Edgy Mama

Scroll down for Parts 1, 2, and 3 of this story. Happy Halloween.

The medallion. Is it our medallion? As I take the chain from around my neck and prepare to seal it in this box with my letter to you, I shiver with fear and foreboding. This heavy piece of silver is undeniably old and the impression of the wolf with its head thrown back, its mouth frozen in the act of howling, fits with the story I am telling. And the words embedded into the silver—their Cyrillic letters read: “Segru: Runs with the Wolf.” The pieces fall into place.

Unfortunately, this is as much of the story as Father knew. He did not know whether Lucian succeeded in his mission to murder his own and only family. Father did think that Lucian survived and, ultimately, had children of his own. In the Tirgue courthouse, there is a decrepit parchment, much of it composed in the old tongue. On the parchment is a family tree that begins with the name Vlad Segru. No spouse is listed, but two sons—Lucian and Adrian, descend from Vlad. Lucian’s line ends with two familiar names: Laura and Anna Segru. Therefore, it seems that you and I are descended from Lucian. Father said that there are no descendants listed from Adrian. However, he noted that if Lucian did not succeed in killing his twin brother, and if Adrian had children, he doubted that their births or lives would be recorded anywhere. Thus, we live with uncertainty.

I leave the medallion with you, for I fear I can no longer protect both you and your progeny from afar. I soon will disappear from civilization, if it can be called such, here in this small town deep in the Appalachian Mountains. I have met a man—a native. In this small town, fornicating with a native is considered sinful, particularly by those who believe that the whiter one’s skin color, the closer one is to God. Of course, we’re not white ourselves, are we? I, in particular, have the dark olive-brown skin of our ancestors. Yet, even this town’s lady of the night, dark-skinned though I may be, is not allowed to consort openly with an Indian. Although I have run halfway around the world from the superstitions and accusations, the taunts always catch up with me. People sense something malevolent about me—perhaps the taint of Vlad. Therefore, my livelihood, as disrespectful as it is, is threatened, and to survive, I must run again.

I can think of nothing left to say, except I love you.

Your sister, Laura

P.S. I suspect that my letter has distressed and confused you. I’m sorry, but I see no other way to pass along my knowledge of our shared history. A final word of warning from your loving sister—Father knew of one other legend concerning the Segru family that you must heed. The tale told is that any possible descendants of Adrian are unable to procreate without the help of one of the descendants of Lucian. That is, if they want to continue as shape-shifters. I’m sure you can understand what this means without my being too indelicate. Please be careful and remember me in your prayers. With love, Laura.

Editor’s note: This letter was discovered with the effects of Carlos Segru, grandson of Anna Segru Stone. Also with it were notes indicating that Mrs. Stone tried to find her sister, Laura Segru, but no one she contacted in North Carolina or on the Cherokee Reservation Lands in Oklahoma knew of Laura Segru or of her mysterious lover. We assume that Mrs. Stone never heard from her sister again.

Anna Segru Stone had six grandchildren, including Carlos. Four of them died in tragic circumstances. Neither of the two surviving grandchildren nor the medallion have been located.