The Obeah's Curse

The Obeah’s Curse 

   Aaah, the scent of warm, salty air with a hint of plumeria and pineapple, the sound of seagulls chattering on the dock, and an indescribable wave of relaxation flowing through my entire aura. My partner and I had just arrived in the Bahamas for a long anticipated vacation, and the noisy, dingy city was just a faint memory already. We were entranced by the lulling, tropical vibes, as though we were in the most awesome dreamscape, and never wanted to wake up! I don’t know if it was because we were cooped up for so long, forced to quarantine ourselves from the world, or just the stark juxtaposition of a claustrophobic city to a pristine island that mesmerized us. Either way, we were eager to drop our bags and get into our gear. We already had a dive trip planned for later that afternoon, so we only had a couple of hours to check in and meet our friends at the dock. 

   The Ocean was like turquoise tinted glass, and you could see the tops of the coral reef from the boat. I couldn’t wait to drop over the side, into the ethereal Caribbean waters. All I could think about was swimming with the sea turtles and reef sharks, exploring the tiny, colorful critters clinging to the rocks and sea fans, just being a part of the reef. Taye was more interested in hunting for dinner, the stereotypical “macho” dude. A tall, well-built African-American man from Florida, he was raised to respect women and take care of his partner. He had a quick temper, and could be a bit arrogant at times, but his charm, wit, and compassion far outweighed any random, short-lived outburst. Nobody’s perfect, after all. Pauline was my buddy, a tall, lanky “super model” type. She was most interested in taking photos of  tropical fish. Her partner, Jose, was an Afro-Cuban man with a quiet temperament and love for spearfishing.  He and Taye were college buddies, and they were on the hunt. 

   Back on the boat, we were all euphoric from the canned air and the thrill of the dive experience itself. Pauline got a plethora of amazing underwater shots, including one of a huge barracuda. As she showed us the photo, we all noticed something a bit “off” with its head and eyes. The boat captain chimed in, “Probably the Bearracuda, you’re lucky it didn’t eat you!”. Pauline laughed in response, “That’s just a silly legend.” We turned to focus on the fresh catch of the day, a few Grouper and four lobsters, plenty for a tasty seafood dinner. I couldn’t wait to chill on the poolside deck, frozen fruity cocktail in hand, as the plates of grilled fish and succulent tails arrived. 

   After our luxurious drinking and dining experience, we decided to check out some local hot spots. Pauline was a native Bahamian, so she knew a couple of small joints with live, local music within walking distance. Along the way, I could smell an odd blend of night-blooming jasmine, dead animal, and burnt hair. Just then, a small, dark woman peered out from a beaded curtain hanging over an open alleyway. “Psst. Come on with me” she motioned to us. I was intrigued, thinking she was some kind of fortune teller, and wanted to go with her. Taye was not so keen, and grabbed my arm to pull me towards the bar. I looked back to say “Sorry, maybe next time”, but she was gone. The beads hung quiet and rigid, as though they hadn’t been touched. We got to the club, found a table, and the boys went to get us all drinks. As soon as they walked off, a young man sat down next to Pauline and was speaking very low and close to her ear. It seemed as though they knew each other, and she was listening intently. I couldn’t hear much, but the word “barracuda” stood out. I figured they were talking about the photos or something. Suddenly, her glowing, light brown skin turned ashen, and her eyes glazed over as if she were in a trance. The strange guy took off in a hurry, and the boys reappeared. Jose sat down and handed Pauline her drink, “What’s up with you?” “Oh, nothing babe, just a bit distracted” Pauline said as she took a sip. We all had a fabulous time, drinking, dancing, and laughing our asses off. Once we all got back to the resort, I told Taye about the guy at the bar. We agreed that the whole thing seemed super suspicious. 

   Morning crept in through the open sliders, gently fluttering the sheer curtains, bringing the soft sound of water lapping the pink sand shore. The scents of salt water, sweet blooms, coffee, and eggs were all tangled up in ribbons of olfactory delight. My romantic boyfriend had already been up and out, and brought back breakfast. We had a casual itinerary for the day, just to wander around town, go into a few shops, have a leisurely lunch, no stress. Taye was an overplanner, so it took alot for him to relax and go with the proverbial flow. He got to plan the trip, I got to unplan our activities. Soon we were strolling carefree along the brick streets, absorbing the local atmosphere. We were sniffing our way towards some delectable island-style eatery when we passed that bead-shaded alley again. “Hey, let’s go in here and see if we can find that lady.” I was sticking out my lower lip, tugging on Taye’s sleeve, hoping he would heed my plea. Reluctant, he rolled his eyes as I dragged him along, through the tinkling beads and down the alley. We were almost at the dead end, a brick wall, when I turned to spy an open, wooden door with faint candle light flickering within. It smelled like moldy wood, maybe mushrooms, and a myriad of herbs and oils. It was like a Botanica, or a witch's kitchen. I was definitely intrigued and anxious for a psychic reading. The woman we saw the previous night emerged from the back room. She introduced herself as “Mother Galy”, and looked like an Obeah priestess, dripping with beads, crystals, shells, and feathers. There was definitely a mystical air about her, and a very dark energy permeated the entire space. She didn’t speak, but I knew to follow her to the back room. Taye threw me a glance with raised brows, like “Let’s get the F out of here now.” I reassured him, asked him to just relax and let me have one quick reading. He reluctantly sat next to me at the small, round table draped in colorful fabrics. Mother Galy wafted some herbal smoke over us, then laid out some cards and crystals. She chanted a few things in an unidentified language, then asked me to pick 3 cards. She turned them over slowly and methodically, then closed her eyes and took a long, full breath. In a deep, scratchy voice, she murmured, “You and your close ones are in danger. The curse has been initiated.” Taye and I looked at each other wide-eyed, as if we believed the words without question. Somehow, all skepticism flew out the door and we succumbed to a deep sense of dread. I tried to contain myself and asked the lady if she could please clarify the message. She now spoke in a softer, more even tone, and recommended that we speak to our friend, Pauline. Then she held out her hand for payment, and I dropped the cash on my way out. Taye and I were making a beeline back to the resort to find Pauline.

   When we arrived in the hotel lobby, we saw Pauline crying and speaking with a police officer. We ran over to find out that Jose was missing. He hadn’t been seen since early that morning, just after he left their room to go for a swim. His phone, shirt, and towel were found on the beach, but no sign of Jose. He was an excellent swimmer and free-diver, and the ocean was perfectly calm and peaceful. Drowning was not even a consideration, but where did he go? It had been about 8 hours, and he should have been back by now. Pauline kept saying, “It was the Bearracuda!” She was clearly freaking out. I tried to console her as we headed back to her room. When we shut the door behind us, she started to calm down and catch her breath. “What is going on?” I asked with as much tact as possible given my total confusion. “What makes you think it was a Barracuda?” Pauline turned gray again, as she’d done at the bar. I shook her by the shoulders, now impatient and quizzing her about the guy who mysteriously whispered in her ear that night. She slowly regained lucidity, and looked me in the eyes, “You would never believe me.” “Just tell me! I’m your best friend, you know I will handle it.” She proceeded to recount the story of her high school affair, and how her teen girlfriend was devastated by their breakup. 

   Galy, the girlfriend, was totally blind-sided by Paul’s(now Pauline) confession that he was really a woman inside. He had been hiding it so well, for fear of the intolerant community they both grew up in. It was understood that friends and family would never accept a transgender person, and homosexuality was strictly taboo. Paul decided that he would head to the U.S. right after graduation where he hoped to find a more supportive environment. Galy was utterly crushed, and took it all very personally. That was about 20 years ago. Since Paul left town, Galy devoted her entire life to becoming the most powerful Obeah priestess on the island, and to curse the day he ever stepped foot back on it...literally. She had set this spell in motion with her dark, vengeful energy right after he told her his truth and his plan. The strange guy at the bar, who worked for “Mother Galy”, had whispered an incantation in Pauline’s ear to trigger the curse. It’s true what they say, never underestimate the wrath of a woman scorned, and Galy was venomous. 

   A few of Pauline’s friends had warned her about Galy and her plan, but she didn’t take any of it seriously. She laughed in their faces when they mentioned the part about the witch conjuring the “Bearracuda” to do her bidding. According to local lore, there lived a giant Barracuda just beyond the reef, and it had a bear’s head. It was some kind of hybrid creature, at least 100 years old, and yet nobody could ever seem to get a photo. There were a few drawings by self-proclaimed witnesses, including one I had seen in Mother Galy’s parlor. It supposedly lurks in the Caribbean waters by day, then transforms into more of a bear by night, growing large bear legs with clawed feet, and crawling up the shore to hunt in the tropical woods. Rumor had it that Galy conjured the Bearracuda to attack Pauline and anyone she loved.  

   Taye joined us in the room and I told him the whole story. Apparently, there was this monster on the reef, waiting for nightfall to stalk and kill us all. “It probably got Jose already”, we mused aloud of the possibility. We decided to go back to see Galy and beg her to reverse the horrible spell, and to call off the creature. When we got to Mother Galy’s botanica, she was waiting for us. Pauline approached her, furious about the “curse”. “Why would you do such a cruel thing? I never meant to hurt you, but I can’t pretend to be something I am not!” Galy had a smug look on her face, and replied calmly, “Your choices broke my heart, and I want you to suffer as I have.” Taye and I looked at each other in distress as we realized this witch had no compassion, no intention of calling it off. Pauline just broke down crying, it just registered that Jose could be dead. She wailed at Galy, “Please! I’m truly sorry for your pain! You’ve already killed my boyfriend, just let my friends be!” Galy chuckled and shook her head, “Your boyfriend is not dead. You’ll see him again very soon.” We all smiled through our tears and let go huge sighs of relief. Pauline leaned in and hugged Galy tightly, “Thank you”, she whispered.

   What had initially seemed like an idyllic paradise now felt like a hellish nightmare. None of us wanted to hang around and find out what else Galy could conjure up. Now that we knew the rumors were false, and Jose was alive, we could breathe easy. We went to our rooms to pack. There was a heavy knock on the door. Taye opened it, but was immediately taken aback by the face staring at him. It looked like Jose, but with a silvery sheen and large, solid black eyes. “I’m not feeling too good,” he said in a low gurgle, exposing gnarly, pointed teeth. Taye backed up slowly towards me and the bed I was sitting on, stiff as a board. “Jose may be alive, but he is not himself.” I was shaking, grasping for Taye’s hand, when all of a sudden…“He’s the BEARRACUDA!!!”