Black Magic

We are the women

And men

Of the night.

Carrying potions with us

Telling you

“This one will undoubtedly cure you.”

It is your choice to trust that

Or not.

 

Two children playing innocently

When the boy finds an herb

Raises his eyebrow at her

“Let’s try this”

They both run off laughing.

 

Standing firmly in defiance

She refuses to tell who helped her

She isn’t old enough to even understand death

But is about to be subject to it.

 

They slowly open the door to the cabin

Father sits there

Holding his beer

Watching television

Just like always.

 

Tears begin streaming down her face

As she searches the audience for him

Saying over and over in her head

“Protect yourself, say nothing.”

 

They whisper a couple of words

Then drop the herb into his beer

He is sloshing around

As he talks his dribble about how children

Should be banned from his house.

 

The priest comes up to bless her

Bible in hand

And she smiles

“Save yourself.”

 

One large swig of his beer

He begins coughing

Face turns red

Then he falls to the floor;

They just stand there holding hands.

 

The executioner shows up

Dressed in black

Ready for her death

Ready to kill a child

For knowing

This herb

Would kill a monster.

 

When they are sure he is dead

They call their mother

She runs to his side

Then screams at them

“What have you done?”

 

He takes his torch to the small sticks

That surround her feet

She succumbs to death

With nary a scream;

She didn’t want to give them the satisfaction

Of her torture.

 

Yea.. There’s an herb for that too.