The Curser

The Curser

Bloodline Malediction

By Dawn Summers

It felt good coming back home. Northern life is much different than the southern part of the country. Patty felt stifled and too conservative in the North. And she missed the aroma of beignets in the morning. Patty sat back in the taxi, she couldn't help going back to a time where life was carefree and fun. A time before her fiance existed was gleeful, barefoot running in the fields. Ron changed all that, her love for him consumed all thoughts and desires. She couldn't breathe if she was not with him. Patty knew those sweet memories of her youth must stay just memories. Aunt Telly is the only one that can help her keep Ron from being consumed by the essence of the most beautiful Simpson woman, Dia. Men could not resist the long black hair, the welcoming warm brown eyes. The curve of their lips that beckons a kiss. The Simpson women have it all; from their curvaceous bodies to their charming personalities. No man could resist the mysterious way they talk, walk or create. The desire for them was so strong many women lost their husbands. and boyfriends to the Simpsons' thrall. Dia Simpson was intelligent, sweet, gorgeous, and charming. Just the thought of Ron looking in her direction sent chills down her spine.

Patty was not going to sit idly by and let her fiance walk into the arms of a Simpson woman. She was a southern girl at heart. She knew all the mysteries in keeping a man. Patty learned quite a few things from her family in New Orleans, especially from her Aunt Telly.

“Okay, ma’am that will be 25.00.” the taxi driver said as he pulled up to the house. Patty snapped back into time and foraged through her purse for her wallet. As she searched the taxi driver was amazed by the house.

“Jesus, ma’am this place is giving its own type of beauty.”

The taxi driver seemed hypnotized by the magnificence of the house. Patty looked up and smiled. Aunt Telly’s house was something to see. Her double gallery house was a show stopper. The brick was black and the windows, doors, and roof were bathed in deep purple. The amethyst doorknobs and latches made the house sparkle on a sunny day. Aunt Telly’s front garden was a colorful assortment of red, blue, and black rose bushes on one side. The other side was a medley of peonies. French pink, white, and hot pink were strategically placed between lavender. The aroma of the garden brought back fond memories of planting and pruning the flowers with her favorite Aunt. The vision of Patty and Aunt Telly in overalls covered in dirt with big floppy sun hats made her feel warm inside. Patty eyed beautiful trellis of ivy that had grown on the side of the house. The house is guarded by the tall black iron gate with an obsidian doorknob. Some of the wildflowers have grown so tall that they stood stem to stem against the gate. Somehow the garden’s chaos of beauty just worked.

The taxi driver helped Patty out of the car. She handed him forty dollars, she looked up at the house again.

“It sure does and so does the woman who owns it”, Patty said with pride.

The taxi driver took the money and smiled.

“Yeah, I heard the lady is something special, a force to be reckoned with.” “And I love me a strong woman.” he winked.

He collects Patty’s suitcases out of the trunk of the car and sets them on the sidewalk.

“You sure have a lovely day, ma’am.” as he tipped his hat.

While the taxi driver walked to his car, he glanced at the house one last time before driving off. Patty turned toward her childhood home. She subconsciously smoothed her skirt. She felt restricted in her Northern clothes. As she stood at the front gate she felt the need to loosen her collar of her shirt and unbutton her jacket. Patty walked toward her suitcases. As she reached down to pick them up, the handle on one broke and slipped through her fingers. It landed hard on the cobblestone sidewalk.

“Dam it!” she sighed as she knelt to pick it up to see if she can attach it back to the suitcase.

“Woo child that suitcase has seen better days!”

Patty jumped and dropped the suitcase again but this time when it fell to the ground it cracked open and all her delicates flew out like desperate birds that dodged a hunt. Her aunt appeared out of thin air, which was something Patty never got used to. Ever since she was a child Aunt Telly could always sneak up on her without a sound.

“Aunt Telly!” Patty dropped her suitcase and gave her favorite aunt a big hug. Aunt Telly held her and breathed Patty’s sweet quintessence. As she let go she held Patty at a distance and looked into her hazel eyes. She lingered a touch or two while she slowly released her.

“Well, this is a wonderful surprise.” Aunt Telly softly said. She looked down at the mess on the sidewalk.

“Well some things never change, I can't believe you still have this same suitcase!” she chuckled.

