Green Desert - Chapter 3.2.4 - Vata

My husband threw the unconscious young man over his shoulder like a towel, then trotted over to me. My husband. My old husband whose knees were so bad he had difficulty getting out of the car. My old husband who couldn’t even lift our television set.

“Come on, let’s go!” he yelled at Fírí.

I stepped backwards, away from the door, bumped into Sıpa‘ı. The dog whimpered. Pí‘oro grabbed my shoulder firmly, kept me from falling backwards. He grinned into my eyes. “I love you, Vata.”

Was he possessed? Was this Zhíno’s spirit in my husband’s body? How had this happened? Did Zhíno know magic that I could only dream of? Pí‘oro’s eyes were hardly his own. He moved like a youngster. He could do anything he felt like. “I love you too, dear.”

Fírí ran up to us, a bundle of clothes under her arm. Her eyes stood open wide. Her skin glistened.

In the living room, someone barked orders.

“They’re inside,” whispered the man in my husband’s body. “Follow me.” He ran down the hall away from the living room. Zhíno’s limp body bounced and flopped against his large back.

Fírí didn’t even look at me as she raced to follow her boyfriend. I shuffled after them, Sıpa‘ı easily outpacing me.

How could I get Pí‘oro back? I didn’t have the power, certainly, to exorcise Zhíno. Perhaps if I called upon Névazhíno, He would assist me. Perhaps He would intervene in this special case. I was a loyal worshipper, after all.