Within The Cane's Reach

1

Out in the midst of Bayou Andorra, the hooded man named Adonis beholds the shack. Shouting loons in the misty weather; echos uplift above the swampy tracks. Adonis stands still pondering if he should go back. Back to his town to heed to the warnings he heard as a child that his heart may turn to black. But what has that profited him, to himself he asks.

Adonis had dreams. Dreams upon dreams that his dreams would manifest themselves. But without schemes, he was left to lean to himself for answers of how to make the dark sayings of his dreams come to gleam. Adonis moves towards the shack of the mother whose visage has many seams.

The air held its breath through the musk of the still swamp waters. Inside the shack dwelled Moman Dieula, a mother above all mothers. Adonis stepped upon the shaky, yet delicate, structure that was sunken gravely on its piti legs. 

Inside, flickering candlelight danced to Moman Dieula’s aged voice. They danced around her room as if they had no choice. Through the shelves that had jars of gnarled roots, bleached bones, and feathers shimmering with a strange shaft of light. Then the light stood still, her voice muted. The only sound is of the shouting loons when Adonis lifts up his voice.

“Moman Dielua! May I speak to you?”

Moman Dieula comes to her door and sees the young man through the seams. She opens it up for him and hastens to her seat. Adonis follows along and takes a seat. Across from her, he takes the seat…observing her visage of many seams, and her obsidian eyes caused the hair on his blackened arms to scream. Adonis was as strong as a lion, wilted by years of working the Louisiana cane fields, but under Moman Dieula’s gaze, he felt as small as a turtle in its shell.

“Moman Dieula…I pray…give me your divine epiphany cuz’ my dreams are too dark for me to understand.”

“Give me a name,” she asks.

“Daphné…”

Her voice wailed a low voice that seemed to vibrate from the very floorboards rippling into the swamp waters that even caused the loons to heed,

You seek for a vehement flame,

A seal that’s beyond our depths.

But profit will make her contemned,

For love is as strong as death.

Adonis’ soul was not assuaged. But he continued to engage with Moman Dieula to manifest his dreams from the dark cage. He pleads, “I know… But her daddy is one of them hard preachers of the Book and told me I cants have his Daphné. But I cants stop dreaming ‘bout her Moman Dieula. There has to be a way. Can you make a way?” Moman Dieula chuckled a hollow sound like a croaking frog with a sore throat.

Though Profit will make her contemned

Her father’s god is not like my gods

But my gods may manifest what you’ve dreamt

And for a cost may spare you the odds.

Adonis arose from the table and leaned forward. He agrees into her obsidian eyes which he felt no longer tortured. For by her words, he perceived being light-hearted. And she correctly perceived that Adonis would rather trust in her gods to win the love of whom he preferred. She grabs a knife. 

The air breathed heavily whirling around causing the stillness of the swamp to move. The loons began to shout even more as Adonis was about to move. Moving on a journey far more that would test his very soul. For in his heart his love for Daphné is as hot as the coals.

Moman Dieula laid her left hand upon him while her right lay on the table. A ring adorned with a carved serpent head catches the candlelight. She begins to groan unto the gods of the swampy jungles. And prayed a prayer that lasted from twilight until the night fell. 

Gods, O my gods, speak unto me!

Goddess Erzulie guide our feet!

Bring about a most vehement flame!

And let it light up the path, so we may see!

Moman Dieula pricked her hand and let it drip onto the table. She then grabs Adonis’ right hand and takes blood, so that their blood can be mixed and their lives can be bounded. A new bond that’s has settled in the cradle, now blessed by Moman Dieula’s gods. After the ritual, Adonis goes back to his town to see if the charm is able to work on Daphné.

2

Adonis goes immediately to the shore of the river where Daphné likes to read and pray. He wondered if the charm that was set upon him can make her feelings towards him sway. Adonis enters through the wilderness of the cane stalk with each step closer his heart feels heavily weighed. 

He stares at the apple of his eye that’s shining in the moonlight. And his heart stirs when he sees the moonlight shimmering on her polished black skin. Her eyes were a deep, soulful brown, with hints of blue ghost lights. Her hair is wrapped in a dark tignon that one could assume she wears to keep herself from sin. He comes out of the stalk and moves towards her and his burly figure shadows over her. She looks up startled, but she calms herself when she recognizes that it’s only Adonis.

“Bonnwa, Monsieur Adonis,” she greets out of politeness of her society.

"Bonnwa, cher…” He replies.

He stares awkwardly at her for a few seconds before looking towards the river. She closes up her Bible and says, “Well, I shouldn’t linger.” As she gets up, Adonis feels an unspeakable feeling, like an arrow striking through his liver. He moves in front of her way and obliges her saying, “Well Cher, no belle should walk home by herself. And a real gentleman ain’ts no way gone let ya do that.” She says nothing, but only begins to hug her Bible tightly and walks south on the shore.

Adonis follows. He follows her, but she remains quiet and wonders did she sorrows. While walking, Daphné stares down at her shadows. Adonis didn’t want to impose, but eventually drawled, with his voice thick as molasses, “I think you’re prettier than any belle I’ve seen at any of them fais-do-do’s.”

Daphné ponderously widens her eyes at his comment and replies, “Merci, Monsieur. But you know a girl like me don’t have any business at them fais-do-do’s.” She then lets out a calm laugh that quickly dies. 

“We could’ve went troo the canes. It would be a quicker route.”

