The Voodoo Queen

Necromancy
About Lampine
"We call her what my mother called me, Aboudou. She has my eyes and your nose, but her lips are like her grandmother's. So soft and plump..." said a woman holding a baby in her arms. The baby whined, suckling on her mother's teat hungrily and gazing around with gray eyes.
"Yes and it is a foreshadowing of her future. Having your eyes and her lips. We all know of Mother, maybe it is wise that we leave her here. She will surely bring us ill luck and suffering!" the young man said sitting in a corner. He held a pipe in his hand while staring at the fire.
"She will be returned to where she belongs. We killed her the first time, we will simply kill her again!"
"You will not kill my child! She is my first possibly my last! I will not let you! You speak of murder so loudly! Silence your words!"
The baby whined loudly, hearing her mother talk with rage and was about to cry before she was quickly silenced by the coos and soft words of her voice. She snuggled her mother's breasts, closing her eyes and quickly falling asleep.
"We are not into what The Mother has taught us. You know what the white man says, we shall burn in hell for eternity for our sins! I wish not this for me or you! But..that...THING will be the key to the black gates to the Devil himself! Do you want that!? Do you want to go to hell!?" he said while throwing the pipe into the fire and turning to glare down at the woman.
"She was not meant to be here! What we did was a sin! Bringing her back and doing what we-"
"She is a gift from the Gods and you know that! We begged, on our hands and knees with the sacrifices of other children to bring her back! They answered our prayers and you thank them by returning what you asked for because you believe the white man over them!? No! What you believe in is nothing, but nonsense and lies!"
"If you will not give her back then I will!!"
The man bounded forward, taking two easy strides while reaching out to grab the baby. Mother held her grip though, digging her dirty and sharp nails into his wrist before biting his fingers and shoving him away. The baby awoke, drowsy and confused as she looked about before being thrown out of her mother's grasp and fell to the floor. She cried loudly, her screams echoing around the dimly lit room. The man looked over his lover's body, his shadow covering her face and robes. He began to cry, knowingly that the fall obviously snapped her neck in two, falling to his knees, he held the woman in his heavy arms, crying over the infant near the fire place and quick to drop the limp body on the ground. He stood up, looming over the infant whom was obviously fearful, knowingly that her untimely doom was about to happen.
"This..this is all your fault! You couldn't stay where you were! You had to be brought back! I curse you and the Goddess! Damn both of you to hell!!"
The main pulled out a dagger, sharp and curving as he picked up the baby and held the dagger over his head. The baby suddenly stopped crying as a low growl came from her. Suddenly, from outside, a great black hound leaped through the window. Glass shattered towards the ground as the great black beast snarled and attacked the man. The infant fell on the floor again, this time safely away from the fire as the dog made instant work of the man, the beast's maw crushing around the man's neck and ripping out his throat before digging his heavy paws into his chest to slice at his flesh. The dog snarled loudly, bloodied with pure white eyes and a grinning mouth. It panted deeply before stopping with the maul of the killer and was quick to trot near the infant. The baby girl giggled, her dark brown hands reaching out to grab the dog's ears. The beast panted deeply, using its long tongue to taste the infant's face before laying on its belly and rolling over on its side. As if knowing, the baby attempted to crawl downward, and finding a nipple, began to suckle hungrily before falling asleep on top of the beast. The dog panted, tail thumping before fading away with the wind.
-----
"Mama!! Mama! Where are you? Mama we have a visitah'!" cried a little girl.
The little girl was just downright adorable, frizzy, fat, black locks for hair that was hidden under a red bandanna. Her slightly stout belly poking out and thin arms with long legs made her look very silly, but she wore a little yellow dress to even things out quite well. Barefooted and cute, she pulled on the man's arm, tugging him more into the tiny apartment complex. It was a hot summer day and all the doors and windows were open with the fans running on high. The living room was quite dim though, like all the rooms in their apartment, and was cluttered with all sorts of things, mainly African tools, warrior spears and masks hanging up on the walls, family portraits scattered in wooden frames on desks. Even a small TV rested before the old sofa that smelled of dogs was quite cool and comfy. The man, obviously of European decent looked slightly frantic and shy, but he held a wad of cash and a plastic bag in the other hand. Lampine had seen him around here twice already, the first time was of greeting, second time he simply asked questions, and this time, it had to be because of another problem. She ran into the back room, door closed, she peeked in, her bright gray eyes almost glowing due to candle light. She could smell burning ginseng and old leather that always seemed to excite her. Ma'ma was doing a spell!
