Nigel's Dream

By Errol Shaw

Synopsis
At an early age, a young girl met and fell in love with a good looking boy who often visited the Kingston wharf to swim with other boys. It was close to this area that Doreen met and fell in love with this boy known to others only as Roy. This boy was the oldest of the pack of boys who he often hangs out with at the wharf. She had no idea what would become of her life. It did not take long before the two became really close. Although Doreen was under age, she failed to follow her mother's advise and was sexually involved with the boy she met. She became pregnant and later gives birth to a child with amazing capabilities. From the inception of his birth, Nigel, was deemed a child of mystery and remarkable talent. He had visions in the world that many people, including his family, could not believe. At a young age, he was able to tell vivid stories of his dreams and imaginations to his family that at times appeared to be seemingly real. Even in school he developed the ability to read and write much quicker than others who were not able to at his level.
Who knew that one day this young boy would rise above it all. Only time will give an account to what kind of man Nigel would grow up to be, as he get over the spirits that followed the family for most of his young life. Incredibly, his family dug deeper to explore the visions and talent this youngster possessed. They would later realize that there is more to his talents that set him apart from other children. They would later find out most of his talents would stem from spirits teaching him the basic principles of learning to read and write. Soon enough, the thoughts of dealing and finding ways to evade ghost would overwhelm them. The spirits would haunt them everywhere they traveled. However, despite all their fears casted by ghosts, Nigel was the least fearful of the crack walls, the rising bed and the falling clock. Ultimately, their vision and hope to rise against it all will one day become a possibility.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479787876

Errol Shaw

About the Author Errol Shaw is the author of The Travel Experience, Nigel’s Dream, Weirdos: An Alien in the New World, among many others. He often appears on local television interviews discussing his work. He lives with his wife, Yemellett, in Brooklyn New York.

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Copyright © 2013 by Errol Shaw.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgment

Chapter 1 The Haunted House

Chapter 2 Nigel And The Spirit

Chapter 3 The Midsummer Dreams

Chapter 4 The Toothless Ghost

Chapter 5 The Spirits Are Back

Chapter 6 The Crow And The Floating Coffin

Chapter 7 A Ghost Is In The Room

Chapter 8 Death In The Family

Chapter 9 The Falling Clock

Chapter 10 Return Of The Dead

Chapter 11 The Anticipated Journey Abroad

Chapter 12 Hope And Big Dreams

Chapter 13 Life In A New Place Free Of Ghosts

PREFACE

Born into the world with an amazing gift, a young boy has vivid and daunting imaginations of an outside world that haunts his entire family. Although the boy was not affected by the immense strange occurrences, he had a keen sense of how his life was being impacted. From the earliest stage of his life, he could see what can’t be seen by others in the real world. Through his actions, it becomes evident that the spirits surrounding him are helping him do remarkable tasks that are deemed unfathomable in the presence of others. Inconclusive to all the images that he visualized, his family tries to find a solution to remedy the inconveniences of spirits that would haunt them wherever they would travel. Heightened by their anxieties, they become relentless in their efforts. Determined to elude a slew of ghost, Nigel’s family is effortless in their search to find solace by relocating to other parts of the city.

To no avail, even in the process of their escape, they are followed and overtaken mentally and physically by falling clocks, objects, and moving beds as spirits watch their every move. They would later realize through their transition to other places that not only their house is being haunted but also the entire island is overtaken by unnatural forces that are in the form of floating coffins and unusual-looking creatures. In fear of the evil that may be lurking before them, Nigel’s mother and grandmother take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves and the youngster by seeking any help that will drive the spirits away. Fearless, however, stands a young boy who anticipates his mother’s own dream of being married and leaving the island will one day become a reality to be rescued from it all.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This book could not possibly have been written without the help of my nephew Lloyd N. Moffatt who always pressing me to go forward in fulfilling my goals. He also makes it his duty to be nearby when I need someone with an editorial incite to steer me on the right path. What is especially unique about Lloyd is that he would always take time out from his own writing to help me complete this tasks and every other task that I have completed over the years. They are unfortunately far too many to be mentioned individually. However, I owe a special thanks to Delmena Carroll, Shambozi Thomas, K. Davis, and Ione Beckford for all the encouraging words at times when I feel like turning my back on writing.

