BEVERLY Thompson was a busybody, and the village gossip. She was short, fat and loudmouthed. Her voice had two volumes: Medium and high. You could hear her talking from some distance away, and bet your bottom dollar it was usually about somebody else. She knew everything about everyone, and was willing to spread this around whether prompted or not.Her husband, Compton, had died three years ago and had left her in some debt. Beverly worked hard and kept her four children in school. Next year her eldest daughter would be writing C.X.C. Finally, someone else would help with the bills.

She smiled as she thought of her children. They were all doing pretty well in school. Beverly had one passion: Swimming. She loved the beach, and all her children seem at home in the water. Twice a month, they would spend a few hours chatting and playing on the beach.
One Saturday, Beverly and her children went to the Sea Walls. They swam for a while and then sat down and ate. After lunch, they played games and chatted. Beverly informed them about all that was talking place in the village, as she knew it.
They went back into the water for a swim, then got out and prepared to go home. As usual, the kids were playing and having fun. Beverly decided to take a stroll along the beach. She walked slowly, taking in the beauty of her surroundings. She turned and headed back in the direction she came from.
As she walked back, something flashed brightly at her from the water’s edge. At first, she thought it was just the sunlight bouncing off the surf. But this was different. Instinctively, she headed straight for it. An assortment of colours glowed and sparkled from the object. Stooping down, Beverly spotted a comb lying on the sand. She picked it up and walked back to the kids. She slipped it into her pocket, so as not to have to give everyone in her family an explanation. She would check it out later.
Beverly waited until the kids had all gone to bed before checking the strange comb. She took it out of the drawer where she had put it and looked intently at it. The comb was about eight inches long and approximately three inches wide. It was decorated with what appeared to be an assortment of precious stones. It glowed and shimmered whenever she touched it. Beverly felt excited and uneasy, all at the same time. To whom did it belong? It must have cost a fortune!
Sitting in front of the mirror, Beverly started to groom her hair with the beautiful comb. As she ran it through her hair, she seemed to go into a trance of sorts. She heard a sweet sing– song voice speaking to her, and realised that it was coming from the mirror. She was shocked to see a beautiful woman smiling back at her. The woman’s hair was long and golden. It, too, glowed and shimmered.
“Make two wishes and they will come true,” the woman in the mirror said. “These wishes I will give to you. One thing only, you must agree: To take the comb back to the sea. Toss it into the water and back to me.”
Beverly stopped combing her hair, and the apparition vanished. She sat silently, thinking about what had just occurred. Was she dreaming? Did she actually see a woman in her mirror? Could she actually make a wish and get what she wanted? She thought about having lots of money. Yes, she would try out one wish. She had a bathtub with dirty clothes waiting to be washed. She dumped its contents onto the floor and said loudly, “I wish I had this tub full of money.”
Nothing happened. Beverly sighed and smiled. She had indeed been dreaming. “Well,” she thought, “I will make it a complete job and finish the wishes. I wish I had a new car!” She peeped outside in case this wish worked. Nothing! Beverly went to bed, disappointed.
The next morning, she was awaken by the screams and shouts of her children. She jumped out of bed and ran straight into the tub. Bram! She fell heavily. She shook the sleep from her eyes and looked at the object of her pain. The blue tub was sitting at the foot of her bed, but what shocked her was the sight of money filling the tub to the brim. Beverly almost passed out in shock and excitement.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The kids were knocking at her bedroom door. She covered the money with a sheet and opened the door. She was greeted with hugs and kisses. She could sense their excitement and followed them to the window. In her driveway was a brand new car. Beverly’s knees went weak; she now realized what a fool she had been. If only she had believed, she would have made a better wish.
Beverly had now become the toast of the village. Everyone was talking about her sudden fortune. Some said she had a rich relative who bought the car for her. Others said she ‘worked obeah’ to get it. Beverly kept her peace. Not even the kids knew where it had come from, and especially about the money.
When the excitement over the car had subsided, the kids went outside to play with their friends. Beverly quickly packed the money into an old suitcase she had. That day, she went into town and did some shopping. A taxi was hired from the nearby town to bring her purchases home. TV, microwave, new cutlery, clothes for her and the children, shoes and plenty of foodstuff. There were smiles on all the faces in her home that evening.
Later that night, when the kids were asleep, Beverly took out the comb and sat in front of the mirror combing her short, curly hair. The woman appeared yet again and smiled at her.
“You had your two wishes; now, return the comb to me!”
Beverly looked at her and said, “First, grant me two more wishes, and I’ll return the comb to you.”
“No! You had your two wishes! That’s enough!”
“Then I’ll keep the comb!” Beverly shouted.
The woman in the mirror changed from a beautiful smiling image to one of anger and menace.
“If you don’t return my comb in seven days, you will cry many tears!” With that, the woman disappeared.
Beverly was not afraid. She hid the comb and slept soundly. The next six days blew by with shopping spree after shopping spree. The children were happy and asked many questions. She did not reply to any of them. That night, she slept with one eye open. The woman’s warning kept coming back to her.
“If you don’t return my comb in seven days, you will cry many tears!” She slept an uneasy sleep.
All day Beverly was uneasy, expecting something terrible to happen. Nothing did. It was not until that afternoon that she realised that the stranger had not made an idle threat. To Beverly’s horror and dismay; her children did not come home from school!
She called the school, only to be told that they were absent that day. Beverly cried and wailed. The villagers formed search parties and looked everywhere for them, but they could not be found. Where are they? What had she done? Beverly cried and cried. She fell asleep in the chair and had a strange dream. The beautiful woman was swimming in the sea, and with her were some children. As Beverly drew near, she recognized the children: They were her kids! She shouted to them and ran towards the water to jump in and rescue them. The woman turned and looked at her steadily and said,
“Bring me my comb!”
With a flip of her long, silvery tail, she dove under, taking the laughing children with her. Beverly began to scream. Her sister who came to stay with her, tried to console her. Nothing worked. Then Beverly came to her senses: All the time she was fretting about the children, she had forgotten about the comb.
Beverly jumped up and rushed into her bedroom. Snatching up the comb, she ran towards the beach, crying. Her sister watched her in total amazement. She was sure that Beverly was having a nervous breakdown. Her sister decided to go for help.
Meanwhile, Beverly sprinted out to the sea. She waded waist deep into the water and shouted at the top of her voice.
“I have brought you your comb; please give me back my children!”
With that, she tossed the comb as far as she could. As the sparkling comb was about to hit the waves, a hand caught it, and the smiling woman appeared.
“Thank you! Now, go home!” She disappeared into the sea.
Beverly raced back home. Her clothes were soaking wet and she was crying. As she neared her home, she saw her sister and the village nurse heading towards her. It was then that Beverly realised she was wearing her nightgown. What a sight she must appear! Hair uncombed and scattered, crying and mourning, dressed in her nightdress and bare-footed! Everyone must think that she had gone mad!
Beverly barged into the house and rushed from room to room. In her bedroom, she found her four children, wet and trembling. She hugged and kissed them over and over. Her sister and the nurse arrived, and the children were attended to. None of the kids could remember what had happened over the last 48 hours. Luckily, no harm had come to them because of her greed.
That night, Beverly slept soundly. The next day, she was again awaked to the sound of her children’s voice. She went to the window to see what they were looking at. The car had vanished. In its place was a mound of sand; beach sand.
Beverly ran back inside to the old suitcase. As soon as she pulled it out, she knew. When she unzipped it, the inside was filled with sand. Beverly threw her head back and laughed. She had learned her lesson. She kissed all of her children and made them promise not to go swimming again. And she never did.
Written By Neil primus