Were

By Nickole Williams

NICKOLE WILLIAMS 8

This was not the summer that Keilia had planned. She wanted nothing more than to spend time with her aunt, to catch up on the time she had missed with her. She would work with her and learn from the greatest scientist she had ever known. What she found, instead of the peaceful summer she had envisioned, was a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from! A world of hard truths is revealed when she comes face-to-face with the person she thought she knew. Among the mist of the nightmare comes a man that seemed to walk right out of a romance novel; he was like no other. A god among man, one who brought her to life only later to turn into the unexpected. What started out as a great time turns into what nightmares are made from. Not knowing if she will make it out alive, she embraces what lies ahead and dives in!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Newman Springs Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781684982738

Book preview

1

As she drove along, she thought about her great-grand aunt Delilah.

Watching the sun as it rose along the horizon, Keilia sat at the table drinking the last of her coffee. She checked her watch, noting she had about another fifteen minutes or so before she would reach her great-grand aunt’s house. Her aunt, Delilah Hurts, a scientist, or as some people called her a nappy quack, had left New York City for greener pastures. She’s one of those black people that coulda’ passed for white, some would say. Not only was she the palest black person Keilia had ever seen, she was also the most intelligent. Being in a big city had not helped Delilah’s career take off. It didn’t help that she was black and a woman in the 1940s.

In a male-dominated world, she had struggled to make it. In those days, women weren’t allowed to even think about being a scientist, much less become one. Somewhere in the late ’50s, she got her foot in the door. A scientist, Albert Walsh, decided to let her become his apprentice. Even though she did all the work, Mr. Walsh took all the credit and all the glory. After a number of years, she got tired of it all, tired of the whispers and the constant racist remarks.

With the little money she made, she was able to buy a house down South. She picked up and left without looking back. Every now and then, she would come to the city to visit. She never told anyone where she was exactly or what she was doing in the country. All she would say is that it was research. She’s been down there for over forty years. Keilia never knew her true age; she figured she was somewhere in her late eighties. She didn’t look a day over fifty. It was as if her aging process had slowed down to a crawl.

Are you ready for your check, ma’am?

Keilia jumped out of the trance; she realized she had been in. Exasperated, the waitress repeated herself, flashing the check. After she paid for the meal, Keilia walked out into the spring air.

Summer would be here in a couple of days. She loved to drive on the highway this time of year. The air was still crisp; not cold, not too hot, it was just right for her. The sky had a glimmer of brightness that always made her want to bring joy to everyone. She felt alive. As she drove along, she thought about the first time she had met her great-grand aunt Delilah.

2

Being that she’s not a stupid woman, she shut her trap.

Keilia, honey, there is someone here I would like you to meet, her mother said.

At five, Keilia was not very friendly with anyone other than her parents. It was different, however, when she met Delilah. There was a connection right away. From then on, they were thick as thieves. Though there was a big gap in their ages, it never stopped them from learning from one another. Keilia enjoyed the knowledge her great-grand aunt was willing to impart.

For the two weeks Delilah stayed in the city, Keilia learned as much science a five-year-old could ingest. At least once a year, Delilah would spend two weeks with her favorite great-grand niece. Between the times she visited, Delilah always sent letters and made phone calls to Keilia. When they got computers, they sent emails instead of letters. For the last ten years, however, Delilah was unable to visit. She told Keilia she was on an important scientific breakthrough. She had been working on a project for the past fifteen years. This was hard for Keilia to handle, and it took a while for her to adjust to not seeing her aunt Deedee every year.

Keilia busied herself with school. She decided she wanted to be a scientist, like her Deedee. As the years went by, she decided she liked the law as well. She couldn’t decide which she liked more, so she combined the two. She would be a medical coroner. She would enjoy both law and science.

Having graduated top of her class, she had the whole summer to relax before she started med school in the fall. Instead of sulking and looking like you’ve lost your best friend, why don’t you find something to do? her mother asked her.

What’s there for me to do? Joneen is off on her honeymoon, and Tracy’s working the whole summer at the diner, day and night, so she’ll have extra money for when she goes to law school. And, of course, Justin went to travel across Europe to find himself. I wish we had money like Justin’s father so I could travel around Europe too.

Well, we don’t have money like that, so get over it. You should be grateful you got a scholarship to get into college and your aunt Delilah, your father, and I were able to get enough money to send you to med school.

I am grateful, Mom. It’s just that I have nothing to do.

Well then, since you’re so bored and have no friends to hang out with, why you don’t get a job? It never hurts to save more money.

A job? What good is that? Yes, it would be good to make extra money, but where’s the fun in that?

Well, I know this lady who would love to have you—

Before her mother could finish her words, Keilia replied, Ma, listen, I know you mean well, but I don’t want to work for one of your friends.

I wouldn’t call her my friend. We’re friends, yes, but we’re more than that. You can say she’s more like family than anything else.

Who is she? Is it Aunt Betty? Betty was her mother’s best friend since they were in grade school. I won’t do it, Mom! I know I won’t feel right working for one of your friends.

I’m sure once you meet this woman, you’ll love her.

I doubt that strongly.

Well, honey, I’m sorry to tell you this, but I’ve already told her you’d love to come.

Ah, Ma, why would you say that? She was getting slightly annoyed with her mother. She wished she could tell her off the way she could tell off her friends. Being that she’s not a stupid woman, she shut her trap. Her mother began to laugh.

I find nothing funny about this. Now, I’m going to have to work for some woman I don’t even know.

This summer was really going to suck, she thought to herself. She could see it now, having the worst summer, bored to tears, stuck in some woman’s house doing God knows whatever. The worst summer ever, she mumbled.