CHAPTER 1

The Haunted House

The city of Kingston had turned into a wild and crazy place during the late sixties and early seventies when women everywhere were giving birth to sons and daughters as if they were trying to fill the world with bastards. It was more like the baby boomer’s era. A great number of women were having children out of wedlock with men who had proven to be irresponsible or deadbeat. They had no idea that it was only the beginning. It was a very hot period in history, and many women were moving up and down Lacey Road Avenue looking and hoping for change. Interestingly, some of those women found themselves having four and five children before reaching the tender age of twenty-five. They were eager for change where they can live a better life with a man who would love and respect their body. Most would try to find ways to get away from Lacey Road Avenue and move to a place where they can find work to support themselves as well as their children when their men were lost in the shadow of the dark. This street was not known to many Jamaicans—since it was a very unpopular street, hidden between two lanes close to the Kingston wharf. This area of the city stood out because it was the breeding ground for young women ravished by poverty and had nothing else to do with their lives but breed like maggots. There was one woman named Doreen Peseta who turned out to be different from the rest of the women in this area. Although Doreen felt no different from all the other young women, there was a big dream that awaits her somewhere in the near future.

Doreen Peseta, a beautiful young girl, was around the tender age of twelve. Her radiant smile made her quite appealing to the boys who visited the wharf daily to swim. The seaside was only minutes away from Doreen’s school, and many young girls are drawn to this area to see the young boys swim daily. One day while Doreen was walking home from school, she noticed a young boy by the name of Roy who was equally good-looking. Roy was not among the boys who visited the wharf daily—he lived somewhere in the vicinity and had seen Doreen many times before. That day he took a brave heart and went up to her to ask her name.

Hi, little angel, he said. My name is Roy and I am sixteen years old. If you don’t mind me asking, what is your name? he asked. Doreen looked at the boy up and down before responding with a slight grin on her face.

My name is Doreen Peseta, and I lived down at Lacey Road Avenue, she said.

Who do you live with? he asked.

I lived with my mother, she said.

Can I come home with you? Roy asked.

I don’t think so—where are you from anyway? the young girl asked.

I am from around here. I live here in town with my uncle, he said. Doreen looked him up and down again and immediately fell in love with his beautiful smile.

I guess it okay to come to my house, Doreen said.

So what are you doing walking home by yourself? Roy asked.

I always walked home by myself, she said as she looked at Roy from head to toes.

Do you always walk on this street?

Yes, I’ve seen you here before, Doreen said.

I’ve seen you too. I’ve seen you walking close to the wharf one day, he said. Again Doreen looked down on Roy’s feet, and without looking back up at his face, she said, You are a very good-looking boy. In her mind, she thought of what her mom will say seeing a boy coming home with her. Doreen remembered her mother telling her not to talk to strangers because they could be black-hearted men. Her feelings about taking this strange boy home overrode all what her mother had taught her. The young woman continued to walk towards her house with the boy, and finally they were only two streets away from the house. Are you afraid to let me come to your house? Roy asked. Well, I have some doubts about taking a stranger to my house, but my heart tells me that it is okay to take you because you are a special boy, she said. It was difficult for her to make up her mind; she quickly realized that the silly in her could not resist. Within minutes, Doreen asked Roy to come along inside with her to meet her mother. The very moment she met Roy, she immediately fell in love with him, even though she hardly knew what love really was. Maybe, she was infatuated with his good looks.

That afternoon, Doreen decided to take the young boy inside her home to meet her mother. Feeling a bit hesitant as they approached the steps of the house, Roy told Doreen that he could not go in the house with her and that he was afraid that her father would chase him with his machete. Doreen assured him that he need not be afraid and that her mother will fall in love with him the moment she sees his good-looking face. Ultimately, she did not mention her father, and that was because he was not around. After much plea, Doreen got Roy to come inside the house with her to meet her mother. Being a young boy, Roy was a bit timid and anxious to be Doreen’s lover. Upon his arrival inside Doreen’s house, her mother was happy to meet this good-looking, fair-skinned boy.

