Martha always knew that Casper committed suicide. No kitty would die from falling from the second floor. She remembered her eyes looking like marble balls; all white and no black. It was like someone was pushing her from inside to do that. No kitty couldn’t even peek out the window and jump like a human who wanted to end all the suffering. For her, it was suicide, regardless of how silly it might sound to others. Martha loved Casper. Her mother gave the kitty when she got her first job as a data analyst in a big company. A white-colored, shiny-haired Persian cat with eyes like the ocean. She stayed alone in a small apartment and that empty place feels like a home because of Casper. But not anymore. Pawprint Memorial (a nearby pet cemetery) became the new home of Casper.
Martha informed Alex, her boyfriend, about the horrible incident as soon as she returned from the cemetery. She sent a text message to him and then threw up the phone on the bed. The tears in her eyes were as smooth as diamonds, and the black cup of coffee in her hand was as rough as coal.
Her coffee wouldn’t even finish when the knock entered her ears. Somebody knocked on the door. It was Alex. He was wearing a sea-green-colored hoodie with a white tee underneath it, black track pants, and green sneakers. Martha loves green on him.
She opened the door and hugged him.
‘How do you manage to come so quickly?’ she asked while pouring a cup of coffee for him.
‘Oh! I was already on my way when I got your text, Mar. Poor little Casper,’ he replied and added, ‘Just two spoons of sugar for me, as always.’ He stared at the window for a while and then looked again at Martha. He ran his fingers in a circular motion at the back of his head, trying to give his hair some curls. He always did this thing like some involuntary reflex.
‘There was something in its eyes, Alex. They looked like white marbles,’ she said and took the last sip of his black coffee. ‘I think Casper committed suicide!’
‘What! No darling, no. A cat couldn’t do such a thing. Only cowards do it. Only humans,’ he said in a voice that was heavy enough to show little faith in Martha’s words. Or to not consider them pure bullshit at once. ‘Did you inform Aunt Mary?’
‘Yeah, I did. She didn’t say much,’ she responded. ‘I think she’s coming here to meet me.’ A slight smile came on her face.
‘Oh! Haha. I guess I have to go back,’ he gave a slight smile back.
They both know that Aunt Mary didn’t like Alex. She was a superstitious lady who considered Alex, bad luck. She told Martha to break up with him many times, but she ignores every word every time. Who’s gonna break up because of that shitty reason anyway? Bad luck? Bad aura? All that shit. No sane person would do that! Aunt Mary knew this and that’s why she decided to move away from Martha six months ago. Now, she lives in her home situated around a hundred miles away. The death of a cat in this manner sounds like incredible bad luck to her. Incredible enough to bring her back to Martha, six months later.
‘I am going home, Mar. Mary could be here anytime,’ Alex said and kissed Martha.
‘Alright, but, hey, that’s it?’ she replied. She knew that Alex was already on his way when he got the message. Already on his way!
‘You came for something else, right? Anything important? Or you just wanted to see me.’
The expression on his face suddenly changed like some politician’s promise. An emotion close to guilt, but not exactly guilt, covered his entire face.
‘Forget about it. It’s just — ‘
‘Tell me.’
‘ — Ah! Okay. I wanted to try something new,’ he said, and then after a pause, ‘sexually. It’s like magic. I came to pick you up for that.’
‘What the hell,’ she said and started to laugh. For a moment, she completely forgets her grief. And God! She was waiting for a silly moment like that. ‘A fuck… is… haha… a fuck. My dumb boyfriend!’
Alex didn’t laugh.
‘I am serious. I’ve been learning this thing for a long time now,’ he said. ‘It’s something out of this world. Come to my place in the evening if you can. It involves magic!’
‘Okie Dokie Dumbo!’
Alex went back. Something was pushing Martha from the inside to find out about that mysterious sex act. She was broken but curious enough to try that.
Magic? What magic? Her mind poked her. Beware! He’s unlucky for ya! What Aunt Mary said to you about him, huh? Bad, bad vibes!
‘That’s bullshit!’ She murmured and turned on the music player. She fell asleep on the couch and exactly nine songs later, the doorbell struck again, bringing her back into the real world. Aunt Mary this time. She was wearing a loose black top with blue jeans. A cigarette in her mouth. The smoke rushed into the room before her, making Martha cough a little. And then she said in her heavy smoker’s voice, ‘Where is that asshole?’
