THE road leading to the old country village was black, almost jet black. The remote village lay close to the seashore and fishing was a way of life there. When it’s dark in the countryside it’s black. You can barely see your fingers if you wave them before your eyes.
Moses walked cautiously along the mud-road. He stumbled a few times and almost fell on his face. Visibility was vastly reduced. He could not see past his nose.

He was worried and a bit apprehensive. Every now and then he trembled, but he fooled himself into believing he did this because the night was cold. But he was also afraid.
The wind joined the conspiracy against him. It started to blow a strong relentless wind. The trees too got into the act in a big way. They began moving like when ‘jumbie’ got feet. The long, unkempt grass then played their part by fidgeting with his foot. It seemed that the night creatures were having fun at his expense.

Simple noises sounded as though death was waiting at every bend. Frogs’ voices began to rival the sopranos. Cricket chirps assaulted his eardrums. Bats brushed his face and body as they flew past as if taunting him. The actions of these creatures were brazen and designed to insight panic.
He kept going straight ahead, hoping that he would not end up in any of the trenches running parallel on both sides of the road. He knew none of this would happen if there was light.

A strange sound in the bushes off to his right caused him to halt in his tracks, but this turned out to be a large bush rat rummaging in the litter left by careless citizens. His eyes were slowly becoming adjusted to the dark. Blackout was nothing new. But that was in the city. The countryside was another matter. He continued his quest for the safety of home. He was silently praying to get there soonest.
Then a cloud the size of the Essequibo shifted and the full moon emerged in all its glory. The entire landscape was immediately transformed from darkness to shimmering brilliance.
Moses breathed a sigh of relief. All his fears and anxiety evaporated with the advent of light. He chuckled to himself, thinking how easy it was to slip into fear and despair. He increased his pace, home bound.

There was movement just ahead. A sharp bend in the road and large trees prevented him from seeing clearly. He rounded the bend and his brain stalled. It was big. It was humongous. The thing was just standing there staring up at the intoxicating light of the moon. Fear crept back and Moses began a new bout of shivers. A large ball of fire swooped low, sizzling past him as if checking him out. Off to his left a baby was bawling for attention. Something was coming up behind him. It was moving very fast. He looked back and looked right through the creature. Now he was officially terrified.

His brain came back to active duty. Moon Gazer, Old Higue, Dry Bones and Jumbie all in the same place, on the same night with the same victim. Sprits were on the move tonight. How he wished he was in bed, cuddled up against his beautiful wife. But here he was in the thick of things.
Moses heard a horse approaching from behind. This would be his escape medium. A horse cart would save him plenty energy. He stopped and turned, waving to attract the attention of the driver. He succeeded in catching the eye of the approaching figure, but he regretted this as soon as it drew near enough for him to see clearly.

It was a white man on a white horse. He rode upright, looking from one side of the road to the other. He was dressed in the attire of an old plantation owner; bughouse, whip and riding booths. He looked straight at the horrified man and he tipped his ancient hat. He did this with a flashing smile. None of this held Moses’s attention more than the horse. It was the biggest and grandest animal he had ever encountered. As he stared in fascination, his eyes settled on the head. The hair on his entire body stood rigidly to attention, sparing none.

The scream that exploded from Moses’s lips caught him by surprise. His body was in motion even before his brain could catch up. He was off and sprinting like bolt.
He sped past a weird-looking fellow who was trying to flag him down. A short man with a large head was riding a small donkey with a big head. He smiled at Moses and Moses hit overdrive. ZOOM!