Chapter 79

The Prince explained to Max that there were other worlds than these and in one of these worlds, the one in which George was almost trapped, it is eternally 1855 – the year of Isabella’s flesh and blood natural life. He told how this dimension was a rift created by the mass number of souls who crossed over during such tumultuous times. Instead of crossing the void and returning to the Source, they pressed their emotions into the ether the same way music is pressed into a wax record. The only difference was, this record had a skip in it so it just played the same song over and over.  He told Max how this world wasn’t exactly like our world but real enough to kill him.

The encounter ended when the Prince explained the payment. He would help him send away Fahad, but there was something Max had to do for him. Mr. Curtis handed Max a pair of old stainless steel, black-handled scissors. The boy almost jumped out of his skin when four spider tattoos the same as Buddha’s appeared on his hands.

The instructions were simple; chalk a design that he had copied onto a coffee napkin on Fahad’s door. Then, with the help of the person he was waiting on – a man the Prince called Master Legba – he was supposed to cross into the time-stuck 1855 St. Vincent’s. He was to knock on Fahad’s door and when the man stepped out, he would be trapped. Then Max would run upstairs to the nursery and cut a piece of a girl’s hair, whom the Prince said would be playing with the babies. Sounded simple.

“How will I know him?” Max asked the Prince.

“He be de one wid duh hat.”

Max punched the wooden ramp out of frustration and winched at the abrasions on his hand. “The good guys keep their word. They don’t let their only friend they ever had whom they promised to watch after go do God only knows what with the bad guy.” Max punched the ramp again.

“I’d save your strength. We have a long way to travel tonight.”

Max scrambled to attention, straightening his clothes, to see the old man whose monstrously tall frame was leaning on a ghostly driftwood cane made of knots resembling claws vying for position on the stick. Despite his near skeletal frame and gaunt face, the man must have been a head taller than ‘Just Tall’ even before the antiquitous top hat. “Are you Master Legba?”

“Among other names, but Legba will do. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” The man stretched out a grizzled hand for Max to shake.

He gulped as he shook the massive mitt. Though he looked like Jack the Pumpkin King, Max noticed a kindness in his sea-blue eyes that made him feel safe. Without letting his hand go, Legba touched the spider tattoos on Max’s arms.

“How exquisite! Angel ink!”

“Not exquisite to me. My Dad is going to kill me when he sees them.”

“I don’t suppose the Prince provided you with the fare for my crossing you?”

“I didn’t know I’d have to pay anything.”

“Never you mind, Mr. Bernos. Well,if you don’t mind, I could take one of those for the payment.”

Max’s face lit up, “You could take them all!”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that! One is probably worth a King’s ransom.” Then he smiled, his thin lips pulling back off of bony teeth. “Maybe I could take two.” Legba looked around like he was about to commit a crime and snapped his fingers and two of the spider on Max’s arm jumped to life and crawled up Legba’s arm. Max’s whole body tensed from the electrifying feel of Legba’s majik. The old man’s eyes rolled back in his head and as quickly as it happened, he snapped back to normal. “Well, Mr. Bernos, should we get going?”

“Are you sure you can’t take all four? It would really help. Please?”

Master Legba’s eyes became soft and he said, “Max, there are worlds where just one of these is worth more than this whole city. And there are demigods who would raise whole armies just for one. And you tell me it would be a favor for me to take them?” He shook his head so that his top hat rocked. “I would love to, Max, but since you have given me such a rich ransom already, I feel I have an obligation to bring you back here safely. It’s just a hunch, but I have a feeling you will need them before you return.” At the sight of Max’s frown, he continued, “However, if you follow all of my instructions and return safely from the rift, I will gladly take them.”

Max smiled and held up a fist, “Cool, lock it in.”

“Lock what in?” Legba held up his coffee pot sized fist.

Max put his fist to Legba’s and turned it like a key in a lock. He laughed, “Now we’re locked in.”

“Strange custom… Shall we go?”