NOTICE:
This chapter is going to contain some Trinidadian terms, slangs and dialect.
I hate Carnival.
People are too bold face on that day, they get to party on Carnival day with their massive, colourful costumes just because what?
Carnival is the day they get to own the road?
The streets does become a living ocean of people, parading in glittering costumes covered in feathers, gems, the fabrics that shimmer in the sun.
And they dirtying the streets and houses with all those things they does splatter about, and those poor people have to spend their precious money to fix over the spots they ruined.
They even getting drunk from alcohol and getting into fights and the police have to stop them.
Sometimes even couples, with their lack of commonsense, attend Carnival and when a girl flirt with some girl boyfriend, all of a sudden they tugging at eachother hair.
Then they say I'm not a real Trinidadian when I say I don't like that?
Having body paint, large feathered headpiece and stuff sounds like fun, don't get me wrong.
I'm not against self expression.
But what they go do when the sun blazing on their skin?
And what they go do when the rain of all days decide to masquerade with them and dance all that body paint away?
All that hard work washed away in a blink of an eye!
It would sure make a good day to celebrate Carnival.
The soca music too blasting loud, the deep bass of trucks does roll through the streets, and thousands of masqueraders dance in unison, waving flags, rags, and hands in the air, that even the houses have no choice but to jam with them.
I can't drive into Charlotte Street with their dotishness(foolisness) because all the roads block off by the police officers.
And the majority of women walking around half naked just sounds demeaning to me.
Why I have to dress like that all for the sake of Carnival?
And to think the men does prance around, looking to come under women to get a little wine?(wine means twerk.)
Absolutely disgusting.
So if I even celebrated Carnival and lime(another word for have fun or spend time with) with them and don't show some skin, they go watch me like my head shaking.
That's why when my co workers were talking about "playing mas next year," I just sank lower in my seat and prayed nobody would drag me into the conversation.
By the time I reached home that afternoon, the sun turned everything golden orange, it was peaceful and quiet, exactly how I liked it.
Then I saw it.
A streak of blue fire drifting across the empty street.
I froze on the pavement.
Cars passed right through it, the drivers not seeing a thing.
The fire curled in the air, almost curious, before darting behind the mango tree by my gate.
"Not today Satan," I whispered, immediately turning around.
I took exactly three steps before a voice behind me said,"If yuh walk away, all ah we go dead."
A tall figure stepped out from behind the mango tree, his entire body painted in deep, dark blue.
Chains rattled at his wrists.
Horns curled from his head, not plastic horns like the ones people wear on Carnival Monday.
These looked so real.
It was a Blue Devil, a real one.
I tried to backup, but the pavement felt like it was moving under me.
"Take yuh behind back to wherever the hell yuh came from."
His mouth curled in a grin that looked half tired, half desperate.
"I come to you cause you is the only one still seeing we."
I blinked.
"Seeing who?"
He pointed toward the setting sun.
And for a split second, I saw the Carnival characters I always heard about in primary school: Moko Jumbies stumbling like their legs were giving out, Baby Doll hugging her doll with fright, Dame Lorraine clutching her handkerchief and crying, her breasts moving to the rhythm of her body.
And all their other friends looked at me with pleading eyes for some strange reason.
Then the vision vanished.
My throat went dry.
"What...what wrong with them?"
The Blue Devil stepped closer, the air around him getting hotter.
"We are the Carnival spirits, we were born the night your ancestors tasted freedom for the first time. When the chains fell, they danced. When their names were stolen, they painted new ones across the sky. We lived because they remembered who they were. But now...the meaning is fading. Carnival has become noise without soul, colour without memory. As the world forgets, we are dying. One by one, our flames go out. You, child, are the last one who can hear us...and we don't know how much longer we have."
I couldn't help but laugh, then laugh again until I finally stopped.
"You expect me to believe that my ancestors were the start of this ridiculous tradition?"
"Why be shocked? Every tradition and holiday is changed to suit whatever entertains you people. Christmas is now about some big fat man, what about Jesus? I sure yuh done forget about he. Weddings? If ah man doh buy a big ring, all of a sudden he not worth nobody time."
"Well, even if that's what Carnival is really about, it clearly has changed so therefore, I don't like Carnival, therefore I can't die."
I had a smug look on my face, satisfied with what I just said.
The Blue Devil's tail snapped against the ground, sending blue sparks across the dirt.
For the first time, his painted grin twitched...like he was trying hard not to lose his temper.
"Girl...you really ain't hearing me."
He paced once, twice, then whirled back toward me.
"You really think this is about liking Carnival? You still think this is about costumes and fetes?" His voice dropped, shaking the air. "This is about holding every Trinidadian life together, once we're gone the balance of the citizen's lifes will fall apart, all because you people didn't hold onto what made y'all what you all are today."
I blinked, still confused.
"But I don't even play Carnival..."
"Whether you play it or not doesn't escape the fact that you people refuse to remember what your ancestors have done for you! You're tied to us whether you like it or not. Your bloodline came from the same people who were emancipated. When the chains break, something new always born. And that part of that...is you."
I gulped.
"But why me?"
His eyes glowed brighter, almost frustrated.
"Because you come from a rare bloodline that is connected to The Revelators. And you are Trinidad's last hope of protecting us and bring back the true meaning to Carnival."
"I still don't understand, sure they have forgotten the meaning of Carnival but I don't get how that affects you guys. They're still celebrating Carnival so what's the problem?"
"The problem is they dance and celebrage, but their laughter carries no mwmory of the freedom it honors...and that, more than anything, is what withers us."
He leaned in closer.
"He's coming for us for us all, don't think any of you are safe. When he comes, he doesn't care if you hate Carnival. He don't care if you stay home on Carnival Monday. He don't care if you touched a costume or not. He will take you. Once a country doesn't celebrate their victories, their purpose in living begins to deplete."
My heart pounded.
"So...if Carnival spirits die?"
He straightened, annoyance replaced with regret.
"You die too. The same night we disappear."
The wind blew cold, scattering blue ash around us.
"That," he said, tail scratching the dirt,"Is why I here wasting my breath trying to teach you. Because whether you like Carnival or not...it's the only thing keeping you alive."
"Sucks to suck I guess."
His eye twitched.
"Do you want to be a hero or not?"
"I mean—"
"Nevermind. You're going to be a hero, whether you like it or not."