OUR VERY OWN TEAM MEMBER, AUTHOR LORRAINE CAREY, IS SHARING CHAPTER ONE OF HER NOVEL, 'BELOVED SACRIFICE' TODAY! #RWRTeamBlog #ReadWriteRepeat

Chapter 1

Pacentro, Italy 1930

Bibianna Constantino muddled along the cobblestone road, her long green drindle skirt dragging with every step, picking up centuries of debris from the road. She stopped to take the floral-print bandana off her head to wipe the sweat from her brow. She set down the wrapped bundle of cheese she had cradled under her arm on the stone wall, across from Our Lady of Mercy Church in the center of the piazza. The sun blazed hot for this day in mid-August. The medieval village of Pacentro was teeming with families out making their way to the markets. Her hazel eyes scanned around at the comings and goings in the town square, worried someone might come and steal her homemade goat cheese.

“What are you looking at?” she mumbled under her breath at an older man who had passed by.

She finally reached the butcher shop of Angelo D’Amici, where she had hoped to sell her cheese. Angelo and his wife, Selena, were the owners and lived above the shop. She had dealt with him once before when he was kind. “Come on in, my signora,” Angelo said softly, while he dealt with another customer.

Bibianna ran her fingers through her long and stringy white hair, trying to make herself look slightly more presentable. She waited patiently until Angelo was finished with the other customer, and then moved toward the counter to peddle her wares. She carefully unwrapped the cheese from the tattered cloth it was encased in. Angelo could see it was surely not fresh.

“This is old cheese!” he exclaimed, rolling it over and inspecting it.

Just then, Selena had made her way downstairs to help Angelo in the shop. She had just gotten their two young children, Armando and Donatella, to take a nap. Angelo and Bibianna’s eyes turned to stare at her as she walked toward the counter. Her beauty was known to turn many heads in the village. Her dark blonde hair was held tightly up in a bun, and she reached over to grab a clean apron. Bibianna had always admired her cameo complexion and golden hair.

Selena put her hands on her hips, looking up at Angelo. “You will not buy this cheese from that gypsy!” Selena bore her deep chocolate-colored eyes into Angelo’s. She knew her husband was too soft. He always felt sorry for the peddlers who would come into the shop.

Upon hearing this, Bibianna began pleading with both of them on how she needed the money to feed herself and her younger sister. Selena was having no part of this. She rolled up the moldy cheese back into the cloth and handed it to Bibianna. “Take your cheese and do not bother us again!” Selena snapped, making sure to look directly into the gypsy’s eyes. She noticed a storm brewing in those aged hazel eyes of hers.

Bibianna took her cheese and headed to the door, only to stop at the landing to the upstairs, pointing her finger in the air. “Your precious daughter will be cursed from this day and shall carry this on for generations. Only the seventh daughter born in succession will break this curse!”

Angelo looked at Selena. He threw off his meat-stained apron and ran upstairs to check on their two children. Selena followed right behind him.

“Wait, wait!” she called to her husband.

Armando and Donatella slept soundly in the same little bed in the corner of the room. Armando was four and Donatella only two. Angelo grabbed Selena’s arm. “You know what to do, Selena. You must undo what this woman has done!”

Selena gave Angelo a strong hug, feeling his broad shoulders. He was a good-looking man, even with his slightly balding hair. His olive skin was a marked contrast to that of her pale complexion. He still made her body react the way it did when they were young lovers. Her family had originated in northern Italy, while Angelo’s was from Sicily. She was not only a strong woman but a wise and devout Catholic. She also knew she would visit the village Strega just to make sure no harm would come to Donatella or Armando.

Curses were not taken lightly in this village.

Early the next morning, Selena arose, only to find Donatella with a raging fever. She woke Angelo so he could take care of Donatella and Armando. She knew she had to go to see Father Marelli first, and then pay a visit to Strega Carlita.

Armando quickly fetched a basin, filling it with chilled olive oil and crushed garlic. He soaked a rag in it and then applied the poultice to Donatella’s forehead. She was such a good baby. She whimpered softly as her father held her in his lap.