Martha saw many emotions on Aunt Mary’s face since her childhood. Mary was a fucking gambler from the inside. But, for the first time, she saw fear in her face. Sheer fear!
‘What happened, Aunt Mary?’ she asked.
‘I said where is that asshole?’ she said again and threw the cigarette bud out of the window. And then quickly lit up a new one from the packet situated in her breast pocket.
‘He isn’t here. Do you need something to drink?’
‘No, fuck! Come here and sit down. I am here for something important,’ she replied and sat down on the bed. She pointed towards the wooden chair which Martha uses as an office chair, ‘sit down sweetheart.’
Martha sat down, face to face. She smashed the close button on the music player. And a silence possessed the whole room.
‘I know Casper was close to you too.’
‘Fuck the kitty! I am not here for the kitty. I am here for your boyfriend.’
‘What about him?’ There were no expressions of any shock on her face. There was no doubt that it had become an Aunt Mary thing. Beware! He’s unlucky for ya! Bad, bad vibes!
‘He’s a murderer,’ she said and took a long drag of her menthol cigarette.
A feeling of genuine horror struck Martha like a bolt of lightning. Mary never called him a murderer! A fucking murderer! ‘What?’
‘He killed your mother. He killed the person who tries to sexually assault you in your office. And Casper. I am not sure about the kitty though.’
‘I think you are smoking too much of them, Mary,’ she replied in disgust. ‘Your hate for him is taking a very wrong turn.’
She was about to cry, but Mary wasn’t looking at her. She was searching for something in her purse. She threw the cigarette bud out again from the window and took some pictures.
‘Here! See for yourself,’ she said while handing those pictures to Martha. ‘I’ve hired a private detective to keep an eye on him. Six months ago! A lot has happened to you in the last six months, huh, sweetie?’
Martha looked at the pictures, and her eyes widened. It doesn’t matter how big your sandcastle is: one large wave can destroy it. Beware! He’s unlucky for ya! Bad, bad vibes!
‘Take a good look, sweetie,’ Mary said and then continue in a deep, heavy voice, ‘He was with Sal, the fucker who tries to molest you. He didn’t know him, right? Then why he was spying on him like a fucking zero-zero-seven. Lots of pictures, huh? Same with your mother. Fucker was spying on her even before you introduced him. Many times! Coincident? Aah, fuck coincidence!’
‘I… I really… ’
‘There’s always something wrong with him, sweetie. I sense something weird in his aura.’
‘Bad… bad luck?’
‘Something beyond that, sweetie. Something beyond that.’
‘Why won’t you show these pictures to the police?’ she asked even though she already knew the reply.
‘Sal committed suicide. Your mother dies in an accident. They investigated the case already. They know all the shit. I don’t know, but something is wrong with that fucker boyfriend of yours. And I need your help to prove that. You have to trust me as you used to do, sweetie. You have to admit that something’s wrong with you too.’
‘What? What’s wrong with me?’ she asked. Her voice started to break because of all the tears which made her choke.
‘You are changed, sweetie. You’re feeling different like someone is controlling you from inside. Like a fucking puppet.’
Like Casper? Martha’s brain poked again. There was something in its eyes! Someone was pushing her from inside! Someone was inside Casper just like someone is inside you! Bad, bad vibes.
‘It’s not me! It’s you, Mary. You didn’t even call me once in six months!’ she yelled this time and the tears started to flow again.
‘But, sweetie, I called you every single day. And we talked every single day too. What are you talking about?’ Mary asked, puzzled.
Martha didn’t say a word. She went to the window and glanced outside to take some fresh air. She knew Mary was right. She just didn’t remember anything. Or someone from inside doesn’t want her to remember. For the first time, she felt that there was something wrong with her, with Alex, with the whole fucking world. She looked down, and her eyes found Alex waving his hands toward her. She gave him a smile that conveyed, wait! I’ll be there in a moment! She turned back and looked Aunt Mary in the eye and said, ‘What are we gonna do?’
Alex’s place smelled of whiskey when they reached there. Nothing new for Martha. But, it also smelled of suspicion, which was new for her. Aunt Mary’s words were crawling all around her body like some flesh-eating centipedes. You are changed, sweetie. You’re feeling different like someone is controlling you from inside. Bad, bad vibes!
The room was tidy; not a single wrinkle was present on the bedsheet. The stage was set. They have done it several times but Alex was about to do some magic! The act which usually gets her excited was making her shiver in fear this time. She sat down on the bed, her heart was racing. She was thinking about the plan which she and Mary made a few hours ago. Many other thoughts were dancing in her mind.
‘Wine or whiskey,’ he said with a smile on his face. His fingers ran through his head, as always. She didn’t listen.
‘I want you to kill Mary,’ she replied in a cold but confident voice. His smile vanished like a bunny from a magician’s hat.
‘What… what did you say?’
‘Kill… I want you to kill Mary. Kill her. She’s insane!’
‘Who do you think I am, huh? A fucking serial — ‘
‘I know you killed Sal. But it’s okay. It’s okay. He was a bad, bad person. I am glad you killed him.’
‘Bull — ‘
‘Mary has evidence. Your photos with Sal. You were spying on him. You didn’t even know him, right? You killed him, but for me. You killed him for me. You love me, you really love me. That fucker deserved to die.’
‘I… I don’t know what are you — ‘
‘And I want you to do the same with Mary. She was trying to lure me into her sick plan. She’s after you and she’s crazy. Kill her and then nobody’s gonna disturb us anymore.’
Alex didn’t say anything. He was standing in front of her like a mannequin. He was looking at a tiny microphone in her hair, which she was definitely hiding. He wanted to smile but didn’t. Her little secret was exposed!
Maybe that bitch is on the other side, his mind said to him. And he agreed. Let’s play a game with the gamers. He came up with his own plan.
‘Let’s go in the basement, Mar. Let’s grab some wine. I also wanna show you something.’
‘You’re gonna kill — ‘
‘Let’s go, darling. And yes, I am gonna kill her.’
A sudden thought struck Martha’s mind — she never saw his basement! All the bad stuff happens inside a basement, her mind poked. Shivers hit her again, stronger than before as she followed him, slow and cautioned.
Alex opened the door. Martha felt a strong aroma of honey, nothing to be afraid of. Maybe there was nothing wrong with him, she was thinking to herself. As the door was opening wider, and wider, she saw candles placed in a way that they formed a circle.
‘Let me turn on the light,’ he said and clicked the electric switch situated beside him.
Light falls over his darkness like moonlight on a cursed enchanted forest. A circle has been drawn on the floor with a star-like figure inside it. A candle on every edge of that star. And right at the center of the circle, there was a doll. Several needles were pierced into its back. Something was tied to it too, a small bag that looked like a velvet bag.
‘These are honey wax candles. Smells awesome, right?’ he whispered in her ear and close to the microphone.
Martha went numb due to sheer horror. Blood inside her veins turned into ice. She was shaking. It was not the doll that creeped her out. It was not the candles and the mysterious circle. It was the several decapitated heads of lambs, hanging from the ceiling with a rope, like a chandelier. There were seven of them. She counted them in her mind. And behind them, a picture was drawn with blood. Thick, grease-like blood. A demon, half lamb and half-human, with teeth like giant icicles, covered in blood. For a moment she felt it was looking at her, grinning. For a moment she felt like someone was pushing her from inside.
‘Do you believe in voodoo,’ he asked. ‘That voodoo doll in the middle is your cat, was your cat. I made Casper commit suicide, crazy, isn’t it? I fucking hate that cat!’
Martha didn’t say a word. How could she? Her eyes were stuck on the devil. But, she was listening to every word and so was Mary. Alex looked at her for a while, he looked at her hands which were shivering. He holds her hand and then he continues.
‘You see that small bag, Mar. It contains some hair from Casper. The curse needs something from the body, you see. Like Sal’s nails,’ he paused for a while. ‘And like your mother’s hair.’
Her eyes widened! Mary was right. Every word she said was right. And now they have evidence. Mary must be on her way, she thinks to herself. She was broken but relieved.
‘That Mary’s different. God! She gave me nothing to complete the curse. But today, oh boy, she gave me something.’
‘What?’ she asked, shocked.
‘Cigarette buds, saliva! Her saliva,’ he said and started to laugh. ‘She… she threw them out of the… out of the windows. Stupid bitch!’
Alex started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh.
That means he can complete his black curse. That means he can kill her anytime. That means, that means… Martha screamed like a maniac and then calmed herself down.
‘You’re gonna kill her right now?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, but she’s gonna kill herself. I am not a killer,’ he replied and picked up a doll from the corner. He took out cigarette buds from his breast pocket. He opened the bag which was already tied to the doll and put the buds inside it.
‘The stage is already set,’ he said and replaced the doll-of-Casper with the doll-of-Mary.
He sat there, in front of the demon, and started chattering spells. The flame of the candles increased and the whole room filled with a dark aura. Bad, bad vibes!
Martha stood still, waiting for Mary. Minutes started to feel like years. She saw him piercing needles in the doll, one after another, one after another, while chattering spells.
‘Done,’ he said.
‘Done? What do you mean?’
‘Wherever she’s now. Bad vibes and bad thoughts will start to come inside her shitty head. And then she will… done, okay, done.’
He came close to Martha and said, ‘She’s not gonna come here Mar.’
He snatched the hidden microphone from her hair, threw it on the floor, and destroyed it with a quick and strong kick.
Martha started crying in fear.
‘You said you love me,’ she sobbed.
‘I am. I love you, Mar. I am not gonna harm you, ever!’
Martha knew that Aunt Mary was not going to come. It was not his first time. The voodoo curse killed her mother, her molester Sal, and her cat Casper. It was not gonna fail this time. It’s done; Aunt Mary died. Now, she needed to escape the hell out of there.
‘I am not feeling well, love,’ she said. Escape, escape, escape!
‘You will, Mar. Remember that thing I wanted to try?’
‘Yeah, I think — ‘
‘Let’s try it,’ he said. ‘Let’s go to the bedroom.’
Alex picked up the two dolls placed on the table. Then he started to go upstairs and Martha followed him like a shadow.
At least, we are going upstairs. All the bad stuff happens in the basement, remember? Martha’s mind poked again, providing her with a strange type of relief.
‘These two dolls are you and me,’ he said in a calm voice. ‘You see, Mar, voodoos are not that bad. We can transfer pain but we can also transfer pleasure from them.’
They reached upstairs, in the living room.
‘We insert needles to give them pain. You’ve already seen that when we kill Mary. But,’ he paused and gave Martha a smile that gave her creeps down the spine. ‘But we can transfer pleasure too! Voodoos trap souls for a moment. And during that moment we can control the trapped soul. Pain or pleasure? It’s our choice.’
Escape, escape! Martha’s mind poked her again. She didn’t understand his sick plan. She didn’t understand anything. Voodoos? Black magic? Trapped souls? Escape girl, escape!
‘I am gonna trap our souls and exchange them for a while. It’s like exchanging our bodies. You can feel male orgasm and I can feel female orgasm!’
‘Wh… What?’ She said in a voice that was coated in sick, dark horror.
‘Yeah! We are gonna experience something out of this world. We are gonna feel each other from the inside. Orgasms like never before!’
Martha looked at the main door which was locked. She knew that he could kill her anytime like he killed Mary. She needs to get out of there without any suspicion, to remain alive.
Someone was constantly ringing the doorbell, someone desperate. When the door finally opened, Mary was pointing a 36-caliber revolver and Alex was standing in front of her. Mary pulled the trigger and a bullet entered his skull right in between the eyes, it was a faster kill than a voodoo. Blood splashed back on Mary’s face instantly.
‘I use external plastic filters asshole. There ain’t any saliva on those fucking buds,’ she yelled, and then she saw Martha, standing in a corner, horrified.
Mary hugged her tight and they both cried for a while. Alex lay there, dead, the carpet on the floor was soaking all the thick, warm blood.
‘I will manage all this mess. I recorded everything. Let’s go, sweetie,’ she said and they both escaped from there.
It was around midnight and they both were going to the cops. Mary was driving the car. Martha was constantly looking at the glove compartment. She knew that there was a 36-caliber revolver inside it. She raised her hand towards the back of the head and started to move her fingers in a circular motion, giving her hair some curls, as if it was an involuntary reflex.