What’s your name, who are your parents, and what are you doing here with my daughter? her mother asked with a suspicious grin on her face. Roy did not know exactly what to say; he felt a bit nervous and kept his head down. She knew that telling her mother that she met this boy on the street was not an option; therefore, she was forced to come up with an answer that was convincing.

Mother, he is my friend—I brought him home from school to meet you, Doreen said with an annoyed gesture.

You are twelve years old—what are you doing bringing a man to my house? Heather asked as she puffed the cigarette she was smoking.

He is not a man—he is a boy, Doreen said.

Okay, okay—he can come here with you, but don’t let me see any strange hanky-panky going on around here because the day I catch you doing anything out of order, your boyfriend will not be allowed to come back here, Heather said as she walked away to attend to her duties. Little did Heather know that her words were in vain; the moment Doreen got, she would find a way to indulge in sexual pleasure with her new friend Roy.

As time crept towards the end of the following school year, Doreen started to feel a strange feeling within her body and knew that something was wrong with her. The last thing on her mind was pregnancy—her ignorance had led her to believe that Roy is only a boy and that she was too young to get pregnant. Heather, in her little talk, did not give a clear explanation as to what would occur when young people play hanky-panky. Now Doreen would learn the hard way not listening to her mother and doing things behind her mother’s back. She cut school many times to be with Roy, and that gave the two the opportunity to be together. During the time that she was absent from school, Doreen had had sexual intercourse with Roy several times, which forced her to talk to her mother about what was going on with her. It was difficult to approach her mother not knowing exactly what was wrong with her, but her mother often told her that she can talk to her about anything so she took a brave heart to share with her what she had done and how it made her feel. Doreen felt quite guilty about cutting classes while her mother was at work. She was also clueless as to what was going on with her body once those strange feelings had taken over. She decided to share with her mother what she was feeling inside. Doreen had no idea that she was pregnant; it was Heather who questioned her about the time she had been spending with Roy and what they had done during the time that they spent together, that brought her to the realization that maybe she had done something wrong. Doreen was only a few months pregnant when her mother decided to examine her daughter herself before taking her to the doctor. It didn’t take long before Heather discovered that Doreen was pregnant. Her first clue was that her daughter was gaining weight quite rapidly. She also noticed that her facial features were totally different to the point where Doreen started to look like someone else. As Heather observed the changes within her daughter’s body, she immediately became hysterical—she could not believe her youngest child was expecting a baby. Doreen, being so young, was devastated when her mother told her that a child was growing in her stomach.

When did you two get the chance to do this? Heather asked.

When you were at work, Doreen said. Didn’t I say to you to be careful about doing any hanky-panky with that man friend of yours that you claimed was a boy? Heather said.

Yes, ma’am, Doreen said with her head buried in the ground.

Then what happened?

I don’t know, ma’am.

Well, now you will find out what happened to you. Your whole life is flushed away, Heather said.

For a few weeks, Doreen’s body went through significant changes which caused some concern. When Heather realized that her youngest child was expecting to have a baby, many things went through her mind. The only clear-cut idea was that she had to do the right thing and let her daughter go through with the pregnancy in spite of her young age. In the initial stage of the pregnancy, Heather thought Doreen was too young to be pregnant. As the idea of abortion came across her mind, she did all in her power to decipher if abortion was the right thing to do to eliminating the shame, but quickly ruled out that notion. Heather took off from work many days to take her daughter to the doctor, and it was at that point late in the pregnancy that Heather realized that everything about the pregnancy was unusual. At the end, Heather was more concerned about the neighbors’ reaction when they found out that Doreen was having a baby. Doreen did all in her power to wear clothing that would hide her pregnancy from the neighbors, but eventually it would all come out in the open. After many months of constant changes in her body, Doreen was no longer concerned about the neighbors.

Although Roy was quite young, he was eager to see his baby, especially if it was a boy. He visited quite often, and at times he would spend weeks at a time. Heather on the other hand was quite forgiving when she found out about Doreen. One hot Sunday afternoon, while she was out in the yard removing clothes from the line, Roy came over to see Doreen. It was at that point that Heather decided to sit him down and give him a lecture.

My dear son, pretty face cannot mind a baby—you have to stand on your feet like a man and be responsible, Heather said. Again Roy did not have the brave heart to look at Heather’s face. He dug his toes in the ground as a way of not giving eye contact to her.

