"The Obeah Woman" by Anastasia A Armourer

(Obi by Anastasia A. Armourer)

"The Obeah Woman" by Anastasia Armourer

CHAPTER 3

“Fish, fresh fish!” Carreat, Carreat. Red Fish!” “Ah got fresh fish here.” It was the sound

of the fish woman who came by every Friday.

Dora quickly went out to greet her. “Mornin’ Mother!" An how are yer today?” The

fish woman, Matilda, was a heavy-set woman with very, very dark skin. She was about 45 years

old and always wore a dark red dress and head wrap. Her smile displayed a set of perfectly

even, pearly white teeth. “I am great, girl, and how are you feeling?” Dora embraced and

kissed the big woman.

My foot been achin’ me so bad that ah can hardly walk on it.” Matilda said as she lifted

her skirt and showed Dora her left foot. “Well, where have you been that your foot is aching so

bad?” Dora asked, looking sternly into the big black eyes of Matilda. “I ain’t been no place

Mother, it just start aching me 3 days ago an… “Mother!”…”You look beautiful! What did you

do to….”

“How is your husband, Desmond?” Dora interrupted her, taking her by the hand into the

house. “Oh, he be good; he be good!” Matilda repeated herself as she limped down the

pathway to the house.

Dora led her into the house and sat her down in her big chair in the kitchen. “Yer think

it’s all this fat that makes my foot ache so Mother?” Matilda asked, as Dora gently placed her

foot up on another chair. Dora did not answer her, but went over to the stove and put on

water for some tea. Matilda watched her every move with interest. Dora sat at the table

across from Matilda; her face was no longer smiling; her eyes narrowed as she eyeballed the

woman across the table.

“Matilda, your husband, Desmond, knows about your boyfriend, Pablo.” These words

struck the big woman like a bolt of lightning. She jerked back so hard from the table that she

fell backwards onto the floor, breaking the wooden chair beneath her.

Dora did not move; she stayed seated in her chair with her elbow on the table and her

hand folded under her chin. She glared at the big woman trying to pull herself up off of the

floor.

“Did Desmond come here?” she asked, her face frozen with fright.

“No, he went to see Cocoka,” Dora answered, still with her hands beneath her chin.

Matilda’s eyes opened so wide they seemed to pop out of her head, her mouth fell open as she

braced herself with both her hands on the floor.

“Oh, what ah gon’ do Mother? What ah gon’ do?!! “Desmond, he gon’ kill me for sure.

Please help me Mother.” Matilda pleaded with tears in her eyes.

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Dora felt sorry for the big woman on her kitchen floor. She knew that the man

Desmond was already determined to kill his wife.

Dora got up and helped the big woman off the floor and onto a chair. She quickly

removed the broken pieces of wood out of the way and gently placed the foot of the sobbing

Matilda on another chair.

“What ah gon do Mother? What ah gon’ do?” The big fish woman was shaking her head

and wiping her face with her apron.

Dora went to her shelf and took down a silver bottle which contained a white powder.

She sprinkled a little white powder on the woman’s foot and then spread it around with her

hands.

“Now, this ain’t going to hurt you.” Dora reassured Matilda, as she took her knife out of

its holster and laid it on the table. Dora then took the knife and cut a line over the ankle of the

woman’s foot. The wound was deep, but no blood came out. Then she held her hand about

one inch over the incision. Out of that incision crept a large black Tarantula. Matilda fainted

when she saw the spider come out of her leg. Dora quickly imprisoned the spider in a glass jar

from her table.

She passed her hand over the woman’s face and she was revived. She looked at her

foot and there was no mark and the pain was gone.

“Yer mean ta tell me that thing was in me foot all dis time?!!! Matilda asked as she

stared with popping eyes at the big black spider in the jar. Dora did not answer her question.

“Desmond is your common husband, yes?”

“Yes Mother. We be together for 3 years now.” Matilda stood and walked around the

kitchen, her leg perfectly healed. “Oh, thank yer Mother for fixin’ me foot. It don’t hurt at all

now. But what yer gonna do ‘bout Desmond?” she asked, as she sat again in the chair, her face

showing fright again.

“Desmond, he takes all of your money, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, Mother.” Matilda answered in a low voice, her head down and tears in her eyes.

“Ya warn me, I know ya warn me not to be wit’ him when he first come to me, but ah didn’t

listen. Now I is payin’, Now I payin.’” She wiped her face with her apron and held her head

down. Dora put a cup of tea before the big woman and she took it in both hands, as though

trying to warm them.

“Desmond, he saved all the money he took from you and he wants to kill you now so

that he can get your boat. He plans to use your boat to go back to Tobago and open up a Rum

Shop with your money.” Dora placed her hand on Matilda’s hand, across the table. She could

feel Matilda’s vibration change from fear to anger.

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“Ah gon kill that son of a bitch, “Matilda said, with her teeth together and her fist

clenched as she pounded on the table.

“Don’t be stupid girl. Why ruin your life for a piece of shit like Desmond?” Dora asked,

not expecting an answer. “You’ve got to hit him where it hurts the most by taking what he

wants the most. The money, and the boat.” Dora now was holding both fists of Matilda.

“But how, Mother?” she asked with a sound of hopelessness in her voice.

“I’ll tell you how. Desmond, he keeps the money wrapped in plastic in the wall of his pig

pen,”

“No wonder he don’t let nobody go near he pigs.” Matilda’s eyes now danced with

anticipation of retrieving her money.”

“When you take this money, you’re going to have to leave Trinidad; Because Cocoka can

find you anywhere you go on this island.”

“But where can ah go, Mother? Where can ah go?” Matilda asked in desperation.

“Pablo is from Venezuela. He likes you and he would love to go back home. So take the

money, Pablo, your boat, and go to Venezuela and start a new life.”

Ya really think ah can do it Mother?” Matilda asked, her face glowing with anticipation.

“Of course you can do it girl.” “Just make sure you have everything ready before you

take the money.”

Dora took one of the big glass jars from the shelf. It contained some strange looking

white root. She reached in and took out one of the roots, wrapped it in some paper, and gave it

to Matilda.

“Now, take this when all is ready and give 1/3 of it to Desmond in his food, and the

other 2/3 to the pig It will make them sleep for 3 days, so that you can go into the pen of that

evil black pig and get the money. Desmond won’t know a thing. By the time he wakes up and

goes to Cocoka, you will be 3 days gone.” Dora said, smiling at Matilda.

“Oh thank ya Mother, thank ya so much. I will do everything the way ya say it, yes, this

time I will do it.” Matilda placed the root in the big side pocket of her red dress.

“Oh, ah feel so much better now, Mother, so much better.” Matilda smiled from ear to

ear as she embraced Dora.

“Ah be right back, Mother. Ahs go get ya some Red Fish. Ah know it be ya favorite.”

Matilda ran out of the house and down the path to her truck which she had left in the street as

she limped up the path earlier. She reached into one of her big baskets and took out six of the

best Red Fish she had, wrapped them in paper and turned to run back to the house.

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“Thank you so much Mother!” Matilda smiled as she handed the fish to Dora.

“You go on now and do all as I told you and it will be alright.”

Matilda embraced and kissed Dora and went on her way.

At 3:00 p.m., Matilda was through selling fish for the day. She pulled her fish truck up to

the dirt house where she and Desmond lived. She went around to the back of the house where

Desmond was preparing the slop for his pigs. Desmond was a big man, about 6 feet 5 inches

tall and weighed about 300 pounds.

As he lifted his eyes to see her, his continence changed and he became very angry. He

stopped what he was doing and glared at her. Matilda stopped in her tracks. She knew that

look so well. Desmond walked over slowly to her, his breath was heavy and his eyes were like

fire.

“What the hell are ya doing home so early Bitch.” He said in a deep, slow, angry tone.

Matilda could not move. The big man glared down at her with eyes of fire that made her blood

run cold as ice. “Ah, ah is finished for the day, Dessie, an ah come home early ta make ya a

special dinner today. Ah’m sorry, Dessie. Ah gon’ make ya the best dinner ya ever had.” She

could hardly keep herself from falling over, her knees clutched together.

“Good, ah got some place to go. Finish making this slop. When ah come back, ah gon’

slop them pigs and you and me, we gon’ have us a big talk.” He hit her with the palm of his

hand in the middle of her forehead pushing her backwards. She staggered back and used her

big arms to balance herself and keep from falling.

“Shoo nuff, sho nuff, Dessie, whatever you say.” “Whatever you say.” Matilda repeated

to herself.

Suddenly she knew that there was no time left. She would not have this opportunity

again. She ran to her fish cart and got out her baskets and she took the root that Mother Dora

gave her out of her big pocket. She put 2/3 of the root in the slop. Then she went into the

house and cooked all the things that Desmond loves for dinner, mixing in the last part of the

root with his most favorite dish…. Curried Chicken.

She then cleaned up the little dirt house; took a bath and put on her prettiest dress. She

knew though, that the only thing that could stop Desmond from killing her tonight was to get

him to eat the food before the big talk. So she made up her mind to sweet talk Desmond into

having dinner first, and the only thing she knew that could do that, was money. She went and

pulled out all the money that she had hidden from around the house. It added up to $163.32.

