Paul H. Williams, Gleaner Writer

The AME Zion Church is packed. People are singing and dancing. The Zion drums beat. Red, white and blue tunics are soaked with sweat.

In the centre of the church is a table covered by all sorts of paraphernalia and food, food to feed the ancestors. Their spirits are among the throng.

Ruthibelle Campbell is twirling with Adassa Reid. Their skirts flare as they spin.

"How am I to go Lord, when the enemies surround me, Lord, Roman soldiers, how am I to go!" They are singing, the cadence of their voices dramatic and the atmosphere charged.

Soaring voices

Ruthibelle and Adassa dance. Some other women join them. They form a circle around the food table. Shepherd Ronald Brown removes the big enamelled basin, full of water and 'leaf of life'. He passes it to Ruthibelle, who passes it to Adassa, who passes it to another woman. Around and around the basin and the gyrating women go. Their voices soar.

Ruthibelle's mind is in turmoil. She's weary and burdened. For years now. Tears flow as she bites her lips and dances some more. Adassa rocks beside her. Shepherd Brown is now on the podium.

"Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus!"

"O holy Mount Zion, where is the sheep to the fold?"

Ruthibelle's mind is a mess. It's travelling, travelling to the night, that fateful night when her cup overflowed and evil entered her heart, her once tender heart. Her drunken husband, Ruddy, comes home and collapses on the floor. She drags him to the table. The vial the obeahman gave her is on the table beside his food. She removes and puts it into her pocket, then places Ruddy around the table.

"Don't you trouble Zion, don't you trouble Zion, for Zion have a key to open sinners' hearts, don't you trouble Zion!"

Ruthibelle's heart is locked. Secrets lie within, scandalous, sinful secrets. But Zion key is now approaching Ruthibelle's heart; she is resisting it.

"Every time I feel the spirit moving in my heart I pray!"

The man she prayed for and got started to drink shortly after they got married. Then he started to stay out late. He gave no explanation for his whereabouts. Ruthibelle fell into many depressions, but she was not letting go. The land, the piece of land, nice farm land. He said it was his, left in a will by his father. The land, the land, Ruthibelle married him for the land.

The drums beat, the food table is now lighter and they are feeding themselves and their ancestors.

"We are marching to Canaan, holy bands of angels to carry me home. Bye, bye, bye, salvation is my story, holy bands of angels to carry me home."

'Hey mama'

"Hey mama, hey mama, hey mama, hey mama, hey mama, hey!"

"Ox and dygrate!"

"What yuh si pan de leaf!"

"Mi si pretty pretty!"

Holy bands of angels surround Ruthibelle. From the depth of her brain the urge is coming; she is resisting, resisting the urge.

And oh how Ruthibelle can dance, and oh how Ruthibelle can sing, and Ruthibelle's heart is full of vile and suffering.

The bullfrog that she once put into her husband's bed is now in front of her.

She screams, "Gabriel!"

Shepherd Brown shouts, "Oh yes!"

"I have a mind to live right wherever I go."

"Gabriel!"

"Oh yes!"

Shepherd Brown grabs an open cream soda bottle and spews the content on to the dancing women.

"Gabriel!" Ruthibelle screams.

"Zion woman! Whey yuh husband deh!?" Shepherd Brown asks.

"Gabriel!"

"Zion woman! Whey yuh husband deh?"

"He said I was barren!"

"Whey yuh husband deh?"

"He said I was a mule!"

"Whey yuh husband deh?"

"He said the land belong to him!"

But he was only paying taxes. Ruthibelle found out one day she was going through some documents in a big wooden trunk. The land was willed to all of Ruddy's father's seven children. No one had sole ownership.

Ruthibelle was mad. Ruddy had five outside children and no land. She couldn't conceive and he became a drunkard. Ruthibelle was pretty. Ruddy wanted pretty girl children.

Ruthibelle was pretty

Night after night he was home, home because he loved her, but Ruthibelle could not produce. Yet Ruddy refused to leave her. She beat him in his drunkenness, but he stayed, for Ruthibelle was pretty.

One night in his drunken state Ruddy said, "Mule, mule, come outa mi way!" Ruthibelle crashed the Home Sweet Home lampshade into his head.

"Gabriel!"

By now the other women have assumed their seats. Ruthibelle is still dancing in the middle of the church. His legs are weak, her mind heavy-laden. Shepherd Brown is on a bench in front of her. The drums go slow.

Ruthibelle shouts, "Let them play, for in the morning yuh fresh and bloomy and in the evening yuh wither away."

The drums stop. The voices die. Ruthibelle rocks on the spot, sweat soaking her frock.

Shepherd Brown rises. The church is silent. Brown circles Ruthibelle. Tears stream down her face.

"Zion woman, mi say, whey yuh husband deh!?"

Ruthibelle stares back at Brown.

"Him in the sinkhole," she whispers.

"What yuh say!?"

"Yuh deaf? Mi say him in the sinkhole!" she shouts, and crumbles to the floor. Adassa rushes towards her and the church explodes in song as Ruthibelle wallows in her shame.

"Don't you trouble Zion, don't you trouble Zion, for Zion have a key to open sinners' hearts, don't you trouble Zion!" the shocked congregation sings, drowning out Ruthibelle's sobs.

Oh how Ruthibelle can dance, oh how Ruthibelle can sing, and oh how Ruthibelle can kill.