Boy, look at me when I am talking to you. Your woman said that you are a boy, but I don’t see a boy in front of me—I see a man, she said.

Ms. Peseta, I will always be there for Doreen and my baby. I will not allow them to be in need of anything, Roy said.

My dear son, the one thing that I will do is hold you to your word. The day you slip up, you mark my word, you will never see neither mother nor child again, Heather said. Doreen looked out the window at her mother and her baby father as they had a lengthy conversation. She was happy that Roy and her mother were having that chat, but her biggest concern was the rate at which her belly was growing. Many days Doreen saw the side of her stomach jumping and was alarmed by it. At times she would cry when she saw the movement in her stomach. One day when Doreen was about eight months pregnant, her belly began to jump and her body was drenched with cold sweat—she thought she was dying. Heather had bore four children of her own and knew what she was going through and did all in her power to be with her through this ordeal. Towards the end of the following month, Doreen went in labor for several hours, but her child was stubborn and did not care to see the world just yet. The Peseta family was a bit old-fashioned and wanted Doreen to have a home birth rather than have her give birth to a child in a hospital. Many neighbors thought it was not a good idea since Doreen was so young. They suggested that Heather should take Doreen to the Victoria Jubilee hospital just in case of serious complications with the birth.

Heather, the doctors would be able to save this child in case of serious complications, one neighbor said. But all advise fell on deaf ears. She still wanted her daughter to have the child at home. Doreen became quite frightened when she saw the movements in her stomach and the sharp pain she was getting periodically. Heather began to massage her stomach with a warm, damp towel and assured her that she would give birth before the following day. When Heather noticed how her daughter’s belly was jumping, she pointed out to the neighbors that the child will not be an ordinary child.

At 9:00 p.m., Doreen had gotten quite agitated. At that point, she did not care about her mother’s comfort. Heather knew that it was almost time for that stubborn child to be expelled from the womb. She gathered all the things she would need to help with the birth of the baby. Heather also asked the neighbors to come over to help her with the home delivery.

I think this child will be a boy—if it is a boy, we will give him the name Nigel, Heather said.

I hope the baby is a girl—I do not want my first child to be a boy, Doreen said.

My dear child, I am 100 percent sure that this child will be a boy, so you can quit thinking about a girl. As a matter of fact, I don’t think you will ever have a girl, child—all your children will be boys, Heather said as she laid out all the things that were needed for a successful delivery.

Doreen was in excruciating pain and could not be consoled by anyone. One of the neighbors held her hand and assured her that it would be over soon. At 12:00 p.m., Heather opened the windows and allowed the nice ocean breeze to fill the room. Looking at her daughter, Heather knew that it would only be a matter of minutes before baby Nigel would join them in this crazy world. She broke out in cold sweat, and there was nothing at that point that could keep her calm. That afternoon, Heather took out her whitest sheet and spread it on the bed so that Doreen would lie on it to give birth. Heather also asked one of her assistants to bring in some warm water in a face basin along with a towel. At that point, Doreen was hit by more excruciating pain. She cried out as loud as she could, which forced other neighbors to believe that she was being murdered.

I think Nigel is about to arrive on planet earth, Heather said. Heather and her assistants helped Doreen to lie on her back in a supine position, with her knees elevated. They draped a white sheet over the lower portion of her body with enough opening to see baby Nigel as he was being expelled from the womb. At that point, the pain had gotten a bit more intense than before. Everyone who came to assist her stood around the bed, while Doreen screamed on top of her voice for help.

Mother, Mother, I am dying, please help me, please help me, she said. Her mother raised the sheet halfway up and asked Doreen to take a deep breath and push. She took her mother’s advice and pushed as hard as she could.

Oh, Blessed Father, I can see his head, Heather said. One of the assistants dried the sweat and tears from Doreen’s face and asked her to keep pushing until the head and shoulders were completely out.

Look, Heather, his eyes are open even before he landed on the planet, one of the women said.

Oh my savior, this is going to be a special child. I think your daughter has gotten a gift from God. Take a look at the child coming out, he even has a full head of hair. This has got to be a miracle. I’ve never seen a child born with a full head of hair like this one. Ms. Heather, I think you better put aside some money to give this bundle of joy a good foundation, the woman said. At that point, Nigel was completely out.