Matilda just knew that Desmond had gone to make arrangements for her body and to

steal her boat to take it to Tobago. She was so afraid, that she could hardly wait for him to

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come back. She wished Mother Dora was here with her. She could sure use the Obeah

woman’s help right about now.

At about 7:00 p.m., Desmond came home. He was late, and the pigs were squealing

loudly for food. He went straight to the back of the house and slopped them.

Matilda steadied herself like a soldier ready for war. She held the money like a fan in

front of her.

The table was all set with Desmond’s favorite foods. Without warning he slammed open

the door. His face was like cold steel and his eyes like flames of fire. He walked slowly towards

Matilda. His eyes glared down at her reflecting the dim light of the mud hut.

With all her strength, Matilda forced herself to speak. “Look, Dessie, look… Look what

ah made jus’ today.” Matilda pushed the money into the big man’s face. He stared at the

money in disbelief; then grabbed it from her hands and started counting it.

“Can ya believe it, all that money in one day? An it ain’t even Saturday yet!” Matilda

tried very hard to keep her voice normal as she moved over to the table.

Desmond finished counting the money and stuffed it into his pants pockets. He glared at

Matilda with such hatred that it made a chill run down her spine.

“Look Dessie, ah told ya ah would make ya a special dinner. It’s curried chicken here.”

Matilda held up the calabash dish for Desmond to see and smell the chicken.

He pulled out a chair from the table and grabbed the bowl from her hands. He sat down

and started to devour the curried chicken and everything that was on the table. It was no

wonder that Desmond loved hogs, because he sure ate like one.

Matilda drew herself back from the table and quietly went into the tiny bedroom and

put all of her things together in a bundle. She took off her pretty dress and put on some old

clothes. She could hear nothing. She pulled back the piece of cloth that was used instead of a

door. She saw Desmond slowly lifting a piece of chicken to his mouth. His motions told her

that the root was working. She quickly dropped back the cloth and moved backwards

nervously. She then sat on the bed and waited.

After what seemed like hours, she got up and pulled the cloth back again. She saw

Desmond sitting at the table with his eyes closed and a piece of chicken in his mouth. Slowly,

ever so slowly, and quietly she walked out of the bedroom and moved towards the table.

“Desmond?” she said in a low, quiet voice, as she moved closer to him. “Dessie?” she

called ever so sweetly, but he gave no response. He just sat there with the chicken in his mouth

and his eyes closed. Trying not to faint and battling her fear every step of the way, Matilda

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bent down to have a closer, but quiet, look at his face to make sure the root was truly doing its

work. As she looked at his face closely, the piece of chicken dislodged and fell out of his mouth.

Matilda jumped back with a screech like a mouse when it is caught in a trap. She felt

like her heart had jumped into her throat and she almost fainted. Then she realized that

Desmond had not moved, so she turned quietly on her heels and walked out the door to the

back yard.

The night was strangely quiet. Not a sound came from the pig pens. Matilda walked

quietly to the pen of Desmond’s favorite pig. It was dark and she could hardly see, so she went

back to the house to get the old lantern that they used to light the house.

Slowly she opened the door, her heart beating a mile a minute. Desmond was sitting in

the same place and in the same position. She walked past him, reached up and took the

lantern down from the rafter’s overhead. She walked past him again, her heart pounding in her

chest. But Desmond still did not move.

Soon she was back outside again and heading towards the pen of that big black pig.

Matilda didn’t know what frightened her the most, Desmond, or this big black ugly pig of his.

She stood outside the pen trying hard to pull together all her courage and her strength to go

into that pen.

She walked over to Desmond’s tool shed and got out his largest pitchfork. Then, with

fork in hand, she found new confidence.

She opened the gate of the pen and went in. The pen was a mess, it smelled terrible.

Desmond hadn’t cleaned it in a long while.

Matilda stared at the enormous hog lying on the ground. He was so big; his body took

up most of the pen. Matilda decided to get about the business of finding her money. She hung

the lantern on a nail on the side of the pig pen. She then felt along the wall of the pen, pushing

and poking at it with one hand and clutching the pitchfork in the other, but there was nothing

there.

She thought to try the other side. To do so, she must cross over the large beast lying

asleep on the floor. Her heart was pounding so hard and so fast that Matilda thought it would

burst right through her chest. She lifted her right leg and stretched it as far as she could across

the back of the sleeping hog. The filthy ground, however, was too slippery for her to get a good

footing and before she knew it, she was falling. Matilda screamed as all of her 335 pounds fell

on the beast beneath her.

The beast awoke with a squeal. It sprang to its feet and threw Matilda to the back of

the pen. She screamed in terror, but managed to keep a firm grip on the pitchfork. She swung

around to face the beast. He was squealing and grunting, but still quite dazed from the root.

