Moon Shadow

DELETED CHAPTER

Note: This used to be chapter 4, standing between the current chapters 3 and 4. But people who read it said it slowed down the story and it was better if I dispersed its contents to other chapters.

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The next morning, Lucifer's favor consumed my thoughts while I left for work. Had I officially chosen a side by accepting his offer? I wanted nothing to do with the upcoming Heavenly War II. But it seemed no matter how hard I tried to stay away, as long as I had moon magic, I had to choose a side willingly or I'd be forced into one.

Arriving at the bus station, I entered the first bus and sat at the back, picking the right window seat.

Most passengers who entered stared at me, then they nodded before picking a seat. I nodded back, of course—I had manners. The locals were used to the white tattoos on my body.

Once the seats were full, the bus left the station. The conductor stood by the door calling for more passengers to fill the cabin, while the driver turned on the radio. It had two frequencies: the normal one—which was for everyone—and the magic one, intended for sorcerers, heard by activating magic in our ears. It informed us on issues concerning sorcerers from around the world.

The first time the magic frequency was in effect in my country was on January 30, 1962—the day the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic began in the village of Kashasha, west coast of Lake Victoria, affecting over a thousand people. It was right after Tanganyika had won its independence from Britain on Dec 9, 1961.

Idiots believed the epidemic was stress-induced because Tanganyika's independence brought higher expectations to people of low status. Strict traditional elders ruled Tanganyikan society, so sociologists and psychiatrists believed the hysteria was a manifestation of cultural disparity between conservatives and liberals, as they clashed in beliefs and acceptance of new ideas.

This was a lie.

The British had sorcerers among their ranks. After Tanganyika gained independence, the British sorcerers cursed my people, hoping they'd be unhinged so when they retook the country as its colony, they'd come off as saviors.

But the British sorcerers, like the Germans and Arabs before them, had underestimated Tanganyikans, not realizing powerful sorcerers were hiding among those the cursed.

Through the magic frequency, the sorcerers in Kashasha alerted others around the country. And in a matter of months, the epidemic was no more.

Something poked my arm. Turning toward the source. I saw a baby staring at me with its hands touching mine. The curiosity in its eyes made me smile. Babies never judged how I looked, nor were they afraid of me.

"What's your name?" I asked the baby.

"Joanita," the baby said.

"How old are you?"

"1."

Before getting moon magic, I had other magic abilities. One of them was communicating and understanding any living thing.

I cleared my throat and gazed at Joanita's mother. She narrowed her eyes at me but said nothing. To her, her daughter said, "Gugu, gaga," when answering my questions. I never wanted people to know I had this ability. So when I spoke to babies or animals, I avoided making it seem like I understood them.

"What do you think of the modern world?" I whispered to Joanita.

"It's weird, but in a good way. I was in the first slave ship that took us from Africa to South America." Tears welled in her eyes before rolling down her face. "It was horrible. The things they did to us. I can't... I can't..." She started crying.