3-Belize City

               I watched Ikan as he turned on the water in the last bungalow to make sure the pipe he had just fixed didn’t leak. It had been a very different afternoon than what I had originally set out to do. So far we had fixed leaky faucets, changed numerous light bulbs, switched out an air conditioner, and replaced a headboard. I didn’t even want to think to myself how it had got broken. The sun was setting already and soon the streets of Belize City would change and the nightlife would take over.  I looked down at the clothes I was wearing and realized they weren’t exactly nightlife material. As Ikan picked up his tool box, I opened the door for him.

                “I want to tell you, thank you,” he said as we came to a stop on the small porch. “I couldn’t have gotten everything done in time if it wasn’t for you.”

                “Do you think I have time to go change?” I asked him.

                “What? You think I am going to la fiesta looking like this? Go to your bungalow, get cleaned up, and we will meet at the lobby of the resort.”

His smile radiated like a bright beacon in the dusky light of the sunset. I smiled back and then started down the steps.

                “I will be quick,” I called to him over my shoulder and then I took off in a hasty manner toward my own bungalow.

                I jumped in the shower and washed the day’s salt off of my skin. Some of it was sweat, but I was sure some of it was from being in such close proximities to the ocean. The water felt good on my skin. I could have stayed under it a while, but I hurried and dried and then went to throwing outfits on the bed left and right. The cocktail dress my mother had insisted I buy was the first thing I picked up. I looked at it and then the second outfit. It wasn’t much better. It was a frilly lace top and a mini skirt.

                What are you doing? This isn’t a date, dummy, I muttered to myself. I decided to go with the long flowy blue skirt and my fitted white t-shirt.  I threw my sandals on and looked in the mirror. That was more like it. I brushed my hair quickly and grabbed a clippie to twist it up in the back. I dabbed on a little pink lip gloss, grabbed a small tote bag and threw my wallet inside. I hurried out the door and turned to lock it. When I turned around, Ikan startled me by being on my porch.

                “Oh shit,” I exclaimed before I caught myself. “You scared the crap out of me.”

Ikan chuckled.

                “I am sorry. I did not mean to frighten you.” He looked amazing. He had on a white button down shirt with it halfway unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled midway up his arm. His glossy black hair was still a little wet and it glistened by the now moonlight that shined over head. He had on loose linen type pants and he too wore sandals.  I stared at him for a minute. He was actually pretty good looking when he was cleaned up and not covered in dirt.

                “It’s ok. Just don’t make a habit of that,” I said as I steadied my breath.

                The trip up to Belize City was interesting. It took over an hour, during which I learned that Ikan had come to live with his Uncle after his parents had been killed by drug runners in Honduras. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. His Uncle was the head groundskeeper and he had been putting Ikan on miscellaneous jobs at the resort since he was nine years old. They had been offered a permanent homestead on the resort premises but his uncle had turned it down for their small house further down the beach in a small fishing village. I had made a mental note to make sure I would find my way down the beach to the village so that I could get away from the resort area and talk to some real Belizeans. I also found out that Ikan wanted to attend the University of Belize but so far he didn’t have the funding for it. I asked him what he wanted to major in and he had said, “Anything that didn’t require maintenance.”  We had a good laugh about it. He asked me tons of questions about Chicago and the US in general.  Before I knew it we had arrived back in the city, parked, and were headed toward the sounds of music and the smell of food. I felt my heart speed up as we rounded a corner and came in contact with a crowd of people dancing in the street to drums. It was loud and crowded. Ikan grabbed my hand and moved his way through them while pulling me along. He half danced, half tugged, but he kept me from getting trampled on. I figured he knew where he was going, so I just let him lead. We came out on the other side of the street and into a side street lined with carts and people selling items from plantains to hand woven throws. Ikan let go of my hand and smiled at me.

                “You can find anything you need on this street. They stay open all night during a fiesta. I have something to do. Stay here and I will find you in a bit.”

                “Wait a minute! You’re leaving me?”

                “I will be back in a just a little bit. Stay on this street and I will find you. You will be fine, I promise.”

