Uzuri M. Wilkerson

Excerpt:

Bitter (Book Three)

 

 

"Do you have anyone at home who could help you?” Leilani asked.

 

Celia opened her mouth to respond… only, no words came out. The room tilted slightly to one side. She looked around in surprise.

 

When her eyes met Leilani’s, she saw the witch was smiling widely. “I think we’re ready.” She finished her own glass and stood. “Let’s go out back.”

 

She took Celia’s hand. Celia followed without realizing. When she looked back, she saw herself sitting on the chair, laughing hysterically. Outside, the air was still hot. Leilani’s backyard was an open field, surrounded by high trees to afford them privacy. In the center of the yard, a circle of torches were already burning. There were five mason jars on the ground, filled with a clear liquid.

 

Leilani released Celia’s hand and shrugged off her robe. As she undressed, so did the others.

 

“What… what’s going… on?” Celia managed to utter. Her tongue tasted like copper.

 

The women were humming as one. The four of them began skipping around the open space.

 

“Join us, Celia!” Leilani called.

 

Celia took a step forward but that was as far as she could go. Her legs didn’t seem to want to work.

 

The women danced and hummed as they made circles around the torches. Leilani was first to pick up a mason jar. Once the others had one in hand, she held her jar to the sky.

 

“We take of the ocean, to give back to the earth.”

 

The others repeated in unison, “We take of the ocean, to give back to the earth.”

 

After drinking all of the liquid, they opened their circle and traced between the torches. Celia stood in her spot, swaying in an invisible wind. The women suddenly slowed to a crawl though they were still laughing and frolicking. Large bursts of orange and blue shot up from the torches. Celia’s palms were becoming slick with sweat.

 

A golden haze began to surround each of them. Leilani had the brightest glow. This couldn’t be right. Celia looked down at the glass she still held in her hand. It slipped from her grip. The red liquid splashed on the grass. The dripping green blades turned their faces to her.

 

“We take of the ocean, to give back to the earth.”

 

What the fuck had they done to her?

 

“Psst!”

 

She glanced to her right. A vision of herself stood beside her. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. The light breeze swished it around. Her steady gaze reflected cool confidence. The vision’s hand was stretched out to her, her palm to the sky. A round, golden ball rotated slowly. It was brilliant and beautiful and Celia didn’t understand.

 

She looked to the women. Did they see the vision? Instead of the slow pace, their movements had sped up to warp speed. She could barely keep up with them.

 

“We take of the ocean, to give back to the earth.”

 

Celia wiped at the sweat leaking from her temples. Suddenly, she wasn’t watching the nude witches. Everything was black. She thought maybe she had gone blind. Just as the panic began to rise and overtake her, the darkness vanished.

 

The women had stopped, and were staring at her curiously.

 

“Did you see something?” Thomasina asked. They approached her with excitement in their eyes.

 

“She saw something,” Makala cried breathlessly.

 

“What did you see?” Leilani asked.

 

They were too close, asking too many questions at once. Celia shook her head and tried to step back but she stumbled in the grass. Four sets of hands reached for her to make sure she didn’t fall. She had to get away.