It was a new moon night. The streets were bright and old things looked shiny and new in the tolerant silver beams. Sylvester and Alicia were heading home after the late cinema show.
They chatted and laughed about the movie they had just enjoyed. Mr. Bones 1 and 2. Funny and full of action,“Purrrr!” The soft call of a kitten reached their ears.
“Purrrr!” Again the distinct cry. It was coming from a clump of bushes at the side of the road. Alicia disengaged herself from Sylvester’s embrace and headed for the source of the call.
“It’s a small kitten Sylvester.”
“So?”
“I can’t leave it here by itself it gon die!”
“I can.”
“Please baby.”
“Alicia we can’t save the world. Let someone else look after it.”
“No!”
She was angry and near to tears so Sylvester relented.
They continued home now three in number,
Alicia showered it with affection. She fed it milk and sardine and made a warm bed for it with old clothing and petted it until it fell asleep. She put it gently on the bed she had made for it in the kitchen. It was time for bed. She retired for the night.
Grumble!
Rumble!
Scratch!
Someone was moving around outside. She hunched her husband on the arm but this did not interrupt the steady snore. Slipping out of bed she took a cautious peek at the bedroom window. No one was outside. She sighed and went back to bed.
Sometime later she was awakened by a law growl.
“Grrrrr! ” “Tumble” “Rumble” “Grumble!” “Thump! ”
She shook Sylvester awake. He forced open two tired eyes and looked at her.
“Somebody deh outside.”
He cocked his ears and heard nothing.
“Shrrrups! Go back to sleep girl.”
He took his own advice seriously. She lay awake listening. Sleep captured her.
“Put me back!”
“Put me back!”
“PUT ME BACK!”
She heard the deep menacing voice and trembled at how it filled the bedroom.
She hunched Sylvester with an elbow No response. She hunched him harder and there was a grunt then silence. She shook him. No response . She slapped him hard on the chest and he sit up startled.
“What! What!”
“A tell yo somebody deh outside” Reluctantly he got up put on the light and went outside. There was nobody. He returned to the bedroom a bit irritated at having his sleep interrupted.
“Girl yo got fo stop eating late because it does settle pon yo chest an give yo nightmare.”
“Alicia held her tongue.”
They both settled down and tried to sleep. Sylvester beat her to it.
“Grumble!” “Rumble!” “Grrr!”
“Put me back!”
“Put me back!”
“PUT ME BACK!”
Both of them jumped up. Now Sylvester had heard for himself. He was so confused that he began to shout the first thing that came to his mind.
“Thief !” “Thief !”
Well in the country side when yo hear yo neighbour shouting for thief there is a swift response. Neighbours came to their rescue arrived with cutlasses, hoe, iron, wood and gun. They searched the area but could find no one.
“Yo see anybody Sylvester?”
“No man I just hear them talking and grumbling.”
“Wat they say?”
The question came from Ms. Grant; a wise old woman.
“They say put me back.”
Alicia informed everyone about the voices she heard. The old woman was puzzled. From inside the house a voice boomed.
“PUT ME BACK WEH YO GET ME!!”
The crowd froze then advanced on the house. Heaven help the bandit foolish enough to be caught in there. Their searched was futile one. All this time Ms. Grant was looking around the house. As soon as she laid eyes on the kitten she hurried from the house. Alicia followed her surprised at her behaviour.
“Is wa wrong Ms. Grant?”
“When yu get kitten?”
Alicia smile and relaxed. She thought the woman was angry about something else.
“I find it on the road trembling from cold so I bring it home.”
“Yo bring home trouble.”
“What yo mean?”
As if by cue a voice thundered from the crowded house.
“WEH YO PICK ME UP YO PICK UP TROUBLE!”
Well, I never see a house empty so fast. Two and three men pass through a small doorway same time. They regrouped a good distance from the house.
“Yo bring home Jumbie!”
Alicia’s blood ran cold.
“Y……y…yo mean de kitten?”
“Exactly!”
“Wah we must do?”
“Not we. I fraid dat thing. It bad bad! Me gone!
And with that the old lady abandoned Alicia and Sylvester.
“But wat got fo happen?”
Alicia addressed this to her retreating back.
“Put it back or yo all tail in trouble!”
Ms. Grant disappeared into her home and the rescue party evaporated rapidly as soon as they realised it was some kind of jumbie.
“Yu see wah I does talk about!”
Sylvester was chiding his frightened wife. The couple edged to the house and into the front door. Sylvester led the way and Alicia brought up a lagging rear.
“PUT ME BACK WEH YO PICK ME UP FROM!”
Sylvester nearly jumped out of his skin. He was trembling but trying to keep it together.
“Lea we carry that thing back Alicia!”
“Alicia!” “Alicia?”
When he looked behind him she was gone. He could hear the sound of her slippers speeding down the road and away from the house. Taking a deep breath, Sylvester advanced on the tiny fur ball with the voice like thunder. He was praying as his finger closed around the creature. “God help me!”
By Neil Primus