                “Well at least take my cell number!”

                “I don’t have a cell phone. I promise I will be back.” He smiled a big smile at me and just like that, he was gone. For a split second I panicked. Then it dawned on me, earlier that day I had planning on taking a taxi all by myself. I would have been alone any way and if worse came to worse and Ikan didn’t return I could always call a taxi to take me back to the resort. I turned back towards the street vendors.  The aromas were simply amazing. Someone was frying something somewhere and I could smell a hint of spicy smoke as well. I made my way down the street as I carefully took in all of the sights. I took my time marveling at all of the beautiful handmade jewelry and pottery. I bought a hand woven bag first and then began to buy items to fill it with like fruit and spices for when I cooked at the bungalow.  I had just about reached the end of the market area when I saw an old woman sitting at a table under an awning. She pointed right at me. Her silver hair was tied back in a messy bun and silver rings adorned all of her fingers.  I could tell by the milkiness of her eye color she was blind and a chill crept up my spine. A young boy sat beside her and gestured for me to come over. I stood frozen for a minute deliberating on what I should do. After a few seconds I ducked in under the awning.

                “My name is Anhel. This is my abuelita Ora.”

Ora reached up and took my hand. I slowly sat down on the small stool across from her. She leaned over and touched my cheek. I sat still and let the old woman feel my features. It was a little out of my comfort zone, but I realized she was just trying to figure out what I looked like. She smiled a wide smile and I saw that her teeth were yellowed and she seemed to be missing a few. I tried to hide the shake that ran through me, because she was quite creepy looking.

                She leaned over to the boy and whispered something in his ear that I couldn’t hear. He got up and went behind a curtain to enter the building. He returned quickly with a cup and handed it to the woman. She handed the cup to me and I saw that it was filled with some type of small bones, some leaves, and stones. I guessed she was some type of fortune teller and decided to play along with her little game. I figured it would cost me a huge chunk of change in the end, but if this was how she earns her living, who was I to judge?

                “Shake the cup three times and pour it onto the dirt,” said Anhel. I gave him a smirk and did as I was told.

                “I’m not giving her more than ten Belize Dollars,” I think to myself.

“Abuelita is an obeahn priestess. She doesn’t charge for her services,” said Anhel. I took in a deep breath and wondered if the kid knew what I was thinking or if it was pure coincidence. The old women bent over and touched the bones, rocks, and leaves. She froze for a few seconds and then quickly came up with another smile. She reached out and grabbed my hands so tightly, I thought she was going to break my fingers. She started screaming.

                “Akna! Akna! Akna!” I jumped up quickly. She was still screaming the strange word at me. I backed away quickly.

                “Akna! Akna!” she yelled. I turned quickly and ran from the tent.

                I moved so quickly I didn’t pay attention to where I was going and found myself out in the middle of the main street with the crowd of dancers. I turned around and lost my directional bearings. I wasn’t sure which way was which. Then my cell phone went off in my purse. I fumbled through it as I tried to make my way through the crowd to find a quiet side street.

                “Hello,” I answered.

                “You were supposed to call us when you arrived,” said my mother.

                “I’m sorry. I got sidetracked,” I said as I had to place one finger in my other ear so that I could hear her over the sound of the dancers and drums.

                “Are you having fun?” asked my mother. I could hear a hint of a smile in her voice.

                “Um, sure,” was all I could muster as I made my way down a side street.

                “It sounds like you are anyway. I’ll let you go. Call us later and let us know how it’s going.”

                “Ok, Mom. Love you.”

I hung up and looked around. I was on a different street from where I was before. It looked darker and scarier that the other streets I had been down. I only had two options, follow the scary brick road or go back out into the crowd and risk getting lost more.