Lampine grinned as she slipped on all fours, quick to crawl into the room and sit on a little stool in the corner. Ma'ma always let her watch when she made spells, and for some reason, unlike most of the kids on the block, she enjoyed learning more about them. She rested her arms on her knees and waited silently. Wincing at a gruff moan her mother gave, she leaned her back against the wall just as a red blade sunk into a black wax figure of some sort. Her mother was quick to pick out the small needles within the doll and burn them over a white candle before smashing the wax figure in her grip and saying a quick prayer. The room seemed to become suddenly lighter oddly, as if the black spirits themselves that were summoned were quick to fade away back from which they came. As usual, Boudow was sitting there like some statue next to her mama. The great dog, a nice mixture of Rottweiler and some sort of boxer mix was obvious in this great black dog. Her chest with a bit of dark orange to it and her eyes white with cataracts and being born blind. The dog turned her great head, wagging her long tail before standing up and trotting towards Lampine to lick her cheek in greetings like she always did. The little girl, obviously like some puppy, wrapped her arms around the hound's neck and nuzzled her shoulder deeply. Ma'ma turned and looked down with a soft smile.
"Awiti, you not supposed to be in here when I work!"
"I know mama, but that white man in his fancy coat is here to see you again!"
"Oh? What does he have with him?"
"I saw some money in his right hand and a plastic bag in the other. Did he bring you her things, mama! He smelled like those ladies near the corner! Bet he's been playing footsie with them again!" she said with a giggle.
"You be seein Mr. Man with other ladies?"
Lampine nodded her head as she rubbed the hound's ears.
"Yes, mama, saw him with the ladies with big squishies on their chests and paint on their faces. They practice magic too, mama?"
The woman laughed as she stood up and picked up Lampine while the hound was quick to shove itself out of the room and throw herself before the tv.
"No, them ladies are nasty. I don't want you talkin' to them nasty ladies you hear me? Ain't no good to nobody and they mean too!"
"What about Lele's mama! I see her with them every other night laughing and helpin the Misters around town after dinner!"
The woman was quick to silence the girl and place her behind the dog to be distracted by cartoons. The woman smiled, shaking her head and turning her gaze towards the man in her house.
"Did you bring me what is needed?"
He did not speak, yet he did stand up, blushing deeply and shoving the money and the plastic bag in her hands. Shoving the wad of dollar bills in her pocket, the woman rubbed the bag over before opening it, keeping her eyes directly on the stranger and humming softly.
"Does she know of your actions?"
"N-no...she threatened to tell her if I did not pay up by tonight. Oh please, you must help me Miss Black Mamba! I's don't want my wife to know what I've been doin'! I knows I got me an addiction to the sins, but you're the last one I's could turn to!"
"You do know my..requirements?"
"The others said that you're the best.."
"Do you know my requirements?"
"Said you're willing to do anything since you have the child..."
"Do you have my requirements!?"
"Although maybe-"
"DO YOU HAVE THEM!?"
Suddenly, the walls shook, a few masks were quick to fall on the floor as Lampine turned her head while the hound growled loudly with a deep and warning tone. The girl pouted, quick to tug the dog by her neck fat into a small room with books and a few toys laying on the ground. Lampine's room wasn't the greatest but it was welcoming and calm, two lamps on a desk with an assortments of drawings on the walls, even unknown symbols and markings she had made, yet not knowing the meaning of them. She sighed, throwing herself on her mattress which was made into a cheap bed.
Thinking deeply, she closed her eyes, relaxing and enjoying the suddenly cool air that blew into the room. The dog was still restless, growling loudly and pacing back and fourth from wall to wall, yet she was quick to stop and gaze at Lampine while whining deeply. Suddenly, there was a scream, fumbling around and the common sounds of a fight. She frowned, quick to open the door with the dog barking loudly and racing into the living room. Lampine followed, as fast as her legs could carry her.
As she slipped into the living room, she saw her dog gone and mama choking on her own blood. She frowned, quick to move forward and fall to her knees to rub her mother's face. Tears blurred her vision as she rubbed them with her arms.
"Ma'ma! Mama! Please! Wake up! Please!!" she wailed as she nudged the body.
Suddenly, her mother gave gasp of last few breaths before reaching up to hug her child.