This child is going to be your pride and joy. I can bet you any money that this boy will walk at three months, and when that happens, I won’t be the last person to be surprised. I will also be the first one to say I told you so, she said.

It was exactly 2:45 a.m. when Doreen gave birth to her son who was resting comfortably in his mother’s arms. That day, a few good neighbors came over to help clean up Doreen and remove the last bit of sweat from her face. Heather took total control by cleaning the baby and laying him next to his mother.

Where is the father, how could he not show up for the birth of his son? one of the neighbors asked.

You see, dear, that is the problem with these teenage boys, it is far different from when we were having children. But don’t worry, he will be around tomorrow to see his busting baby boy, she said.

Just look at his eyes, he looks just like his father. Look at his bulging eyes, look at his lips—he has nothing for the Pesetas.

As he grew older, he will start looking like me or his grandfather, but if he remains looking like his father, then that is okay too. His father is a nice-looking fellow who comes around whenever he could to see Doreen. I must also say that I have nothing against that young fellow. He treats our daughter with respect, and he is very respectful to me. Now, what else can I ask for? I know Doreen is much too young to have a child, but it happened already and the baby is here, so all I can do is give them my blessings and hope that they will play the role of good parents, Heather said as she took a good look at her daughter and grandson.

All those who came over to help with Doreen’s birth decided to spend the rest of the night and did not leave until midmorning. Heather was so pleased to have neighbors over that early morning she put aside her tired feeling and went to the kitchen to prepare a hearty breakfast consisting of hot chocolate, ackee and salt fish, fried breadfruit, and boiled bananas for everyone. After breakfast that morning, the women got themselves together as they took one last look at the newborn, bid Doreen goodbye, gave Heather a hug, and congratulated her on her new grandson. At 10:00 a.m., they all left the house to attend to their own personal duties.

The first day of Nigel’s life on earth was quite an amazing one. His mother and grandmother watched every move he made. They realized that the child was larger than the normal size of a newborn. They also realized that besides his big bulging eyes, the child was born with two teeth in the front of his mouth. Everyone who came over to see the newborn knew that he would be a very special child. There was something odd about this baby that he had everyone on Lacey Road Avenue talking about him. Doreen decided to stay indoors with her baby for several weeks at her mother’s command.

Heather told Doreen that she should not take the newborn outdoors until they can get the vicar to come over and bless the child. I will speak to the vicar on Sunday to see if he can take some time out of his busy schedule to come over and bless this child, Heather said.

That would be nice, Mother, I don’t want to stay in this house too long. I may start to get the color of the wall, Doreen said.

That is rubbish, child, what fool told you that story? I’ve never heard such stupidity in all my life, Heather said.

It was on the third day that Nigel actually cried for the first time right after Doreen had given him milk from her breast. Doreen could not understand why the child was crying and was too young to figure it all out. Clueless as to what else could have been going on with him, Doreen felt really sad when she could not do anything to quiet her child. It was not until Heather actually took the child from his mother that he stopped crying.

I told you it wasn’t going to be easy—now you see what I am talking about. I had the same problem when all of you children were born, especially you. I had no rest. You cried day and night. Now it is your time. This is like payback for all the hard times you gave me as a child. Can you see how he became quiet as soon as I took him away from you? Doreen shook her head in disbelief. She felt unworthy of being a mother, not being able to calm her three-day-old son.

After the birth of her grandson, Heather decided to stay home for a couple of weeks, to help her daughter with her newborn. Nigel was a special child, and everyone who saw him was taken aback by his robust look. Not to mention his full eyes that were quite penetrating when he opened them. Doreen liked when Nigel was asleep—she realized that during that time, it was only safe to get some quality time without any concern. The child was like an angel when he was full and off to sleep. His grandmother often said that the child was as peaceful as the night.

That week, Heather went down to the church where she worshipped on Sunday. She wanted to make arrangements for the vicar to come down to the house and bless the child. Heather knew that Doreen wanted to show off her newborn on the street to her friends; therefore, she did all in her power to get the vicar to come to the house and bless the child. Heather got the vicar to come over to the house the following Sunday after church. At that point, it would be exactly several days after Nigel’s birth. Doreen did not have much experience on how to care for the child, which ultimately forced her to depend on her mother to do everything for the baby.