2 - One Month Earlier

     I looked out the window of the plane and stared at the crystal blue water below me. The Gulf seemed to sparkle and shimmer with magic.
     One more hour Winona, I thought to myself and then I would be landing in Belize City and off to my beach side bungalow.
     Two weeks earlier when I graduated, my parents had surprised me with the news that I would be spending my summer in Belize. I had been accepted to Stony Brook University last Spring and planned to major in Anthropology. I had driven my parents nuts for months talking about the Mayan civilization and they decided a trip that included a little fun mixed with a little culture would be the perfect graduation present. I was more excited about the culture part, but my mother had hinted around about the nightlife all week before I left. I think she was just trying to live vicariously through me. She had taken me to the mall and bought me two new swimsuits and had my long dark brown hair streaked with highlights. She even bought me a cocktail dress. She seemed to be prepping me for the party of the century, but it didn't really matter to me at all. At the moment, I had my hair pulled back in a ponytail and sported a pair of blue jean shorts with a tank top. Real classy. I just wanted to go visit some Mayan temples and talk to some locals about their culture. I had been practicing my Spanish and I even looked up some words in Kreol so that I could understand what was being said when I wasn't being spoken to in English.  I leaned back in my seat and opened the book I had been reading. One more hour.
      Traveling through the city had been a blur. I felt my heart racing at the sights and sounds of everything around me. To the eyes of a normal person most of the buildings looked like they were worn and weather ravaged. To me it looked like an eclectic buffet of culture that could feed a person's soul. When I reached the resort, a young boy helped me tote my bags to the bungalow and I settled myself in. I had just unpacked my last bag when my stomach growled. I hadn't eaten before I left the airport. It seemed to be as good a time as any to go to a local market and find some authentic grub.  I had just started down the path that lead from my bungalow when the thunder rumbled overhead. I looked up and realized a cloud had moved in and I was about to be caught in a downpour. I hurried on towards the resort entrance where the restaurant and club was located. I was about twenty feet away when the bottom fell out. I ran as quickly as I could toward the opening of the dining area. Just as I reached the wooden steps, so did a young white couple. I squeezed the water out of my hair as the three of us laughed under the awning of the shelter.  They looked to be in their early twenties. The man had strikingly good looks. He had a chiseled jaw and sparkling green eyes. The woman was beautiful as well. She was thin, blond, and blue eyed.
     "Are you Americans?" I asked.
     "We're here on our honeymoon," replied the woman.
     "We just got here this morning and we were hoping to see some sights," said the man. "We aren't going to see them in this."
     "I'm Winona," I said as I shook their hands.  I wanted to see some sights as well. I could see rain in Chicago."
     "I'm Kim and this is Brent," said the lady. "Since we're here anyway, we might as well enjoy some food. Come join us. We can wait out the rain together. It sucks eating alone."
     "Thank you very much."
     As the three of us sat at a table under the covering, we enjoyed a meal of tortillas, beans, rice, and plantains. I learned that Brent had graduated from MIT and Kim was attending law school at Harvard. They were the poster children for white collar America. He was twenty three and she was twenty one. She wanted two kids; a boy and a girl. He wanted to coach little league one day. They seemed to have their life planned accordingly. I explained my plans of the future to them about becoming an anthropologist and although they seemed interested, I could tell it was just a cover. They were the type people that would curl up and die if they were surrounded by bones, dust, and artifacts.
     As the rain let up, we parted ways and I went on in to to let the concierge know I needed a taxi. That was when I saw a boy around my age arguing with the groundskeeper. He stormed right past me. He was clearly a native Belizean. He was beautifully tanned with dark wavy hair.  Against my better judgement I followed him. I watched him as he rounded the corner and I intentionally stayed back to keep him from noticing me. He opened the door to go to the edge of the resort and started towards the tree line.
     Where could he be headed?
     I stopped briefly and debated with myself if I should continue. My taxi had already been called and would arrive soon, but the scientist side of me that craved answers wouldn't budge, so I continued playing spy. I followed him a good  fifty feet when I snapped a twig under my foot and he spun around and caught me.
     "What are you doing? Are you following me?" He asked. I was mortified. I didn't know what to say, so I just stood there .
     "Why are you following me? Is it that important that your shower head get fixed or your light bulb get changed?" He said angrily. That caught me off guard.
     " No. Actually, I overheard you arguing with that man and I guess I just wanted to make sure you were ok." His facial features softened and he sighed.
   "He's my uncle. He's always giving me a list of things to do that take hours and I am wanting to go into the city tonight for a fiesta. At this rate it will be dawn before I finish them."
     "I was about to leave to go to the nearest village to get some food staples. I'm probably going to miss my taxi. What if  I helped you with your list and then I could get a ride with you to the city. It's a win,win for both of us."
     "I don't know if that's such a good idea. My uncle would be furious if he found out I let someone help with my work. I think he just doesn't want me to go."
     "He won't find out. Come on, let me help."
     "Ok. Fine. But, if I get caught it will be Baron Bliss day before I will be allowed to leave la casa again."
     "I promise you won't get caught. By the way, I'm Winona."
     "I'm Ikan," he said as he shook my hand.