I guess I’ll have to call your aunt Deedee and tell her you won’t make it after all, her mother mused. It took her a split second to register what her mother just said. She jumped up out of the chair and did a 360 around the kitchen. Aunt Deedee! Why didn’t you say that in the first place? It’s not nice playing with my emotions like that.

It might not have been funny to you, but it was a great laugh for me. You should have seen your face, it was priceless. I should have hidden the video camera so Daddy and I could watch the different expressions over and over.

Keilia paid her mother little attention. She was too busy trying to figure out what she would bring to her aunt’s house. She couldn’t decide what to fit into her suitcase. That’s when it dawned on her…how she was going to get there?

What are you doing? her mother asked as Keilia reached for the phone. What do you think I’m doing, I have to find transportation to get down to Aunt Deedee’s.

Well, your father and I got to talking last night, and we decided you should use your grandfather’s car. The car her mother referred to was a relic. It was a ’52 Chevy pickup. While it was in great condition, her father took great care of it, but it wasn’t hip. It was made for an old person, Keilia thought.

I know that look. You know that truck works better than the cars they make nowadays. Everything on the inside is brand-spanking-new, and there’s not one ounce of rust on it. Her mother also pointed out it would get her safely there and back. Keilia still didn’t want to drive the old truck. It was big and ugly, and she didn’t want to be seen in it. I have an idea, why can’t you and Daddy keep the Chevy and give me the Honda?

It’s quite simple. For one thing, you and your father drive stick. I might not drive much, but when I do, I like to be able to. You know I tried to learn how to drive a stick and kept burning out the clutch. She put her hand up to stop Keilia from what she was about to say. That was also a sign to let Keilia know she was beginning to get annoyed. You have two choices. One, you can stay here and get a job for the summer, or you can get in the big truck and drive your butt down to see your favorite aunt.

Keilia pondered that for a moment.

3

Why is there someone being kept in a cage?

Three days later, she was on her way. Make sure you call me when you get there, her parents had said in unison. Of course, her father suggested that she call between stops. Make sure you are on your best behavior.

Yes, sir.

Make sure you keep the gas tank full. Don’t drive on empty, and if you hear a funny sound, don’t hesitate to find a mechanic.

Yes, Pop! Giving her parents a farewell kiss, she jumped in the pickup. As she drove down her street, she could see her parents at the end of the driveway through her rearview mirror. She shook her head and smiled; she felt like she was going to college all over again. As she drove along, she found little traffic on the street, and even when she hit the interstate, traffic was somewhat clear with cars moving at a steady pace. The next rest stop, she read, would be the last for the next twenty miles. The rumbling in her stomach decided for her. She rolled onto the ramp, pulling into the roadside diner.

Satisfied, she walked out of the diner and headed back the pickup. She was getting anxious. It had been years since she last saw her aunt.

The further she drove, the more distant the houses became from each other. The landscape was changing before her eyes. At a point, the trees grew dense. She began to wonder if she would see any more houses soon. After several hours of driving through what seemed like endless trees, she caught glimpses of several farms hidden behind the trees. I wonder if I’m going the right way, she thought to herself. Checking the map, she noted there was no other way to go. She wasn’t sure where she was, but she felt she was heading in the right direction. Several minutes later, there was a sign that read Sammy Ville. She stopped at the gas station, just to make sure she was heading in the right direction.

The couple who owned the little station knew her aunt well. Keilia got the impression that they didn’t like her aunt very much. They referred to her as the crazy science lady on top of the hill. They didn’t understand her aunt. Everything she did was for the good of mankind. People who knew nothing about science always found something wrong with scientists. Keilia couldn’t understand why people were so ignorant.

The hill she was given directions to seemed more of a mountain. The road was very narrow, she didn’t think the pickup would fit on it. It was surrounded by trees on both sides. The house, a large Victorian, sat on the very top of the hill. The pale yellow of the house made one feel at home. It was beautiful, yet there was a feeling of unease about it. She got an instant chill. The hairs on the nape of her neck stood up. There was something here that made her skin crawl.

She parked in front of the house. Before she left the safety of the truck, she took a deep breath. She chucked all these feelings up to nerves. It’s been a long time since she had seen her aunt, so she just felt a little out of whack.

After walking up the front steps, she rang the bell. A woman answered the door. By the looks of her, she was much younger than her aunt but clearly older than Keilia. She looked to be about her mother’s age, Keilia thought.

Yes, may I help you?

Good afternoon, my name is Keilia and—

Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the woman, Oh my god! You’re the Doc’s niece from Connecticut, right? We’ve been expecting you. Well, come on in. Your aunt’s been waiting to see you. You’re all she talks about, with the exception of her work that is. They walked through the massive house. It seemed much larger on the inside.

She was led down a flight of steps, which she was told was the Doc’s laboratory. Try not to break anything. Keilia gave her a look that said, Duh! The basement was one large room. There were smaller rooms once upon a time that the Doc had knocked down to make one large room, she was told by the woman escorting her. She still didn’t know her name. There was a large metal wall that faced them. There was a door in the middle of it that had a dead bolt lock on the outside. There were markings on the walls all around her. They looked like symbols of some kind. Now that she thought about it, she had noticed them when she first walked in the house. She found it a little strange, how it just registered in her head. The woman gave two hard knocks on the door before opening it. There was a slight creak as the door gave way. As they walked through the door, the first thing Keilia noticed was the metal cage to her left. The next thing she noticed was the figure in it. Immediately walking over to the cage to see if there was anything she could do, or why someone was in the cage