Voodoo Women

I’ll never forget that day. I was just minding my own business, not hurting nobody.  But soon as I walked into my yard, all my energy was suddenly sucked outta me, my life force exploding in a spangly ball of silvery blue light. I could hardly move, had to gasp for every breath.

I knew exactly what had hit me. Or rather, who. That uppity, no-good neighbor of mine – Eliza. Snooping round my place where she don’t belong, trying out her nasty spells on me. She don’t know who she’s messing with.

I crawled to the house inch by painful inch, belly-down in the dirt, finally feeling under the door stoop. Sure enough, there it was, all dark and twisty, sprinkled with evil-smelling herbs. The whole hateful thing was wrapped up in a purple sock she musta stole from my washing that was hanging out to dry.

With my last ounce of energy, I ripped the hideous concoction apart, buried the herbs, and threw my torn up sock on the trash heap. After a while, I could breathe again and started getting my strength back. That lowlife Eliza better watch her step. I’m Delia, and I know a heap of powerful spells she never dreamed of.

I scrounged around in my special basket, and found the prissy lavender handkerchief I grabbed last Sunday when Eliza dropped it at church. I wound it round the misshapen twig, added my own vicious herbs, chanted a few choice words, and tied it all up with my special brown hemp twine.

That witch put a root on me. “Two can play that game, homegirl,” I cackled, heading toward Eliza’s place.