..that was my wife's biggest worry! (Not the charmers...only the snakes!). She felt every old, sun-wizened face might be harbouring a snake somewhere ...n his person. (I had the same feelings...but my vision was of a slightly different 'snake' !!)....we reached a suddenly quiet shady corner in the myriad of alleyways that form the casbah. My wife paused, bent slightly, and started to rub her aching ankle......a voice behind us....in surprisingly clear English... "...is the. Next Akeesha knelt kissing Jake passionately the both of them glowing.Next Nyrae kissed him, tears falling softly from her eyes, "you can not pass. I will use all my power to-" Stopping when Jake put a hand to her mouth."You will protect our daughter first and foremost. All will be well if this works like I believe it will." Jake replied Nyrae could only stare at Jake then slowly nodded. Master Jake hadn't been wrong yet, she just had to keep her faith.One by one Sheeka, Rashala and Rosalinda. I had fed Jimmy, helped him take a bath and brush his teeth, and put him to bed. "Uncle" Charley came home, and went straight upstairs to check on Jimmy, and when he came back down, I had put out some food for him to eat. He ate and we talked a bit, and he asked if I wanted to sleep in my room, or on the couch. I liked sleeping on it. It was coming up a storm, so I told him I would sleep in my room so I would know he was next door, and Jimmy would be across the hall. Storms scared me, bad, back. The other day he walked past it. The fact that business was booming was because of the new road that was changing their village so much. Before they had been isolated and among themselves, now the closest town was less than half an hour away. Outsiders were moving to their village these days, saying it was traditional and authentic and an easy drive to their office in town. This woman Natalie didn’t need to commute though. She was renting the cottage on Bakery Lane, she said, and had moved in.