Matilda was beside herself with fear. She readied the pitchfork in her hand. The beast came

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towards her. She struck it on the head as she moved out of its way. The beast squealed and

Matilda screamed. He turned and came again. This time she hit the beast behind its left ear,

the pitchfork sunk deep into the neck of the beast and stuck there. Matilda hung onto that

pitchfork for dear life.

The beast was screaming and pushing and pulling, trying to free itself. Matilda was

screaming and hanging on as best she could, but the strain on the wooden handle of the fork

was too great, and as the beast lunged forward again, the handle broke sending Matilda flying

full force into a corner landing flat on her butt with her big legs sprawled open in front of her.

She was still holding the broken handle, as the beast came towards her with all of its

might. Matilda held out the broken, pointed edge of the handle and shoved it down the throat

of the beast. He fell dead in her lap.

Matilda screamed and wept bitterly as she pushed the dead hog off of her. She then,

after taking a moment to catch her breath, she reached up and grabbed hold of a piece of brick

protruding from the wall. As she did this, the brick came out in her hand and she fell to the

floor again. She screamed all the more, but then she noticed that the brick had left a large hole

in the wall. She scrambled over to it and put her hand inside feeling all around.

She felt something! It felt like plastic. She pulled it out. That was it! It was the bag with

all her money. Matilda howled with delight. She got up off the floor of the pen and walked out

carrying her bag of money. She closed the pen and reached up to take the old lantern from off

the nail.

Suddenly she felt a large hand slam into her back. Matilda lunged forward and fell into

the gate of the pen. She turned around in terror to see Desmond lunging towards her. He

grabbed her by the front of her dress. Matilda screamed as he pulled her to him. He staggered

as though he was drunk.

“You bitch, you killed me hog?!!” he screamed in a slurred voice.

Matilda screamed as she tried to break free. “Lemme go Desmond, lemme go.” She

screamed and pulled him across the yard to the house.

The root had affected Desmond, so he was not as strong as he should be. She took the

bag with the money and beat him in the face with it. For a brief moment, he lost his grip, and

Matilda slipped out of his hands and ran into the house shutting the door behind her.

She looked around in horror for something to defend herself. She grabbed her big

rolling pin off the counter, as Desmond smashed through the door of the house. He staggered

forward, growling like a crazed beast. He turned over the table and the chairs and lunged at

her.

She hit him with all of her strength across his face with the rolling pin. He staggered

backwards as the blood gushed out of his nose then he lunged forward and grabbed her again.

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Matilda screamed as she hit him repeatedly with the rolling pin on his head. He grabbed the

pin from her hand and pushed her into the counter of the kitchen. Her hands swung backwards

and she grabbed for anything she could find. Suddenly she felt her big iron frying pan. She

grabbed hold of it and brought it forward with all of her strength and landed a blow to

Desmond’s skull. Then another blow, and yet another.

The big man fell to his knees and as he fell, he was still holding onto Matilda, and as he

went down, she went down. And as she went down, she hit her head on the side of the

counter and was knocked out cold. They both lay unconscious on the floor of the small kitchen.

After a few hours of being unconscious, Matilda awoke on the kitchen floor. She pushed

him, this big man, off of her and sat herself upright on the floor. Desmond was not dead, she

knew this because she felt his pulse and still, after all he had been through, he had a strong

pulse.

Matilda got to her feet and went outside. She took deep breaths as she ran to get the

lantern. She went over and loaded up her fish truck with all of her things. Then she took her

money and got in the truck and started to head out of the yard.

Suddenly she stopped. She jumped down from the truck and ran back into the house.

She went into the kitchen, reached down into Desmond’s pockets and took out the money he

had taken from her earlier. Then she reached into the other pocket and took out his wallet and

emptied it. Then she rolled the big man over onto his back and took off the gold chain from

around his neck, the gold bracelet on his wrist and the three gold rings on his hands. She put

them all in the big pocket of her dress.

She ran over to a corner where Desmond kept his tool box. She opened it up and took

out a pair of pliers and returned to the big man lying on the floor. She pried open his mouth

and pulled out the two gold teeth he had in his mouth.

She returned the pliers to the tool box and turned to leave. Then she stopped and

turned around, picked up the tool box and took it with her to her truck.

Matilda drove that truck down the road like all of hell was in back of her. She was FREE!

FREE! FREE! FREE! And she was determined to never, ever let anyone, especially not a man,

take away her freedom from her again.

She headed off to meet Pablo, and knew that from now on she would spend the rest of

her life in Venezuela. She also believed Mother Dora that she would be alright. Matilda looked

forward to a bright future and in her heart she thanked Mother Dora, who helped give her the

courage to free herself.

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