You’ve got to learn how to take care of your child. In two weeks, I’ll be off to work and you will be left here all alone, Heather said as she took the baby from his mother and bathed him in a basin of chilled water. This was Nigel’s third bath, which forced him to cry as if he was being spanked.

After bathing the child, Heather dried him off and wrapped him in a white blanket. The child continued to cry after experiencing his third bath. Doreen watched attentively as her mother attended to the child. I want you to watch what I am doing, Heather said as her daughter paid close attention at the way her mother took care of her son. Are you paying attention? This is how you hold the child to wash his body. I will do it a few more times then I will let you have your moment to bathe him yourself.

Doreen was very young and also very vain she could not stand the sight of her protruding belly.

Mother, what can I do about my belly? It looks as if Nigel was still inside my belly. Do you think another child is in my belly, Mother? Doreen asked.

Don’t be silly. If you did have another child inside, it would have been out already. You must do some exercise so your belly can return to its normal size, Heather said. Being quiet young, Doreen had no idea that her belly would return to its normal size, but her mother assured her that in time she would get right back to her normal size. When Doreen’s friends came over to visit, she would be uncomfortable to be around them, especially those of her friends who would normally have their eyes fixed on her. She was often encouraged by everyone to take daily walks which would ultimately help her to reach her goal. Doreen realized that it would help a great deal to get herself in shape, but above all, it was more important to raise a healthy baby.

As the days slipped away and the child grew older, Heather and her daughter knew that Nigel was different from other babies.

I think we better start putting money aside because this boy is going to make us proud, Heather said. Before Nigel was even six months old, he was standing up and taking several steps to walk. He was already calling Mama. Doreen was quite astonished by her child’s ability to do things that no other six-month-old baby could do. She was also concerned about his two front teeth that he had at birth.

Doreen decided to take the child to a neighborhood clinic to see if the doctor had any suggestion about what should be done about Nigel’s teeth. While she was at the clinic, the nurse who greeted her at the front desk realize that Doreen was carrying a strange-looking child and was alarmed by it.

What a beautiful little girl, the nurse said.

That is not a girl—he is a little boy and his name is Nigel, Doreen said.

Oh, I am sorry. How is it going, is he okay? the nurse asked.

Yes, ma’am, he is quite fine. I have an appointment to see the doctor because I wanted to know if it was necessary to remove those two front teeth that he was born with. You see, ma’am, my concern is that as he grows older, his teeth would get larger, and if those teeth continue to grow, by the time he reaches one or two years old, they will grow out of his mouth, Doreen said as she looked at the nurse and then at the child.

Let me check on your status, the nurse said. She picked up a red log book, and after skipping through a couple of pages, she realized that Doreen had on appointment with the clinic for 11:00 a.m. to see Dr. Fang.

There are two other people ahead of you. So do make yourself comfortable and I will call you when it’s your turn to see the doctor, the nurse at the counter said. Doreen sat in the waiting area with her baby on a brown leather chair which was right across from the front desk. Nigel was well suited in his tiny two-piece suit. The nurse was quite fond of him, and every chance she gets, she would come over to play with Nigel’s bulging cheek.

Oh, you little cutie—I would love to take you home tonight. You are very lucky to have such an adorable child, she said. Doreen accepted the compliment as she sat there hoping to be called by the doctor.

When it was time to see the doctor, Nigel was quite irritable—his mother thought he may have had a gripe. The nurse escorted Doreen and her son to the doctor’s office as soon as their names were called. The child became more and more irritable that the doctor had to check him right away to see if there were other things going on with him. Dr. Fang did not find anything abnormal with the child, so he assured Doreen that the child was okay and that was the normal reaction for a child his age.

So you say that you are here for his teeth. If I were you, I would wait until he gets a little older before doing anything about his teeth. I think if you remove them now, it will damage his nerve, which could create other problems as he gets older, he said. The doctor wrote an appointment for Doreen to return to his office within the next six months. They left the office and made their way home. At that point, Nigel had gotten quiet. He was no longer crying. Doreen made her way to the bus stop. Several minutes after she was standing there, an old woman came up to her with a big smile.

