from her with her staff still in her hand “You gave up the right of not knowing when you left and allowed your son not to fight” Kacela said

The other woman got in front of Kacela and put her staff across Kacela’s body and spoke her voice gravitated over the room “We are not here to fight; someone has taken Bastet’s Gift the emerald box. We suspect it was Baya. Your family’s gift could help us find Baya and return the emerald box to its rightful place”

“Mom I will go with them” Nairobi said

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, maybe this is the bigger purpose you want me to have, they clearly need help” Nairobi said

Zahabu sighed and nodded to her daughter

“Wait, I want to go with you” Zoraida said

“Girl what? No!” Nairobi said

“We have been friends since diapers, your Father died and I was there, My Mom died and you were there, I am not leaving you with this major event” Zoraida said

“Work?” Nairobi questioned her friend

“I will make a quick call” Zoraida said as she scurred off into the kitchen and made a call she could be heard whispering in the kitchen

Kacela watched Zoraida as she went into the kitchen and turned to Zahabu “You made friends with the Sangarita Witches; she is crazy if she thinks she will come with us”

“Her Mother and Father found us and helped us, we have been friends ever since and you will take her because YOU are crazy if you think Nari won't need her” Zahabu retorted

“Hmmm” said Kacela with her head still held to the sky as she studied the room

Moments later Zoraida walked back in to the room “Alright made arrangements said I would I will be out until further notice” she turned to Camilo “Are you okay if I leave and with taking my stuff?”

“Yes, I would be!” Camilo said

Nairobi looked at Kacela and nodded. Kacela held out her hand, a tanzanite circle levitated in the middle of her hand. It started spinning in the air and it was a humming noise resonating from the stone. A portal opened in front of Kacela she turned to Nairobi and Zoraida, she walked through and the three of them followed behind her. When they walked through, they landed in a grass field, there mountains and trees. Nairobi and Zoraida gawked in amazement, four women on horses were heading towards them, they had three horses on their own with them.

“Kacela, you brought Zahabu’s daughter who is the other one?” a darkskin woman with orange wrapped around her body spoke

“Anoka, It’s the daughter's friend she would not come without her safety net and her Mother would not allow it” Kacela said

They all smirked “I hope she can still get the job done” Anoka said “Come on”

Kacela and Tabia got on their horses, Nairobi and Zoraida shared a horse as they followed behind them. They rode for a long time until they reached a village, a little boy ran up to the horses “You all came back!”

“Yes, what would make you think we wouldn’t Yorobi?” Tabia said

“My sister thought you would not come back” Yorobi said

“Your sister always hopes for the worse” Kacela said

They rode further into the village, they got to a hut and got off of their horses. Kacela guided the girls inside of the hut, as they walked in the walls were decorated with mask and figurines. In the center of the room, it was a three-tier fountain and four stones sitting on columns near the fountain. Nairobi walked over to the stone, as she held her hand out to the garnet stone it started humming. As the women watched her hand get closer, Nairobi’s hand finally reached the stone and all the stones started humming. Nairobi turned to the six women “What was that?”

“Claiming your zenith” Anoka said

“When awakening your power, most of the time you come here to claim your zenith, like your ancestors before you. You have been hearing ringing, yes?” Tabia said

Nairobi nodded

“Thats usually how it begins, usually younger than when you are 28 but I am assuming Zahabu used your friend's family to repress your power” Kacela

“Whoa wait don’t bring my family into this” Zoraida said

“Do you know magic?” Anoka asked

“I was taught but I do not practice, medicine can be found in science not magic, magic is cool and handy but another form of helping people” Zoraida said

“I’m beginning to see why the two of you are friends, the doctor and the scientist that now teaches” Kacela said

“Stand with your hands on the fountain and concentrate” Anoka said

Nairobi stood next to the fountain and put her hands on the fountain she looked down and seen her reflection looking back at her, she zoned out into the fountain and she couldn't hear anything. The four stones emitted light from that wrapped around Nairobi’s body and lifted above her head. When it stopped it, the fountain water showed Baya dead under water near golden columns. Anoka rushed over to the fountain and looked down she held her head up.

