Chasing Tïme

°•. 2 .•°

Eesha's mind wonders about everything and nothing as she lays on the lumpy couch underneath quilt.

She knows she's thinking about something but what oh what is she thinking about.

She shuffles uncomfortably, her body moving on something. Her hand goes in, she feels a stick. In her mind she's about to bring out a wand.

Wouldn't be surprised if I did. She thinks.

She draws out a porcupine spine. The moon's light flowing through the window illuminates it's black and white stripes. She whisks the spine about like a wand, wishing she were at home on her bed under the covers and most especially Joy, her mother is no longer mad at her.

She closes her eyes visualizing the life. When she opens them, old blackened ceiling stare back at her. The smudge looking like dropped ink, the same as in Rorschach image.

A spider is what she thinks of.

Owls hoot from outside, crickets chirp, the wind howls and the house responds with its own unique call.

Eesha's eyes remain fixated on the ceiling. In the background among all the noises is the sound of ticking. It's slow, it's meticulous, it's hypnotizing. It lulls Eesha to sleep.

Some hours later which felt like only minutes banging of drums startles Eesha awake. Through hazy eyes she sees candles ignited around the living room. Her aunt dancing in the room with a talking drum in her hand. She blows powder- ashes in certain areas of the space.

Eesha's heart is pounding, her mind is spinning and working hard to comprehend what's going on. In the midst of the haziness the memory that comes to light is that of when she and her mother were arguing. Eesha said in the heat of the moment...

"You're so infuriating. Dear God! Maybe I'll want to be with Aunty Teeyah"

And that did it.

Eesha grumbles in her early morning language saying "what in the world are you doing? Why are you doing this now?"

"You have to lull the spirits back to sleep" She blows some more ashes. Eesha grumbles some more, she gathers the quilt over her body and marches out of the living room not fully realising where she's going to. 

When she twists the key of the passage door and yanks it open she doesn't remember. She just finds herself on the chair swing in the front porch, her head rests on its arm, her eyes find the smiling moon. The sight causes her to smile a tad. The cold early morning wind hugs her, Eesha's eyes close but she doesn't fall back asleep.

The sound of nature and her Aunty singing keeps her mind from drifting too far. She hears everything but responds to nothing.

When she opens her eyes she sees furrowed full eyebrows on top of brown eyes. With lips painted in charcoal. Top hat is settled on top afro.

Eesha eyes him sitting up straight, her hand massages her neck, she moves it from side to side. It makes a popping sound.

"Ah-fon ghan-jee-yah"

Good morning in Fon.

Eesha yawns in response tightening the quilt around her.

"What?" She asks when he continues staring at her making her conscious of her spider web scar. Despite growing up with it she still cannot handle the stares.

"Yo' upset because I did not come ey?" Though he's English is smooth, he has an accent that makes him sound rather odd.

"What are you talking about?"

"Yo' called ey! It's yo' that called... I felt the zing and the ping but I couldn't be sure where it was from ey. Ofcourse it was you"

Eesha's eyebrows tighten in annoyance. The guy notices it, he sucks in a deep breath, his hand then goes into the quilt covering Eesha, something that has her eyes widening and her body responding by shifting back. If her legs weren't curled under her, she would've kicked him.