Patty kneeled down to put her clothes in her broken handled suitcase. She quickly stood up and followed her aunt through the gate and into the front garden. Patty was nervous and excited at the same time. Aunt Telly was still gorgeous with her black hair in a tight bun. She looked not a day older than the last time she saw her which was almost 5 years ago. Patty dropped her suitcases in the foyer and followed her Aunt into the formal dining room. She sat down at the dinner table and looked up at her aunt, who decided to stand by the sideboard. Patty nervously twirled her engagement ring.

“I know I have not been around for quite some time and I do apologize for that Aunty, but time just got away from me up North.” Patty pleaded with her Aunt. She held up her left hand. Aunt Telly began to smile and sat down. She took her niece's hand to admire her beautiful ring.

“Well this is a gorgeous ring darling and I am happy for you,” she said with a curious look.

“I thought the first thing you would ask was where is your inheritance check,” she said.

Patty felt a little guilty because the money was the first thing that popped into her mind. But she thought it would be in poor taste since she didn't go to her mother’s funeral two years ago. Patty really wanted that check for her wedding.

“I do feel guilty for not coming to her funeral, even though we were not close, I admit that was disrespectful.” she looked down.

“I do need the check but I need our family’s grimoire more than anything,” she said with desperation.

Her aunt looked puzzled, Patty never showed an interest in her family's magic. She got up and went to the sideboard and pulled out a little black moleskine notebook. She placed it on the table. Patty was confused.

“What’s this Aunt Telly?” Patty picked up the notebook and turned it around. It was soft but strong. The pages were filled with spells and potions. Aunt Telly stood beside her and rested her hand on Patty’s shoulder.

“This ma’dere is the grimoire, I cast a spell to put centuries of our witchcraft into this nice little black notebook,” she said with pride. “I may be old but I know how to minimize it, it's easier for me to put in my purse so I can carry it with me.”

Patty was surprised and excited. She knew her answer to her problem was in those pages.

“I need a spell to make sure my fiance does not leave me for another woman”

Her aunt sat back down and took the notebook out of her hands. As she caressed the book.

“Our family are powerful witches we can do what we want but making another person love you is even out of our reach.”

Patty smiled and she knew her aunt would say that. She grabbed her aunt's hand and rubbed her soft skin.

“I know our family can do curses and that is what I need you and the book.” “I know for a fact that curses were my mom’s specialty.”

Aunt Telly got up to get something out of the sideboard. She sat down with a brown envelope in her hand. She put one hand on the notebook and one on the envelope. She had a serious look in her eyes as she searched her niece's eye.

“Curses come with no expiration date, they fester and marinate within the families that are cursed” She stopped talking to see if her words were sinking into her niece's consciousness.

“When you make the decision to curse you alone hold the responsibility of someone’s whole bloodline in your hands”

“Are you willing to do that to a whole family?” She asked.

Patty looked down at her hand. She would do anything to keep Ron and the life she has with him. She thought the Simpson bloodline had enough good luck with men that a curse wouldn't slow them down.

“This family can have anything they want and all I want is my fiance,” she said with a determined look in her eyes.

Aunt Telly pushed the envelope to her and got up to go into the kitchen. Patty opened the envelope and there was a check for $20,000. She smiled and placed it into her purse. But her eyes were still glued to the little black notebook. Aunt Telly came from the kitchen with tea. She placed a cup in front of her and sat down. As her Aunt sipped her tea she kept an eye on Patty. When she finished she placed her tea on its saucer.

“Like many of my clients who want curses placed on others there is a process” “You must contemplate why you want this curse while bathing in a mixture I made.”

She placed a glass jar filled with green liquid mixed with many types of herbs, in front of her niece.

“I will freshen up your old room and run a bath and by morning if you still want to place a curse on the Simpson woman, meet me in the psychomanteum by 3 am” she sternly said.

Before she left the room, she turned to look at the back of her niece’s head. She hesitated and thought about what to say next.

“And by the way, I charge $20,000 for this service, and I expect payment at 3 am.” Then she walked out of the dining room and went upstairs.

Patty sat there for it seemed like days. She took out the check and looked at the little black notebook. She got up to get her suitcases. As she sat on her old bed she looked over to the bathtub. The glass jar was the stand next to the tub.

3 am Aunt Telly sitting in her chair in the psychomanteum. She sipped tea. There was a knock, she opened the door and there was her niece with the $20,000 check signed over to her.

“Let’s begin,” she quietly said. Then she shut the door behind her niece.