Selena entered the church. Being so early, she found no one. She walked to the sacristy door and knocked, not having any luck. I cannot waste time. I must go see Carlita now. I will be back to talk with Father Marelli later. She genuflected in front of the altar and ran out the church door, clutching her rosaries.

Running three blocks to Carlita’s modest home found her breathless and weak. She rapped on the large wooden door several times before Carlita answered. Her long black hair was secured tightly in a bandana, and she appeared as though she had expected Selena. This was not Selena’s first visit.

“What brings you here today, Selena?”

Selena told Carlita about Bibianna and the curse. Carlita listened and looked into Selena’s large brown eyes, feeling her concerns. She first had Selena sit down while she placed a bowl of water on her head, and then dropped olive oil into the bowl. This would tell her how many evil eyes were upon her. If the oil made several circles, that meant how many had given her the ‘evil eye.’

“I don’t have a headache!” Selena fussed.

“This will still tell me how many eyes are upon you,” Carlita babbled, carrying on with her ritual. Saying a few chants, she watched to see how the oil was distributed amongst the bowl. “Sweet Jesus!” Carlita cried.

Carlita could see that there were two very large circles of oil. They sat in the bowl and kept expanding. Selena became edgy and kept asking Carlita to tell her what she saw.

The bowl was removed from her head and then rinsed in clean water. Carlita placed it back on Selena’s head and dropped in three pinches of salt while saying a prayer. She then dipped her fingers in the water, finishing by making the sign of the cross on her forehead. Taking some holy water she had in a bottle, she sprinkled it over Selena’s head. She warned Selena of Bibianna’s power, telling her Bibianna was a ‘chovihanis’, which is the equivalent of a male shaman in the Romani tribe. She told her that Bibianna was very jealous of Selena’s beauty, or anyone more beautiful than her. Carlita also informed her that Bibianna was once the most beautiful woman of the Romani. It was her evil that stole her beauty. Carlita told her she most likely put the curse on Donatella, knowing she would surely grow up to inherit her mother’s beauty. Selena began to quiver as Carlita gave her a cup of chamomile tea while she went into the basement to get something for her. Selena tried to steady her hands and guide the cup slowly to her lips.

Carlita had returned with a black velvet pouch. She was glad to see Selena getting some color back in her face. She set the pouch on the table and revealed its contents.

“Oh, my Lord!” Selena cried, eyeing the jeweled dagger that was small but very ornate. It had inlaid emeralds and rubies in its hilt. She could feel an electrifying shock run all the way up her arm. Her eyes shot up at Carlita. “So I am to stab her?”

“No, you will use it in an old ritual,” Carlita informed her. She made her aware of the ritual she would be performing to break the curse. Selena listened as she grasped her rosaries in her hands. After hearing how powerful Bibianna was, she shuddered, but was going to save her child at whatever cost.

Carlita went on to explain the details of the ritual using the dagger. Selena would have to prick the skin of Donatella enough to draw some blood on the dagger, taking it to the Madonna’s grotto on the north side of town and penetrating it deep within the earth while she muttered this chant:

'And so shall the blood of the innocent soak into this precious earth.'

'May the elements protect the blood of this special one. Forever blessings be

found here.'

Carlita went on to tell Selena she would have to then get Bibianna to meet her and also prick her, drawing blood on the dagger, and then piercing it into a wooden table while saying a small chant. The protection spell would then be imbued into the wood of the table.

“How will I remember all of this?” Selena asked, putting her hands on her head.

Carlita had explained to her that she would write all the words down for her.

“How can I repay you for all of this?” Selena gently grabbed the black velvet pouch.

“You owe me nothing, Selena. It is the way of God to help others.”

“I will return the dagger to you.”

“It is yours to keep,” Carlita replied.

Selena looked into Carlita’s warm brown eyes and wondered why she would let her keep such a valuable knife. However, one knew not to question a powerful Strega. She also knew she spoke the truth. Selena left, closing the heavy door behind her, and headed back home to check on Angelo and the children. Walking at a swift pace back to the house, she tucked the black pouch under her skirt. There were far too many roaming eyes in this small village.

**********

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COMING SOON: On Wednesday, 12th November, we are thrilled to introduce author, Kurt D Springs, who is sharing Chapter 1 of his novel, 'Price of Vengeance'.