AncilAnansi looked at Bookman then said, “Ever since the Midnight Robber leave, the community was in constant search for a new leader. I was the first person that they elect to lead them but it had no pleasing the people of Mas Camp. They wanted everything deliver to them on a golden platter. They label me as a trickster and exile me from Tobago. Them bastards leave me out in the world to dead all because I decide to equally distribute water. Fools.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Megan said.
“It don’t matter. At least I out of that shithole now.”
“Who in charge now?” Bookman asked.
“I look like I know who in charge? I see Papa Bois was trying a thing but that good for nothing goat only good for raking leaves.”
“So you just give up on the fight?” Bookman asked.
“Give up? Give up? I don’t give up. I’ve been plotting to take down the Midnight Robber myself. I don’t need nobody. I sure as hell don’t need no Mas Camp. I is Anansi!!! I already know where the Midnight Robber is but I eh find the Singh family yet. I know they somewhere in Trinidad and I have a idea where the head man is. Them Singhs is the obeah behind the operation. Suraj and he wretched wife……Sandra.”
“We could help,” I said.
Sara pushed me as though she wanted me to be quiet.
“We could,” Cornell agreed.
“No no,” Anansi started. “This fight is personal. I want to be the only one to find the Singh family and kill them all even them miserable children he have.”
“And what about the Midnight Robber?” Bookman asked.
“I will leave he for last.”
“The Midnight Robber is heavily guarded,” Cornell said. “We was just in the Red House and we couldn’t get to him at all even in his human form when he most vulnerable.”
“Them don’t know who is me or what?” Anansi asked Bookman. “My webs strong enough to bring down skyscrapers and crush human skulls. You think some little clowns in uniform could do me anything?”
“I’m just saying,” Cornell said.
“Thanks for the information but I could handle myself.”
“Yeah man,” Cornell said.
“By the way, I have to go now,” Anansi said. “Oh and Bookman. Next time you get the urge to talk about my bout with Fairymaids make sure that Maggie not around please and thank you.”
“Maggie is your wife?” Megan asked.
“Mind your business little girl,” Anansi spat then left the room.
***
There wasn’t much talk in the room that Anansi had allotted to us. The majority of the group was fast asleep locked away in their own dreams. Who could blame them? It had been a long day and solace was needed. It was still relatively early in the afternoon but the beds were basically calling out to everyone. Once you lay down on the bed, you couldn’t get up. Literally. The stickiness of the webbed bed made it extremely hard to get off. In spite of that, the children fell asleep almost as soon as Anansi left and Megan and Cornell followed soon after. Bookman had left the room to find Anansi. Sara on the other hand was wide awake, lying on her back with her hands on her head looking up at the webbed ceiling in deep thought.
Besides Sara, I was the only one awake. I was probably more tired than everyone else but I just couldn’t fall asleep. My mind was way too flustered. The whole time I was awake in the room I was planning our next move. I was thinking of ways to get to Mas Camp and find the antidote for Sara and her siblings. I was thinking of ways to get to the Midnight Robber in the Red House and remove him from power. I was thinking about the fate of Sam who we left back in Arima all by herself. I was thinking about what to say to Megan. We had not had much of a chance to talk but we had a lot to talk about. My mind ran rampant but I eventually managed to give it a rest for a while as I succumbed to sleep.
“Jed,” Sara whispered to me in an attempt to wake me. “Jed.”
“What?” I said, waking up only seeing her face as a blur. She smelled like FuzGrainz. There was probably an open pack in her pocket and the smell made my stomach growl.
“I need to show you something,” she said. “Follow me.”
