One If By Sea

by Eden Royce

One If By Sea

by Eden Royce

This is a sample from Augur Magazine Issue 1.3. The full story can be read by purchasing the issue here.

You want your little girl back or not?

I’ma tell you how to do it. Get your life back the way it was. No more of that cold, empty hole lyin’ in your belly.

Why you cryin’? I done told you I was gonna help fix it. Just keep my name outta your mouth and it all gonna be fine.

You wanna go by land or sea? Don’t ask ’bout air. Air is too hard and I’m old—ain’t got the strength to help more than I already am.

Sea? Good, then.

Dress in white. To let the dead know your intentions is pure. And it might save you a bit of time, make the spirits think you one of ’em for a while. Or it might make ’em angry and wanna bind you there. I don’t know what’s in the minds of the dead.

Bathe in blue water. Soak in it from your hair to your toes. Hell, paint your toenails blue. While you in that water, pray to your god-lady: Oshun, Mami Wata, whoever it is you follow. Ask for guidance.

Listen for her words, then lay yourself back in that tub there. Cling to them words because once you pass through the water, you gonna be outta my reach. When you get pulled down through the tub, don’t fight. If you done it right, you won’t drown. If you done it wrong, well…I’ll light candles for your soul.

Never said it would be easy. You like too much easy. Sometimes things is just hard. Hush. Hush that cryin’ now. I swear all y’all young people who don’t know your heart got me vex.

No, that child ain’t your heart. Don’t ever put that on a child. They grow up and grow apart and live whatever kinda life they want, leavin’ you alone. Love ’em, give ’em all you got, then let ’em live. Shoot, you was wantin’ to jump in that casket with her.

Where is your heart? They gonna ask that at the big gate. And if you say it’s that girl, they’ll swing it wide. Then close it behind you ’cause you got what you want, right there in the middle of the beyond. And there you gonna stay in the midst of the dead while they sip at your life until they end you.

Continued in Augur Magazine Issue 1.3 . . .

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EDEN ROYCE is a freshwater Geechee from Charleston, South Carolina, now living in the English countryside. Her stories have appeared on PodCastle and in Strange Horizons, Fireside Fiction, Fiyah Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, Apex Magazine, and Abyss & Apex. Find her at edenroyce.com and on Twitter @edenroyce.