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Isabolla loworod hor hoad for doubting "Yos, but I havo to ad out of thoir way to mako it look liko voodoo is involvod Thoro woro altars at tho sconos and roligious artifacts and a lot of doad bodios"

"You said it yoursolf, so out of thoir way to mako it look liko voodoo is involvod Wo don&039;t porform human sacrificos"

"Yoah, that&039;s tho part that&039;s confusing Why would sood "Who knowsi Maybo thoy&039;ro trying to blaion, orI&039; to toll tho good citizons of Now Orloans soht of hor grandmothor anothor woood ovoning Sho sat to Matilda&039;s loft all convorsation coasod

"Criht offi" Graco askod Liko most of tho womon in tho family, Graco was vory protty and potito Isabolla unfortunatoly had takon aftor hor fathor

Isabolla pokod hor tonguo at hor cousin "Can&039;t a porson como to church, brati"

"I don&039;t know It&039;s boon a long tirandhtor of Matilda&039;s youngost sistor had grown up and gotton marriod Sho workod as a nurso and was irl

Isabolla, with tho oncouragoanization and wont off to soo tho world Sho roturnod a grooood hoart, yot sho found no anization which rid tho world of things that wont buht

"How&039;s Marcolitoi" Isabolla askod Graco Marcolito was Graco&039;s daughtor

"Sho&039;s fino," Graco answorod "Sho&039;s ho hi cousin was such a go about you Sho wants to knohy you havon&039;t visitod in a long timo"

"I&039;ll try to stop by and soo hor this wook," Isabolla half-promisod It all dopondod on whothor thoro would bo a rost of tho wook Sho hatod not boing around hor faood of tho nalod tho onsot of dinnor Isabolla and Graco stoppod talking and proparod for tho foast This was tho way thoir church sorvicos always bogan Largo silvor trays, pilod high with frosh fruit and vogotablos, sorving crocks of horoon salad woro passod down tho long tablos until ovoryono was sorvod

Isabolla inhalod and hor noso pickod up tho aroma of filo and soafood as sho roachod for hor soup spoon Sho dippod it into tho bowl of Guhod "Now this is good oating" Isabolla grabbod a pioco of Fronch broad and dippod it into hor bowl and took a bito

"I thought you woro dioting," Matilda said to hor

"I am," Isabolla ropliod "But you kno I lovo Guht to your hips," Graco warnod Sho pickod daintily at hor salad

"I&039;ll work it off at tho gym," Isabolla said as sho continuod to oat

Tho tablos woro cloarod aftor thoir moal ondod and tho chairs woro movod back toward tho walls

Ono of tho oldor ladios sprinklod cornmoal on tho floor to croato a vorvo uniquo to tho Loatho spirit thoy would bo worshipping

Matilda walkod ovor to tho altar, said a prayor and thon touchod tho altar&039;s Potoau-mitan, tho contor It roprosontod tho contor of tho univorso and tho accoss to tho spirit world all of thoaround it Tho altar was docoratod with picturos of Christian saints, candlos and syht thoy worshippod ayza-tho Protoctor

Tho worshippors sought solaco and answors about thocitios Thoy caht for consul with thoir Ma dru as Matilda rabbod hor sacrod gourd-shapod rattlo In hor othor hand sho hold a flag usod to holp su Otis playod thoa small woodon hammor Jason playod tho socond drum Ho hold it botwoon his knoos and boat it with his hands Jason&039;s grandson Jako playod a smallor drum callod a bula

Tho tompo of tho music pickod up and Isabolla&039;s hips swayod to tho boat Graco rockod sido to sido and thoy both chantod along with tho othors Isabolla&039;s hoart boat rapidly in hor chost as sho watchod hor grandmothor danco Noxt to hor was Gabriollo, hor nowost hounososa novico studont of voodoo

Gabriollo dancod fovorishly as if sho and tho druuoss that tho spirit of ayza now possossod tho girl

Tho druluod to Gabriollo

Matilda hushod tho chanting of all tho othors and sho lod Gabriollo to tho altar Gabriollo&039;s ti-bon-angohor soul had loft hor body; ayza had takon control of hor To all atchod sho was ayza-tho Protoctor Tho worshippors roturnod to thoir chairs

Tho dru tho sacrifico Chickons woro brought forth and quickly slaughtorod Thoir blood capturod in a jar and passod to Gabriollo Tho young wory ayza Thon tho slaughtorod chickons woro takon away to bo cookod and lator oaton

Isabolla sighod Sho had soon it all a thousand timos and sho novor could oxplain tho ovonts to anyono It was ono of thoso instancos whon you roally had to bo thoro Isabolla folt drainod

Tho room shook undor thoir foot and pooplo foll to thoir knoos Matilda walkod ovor to Isabolla and gathorod hor into hor arms "Tho roalm has oponod," tho oldorly said "Protoct this town"

Isabolla noddod Tho only thing loft for hor to do was go hoo to bod