And Then Came the Voodoo

      Geraldine looked up at the moon and felt uneasy. It was perfect daylight and the sky was blue, yet there was the moon staring back like an empty eye. It seemed she was the only one who noticed it hiding behind a high-rise. Her mother had said that spotting the moon during the day meant certain bad luck. The memory made Geraldine’s knees buckle. And then came the voodoo.
      She stubbed her toe against the sidewalk and cursed. The pain shot up her leg. She stumbled and tried to find her gait, but her ankle contorted and she nearly lost her balance. Geraldine adjusted her pantsuit and lowered herself awkwardly, finding a seat on the curb. She peeled off her pump and massaged her toe. A blood blister oozed. She touched it gently and a yellowed toenail came off in her hand.
      “Jesus!”
      A few passers-by glanced down at Geraldine then continued walking unconcerned. Droplets of red dripped steadily. She removed her business tote and searched for anything to stop the bleeding. She tried some crumpled newspaper, but her blood mingled with ink and she cringed.
      “Does anyone have a bandage?”
      A man patted his pockets. A woman tapped her purse. They never stopped moving.
      Geraldine saw a convenience mart across the street. She picked herself up with her foot turned unnaturally inward. She hopped. The strap of her tote pulled down on her shoulder, burning with every step. She leaned against a parked car for support and a tear splashed against her cheek. Geraldine looked skyward. The blue had turned to gray and the moon was missing.
      HONK! A shadow in a Cadillac pressed his horn and waited for Geraldine to cross the road. She raised her hand and limped forward as another tear splashed her face. Then a wailing torrent plunged down from above like a banshee. Her make-up smeared. Her black hair curled and her clothes grew heavy. She could feel herself drip away, drop by drop, as she dragged her bloodied toe through the dirty water.

To be continued...