As Above and So Below

1: The Omen

Sitting still, shock coursing along with the blood in my veins, as I stare at what lay in front of my father and I as we sat at the circular kitchen table. He glanced up towards me, his eyes visibly worried, then once again, began staring at what is presented. A circle of moths, all dead, all looking the same... In the middle of the moths, a snake lay in the middle, dead, unmoving. I glance up towards my father, gulping.

"Is it an Omen, papa?" I ask, leaning closer, just wanting to maybe touch one of the moths... But an Omen must not be touched, so I leave it be.

He shrugged, almost speechless. He looked back up into my eyes... "I-I don't know exactly, Uci, this is uncharted territory for me... I'm don't know voodoo like you and grandmaman..." He told me, a small frown forming on his face, "maybe ask her, she's in her chair in front of the fireplace," he added.

I nodded, unable to really look away from the circle of moths. But, I do as he says and get up, nearly having to support myself with the table, but I force myself away, moving into the living room somewhat attached to the dining room. The long, wide, orange and white beneath my feet. And there, grandmaman sat. She looked up towards me, her eyes already telling me she knows what's going on.

"It finally happened, Je présumé?" She said in a near rasp, rocking in her chair. She was born and raised in Haiti, French and Creole being the only languages she knows, but she makes an effort at English for me. I nodded, moving closer, kneeling down, my hand on hers, staring into her eyes, begging for advice.

"A circle of dead moths, with a dead snake in the middle... It can't be a joke since you, Destin and I all put a protection spell on the house... It has to be something sent from the deceased..." I tell her, "what if it's about mamas murder..." I whisper, my eyes nearly tearing up.

"T dit un cercle of moths avec un snake dans le middle?" She asked, holding my hand tight as I nod, making her eyes widen.

"Vous êtes kòrèk, Capucine... See, ta momi, as you know was murdered... the moths représentent le coven, le serpent est within le coven, sa ansasen est within the covens walls... et slither silently among us still..." She whispered, beginning to hold my face protectively.

My eyes begin to tear up in fright, confusion, grief... fear, and my body tenses.

"T beginnin' ta enskryptyon a le Acadmie Calendula... Ta momi went there, any witches that were part of her coven went la a un point... T va meet witches, brujas, sorcerers, potential bokors qui vont help shape toi, but promise me, Capucine, s'il vous plaît, promise me t vont pas trust un soul, not even ta own sisters, not ta brothers ou kin... Ta momi fais le mistake a mistrust et maintenant elle est mort... Be safe ti bebe and you will thrive..."