He wasn’t at all comfortable about returning home after his holiday.
He had always been a curious person. It was what had brought him to his current situation. In fact, the more he thought about it all, the more he considered never going back. It really did seem to be the best option. The holiday resort in Haiti was every bit as good as the brochure had made out. In fact, by the time he was enjoying his last day there, he realised that it had been the best holiday he’d ever had. He was taking a final walk before dinner at the hotel when it happened. He had no idea what had made him go into the shop. He’d never been much of a souvenir buyer. Thinking back, it must have been simple curiosity that had him wandering along the isles looking at a huge variety of Caribbean knickknacks.
That was when he found the amulet. It had a thin, silver chain. It was quite small and delicate. He was really taken with the strange design and knew immediately that he had to buy it; buy it for himself. Turning it over, he was surprised to find that unlike everything else in the shop, it had no price sticker. At the counter, the girl seemed to be at a loss without a sticker, but had finally plucked a number out of the air; an amount that he was more than happy to pay.
He decided he would wear it and the girl smiled as she held up a large, handheld mirror while he put it on. As he did this, he realised that several customers were stopping to watch. Feeling a touch embarrassed, he thanked the girl and left quickly by stepping back out into the street.
He was checking the time and wondering whether he’d do more sauntering or return to the hotel for an early dinner, when the old woman approached. He wasn’t sure if she had been in the shop, but she pointed at his purchase and offered to tell him more about it. It must have been curiosity again that had him follow her to what looked like an antique shop, full of weird-looking items and curios, where she made herbal teas for them in the back room.
The tea was delicious and after the second cup he felt even more relaxed about his rather peculiar situation. He was thinking about the country and how voodoo played a large role in peoples’ lives. This made him even more inquisitive about the amulet. Anyway, this was his holiday. It was a time to experience new things, wasn’t it? It was while the woman was pouring the third drink that she began to explain about the object’s powers. Although feeling woozy, he managed to keep up with her descriptions about all of the amazing things that the item could bring about.
After a while of sipping his drink and listening to the woman prattling on, he became aware of an attractive woman of around his own age stepping out from behind a curtain. Remarkably, he showed no surprise to find her standing in front of him, wearing only a skimpy bikini. This was when the old thing told him that she was his for the taking. Still enjoying the euphoria that he was experiencing, he nodded. It was then that she pointed at what hung around his neck. She said this would be the price. As a result of his ongoing state of blissfulness, and despite the fact that he had been exceptionally fond of the amulet, he nodded again. He stood and removed the necklace. The old woman smiled and held out her hand. He dropped it into her palm.
He wasn’t at all sure what happened after that. In fact, he now found himself sitting on the edge of his bed, back in his hotel room, having stood for the longest time in front of the full-length mirror.
He was obviously in complete denial.
He was continually thinking of himself as a him, and not a her!