"Awiti....I give you....I..." she said as she pulled the girl to her chest. The blood smeared against the girl's face, strong grip pinning her down as she attempted to remove herself.
"Mama! Please..." she whined while pushing herself upwards.
"Awiti! Listen! LISTEN! Awiti..my sweet Awiti..you are the new Queen. Take my place! You are the new Mother Queen! Take everything that i have taught you, take everything from my room and go into the swamps! The swamps will protect you my Awiti!" she gurgled while dark shadows wavered around the two.
"The swamps..." Lampine whispered.
"Da swamps will protect you, child. Pray to Big Mama and she will hear you. Pray to her and offer her blood. Sacrifice. She will give you a teacher. Stay there for twenty years. People will start to look for you. Whatever they offer, whatever they give you, whatever they bribe you; do not leave the swamps!!"
Lampine cried, nodding as the blood ran up her nose a bit with more shadows floating and writhing above them. They were quick to rise up higher before diving into Lampine's back and causing her great pain. The girl cried with terror, seeing nightmares, visions of the past, present, and future of every dark spirit within her. She looked down at her mother's body, now a decomposing corpse. Crying more, she then fainted. All went black..
---
Lampine as now seventeen, she stood on the porch stairs of the so called cottage she had found years ago. A very old woman sat in a rocking chair behind her, humming softly with an old record playing loud music and sewing needles clicking between her fingers. Before them stood an angry mob, mostly white folk from town, and a few loyal neighbors that had obviously informed others of said drama. Recently, there have been whispers going on of strange things in the woods, for you see, the swamps of a nearby town was the lifeblood of the community. They pulled up the thick and muddy roots to dry them out in the hot sun and sell them for firewood. The animals gave meat and pelts, the waters provided drink for cooking, and the vegetation provided herbs and spices. Even for extra change, the town was well known for selling sand-glass wind chimes. When roots burrow near the sandy shores of the river, commonly, lightning will strike during thunderstorms, and instead of hitting trees or the waters, they'd hit the sand. The pressure, heat, and friction would literally cause the sand to melt into glass within the very root itself. Days later, kids or a few old folks might come along, dig them up, and take them home to make some cute trinkets with them.
Now though, they blame the swamp women for their current plight. Big bugs; mosquitoes, gnats, and flies had infested their livestock of chickens and cows they had. More or less a big nuisance and bother, but when it came down to the point of malaria and other common sicknesses popping up, they had no other reason, but to blame them. They suspected it had to be the Sampson's girl down the road near the borders of town, little girl was only about twelve and had got hit by some mean local drunk. Came to find out that the said drunk's wife was having a bit of an affair with the girl's father. Course, everyone knew it was a mistake and the guy didn't truly mean it, the girl died two days later and her father was down right upset about the whole thing.
So he went to the swamp ladies. A small bunch of elderly living deep in certain parts of the area and practicing their voodoo magic. He wished for his daughter to be brought back. Yet, with every wish granted, there's always a disturbing catch to it. Lampine was the one to blame this time, she did bring the girl back to life. Wasn't too hard, but she wasn't the same. If it's dead it's meant to be dead and stay dead. The body and soul gets mad if you bring it back from the dead. The dead meant to be dead...
At first, things were peaceful, the undead girl was very mindless. She didn't eat, she didn't sleep, yet all she would do was stand on the porch and look out in the distance where the swamps were. Mindless and quite stupid, she ran with her father chasing after her. The drunk obviously followed when he saw the girl and the man, and all three of them raced into darkness. They were never seen again. After that, the insects came, the sickness came, and people were getting worried. Now they found the culprit and demanded retribution!
"Awiti! You be killin people in these swamps!?" the Sheriff asked.
"I ain't be killin' nobody, they be killins themselves. They runnin roun stupid at night in our swamps! We already be complainin to the parents on keepin their kids in line!"
"Yer, but where be the girl and her father?!" someone yelled in the back.
"Dat....man asked me to bring his daughter back. I warned him, he ignored my words, he paid for his stupidity.." she said bluntly while turning her back to them and making her way back into the house.
"So you admit to killin the drunk, the father and his daughter?"
"I says I ain't be killin nobody in deze here swamps! I aint killed nobody! Dat girl that I brought back kill dem both!" she said as she pointed in the direction of the swamps.
"So she one of your stupid puppets now. Dooin some of your silly black magic on her to make her yer lil zombie!? Ye know ye gonna burn in hell for that shit!" the sheriff said while laughing.
