As Above and So Below

3: Koza

Sitting, waiting for a plane is tiresome, merely due to the people. Portugal hates us, and they make it evident. And not cause I'm a witch, either.

"A gypsy leaving Portugal, thank god... They never seem to leave..." whispered a man to his wife, snickering.

I ignored it... I'd cast some sort of spell to embarrass him, but I won't give them my energy. I'm leaving... Leaving to a city where I will be with witches from all corners of the globe... But for now, all I can do is wait for the plane. I scroll through spells and herb definitions on my phone. The Roma's that practice witchcraft is very herbal, nature-centered... More so potions, concoctions, and healing and fertility than spells and magik and summoning, etc.

Then... It happened... I heard the voice.

"Flight 300"

I shot up out of the airport chair and rushed to security with my snake familiar wrapped around my neck almost like a scarf. Once I got to security I was almost first in line. The woman doing checks looked towards me, fake smiling as she motioned for me to put my luggage on the table to checks. Three more security guards searched through the luggage, until they stopped, curious.

The man checking my luggage looked towards me... lifting up my dead aunt's Dikhlo she gifted to me, nearly covered with moths. He shook it, and they all dropped dead to the floor, and I jumped back as they fell to my feet.

But he didn't see what I saw and kept moving on... To him it was weird... To me, a witch... All I saw was an omen... I could barely breathe as they packed up my stuff again.

Then, the female security guard pointed to Deslizar.

"You can't have a snake on board without permission," she tells me, her stare blank like she's done this so many times it doesn't matter.

I nod, smiling, staring into her eyes. As she reaches mine, her eyes go blank. I wait until the male security guard tends to another passenger.

I move towards her, Deslizar now holding eye contact with her. She hissed softly, moving her head back and forth.

I smiled fakely, "you think my snake should be let on board," I say, running my fingers through my butt length, black, wavy hair Of which I haven't cut in my entire life. I narrowed my eyes more and more until she snapped out of it, glancing towards me.

"You may move on dear," she said softly.

I smiled contently, softly caressing Deslizar with love in every stroke. "Why thank you, miss," I say, moving towards the plane, my white, flowing, lace dress flowing back and forth with my hips.

I grabbed my luggage, carrying it onto the plane heading to New Orleans, Louisiana, United mother f*cking States of America... But despite the excitement in my bones and the opportunity ahead of me... All I could think about as I sat down was why the moths clung to auntie Aishe's Dikhlo... And what did it mean... Was her death not an accident...?