How are you, madam? I couldn’t help noticing your child—there is something peculiar about him. What is his name? She asked.

His name is Nigel—he is not feeling well today, so I took him to the doctor, she said.

Don’t worry, he will be okay—as a matter of fact, there is nothing wrong with him. He is as fit as a fiddle, the old woman said.

How do you know that, ma’am, are you a doctor? Doreen asked.

I cannot tell you—all I can say is that this child is on this earth for a reason. As he grows older, you will see certain changes that will seem amazing to you. Don’t question his doings, and for the first ten years of his life, I would advise you not to share the things he does with anyone. Also before I go, I beg of you please do not remove those two teeth in the front of his mouth because if you do, it will take away his blessings. Anyway, take best care of him, and for the next ten years, make sure you keep a close watch on him, the old woman said before disappearing in a crowd of people. Doreen had no idea what the woman was talking about although she was saying yes to everything the woman said. She was a bit confused as to why the woman wanted Nigel to keep his teeth that he was born with. Doreen took a good look at her son and smiled as she kissed him on the cheek. When she got home that night, the first thing she did was tell her mother what the doctor said. She also told her about the stranger she met on her way back home.

Tell me something about this woman? Heather said.

On my way from the doctor, I was standing on Kings Street waiting for the bus when this woman came up to me. She started telling me things about Nigel and that I should not remove his teeth. I did not tell this woman anything about my child, yet she had this preconceived notion that I was planning on removing the child’s teeth. The first thing that came to mind is that this must be an obeah woman, Doreen said.

What else did she say? Heather asked.

Well, she said that Nigel will go through a series of changes that I need to keep to myself, she said.

Do you know why she was telling you all these stories? Heather asked.

I really don’t know—I guess this woman can see far. She could see things that I was unable to see. I was afraid to ask her where she got her information. I just did not like the way she was dressed, Doreen said. How was she dressed? Heather asked. She was wearing a brightly colored frock that sweeps across the floor whenever she walked. Her headdress was also one with colors matching her dress. She had a white cord tied around her waist and a big black book in one hand. The book looked more like a Bible, but the size of it led me to think it may have been another kind of book.

Based on what you are saying, I think she is a woman who practices black magic, Heather said.

What is that, Mother? Doreen asked.

You never heard of black magic?

No, what exactly is that?

Well, that is the same thing they call obeah around here, she said.

Okay, I know what that is—I don’t want those people around my child, Doreen said.

Well, you did not go out there seeking to find such person—she came to you, so don’t worry, her mother said as she took the child from Doreen’s arms.

The woman said not to remove Nigel’s teeth. I did not mention that he was born with his teeth—she knew right away, she said.

Well, maybe she got a point—if it does not give him problems, why should we remove them? Heather asked.

I am afraid those teeth may get too large and stick out of his mouth, Doreen said

What about the doctor, what did he think about the idea, did he think that they should be taken out? Heather asked.

He said that he would remove them only if the child had problems, she said.

I think you should listen to the woman just in case she is right about what she is saying. I think she could be a messenger sent by God. I don’t know anything about supernatural behavior, so I will not say much on the subject, but like the woman said, it will be a good idea to keep our eyes on him. I think the stranger you met may have a good point, so it’s our duty to watch to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

Although Nigel was quite young, his mother and grandmother realized that he had a rare quality that was by far different from other children his age. Many days after Doreen finished giving him his bath, she would take a good look in his eyes and realized that something was quite strange about her son. She did not want to create any alarm, so she kept observing with the hope that he would change as he grew older. Every day when Heather arrived home from work, she would pick up her grandson.

This child sure is strange—he is starting to frighten me. Heather did all in her power not to share any of the strange looks with her family or friends. Heather and her daughter watched the child every moment they got and decided to follow the obeah woman’s advice.

Five years had passed, and Doreen had not been back to the clinic to see the doctor. She and her mother did all in their power to make the boy’s life run smoothly. Nigel’s teeth did not grow any longer—all his teeth were on the same height; therefore, there was no need to take him to the doctor for his teeth. Ultimately, there were other things that were strange about Nigel. His mother realized that every time that he was sitting by himself, he would claim to have seen someone. After listening to the child’s story, Heather and Doreen became quite paranoid. They did not let Nigel out of their sight and would not allow any stranger to get close to him except for times when he was at school.