"I aint be makin no zombies, girl's soul is gone from that body aint nothin left but a hungry walkin shell"
"So what about the bugs n' shit!? You cursin us or somethin!?"
"Dat is none of your business! The insects are here because YOU angered YOUR God! OUR God did nothing to you or us! I suggest, yer get your act together and remove your angry mob from my property before I call the state and have you removed! Begone!" she said as she grabbed the broom.
Some of the mob left, quick to run off back into town, yet the braver ones stood firm, holding their pitchforks and guns. The sheriff was quick to grab the broom from her hand and push Lampine, causing her to fall to the ground. Suddenly, their came an array of barking from three dogs, jet black with blind white eyes, bounding out from the darkness of the house. Drooling gaping maws of yellow teeth with their hand standing on end. They made the mob back up a bit, a few stupid ones were quick to pull out their guns and aim them at the hounds.
"Call yer hell hound back Awiti! We shoot em! We gonna shoot em! Call em back!!" the sheriff yelled over their barking.
Lampine stomped her foot on the wooden porch, the hounds were quick to silence themselves and sit down, yet they were still alert and growling loudly over the mob's comments.
"She a witch!"
"We should kill her!!"
"yeah!! KILL THE WITCH!!"
The sheriff moved fast, pulling Lampine to her feet and slamming her against the nearby tree to pull her arms behind her back and place handcuffs on her wrists.
"Lampine Awiti, you be under arrest for practicing black magic, and the murder of three innocent people!" he said with the stink of whiskey in his breath.
Lampine did not put up a struggle, as she felt blood drip down her face from the scar on her brow. She looked back at the three black hounds and the old woman, whom for the first time, looked up and grinned. Black shark like teeth glinted with her white blind eyes glistening like wet pearls in the mid day light.
Suddenly, there was a shreik of pain and horror, many stopped and turned to see a woman, fat and flailing about on the ground with her face being literally chewed out by a little girl. She had to be no older then twelve with pale skin and jet black eyes. Her hair gray and matted with dirt and reeking of swamp water. Her body and limbs thin and weak with chunks of flesh ripped or sliced off. She growled loudly, biting into the woman's cheek and tugging hard with her broken yellow teeth and removing the thick layer of skin and fat from her face. She groaned, quick to lower her mouth and bite into the woman again. The people screamed in horror, quick to attempt to load their guns and fire, yet it was the sheriff whom fired his own pistol at the child.
The girl shrieked in pain, something inhuman, almost monster like before falling back on the ground and giving the woman the chance to leap up and run away. The girl lay flat, dead possibly, as the Sheriff and two of his men loomed over the body curiously.
"Boss, I be thinkin that be the missin girl...."
"That aint no girl no moe, boy...thing a zombie now.."
"Impossible! She be only missin for about two weeks and look at her body. Swamp aint no place for a body to be preserved, heat and water just make it go away faster..."
"Yeah..but that aint no surprise with-"
He turned around to see Lampine standing on the porch and the three dogs panting happily. The cuffs were hanging from her fingers, the light reflecting off of them and hitting the undead child at their feet. Suddenly, the zombie child sprang up, bellowing like a beast before leaping with inhuman strength upon the officers; sinking her teeth into as much bare skin she could bite into. The officers yelled at each other, firing their guns at the girl, but their bullets unable to stop the child's actions. She leaped from being to person, biting, then jumping, only to sink her teeth into a fresh spot and draw more blood.
There was a final gunshot blow to the child's head as she fell to the ground. The officers looked in shock and awe before turning around to face Lampine, yet she was gone!!
"Dag 'nabbit! She got away! AGAIN!" the sheriff said while stomping his foot on the ground.
Suddenly, there was a scream, deadly and coming from all directions before a great snake like being threw itself out of the trees and grab a hold of the sheriff. She hissed loudly, stretching her maw wide before shoving him in with ease. Her throat stretched and twitched violently as the sheriff's feet were quick to slide into her mouth. Drooling deeply, Lampine grinned, her jaw quick to jerk itself back in place as she turned to stare at the other two men. Yet they were quick to run away into the foggy swamps. Lampine's grin faded as she was quick to shift her body upwards and have her snake torso melt into legs. The old woman on the porch gazed at her lazily.
"They'll be back..."
Lampine nodded, hearing the deep scratchy voice and shrugging.
"That's fine with me...we need food anyways.."