“What is it Priestess?” Tabia said

“Baya is dead under the Hajaya” Anoka said

The five women looked at each other shocked “We assumed because she took the emerald box, that she was alive”

“We don’t know why she took the box or what transpired before this I told she probably had her reasons” a tall dark brown woman with short hair spoke up

“Ife, I know you believe that maybe that is true, which is why we agreed to say nothing until we knew the truth” Kacela said

Anoka nodded “Come with us”

The eight women walked out of the hut, they walked out of the village. They eight women walked for miles “Why are we walking when we could have rode the horses? I’m just asking” Zoraida questioned

The six women laughed at Zoraida “Just keep walking we have to walk to get to where we are going” Kacela said

Zoraida groaned, they kept walking they finally reached a bush when Tabia pulled the bushes back they all worked when they reached the other side, they found a waterfall. It was beautiful encompassed by beautiful phthalo green next to the body of water.

“We walked all this way to get to a water fall?” Nairobi asked

They six women looked at each other, Anoka walked towards the lake where the waterfall fell to. Anoka took her staff swung it into the air three times and stabbed it into the ground. The water shook side to side creating waves, it lifted into the air and a stairway appeared into between the split of the water. Anoka went down the stairs, all the women followed behind them. They got further to the bottom of the lake and headed towards the waterfall. When they walked through the water, it was a room with flowing water and sapphire standing from the base of the ocean. The women stood in the room waiting, moments went by in the distance a creature swam up towards them, it looked like a woman with a tail she had long curly hair and eyes like moonstones. She swam out of the water and onto the sand of the room her body contorted, her tail split in two and became legs. She stood up softly shaking of her joints, she stood in front of us with no clothes.

“Yuna” Anoka said to the woman staring at us with her moonstone eyes

“Anoka what are you doing here?” Yuna asked

“Baya took the emerald box; we were looking for her and we went to get Zahabu’s daughter to locate her” Anoka said

Yuna charged at Anoka and stood in her face “Why did you not come here sooner! This affects us all!”

“I was hoping to handle this before anything drastic happened” Anoka said

“Clearly that didn’t work you brought in the seventh blood line” Yuna said

“Excuse me?” Nairobi asked

Yuna looked at Anoka in disbelief “She doesn’t know, does she?”

Anoka held her up “No”

Yuna let out a sharp pointed sigh “Should I tell her?”

Anoka gave an irritated breath and turned to Nairobi “I know you were made aware that you are descendants of magical warriors, your lineage, mine, Baya, Kacela, Yuna, and Ife’s ancestors came here long ago running from problems from the common world, Bastet gifted us a box that gave us powers over certain things. Yuna’s lineage were turned to mermaids along with people that wanted to go with them to the water. Your friend’s family plays a role with our history they have always helped us, in times of need.”

“You could have told us this, Oh I don’t know a while ago” Zoraida said

“Where was Baya found?” Yuna questioned

“We have not recovered her body yet Nairobi found her body under the water near your Rotana waters” Anoka said

“I can have someone swim over there and retrieve her remains to do what must be done” Yuna said

“Thank You” Anoka said

Yuna jumped back into the water and her body turned back into a mermaid in the water. The group turned around and headed back to the village, when they made it back to the hut. Kacela gave the girls a hut to share so that they can rest until the next day. The two women sat on the bed and looked at each other

“You never told me you practiced the arts I know you read tarot but what can you do?” Nairobi asked

“I have done a few things but I'm sure it's not enough to help us” Zoraida said

The women laid down, Zoraida fell asleep; Nairobi was restless she got up and sneaked over to the hut with the fountain she went in and focused on the fountain’s water. When she looked down, she saw what happened, she saw Baya take the emerald box and run. When Baya reached this mountain a man and woman came to her, they struck her over the head and dumped her body in the ocean. Nairobi passed out. The next morning Nairobi woke up to Ife wiping her head

“You passed out at the fountain, if you over exert yourself untrained you could cause vital damage to yourself” Ife said

Anoka walked inside “You should listen to Ife she is not wrong, why did you go back into the fountain hut?”

“I saw Baya, she took the box she looked scared, she ended up near a mountain with a door and she was hit over the head by a man and a woman” Nairobi said

Anoka held her head up “What did they look like?”

“The man was tall, light brown skin, curly hair, dark brown eyes and the woman was short slender long wavy hair, light brown skin and green eyes.” Nairobi said

Anoka and Ife looked at each other “Yuna brought Baya’s body, the woman and man you are referring to are Vasha and Maitho. They used to be with our community they felt that we should do with all of our ancestors would never do”

“And That is?” Nairobi said

“Use the power that was given to us, to be worshipped. We live like a community to respect each other and they want people to bow down, no one has ever killed her, we banish but we wipe memories if someone wants to leave” Anoka said

“You did not do that to my mother and brother” Nairobi said

“Except for founding families our oath is to keep the secret, Come on” Anoka said

Anoka, Ife and Nairobi got up and went out of the hut “I was thinking about what you said about the mountains, the emerald box created the island and they would have to keep the emerald box close. In an hour we will ride” Anoka said

An hour went by, they gathered around the horses “Come on we have found and we will go”

All eight women got on the horses; they rode for hours going past the mountains they rode for two more hours. They finally reached a crater and stopped their horses each woman got off their horse and stood above the crater.

