PART FIFTY-EIGHT:
Messy missions and mutation:
Even though Juja had fallen on the soft cushion of the couch, she quickly glided and wriggled through the spacing between the pillows and wooden part of the seat. Just in time, to be out of sight. And before the palace crew, would have descended on her. As the commotion to find her ensued and the startled baby princess began to cry. The entrapped woman felt a tingling sensation, begin to spread from her toes upward. She struggled to drag herself in the reptile body, into another dark corner. An enclosure, that was opposite of where the rescuers had headed.
When she was sure she was hidden, she looked towards her feet. To find out what was causing the stinging, in her lower extremities. Much to her shock and confusion, she was transforming back to her original body. The reptile tail, was dividing and becoming her feet again. Juja moved further inside the long, thick wall-like drapes. Her heart beginning to pound heavily, like many times before. This current situation, was quite strange and interesting. Simply because the spell still had about a day or two more to go. If she had succeeded in attacking the baby princess, during the presentation.
The schemers would still want her, to remain a snake. For the purposes of being able to hide, until the storm of excitement was over. And they were sure, that the chasing and investigation had settled. Something else must have triggered the premature conversion. Could it have been the grip of the innocent child? Nevertheless, she was glad for the change and welcomed it. The only thing remaining for her to do, was to stay concealed. At least until the necessary and expected protocol, for a situation like the one that just transpired. Had been exercised and completed.
However, it appeared that royal procedures would be the least of her concerns. For as she looked at her lower parts one more time, the mutation was happening very fast. She would have kept watching the intriguing metamorphosis, except for the intrusion of a very familiar and dreaded voice. It broke into reverie, without permission or apology as usual. “It should definitely be here somewhere….” The owner of the voice said, in his signature gruff and demanding tone. “How can I help you gentlemen?” A palace guard could be heard asking, from about a few feet away. “You are not supposed to be at this section. Who gave you access?” He wanted to know, as he came closer to the intruders.
“We were given clearance to come in, because we came to pick up the snake." “The snake?” Started the guard, his face expressionless and unreadable.
“Who said anything about a snake?” No one was sure yet, what started the screaming and shouting in the main hall about an hour ago. An alarm that had escalated into a mini stampede, in no time at all. The royal security, had just calmed the chaos as people were being led out. The only time a snake had come into the picture and their thoughts, was just a few minutes ago. When the baby princess, was seen gripping it. Everyone was still fussing about the possibility of a snake being in the palace and even more incredulously in the baby princess’ hand.
It was in the midst of this added confusion and anxiety, that the head palace security guard. Had turned around and seen the two loitering strangers. “Who said anything about a snake?” Repeated the first trespassing man, as he looked over to his comrade. “Oh…. Oh yes, yes….” Began the other one, loudly clearing his throat and glancing from the guard to his partner. “We brought our gifts for the princess and thought we heard shouts of ‘snake’ everywhere. It was terrifying…”
Observing the head guards raised brows, squeezed forehead and quizzical expression. He stopped mid-sentence and turned to his accomplice.
Staring at his partner intensely, as if willing him without words. To take care of the rest of the situation, that seemed to be more than they bargained for. That one picked up almost immediately on cue. They were here on a mission, to fix an apparently failed one. And they could not afford to have some wandering royal employee, stop their desperate attempt. “Sir we are snake experts. That is what we do for a living.” He paused and looked at his friend before continuing. “So when we heard there was a snake infestation, we decided to offer our services to the kingdom. Just show us where it is and we will remove it immediately.”
Unwanted and uninvited attention:
Juja shifted uncomfortably, as her body was cramping along with the alteration that was taking place. The first man to speak, was the ‘peaceful organizations’ impostor and double agent. The very one who had sent her on a wild goose chase and a fictional trail of seeking justice. She would recognize his creepy voice anywhere and anytime. The sub and covert organization of which he was a part, knew without a doubt by now. That their wicked plot had not gone as planned. So they had quickly dispatched the mastermind pair, to come and clear up the mess.
Even worse, was that the carriers would blame her for escaping. Instead of telling, how their constant bickering carelessly flung her into oblivion. Juja was certain, that they had come for the snake and subsequently for her. And their only remedy, would definitely be to kill her as the snake. Or wait for her complete conversion and then torture her to death. She rolled over to her side, to allow the unbearable itching behind her legs some relief. As she tried to adjust the rest of her body, her legs involuntarily kicked the drapes. She did not think it was obvious. Until she heard that voice again, ask; “What’s behind the drapes?” Then she froze.
Clear protrusion and unclear predicament:
“What is it now?!” A fuming ‘shiny-shoes’, shouted at her assistant. “I know that though their body rots, they have refused to die. Like I have told you several times before. It is because their souls and spirits are trapped. The medium of travel was not physical and that is often rigorous to mere flesh. Now, will you lay off it?” She began to mumble, as she picked on some colorful bird feathers. It was an exotic array, strewn and scattered on the table in front of her. Her head jerked involuntarily, every now and then. While her fingers seemed to twitch, every time she moved her hands to lift a feather and examine it.
The woman on the receiving end, waited a few more minutes silently. As her friend, from the time they were both picked and trained by the provincial witch. And now her assistant, since her overnight promotion to high priestess. She had seen so many of these episodes already, though they were getting more bizarre as the days came and went. It was now obvious, that the more power that was conferred on her by the handlers. The more she was exposed to dabble with and tap deeper into darkness. Then the more she messed with her findings, the more dysfunctional her mind and body became. And the more dysfunctional her person, the more delusional and denial her state of mind.
She spewed commands and demands, that were as ridiculous as they were impossible. But business had to continue as usual and their lives had to attempt to go on. Or at least look like it was. It was the only way at this point. Or else the sacrifices of soul, mind, feelings and basic human normalcy, that they had made. Would have all been in vain. She was just an assistant, not the high priestess. And did not quite come close, to doing what it took to become one so elevated. However if she as a lesser recruit, felt this empty and wasted. When not in a trance, intoxicated or inebriated. She could only imagine how the head of the coven, would feel, with the weight of her position and power.
The assistant watched, as the root of one of the feathers. Pierced ‘shiny-shoes’ translucent skin. Cutting through the visible veins, as it eventually punctured an artery. When blood began to flow, the seemingly injured woman. Absent-mindedly, lifted her arm and began to suck on the blood. “That’s not what I wanted to say,” the other woman started again. Thinking to herself, that this was a good time to report the information she had. “Then what is it you want to say? That I don’t already know.” The high priestess sneered arrogantly. Her eyes shifting from her body fluid, to her friend. “Two of the kids are gone,” the assistant stated flatly. "And I don't think they are coming back."
The high priestess' laugh was loud, sinister and startling. As she threw threw her head back dramatically and demonstratively. She then stopped abruptly, leveling the head that she had previously flung back carelessly, in false mirth. She regarded her assistant for a moment, her eyes both hooded and empty simultaneously. Then she asked her pointedly, still eyeing her. "What two kids are gone?"
.
.