I Woke to the Racket
I woke up to the commotion.
[Stop climbing up here, I told you!]
[You're making a fuss again. There's something impure in the soil, so I'm just checking it out.]
[Plants are sensitive! Even a slight change in environment stresses them out!]
[What stress do plants have? Don't talk nonsense.]
Damballa and Granbwa were at it again—bickering, just like always. I sighed and watched Damballa trying to slither up onto the potted plant. She finally noticed my gaze and coiled up sheepishly.
[Little one, there really was something impure in the soil. I was just cleaning it up.]
"Sure…"
I didn't even have the energy to respond properly. Glancing out the window, I saw it was still early dawn, the sun barely risen. Too late to go back to sleep now. Besides, with Damballa and Granbwa keeping up their racket, I doubted I'd drift off again anyway. Better to wash up and shake off the drowsiness.
As I yawned my way to the bathroom, Damballa slithered across the floor after me.
[Heading to wash up, little one?]
"Yeah."
[I could use a rinse too. How about we bathe together?]
"That's ridiculous."
[Why, feeling shy?]
With that, Damballa started climbing my body. In the blink of an eye, she was draped over my shoulder. She flicked her tongue and whispered in my ear.
[I just want to check… if I can still call you 'little one,' or if maybe…]
"I don't want to bathe with a snake."
She recoiled as if I'd struck her, mouth agape.
[Little one… that hurts.]
"Good."
[You're too much. I never imagined your personality had crumbled this badly…]
I ignored her and headed into the bathroom. When I came out cleaned up, she was waiting, coiled neatly. She tried saying something, but I brushed past her and got ready to leave. I dressed as quickly as possible—I didn't want to listen to her endless chatter.
Damballa's voice was seductive. Linger on it too long, and I might fall under her spell. She probably knew that and kept talking to draw me in. Sorry, but no dice.
As I slipped on my shoes, she wriggled over.
[Off to school? Take me with you.]
"Stop being clingy."
[It's not clingy—I'm serious.]
She slithered up my hand as she continued.
[If you take me, I'll be useful in all sorts of ways. Like if someone's tailing you, I can let you know.]
"Legba can do that. Ogoun or Baron Samedi too."
[No, they're different from me.]
By now, she'd climbed my arm and slowly wrapped around my neck.
[Little one, if you want, I can even devour your enemies.]
"…Still no. You're too conspicuous, Damballa. They'd spot you for sure at school."
[So what if they do? Just say I'm your pet.]
"You think anyone would buy that?"
[Why wouldn't they? I'm pretty cute in this form.]
She whispered right in my ear, her voice as sweet and sticky as ever. I shook my head anyway.
"Not today. If I need you later, I'll bring you then. Stay here for now."
[Hmph… fine, just for today, little one.]
She grumbled and slithered back down to the floor. Peeking toward the bathroom, she added,
[Then, while you're gone, mind if I use the bathroom? I really want to wash up.]
"Go ahead."
I sighed and replied.
*
Thanks to Damballa and Granbwa's morning squabble, I left the dorm earlier than planned. The classroom was empty when I arrived—too early for anyone else. Homeroom was still a ways off, so I decided to kill time with a stroll around the school grounds.
[You should stop using the Intoxication Spell now.]
Legba spoke up midway through my walk. I glanced around to check for anyone nearby. Seeing the coast clear, I replied,
"I don't use it that much."
I did occasionally—when exhaustion hit too hard to bear, or when I couldn't face something stone-cold sober. Or when my mind raced too much to sleep. I'd used it once last night too. Pondering what to do about Ma Yu-hyeon and Seong Yu-da had kept sleep at bay. Come to think of it, maybe I was using it more than I realized.
[You are using it a lot. You're just too accustomed to it to notice.]
Legba scolded.
"I'll cut back, then."
[No, stop using it altogether. Don't you know why your father forbade the Intoxication Spell?]
"I know, but…"
Voodoo pursued freedom, but the Intoxication Spell bred dependence. My father believed true freedom was impossible for anyone chained to something—and so he banned it.
I was dependent on it, to some degree.
[You probably already know this, but that hallucination you saw last time? A side effect of the Intoxication Spell.]
"…Ah, yeah."
I barely managed a response. My mind flashed to the practical exam's end, stepping off the bus and seeing that vision: everyone around me transformed into towering inquisitors looming over me, forcing me to curl up to avoid their feet. Not mere stress—it was the spell's backlash.
Overuse blurred the line between reality and imagination, letting fancies bleed into the real world.
[Keep using it, and the side effects will worsen. You're already overdoing it.]
"…"
[You're holding up because it's you. Anyone else would've gone mad by now.]
Madman.
The word conjured Kang Ji-a's notebook she'd given me. The writing in it didn't look like the work of a sane person. Maybe that was the Intoxication Spell's doing too. Hard to say what came first—had her madness driven her to the spell, or the spell unraveled her mind?
"I'll stop from now on… or at least try."
[Already addicted, I see.]
