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“Fine, but this Mama better not be some Blair Witch type of fellow.” Isabella placed a hand on his arm with a grateful, faint smile. Liam put the car in reverse, pulling it back toward the road when Eva pulled something out from underneath his seat.
“Karma have mercy on his aura! Please tell me you didn’t poison poor Isabella with this garbage!” Liam took a quick glimpse at his sister from the rear-view mirror and saw her holding up the crumbled bag from Burger King. He let out a long, slow sigh and clenched his fists around the steering wheel.
“Lord, if you hear me, please have mercy on us… This is gonna be a long ride,” He growled just loud enough for Isabella to hear as they made their way toward Neverland.
“This is exactly how horror movies start,” Liam said sarcastically looking up to the thick clouds that had magically appeared the moment they pulled onto this dirt road, turning a sunny sky into a dark-grey overcast one within minutes. It was eerily cold in this part of the woods, or wherever they were at the moment. Tall trees buried under deep fog surrounded them, forming walls that seemed to be closing in on them the further they went, ready to swallow them whole.
It was a miracle but two hours and several wrong turns later, they finally made it to the dirt road behind the Swamp Saloon. “This isn’t as scary as the garbage you eat,” Eva countered his earlier remarks. Isabella had no idea that Liam wasn’t joking when he’d tried to hide those paper bags, warning about his sister’s lengthy speeches.
“Eva… Please! In case this lady kills us, I don’t want to die listening to you preach about fair-trade food.” Liam bared his teeth, one word away from bursting into anger or perhaps tears. Isabella giggled, watching all of this with a fuzzy feeling in her heart.
“You guys are really lucky to have each other,” she said with a grin. Neither Liam nor Eva replied to that, but their silence was a sign that they agreed with her.
The car pulled into an opening in the woods which was the end of the road. There was a big, green house that looked like it was built in Victorian times. Itwas asymmetrical with round towers that had steep pitched roofs. A large wrap-around porch would have given it a cozy touch if it wasn’t for the visible dry rot in several places. Ravens nestled high up on the roof, watching them in silence as they got out of the car.
Isabella felt her muscles tighten. “It looks like a doll’s house,” she said, trying to lift her spirits. Liam wrinkled his nose.
“More like a haunted house,” which made Isabella's heart sink toward the musky covered ground.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Mama hasn’t done any dark magic in months,” Eva said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
“Well, I am glad to hear that Mama found her way back to the light,” Liam said rolling his eyes. Isabella threw Liam a look with a mix of worry and confusion. He grabbed her hand, repenting his words. “Don’t worry, this is all a bunch of b.s. if you ask me.”
They were making their way up the porch when the front door slowly squeaked open. Isabella took a step behind Liam. All three stood there, staring into the dark hallway that was soon touched by the dim sunlight hiding behind the clouds. The walls inside were filled to the brim, from antique books and furniture, to pictures and more bizarre unidentifiable stuff, all of which seemed to be fighting for more wall space.
“Mama?” Eva's voice echoed across the hallway and back. “Are you there?” She took the first step inside the darkly lit corridor. But there was no answer. Eva turned to Liam and Isabella who still stood in the safety of the dim sunlight, shrugging their shoulders as if they were ready to go back home.
“Eva!” a voice shrieked from behind them, causing all three of them to be startled and alarmed.
“Jesus Christ,” Liam let out a sharp breath. Isabella threw her arm around his shoulder, pulling herself closer to his back. Even Eva had a hand lifted to her mouth, but instantly lowered it, playing it cool again.
Mama revealed herself as a short, white-haired woman who wore what looked like an old medieval, green wool garment. She stood in front of Liam and Isabella and from the look on her face, she’d just come from the woods and had leaves still stuck to her hair. She was carrying a bundle of sticks on one arm and a basket on the other, filled with different odd-looking leaves.
“Ah. Thank goodness you're here. I thought I wouldn’t make it one more step!” she said out of breath with a raspy voice, pushing the branches and the basket into Liam’s arms. Without saying another word, she pushed past Eva and faded into the house. The three of them stared at each other, then followed her through the dark entrance and into another darkly lit room. Everything in this home looked like it was out of an old period horror movie. Old pictures of a century long gone heavily decorated the walls. The furniture was as old, if not older, than Mama herself. Liam almost tripped over a rug, but Isabella managed to hold onto him, just barely avoiding a fall on a rusty spike-filled mace just lying on the floor. To its right stood a full-size knight’s armor with an empty hand.
“Would you mind if I turn a lamp on?” Liam asked catching his breath, slightly annoyed.
“I don’t have electricity,” Mama said. She kindled several candles, then pointed to a table pushed against the wall next to an old piano, signaling Liam to put the branches and the basket on top.
“You don’t have electricity?” he asked in disbelief, following her orders and putting her voodoo witchcraft items down. Mama threw him a long annoyed stare.
“I could see if I could get that installed for you,” he clarified his intentions. “It looks a bit dangerous using candles with so much wood around.” Mama’s facial expression changed from annoyed and angry to a kinder version of annoyed.
“Thank you, but I can manage. All these new world wonders interfere with the flow of my energy.”
“Right…” Liam scratched his head.
“Thanks for helping us.” Eva stepped closer to Mama.
Mama locked her gaze onto Isabella, which for some reasons sent shivers down her spine.
“Of course. You were very kind to me back then, Eva. I owe you this much.” Mama nodded toward a red satin sofa. “Have a seat, I’ll be right back.”
Isabella sat down first, unleashing a cloud of dust bursting into the air that instantly swallowed all three of them. Isabella let out a feminine cough, while Liam and Eva sounded like they had bronchitis, with red eyes welling in tears.
“Ough… from where…ough… do you know this lady… ough?” Liam demanded answers.
“Ough… I helped her win a court case… ough… Google… ough… She didn’t want to be listed… on Google maps ...ough.” Both of them waited for the dust to settle before sitting back down next to Isabella.