One bright Sunday morning, Heather sent Doreen to a little shop down the road to purchase eggs, milk and bread to prepare breakfast. Doreen did not take her son to the store as she normally would on Sunday mornings. Instead, she let him stay back with his grandmother. Doreen realized, after leaving the house, that it was quite windy on Lacey Road Avenue. It was also quite dusty since it had not rained in several months. On her way back from the store, Doreen noticed that there were several ravens flying towards the house. She had never seen ravens before except for those in picture books. She walked briskly home to be with her mother and child. There were not too many people on the street that morning. When Doreen walked towards her home, she was surprised to see that ravens were on top of her house. The young woman started to cry.

Oh Jesus, Father. The duppy came to take my baby away from me, she said. She was afraid to enter the house. Doreen stood across the street and called out her mother’s name to see if she would come out from inside. When she did not see her mother and son, she decided that it would not be a good idea to enter the house alone. She hoped and prayed that her mother and child were okay. The ravens did not go away—they stood on top of the house making weird noises and moving from one side of the room to the other and looking down as if they wanted to enter the house. Observing the crazy scene with the ravens, Doreen decided to knock on the neighbor’s fence to see if someone would follow her to the house. She also wanted to know if anyone had seen her mother and son leave the house minutes ago. Unfortunately, not one person responded to her call. She looked up and down the street to see if there was anyone walking along the street that would offer her some assistance. It was a very calm morning, and not too many people were walking around. Doreen waited to see if anyone would come towards the house. Poor Doreen did not know what to do. She cried hard with stream of tears trickling down her cheeks. She prayed and hoped that her mother and child were out of harm’s way. She decided to walk back to the shop where she had purchased the milk, bread, and eggs. When she got to the store, the shopkeeper was surprised to see her coming back with all the things she had bought.

What seems to be the matter, young lady? he asked. He looked at her with her face drenched with sweat and came over to console her.

Is there something wrong with the things you’ve bought? He asked.

No, sir, actually I am looking for my mother and son whom I left at home earlier. I think something went wrong—my mother and son may be hurt, she said. The shopkeeper was surprised to hear her story. He looked up the road to see what was going on, but Doreen’s house was not within view. It was quite windy, and the air was filled with dust. It was almost like a tornado when the wind created a funnel with the dust and debris that it had picked up from the drought-filled land.

I think we are experiencing change. It must be the end of time or the coming of the Lord. My dear child, you would not understand, but the Bible talks about the Second Judgment. If this is not the Second Judgment, then I don’t know what is. Let me see if I can get somebody to follow you to the house. Maybe your mother and child is asleep, but as for the ravens, I don’t know what to tell you—all I can say is that something is about to happen on this island. The Lord may be revealing himself to us in a very mysterious way and that is why we are seeing all these signs. Doreen looked up and down the street. She could not grasp any of what the shopkeeper was saying. All she wanted was to see her mother and her son.

Oh, here is Sam—I will ask him to go along with you, the shopkeeper said. Doreen was anxious to know what was going on with her child and her mother. Sam walked with Doreen up Lacey Road Avenue, and as they got closer to the house, Doreen realized that the ravens were no longer on top of the house. Ultimately, the cry of the ravens could be heard in the distance.

They are gone, they are gone. I hope they did not take my baby, Doreen said.

I think your mother and your son may be staying with the neighbors, Sam said. He decided to go inside the house to see if Heather and her grandson were inside. Fortunately, no one was inside the house.

I told you that they were with the neighbors. You see, ma’am, you’ve got to listen to me, I know everything that goes on around here, and that is why my father sent me to check things out for you, Sam said. He waited with Doreen for several minutes to see if her mother would return from the neighbor’s house. As they stood on the verandah waiting, a tall gentleman came up the street and knocked on the wooden gate in front of the house. Doreen had never seen this man before and was reluctant to let him in.

Mother is not here right now, sir, she should be back in a few minutes, Doreen said.

"Okay, I will check back later. No need to tell her that I