    










    

    

1 - Captive

      Darkness. That's the first thing I realized. I wasn't sure if I was locked somewhere in my own personal hell of paralyzation or if I was in true Purgatory. Pain. It's what followed quickly behind darkness and made me realize paralyzation would have been a welcomed friend. I tried to gather my thoughts to figure out just what had happened to me to get myself into the state of consciousness I was in. My head was throbbing. My ribs ached and when I breathed in it felt like a hot poker was gauging my left side. I instinctively reached for my head and quickly noticed my hands were bound. From what I could tell by rubbing my face against my wrists, I was being held imprisoned by zip ties. I tried to move my legs and realized they too were immobile and tied together. I leaned my head back against the cool hard surface that I sat against and pondered my state. I needed to get out of this predicament.  That's when it hit me. Fear. The memories of my previous days flooded my mind and I went as rigid as a board. Panic quickly whirled up inside me and it took all I had not to scream as I fought back the tears that swelled up and started to sting my eyes. I was going to die. That was the one thing I was sure of.  Within hours I would be snuffed out like a candle wick. My heart pounded inside my chest as I started to hyperventilate, ignoring the pain in my ribcage. This was going to be torturous. The mear thought of what I was going to go through numbed me like ice. It would be so much worse than what I was already feeling. I wanted to sob; to break the ties and run. Anything. But it was no use and I knew that. I slowly took in a deep breath and closed my eyes. I needed to find a happy place. A warm spot that could ground me. I needed something that could give me strength to welcome death gladly when the time came. It seemed useless but I had to try. I took another deep breath and cleared my mind and welcomed the warmth of my first clear thought. I could see his face in mind as clearly as if he was standing before me. His dark hair glistened as the sun danced rays off of the water that clung to his tan skin. His coco brown eyes were soft and understanding as he came near me and I could see little droplets of water hanging on his long eyelashes. He smiled his biggest smile at me and that was when it all came crashing down. The tears started again, but this time they silently ran down my face. I would never see that beautiful smile again. I would never know what it would be like to kiss his beautiful full lips. It was all in the past now, just like the rest of my life. All eighteen years of it. Gone. Just like that. He was the one good thing this trip to Belize had gotten me. He was my best memory.
     "Ikan," I whispered softly into the darkness. But, there was no one there to hear it.

Introduction

I had an epiphany. Yes, one of those light bulbs like all writers have. My idea was: What could I do to get people to read my stories? My answer: Give them something FREE. Yes, absolutely free except for your Internet bill and lets all face it, unless you live in a place where you can score Wi-Fi you're going to pay that anyway.

So back to my idea. I am going to give my fans an online novel. It will be written as I go and together we will find out how the characters evolve and change. We will all delve into the mysteries of their lives together. I already have an idea in mind to start. The bad news is I have eight more ideas I've been working on for years and still haven't finished. The idea I came up with for the online book came with it so now I have nine. Geesh. So to get me motivated on writing again, (I've totally been slacking lately.) I need to see some interest in this project. I need all of my friends to subscribe to this feed and pass it on to get more people interested in this. Once the novel is done, it will be sent to my publisher for review and if published it will be erased from the blog. Pretty cool huh? You pretty much all get to be BETA testers for how well it sells.

Ok. Now to get started. Coffee. Check. Computer. Check. Twizzlers. Check.

Here we go...........