Mavis and her daughter in front of the old 'duppy house'. - Ian Allen Staff/Photographer

Wenticko is back! Yes sir, the duppy of Kellits in Clarendon has shown himself to the people of the out-of-the-way community, yet again.

Let me explain. Wenticko is a duppy I first learned of back in 2006 when I visited Kellits. He would show up every couple of years to haunt a particular house, and a particular woman for weeks at a time. The unfortunate woman's name is Carrie and whenever she was visited by the malevolent spirit, she would become the talk of the town. The way the residents of Kellits tell it, people would show up from all across the country to get a glimpse of the woman and listen to Wenticko, who would speak 'through her.'

Pure niceness

"Ah big ting man, him do all kinda thing wid her. All fling her up inna tree top and dem ting deh, pure niceness!" said a giggling Ralph, a resident of the area, when I spoke with him on my first visit.

Today however, Ralph isn't so excited.

"Lawd man! Mi nuh know why dis nasty duppy ah teck set pan man place. Lawd Jeezas, man," was the rant of a skinnier, more panic-stricken Ralph when I met up with him earlier this week.

Once content with watching the escapades of the duppy-possessed female from afar, Ralph and other residents of the community are now disheartened because Wenticko apparently has decided to venture into uncharted territory.

"One time him woulda only deal with Carrie alone. Cho man! Now him just a float 'round di place. Mi nuh know why him lef outa Carrie," said Sister Davidson, whom I met under a withering mango tree.

You see, Carrie up and left some time ago to live in St Ann with a gentleman friend and since then, Wenticko has been looking around for another person to torment. In the past few weeks, the house once occupied by Carrie has seen an increase in supernatural activity.

"Di curtain dem a fly up and down, di window dem a shake, di door dem a slam, all kinda sinting, sar," said Sister Davidson, looking petrified.

Plan fi him

I looked across the road at the haunted house and swallowed hard as the woman spoke.

"One time we coulda plan fi him, for him used to only come around crop time and him woulda only trouble Carrie. Now is like him nuh under no manners. Him just do as him feel," said another female member of the small crowd of residents who had by now gathered under the tree to tell the story.

The residents said that a well-respected church elder was summoned last week to do what he could to send the disagreeable spirit back from whence it came, but had to flee from the house soon after entry when he allegedly heard the duppy calling his name.

"Him haffi gallop weh! Him seh him never hear nothing like dat inna him life!" said Madge, a short, skinny woman wearing a house dress.

One man said he actually saw the duppy, early last week.

"Mi see one bright light turn on inna di house. When mi look through the window mi see something fly gone. Mi seh Lawd Jeezas save mi and den mi took off!" the man said, causing the others around him to laugh. He however, did not seem amused. He just kept staring at the house across the road. Now, the man's apparent discomfort did nothing to ease my own fears, as everytime I looked at the house, it just kept getting creepier.

"Di only good ting is dat him nuh really go inna nobody else, yet. Fi now, it look like him just lock up inna di house. More time, mi just tell di pickney dem fi walk fur from di yard," said Sister Davidson.

So now the the community is divided on what to do next. Half the number of residents are intent on commissioning the services of an Obeah man to get the spirit to leave the community. The other residents are pushing for a week of fasting and praying.

"And so it will be that these demons shall not prosper! And Jesus said 'come out of him' and it was so!" said Miss Mary, an elderly woman who wore a scarf. It was clear which side she was on.

Scared

As evening approached, rain clouds gathered overhead and a rumble of thunder caused the ground to shake. It was here that I thought it prudent to leave, because unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, the curtains in the house started to sway too much in the wind. I quickly made up an excuse about having to be back in Kingston by a particular time and got the you-know-what out of there before the enigmatic Wenticko decided that it was time to show himself. As I hopped into my vehicle, there was another loud rumble of thunder. I glanced across to where I was standing before, only to see the residents scatter in all directions.

"Ah Wenticko, him vex because we a chat him! Lawd Gad!" I heard Ralph exclaim.

robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com

The Roving with Lalah book is coming! To find out more and to pre-order a copy, visit www.ianrandlepublishers.com.