“This way is fine,” she quickly says. The walk continues to be silent as the wind rush through the canes. The leaves on the stalks swaying and talking cacophonous with a Great Horned Owl mournfully hooting low.

They arrived at her small cabin and she knocked at the door. Adonis takes off his hood to show respect for her father. Pastor Chatelain opens the door quizzically at his daughter and then at Adonis. “Popan, Sorry for coming home late. Adonis saw me at the river and thought it chivalrous to walk me home.”

“I just couldn’t have any belle walk home alone at this hour” Adonis droned.

“Çé bon. Thank you, Adonis,” Pastor Chatelain heedfully states.

Daphné goes next to her father with her head down, “Merci, Monsieur Adonis. Bonnwi.”

“Bonnwi,” Adonis replies.

Daphné returns to her refuge and Pastor Chatelain comes outside, closing the door behind him. He puts his hand on Adonis’ shoulder and takes him aside, “Monsieur…” Adonis perceiving that the Pastor is going to mention something about his love for his daughter cuts him off and says, “I was just being a gentleman, preacher.”

“I don’t doubt…But I want to let you know again that we are a Christian family…and my daughter’s a Christian girl.”

“What makes y’ think I ain’ts a Christian?”

“By their fruits, ye shall know them,” Pastor Chatelain quotes.

“I believes in the God,” he screeches.

“People've been saying that you’ve been up in the swamp messing with that voodoo.”

Adonis’ eyes widens and he beats his own chest, “No, monsieur, I ain’ts been playin’ voodoo…I’ve been just wrestlin’ gators.” 

“Vremen?” Pastor dubiously asks.

“Oui, preacher,” Adonis says with his head lifting higher.

Pastor Chatelain stares on and nods his head, “Ok. Bonnwi.”

Pastor Chatelain walks back into his house. Adonis walks away feeling wavering by Moman Dieula’s gods' vows. Perhaps the gods were asleep, he thinks. Tomorrow is another day, he thinks, to try the charm on her again. But instead, try to be charming himself. He determined in his heart that he tomorrow he will make those gods to rouse.

3

Tomorrow was Sunday and Sunday has come. Adonis camps out by the small chapel that the believers of Jesus worshipped; at the moment they begin to hum and start hymn lining. Adonis scouts Daphné singing unto her God as the sun goes down. When the people of the church leave from fellowshipping, Adonis hides in the nearby cane field that belonged to Monsieur Travay; but his eyes are still fanatical on her.

The last to come out of the church was Daphné and her father, Pastor Chatelain. Adonis pokes his head from the stalks to ascertain what was their next move. He overstrains his eyes at Daphné when she comes by the cane stalks. Adonis sustains his eagerness as he sees Pastor Chatelain walk towards their home. He pulls back into the cane stalk and walks further down.

Adonis is certain that he shall attain her love by the power of the gods of Moman Dieula’s. Adonis emerges from the cane field just to find Daphné breaking off a piece of the stalk to suck on something sweet. Adonis moves his feet quickly and approaches her, “Bonnwi, la tro bel, Daphné.”

She jumps and drops the piece of cane meets his gaze, she shows a whisper of chagrin. 

"Leave me be, Monsieur Adonis. I rather be alone,” she says politely.  

Adonis became vexed and suddenly fell sick by her statement. When she tries to walk away, he grabs her. She stares open-mouthed while he gives her a grimace and in a low voice, “I love you.” 

The wind blew into the cane and its leaves swayed, talking cacophonous with a Great Horned Owl mournfully hooting low. Daphné says nothing, but her eyes pray up unto her God and cry louder than a bobcat’s cry.

Adonis jumps and lets her go in the act and she runs into the cane field. But, a charm overcomes him. A charm blinds him. He suddenly hears the chanting of the prayer of Moman Dieula amidst the dreadful cooing of the loons. He repeats, “I see other spirits rising in the land!

Fight his battles and of the path bought! Lest his life be as the burning sands…” 

He runs into the cane field and is overcome with a thrill. A thrill of laughter and excitement when he follows the path Daphné has taken. More athletic than her, he catches up to her. Daphné is light on her feet though.

The cane field is like a maze, an endless maze. Daphné is growing exhausted. Crying tears into the Louisiana clay she looks up at the moon and runs south. Adonis, as strong as a lion, seeks her and comes closer to touch her. Almost reaching the shores, Adonis reaches out his hand and barely misses her dress, instead grabbing a cane stalk.

Daphné reaches the shore, but her will to keep running dies. For she sees Adonis running towards her making her sigh. She backs up her feet touching the shallow waters. She lifts her hand up with a bitter cry, begging him to have mercy on her.

She attempts to run again, but her strength is exerted. He grabs a hold of her and being stronger than her, begins to try to know her in the way he wants to. Instead of screaming, she begins whispering a prayer to her God. Adonis stares at her mouth, her tears, and her closed eyes.

He loosened his grip on her and stood up above her. The wind became still, and the canes stopped swaying. Adonis came to his senses and stepped back from her watching her. Watching her head still halfway in the shallow waters, her body shivering, and her mouth still moving in prayer. 

Adonis wanted to help her up and took a step forward. Then a shot banged out. Daphné opened her eyes and stared at Adonis awkwardly. Adonis felt a burning in his back. Adonis turned around and Pastor Chatelain fired another shot. 

Adonis felt a burning in his chest. He felt a burning in his back. He fell back into the sand of the shore and remained there until everything turned black.