Legba clicked his tongue.
[I've warned you before: one slip, and it'll consume you.]
"I didn't expect this. Why didn't you warn me harder? I might've never touched it if you had."
Childish words, spat in frustration. Even if Legba had yelled, I'd have used it anyway if I deemed it necessary. My retort was just shoving blame.
I took a deep breath to steady myself.
"…On second thought, I'd have used it no matter what you said."
[Probably. Choice is freedom, and the responsibility is yours. I won't scold you for a wrong choice.]
"Feels like you are right now, though?"
[When past choices devour your present and future, you lose the will to choose. That's what I'm cautioning against.]
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
['Keep in mind'? You're tuning me out even now… Do as you please.]
I walked on without replying. Legba continued,
[I'll respect whatever you choose. No reason not to. Just don't run from the consequences.]
"…"
No response for that. Students were starting to arrive anyway. Legba fell silent too.
Strolling the path, I spotted Kang Dae-man resting on a bench. He was drenched in sweat, fresh from a workout.
"Do Seon-woo! You're here today. Heard you were sick—feeling better?"
"Fine."
"Out for a walk? Off to an early start!"
"Not as early as you…"
Mid-conversation, I sensed eyes on me and whipped around. Han Su-ryeon was peeking from behind a massive tree in the garden next to the bench. Our eyes met; she cautiously stepped out, towel in hand, and approached.
"Hey, Kang Dae-man. Here."
She tossed the towel to him. He caught it, looking puzzled up at her.
"What's this for all of a sudden?"
"Wipe off your sweat! You stink right now."
"Nah, I'm good. Don't wanna dirty it."
He tried handing it back. She scowled.
"Just take it… I'm tossing it anyway."
"Oh? Then thanks. You coming from a workout too, Han Su-ryeon?"
"Huh? Yeah! Y-Yeah, you could say that."
"'Could say that'?"
I caught on quick and stood.
"I'm off."
"Ah, Do Seon-woo! Heading out? We could run a lap around the track!"
"Time for class. You two enjoy."
"Got it! Hit me up next time for a workout—together!"
I nodded and slipped away. No need to play third wheel.
*
I ran into Ma Yu-hyeon at lunch.
"Hey, friend. Where's Do Seon-woo?"
I'd stepped out to the staff room after class and returned to find him at the classroom door, grilling one of our classmates in a menacing tone. Without pausing to ask questions, I charged and kicked his Achilles.
"Urk!"
Thud.
He crumpled to his knees. The student he'd been talking to stared at me wide-eyed. Ma Yu-hyeon twisted around, face twisted in fury—then smoothed it into an incredulous grin.
"What kinda greeting is that? You psycho?"
"Why're you here?"
"…Let's talk outside first. Eyes everywhere."
He glanced around awkwardly. I scanned the room quick—everyone had frozen, staring. Jeong In-ah too, eyeing me warily for some reason. Probably because of Ma Yu-hyeon. His rep wasn't great, especially with the girls, and dumping him at the girls' dorm last time hadn't helped.
"Fine."
We left the building and walked the path—the one I usually took after lunch with Jeong In-ah. Ma Yu-hyeon stayed mum until we hit a quiet stretch, then scowled.
"You bastard. Dumping me at the girls' dorm? You have no idea how shitty the excuses got."
"What'd you say?"
"Asked a senior buddy to cover—said it was a false accusation."
The dorm monitor woke him up and asked what happened. He'd claimed he was drinking outside, got called to the dorm by a female senior, passed out from the booze. Prepped the story with his senpai buddy, so the monitor bought it. The girl took the heat; he got off scot-free.
"A student passed out drunk on the street, no punishment?"
"Rules-wise, dragging a guy to the girls' dorm's worse than off-campus drinking."
"That make sense?"
"Rules are rules, wherever you go…"
He smirked, then sobered.
"But the rumors? Kids calling me a girl-crazed freak."
"Ain't wrong. What's the issue?"
"Not denying it, but feels unfair. I didn't even do anything that time. If I had, I wouldn't mind…"
"So why'd you call me?"
I cut through his rambling.
He perked up like he'd just remembered and headed for the school gate.
"Tried early dismissal alone, but they wouldn't let me. Figured they'd approve if we went together. C'mon."
"Why me?"
"You got nothing going on anyway. Help me out, then head home and rest."
Afternoon classes were mostly self-study; might as well early out and chill at the chapel. But his eyes lingered on me slyly—sticky, unsettling, scheming.
Gut screamed: don't go to the chapel with him.
"Forgot I live in the dorm? No home to go to."
"Oh yeah? Then where'd you stash me last time?"
"What's it to you?"
He burst out laughing. I couldn't help chuckling too—his intent was so transparent it was laughable.
He stopped, face straight.
"Too obvious this time?"
"Yeah."
"Figures… Fine, early out to the hospital then."
"Hospital?"
Where'd that come from? I blinked.
He nodded.
"Didn't say? Early out to visit Yeo Min-seo in the hospital."
(To be continued)