“What are we doing here?” Nairobi questioned

“We have to jump” Ife said

Nairobi’s faced dropped “We’d die”

The six women laughed “Your friend you would have to hold her” Tabia said

Each woman jumped down, Nairobi and Zoraida watched them as they all jumped down “It’s now or never Nai” Zoraida said

Zoraida held on to Nairobi, Nairobi looked, closed her eyes and jumped. They felt wind past them as they fell down and big plump once they reached the ground. They opened their eyes, Nairobi landed on her feet. The six women smirked, they looked around the crater it was a cove near they walked through the cove. They went for miles, once they reached the center there was a pillar of stone in the middle.

“Figured you would show up and you brought the seventh.” Vasha said

“Now you had to bring children to the fight” Maitho said

“You should not do this” Anoka said

“But I want to, cousin Your families were chosen, that automatically makes you more powerful” Vasha said

“We all were given a power, only a few were designated to protect that power and make sure that we all get to safety. This is our home has been for centuries” Anoka said

Vasha lifted her hands, the stone started shaking, rock began to fall and it crumbled and cracked beneath our feet while she maniacally laughed.

“VASHA! PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!” Anoka said

A boulder fell down and Ife jumped and pushed Anoka and her out of the way. Nairobi’s hand started hurting, she clutched her stomach. Zoraida grabbed Nairobi by the shoulders

“Nari! Nari!”

Nairobi opened her eyes, they were glowing white, the earth settled. Vasha screamed and lifted her hands again but the earth didn’t shake “YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO USE POWER! YOU SHOULD NOT KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THE EARTH!”

“She doesn’t”

Everyone turned around to see Yuna “As long as all of the seven are here the safety net pulls in and our power does the work for us”

“NO! I killed you!” Maitho said

“Hmm you wish you did, you killed a water hag a decoy of me” Yuna said

Yuna walked over to Nairobi, touched her shoulder, her eyes flashed from white to brown and Yuna smiled. Maitho whipped his hands towards the women and daggers came at them fast, Tabia raised her hand and stopped the daggers and redirected them towards Maitho. Kacela charged at Vasha, and swung her rod at her, Vasha dodged and they began to fight.

“Let's look for the box, I need you to concentrate and close your eyes and feel the energy of the emerald” Yuna said

Nairobi nodded, she closed her eyes and concentrated, she felt a pull in her chest. Nairobi started walking towards a small cubby in the cove she reached her hand and pulled out the box.

“NO!” Vasha said she waved her hands and made rock charge straight for Nairobi

Zoraida crossed her arms across her chest “Lapis” the rock shattered into gravel.

The women looked at Zoraida shocked “Thank You” Nairobi said

“You know I have your back” Zoraida said

Nairobi clutched the box in her hands, the box hummed with a great song, she closed her eyes. The box lifted, spun around in the air, Vasha leaped for the box. The box disappeared as she plopped to the ground. Nairobi eyes were still white, she walked over to Vasha and stood above her

“Why?” she asked

In a deep echoing tone “The gifts belong to us all, not a select few, the box will stay hidden and those who are willing to give their life to the box can obtain the emerald box” Nairobi said

Nairobi stooped down to Vasha and touched her head, Vasha’s eyes turned white and her fell down to the ground. Nairobi flew over to Maitho, she touched his head and his eyes turned white and his head fell down. Nairobi flew back to the ground, they collected Maitho and Vasha, the women went back to the entrance of the crater.

“Okay, how do we get out?” Zoraida asked

“Bow” Kacela said as she smiled, she placed her feet next to each, put her hand in a fist and placed it in the palm of the other one and held her head down. They watched as she flew to the top, each woman did the same thing. Zoraida rode on Nairobi’s back, they got on the horses

“Thank You for coming, Yuna” Tabia said

“This is our home as long as I am alive I will always make it” Yuna said

“Do you need a ride back?” Nairobi asked

The women laughed

“It’s …. It’s water nearby I can make it my waters” Yuna smirked and walked away.

The women rode off into the distance separating from Yuna