Part Thirteen
AFRICAN NEWCOMERS

The original African Entities had broken one of the strictest rules by leaving the storeroom (Part Ten: Blood Sacrifice Week). Barbara carefully monitored the new African group as they placed themselves onto the empty pillars left by the Heathens and was happy to see none could fly. Then she noticed Anansi, the Spider God, making short flying leaps and scaring the smaller folk by waving his spider-covered arms at them. Barbara told him to stop, or he could face expulsion. Anansi replied — quite rudely, too — that she couldn’t.
“Once an Entity comes here it stays. You said so yourself in your welcome speech!”
Barbara had expected this. There was always one newcomer that gave trouble. Perhaps this was where the Poltergeist, inside the Reject Box, making occasional mournful whistling sounds, might prove useful.
“That’s true. Once an Entity is here it stays. However, I can punish it by putting it in the Reject Box, which is still in the storeroom,” said Barbara, pointing. “Don’t open it!” she said quickly, but too late. Anansi had lifted the lid, and the Poltergeist flew out. Barbara grabbed it, pushed it back inside, and placed a weight on top. Anansi looked at it speculatively, so Barbara went to the Charms, where Saint Jude was still being punished for arrogance and brought him to the African section.
“Your isolation is over but you’re still on probation. Watch over Anansi and report him to me if he tries anything.”
Saint Jude said no problem and walked over to Anansi, his lip already curled in contempt, and drew him aside; she heard him remark that Spider Gods were harmless compared to, say, the Seven-Headed Snake of Cambodia. Anansi should check it out. But be careful, for it was deadly dangerous. And of course, there was the Alligator, sharp teeth that one, and Huur the Messenger of Death, and . . . Anansi mumbled sorry; Saint Jude held up his hand. “I haven’t finished.”
Barbara left him to it and said a few words of welcome to the Africans, warning them they should keep close tabs on Anansi. They were only allowed on the beautiful silver pillars topped with gold-leaf trees because the previous group, the Heathens, had misbehaved and had been expelled. (They hadn’t, but had been driven out by the Poltergeist; however, she knew it would be some time before the newcomers found out.) And thinking of Heathens, she’d better check on those of the pre-Islamic Middle East.