Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. II | In Progress

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Great Oracle Sinah

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January 1985

Ruthie was the one who told me to see this Great Oracle Sinah.

I was lounging in her home while Aza and Ben were out with their father. Ruthie was doing the dishes, almost done with them. She saw that I was lost in my head again.

"Terah got you spread thin again?" she asked me.

I turned to face her, watching her push her bright red headband back against her big mane of hair. 

"I hear the poison in your tone, Ruthie."

She laughed. "Well excuse me. Just saw you thinking real hard again."

Ruthie was always a prying little thing - getting everything she could out of anybody. Especially me; I was too quiet for her own good. On this particular night, though, I didn't feel like sharing what I was thinking about. Ruthie could guess; she knew. But I wouldn't say.

But eventually, she got there.

"You ever wonder if she not coming back?"

I felt my face go sour at her words. Not only was she curious, but she was blunt; cutting right to the chase when she felt something she needed to share.

Letting my pride keep my mouth shut, I went to the back door and decided to think out on patio. And of course, Ruthie followed me; didn't even put her shoes on.

"I didn't mean no harm with my words, Hezekiah," she said to me.

"I know that. I reckon you ask me these questions 'cause you'd rather have me all to yourself?"

Ruthie shrugged, smirking. "Well, it's not everyday someone can say that they got a vampire in the family."

The cool air gave us both room to loosen up. Coming up closer, she leaned against the railing like I was. It was just crickets for a minute or two before she spoke again.

"I don't like seeing you this way," Ruthie said, her voice low. "You know. Just...waiting and wondering."

"Ain't like I don't got the time to do it."

Ruthie rolled her eyes, "'Kiah..."

"You worry too much, Ruthie." My tone was bothered, and she sensed it. "You and Camille. Always worrying. For what?"

"For you! 'Cause I know that when you got that look on your face, you're thinking about her. And I know that if Camille knew about her, she'd agree with me."

"Good thing she don't know," I said. "And I feel like keeping it that way. You hear?"

The conversation was over. Ruthie bit her lip and stared at her feet. Crickets again. That's when she brought up the Oracle.

"Have you heard of Sinah? The Great Oracle?" Her eyes lit up; without bringing up her name, she could keep trying and get more out of me.

"You know I don't know nothing 'bout the magic you do."

"It ain't my magic. Ain't no one's magic. See, Sinah can see things - things we can't see on our own. God done blessed her with the Sight, for sure."

"The Sight?"

"Sinah sees the past and the future; things we missed or want to know."

"So, a psychic?" Ruthie almost lost me. Almost. Until she told me what else Sinah did: