Inner Demons✔

Chapter 18

The drive to Madam Bavoux's Voodoo Shop took less than five minutes. But with Sage's unconscious body in my lap, it felt more like five hours. Every little twitch of her eye lids, or noise that escaped her mouth would cause my anxiety level to raise a little more. I may not have known Sage for a long period of time, but the twin connection we shared was undeniable now. The longer we were together the more it began to feel like she was a part of me, like extra limb or second heart. She was my sister, and I was determined to make sure she was okay, no matter what.

When we pulled up to the shop Freya was already waiting for us out on the sidewalk. Her thick braids piled high on her head like the last time we saw her. Everyone jumped out of the van and made room for Mr. B to lift Sage off of me, and I hurried behind them, refusing to let Sage leave my sight.

Freya escorted us through her shop, making sure to lock it up behind us and turn her open sign to close. As we slowly shuffled through the small shop I couldn't help but take a long look around us. The walls held shelves of strange statues and candles, some displayed odd masks and jewelry. Fake shrunken heads and voodoo dolls hung from the ceiling with price tags attached. One corner of the shop was set up with a table and chairs, a deck of cards sat atop it along with a few incense that was already lit and filling the shop with the smell of jasmine and lavender.

For the most part, the shop looked like it was more of a tourist attraction than an actual provider of occult goods. Behind the sales counter, T-shirts hung on the wall, decorated with an assortment of voodoo related cartoons. But inside the glass case attached to the counter, were jars and jars of different looking herbs. Some were labeled with names like bloodroot, patchouli, rue, vervain, angelica root, cardamom, and juniper. While other jars weren't labeled at all.

Freya led us to the back of her shop, pass the card table, and down a small hallway. The hallway only held two doors, one I assumed was a bathroom, while Freya pulled out a ring of keys and started to unlock the last door. Once the door was unlocked she quickly hustled us all in one by one and then followed making sure to lock the door behind her.

The room on the other side of the door was surprisingly big compared to the small shop in the front. The large room seemed to be a living area with a huge sectional sofa that faced a small television set on one side and an open kitchen on the other. Dividing the two areas was a kitchen bar that jutted out from the wall and was lined with bar stools. One wall on the television side was covered with bookshelves that reached from the floor to the ceiling and the farthest fall was taken over by a grand mahogany staircase. With all the rich brown furniture and wood tones, the entire space felt completely warm and cozy. The stone fireplace attached to the center point of the back wall only added to the feeling.

"Wow Freya, you remodeled." Ms. Pierce commented.

I had no idea what this area looked like before, but if it was anything close to what the shop out front looked like, she definitely had a good carpenter.

Freya ignored the comment and darted into the kitchen.

"Xavier lay the girl on the couch." She instructed as she busied herself with digging through the kitchen cabinets.

My curiosity on what she was looking for was beaten by my worry for Sage's well being. I followed behind Mr. B and anxiously bounced on my heels while he gently laid her onto the couch. The blood flowing from the gash on Sage's head and come to halt but that fact did little to comfort me. I needed her to open her eyes and talk to me before I could feel better about this whole situation.

At the end of the couch, just inches from the top of Sage's head was just enough room for me to take a seat. The rest of the group mosied around the large space and slowly picked out places to quietly sit. Within just a few short minutes Freya rushed over from the kitchen, her arms full of wash clothes, rolls of bandages, and different bottles of unknown liquid. Ms. Pierce followed behind her, a bowl of water carried cautiously in her hands. The two women knelt down next to the couch and Freya began by cleaning the wound on Sage's head.