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"I might not be here."

"Where are you going tonight?" he asked, astonished. "There's someone I have to see."

"Oh."

"It's not another boy, Beau," I said quickly, hearing the disappointment in his voice.

"Well, they probably won't let me come anyway," he said. "I'm feeling sick to my stomach, myself. If I hadn't had baseball practice . . . I would probably have been in that car."

"Fate just didn't point its long, dark finger at you," I told him.

After we spoke I went to find Nina. She, Edgar, and Wendy were consoling each other in the kitchen. As soon as she lifted her eyes and met mine, she knew why I had come.

"This is not your fault, child," she said. "Those who welcome the devil man into their hearts invite the bad gris-gris themselves."

"I want to see Mama Dede, Nina. Right away," I added. She looked at Wendy and Edgar.

"She won't tell you any different," she said.

"I want to see her, Nina," I insisted. "Take me to her," I ordered. She sighed and nodded slowly.

"If the madame or monsieur want something, get it to them," Wendy promised. Nina rose and got her pocketbook. Then we hurried out of the house and met the first streetcar. When we arrived at Mama Dede's, her mother seemed to know why. She and Nina exchanged knowing looks. Once . in, we waited in the living room for the voodoo queen to enter. I couldn't take my eyes off the box I knew contained the snake and Gisselle's ribbon.

Mama Dede made her entrance as the drums began. As before, she went to the settee and turned her gray eyes toward me.

"Why you come back to Mama, child?" she asked.

"1 didn't want anything this terrible to happen," I cried. "Martin's dead and Gisselle is crippled."

"What you want to happen and what you don't want to happen don't make no difference to the wind. Once you throw your anger in the air, it can't be pulled back."

"It's my fault," I moaned. "I shouldn't have come here. I shouldn't have asked you to do

something."

"You came here because you were meant to come here. Zombi bring you to me to do what must be done. You didn't cast the first stone, child. Papa La Bas, he find an open door into your sister's heart and curled himself up comfortable. She let him cast the stones with her name on it, not you."

"Isn't there anything we can do to help her now?" I pleaded.

"When she drive Papa La Bas from her heart completely, you come back and Mama see what Zombi want to do. Not until then," she said with finality.

"I feel terrible," I said, lowering my head. "Please, find a way to help us."

"Give me your hand, child," Mama Dede said. I looked up and gave her my hand. She held it firmly, hers feeling warmer and warmer.

"This all is meant to be, child," she said. "You were brought here by the wind Zombi sent. You want to help your sister now, make her a better person, drive the devil from her heart?"

"Yes," I said.

"Don't be afraid," she said, and pulled my hand slowly toward the box. I looked desperately at Nina who simply closed her eyes and began to rock, mumbling some chant under her breath. "Don't be afraid," Mama Dede repeated, and opened the top of the box. "Now you reach down and take out your sister's ribbon. Take it back and nothing more be happening than has."

I hesitated. Reach into a box that contained a snake? I knew pythons weren't poisonous, but still. .

Mama Dede released me and sat back, waiting. I thought about Daddy, the sadness in his eyes, the weight on his shoulders and slowly, with my eyes closed, I lowered my hand into the box. My fingers nudged the cold, scaly skin of the sleeping serpent. It began to squirm, but I continued moving my fingers around frantically until I felt the ribbon. Quickly, I seized it and pulled my hand out.

"Be praised," Nina said.

"That ribbon," Mama Dede said. "Its been to the other world and back. You keep it precious, as precious as Rosary beads, and maybe someday, you'll make your sister better." She stood up and turned toward Nina. "Go light me a candle at Marie Laveates grave."