It’s in the Cards

　
This is a work of fiction. No real people, places or events were used. Copyright 2011 Plot Roach.

It’s in the Cards

By Plot Roach

Edna walked into the small house that served as a psychic’s shop. The all-seeing-eye blinked at her in an intermitted pattern. Is the thing programmed to do that or is the neon sign on the fritz? she asked herself. She had a bad feeling about going to such a place, but her friend Barbara had raved about the woman. She had been on the edge of a nervous breakdown before she had gone to Madame Zolav, but had put the woman’s advice to use and become rich, happy and married to her soul mate within a month.

Edna’s shoe caught on the edge of the doorstep as she entered the small avocado green house. She righted herself by grabbing onto a statue, only pausing to see what had saved her once she had recovered her senses.

“Ah, I see Edward has taken a liking to you.” crooned a voice from the darkness.

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t worry, child” the woman said, stalking forward from the shadows. “No harm was done. But now you must come and sit at my table. Follow me.”

The woman lead Edna to a small circular table that looked like it had been carved from the massive roots of an ancient tree. A glass top was laid upon it, and Edna could see cards, crystals and lit candles strewn across it. Incense permeated the air and Edna tried her hardest to suppress a cough. She was asthmatic as well as skeptical, and found that both traits often left her lacking in situations such as these.

“Come, sit.” the woman whispered.

“Um… I’m not sure but-”

“It will only take a moment of your time. And you may learn why you do not get what you have wanted in life… Such as love.”

Edna’s heart fell to her feet. How could this woman possibly know such a thing? Had Barbara said something about her? But no, her friend wouldn’t do that to her -would she? She sat, numbly at the chair that Madame Zolav had offered and watched as the woman shuffled the cards. Hands gnarled with age and stained by countless cigarettes manipulated the deck like a blackjack dealer at an Indian casino. And Edna felt that she was about to get taken. There I go with the skepticism, she thought, her eyes watering from the incense smoke.

“Cut the deck.” The woman ordered, and Edna obeyed. Do I cut it once or three times? she asked herself, afraid to look like a fool or to offend the spirits. She reached out and took the top half of the deck and set it to the side, waiting for Madame Zolav to do the rest. The woman only smiled and collected both halves, making them whole again in her claw like fingers. She closed her eyes and hummed, waving the fingers of one hand over the deck. Edna felt embarrassed at this display and looked away. She probably does this on purpose as a show to get people into the mood, she thought.

Finally Madame Zolav laid each of the cards out upon the table. It was the Celtic cross display that Edna had read about in books. She had always been interested in the occult, but studied it rather like one does a myth of a foreign people, than imagine it as a real thing that she herself could practice.

“Your journey begins.” she said, pointing to the first card, the Fool. “This card, in the reversed position, tells me that you have already begun a journey, but that you do not have any faith in yourself or in those around you to help you on your path. Is this correct?”

Edna only smiled and tried not to give too much away, she had read an article on how psychics often made their “predictions” based on a persons body language or mumbled answers, rather than on any true gift.

“A disbeliever, I see.” the woman said, sighing. “Your journey would go much easier, if only you would have a little faith.”

Edna stifled a yawn. This was becoming boring, holding herself still and trying not to sneeze at the incense in the room. “Look, maybe I should just pay you for your time and-”

But the woman was not listening, she had flipped the final card, the outcome of the reading (and her path in life) and her hand froze above the table. The woman gasped an lit a sage bundle, waving it through the air.

Now this is really silly, Edna thought. Now she’ll say that I’m cursed and that she can lift the curse for hundreds of dollars.

“I was afraid of this.” Madame Zolav finally said. “There is a darkness that haunts you, my dear. One that will not let you go until its dark deed is done.”

Here it comes, Edna thought.

“It is a curse which has possessed you all of your life, taking that which you would find faith and love in and turning it into a cold shell of itself. You cannot live without love, dear girl, and yet you have learned to all of these years. Until this darkness is lifted, your problems with loneliness will never be resolved. A great tragedy awaits you if you do not mend your ways immediately!”

“And which card says this?” Edna asked. “Was it the Death card? Maybe the Tower -oh, wait- It was the Devil.” But the last card in the tarot layout showed a squirrel munching on an acorn across a field of red grass. That’s odd, Edna thought. I don’t remember seeing that card before.

“This is not a joke. If you do not surrender yourself to faith in a higher power immediately you are in absolute danger!”

Edna snatched twenty dollars from her purse and threw it on the table. “This should be enough for your time.” she said. “And your incense stinks too.”

But the woman recoiled from the money on the table, instead pacing the room with a burning sage wand. Edna walked through the front door, digging in he purse for her car keys. A flash of brown crossed her vision and she looked up in time to see a squirrel dash to the roots of the nearest tree. “Oh what a cute-” was all she managed to say before her foot slid out from beneath her. By watching the squirrel she had forgotten to look where she was walking and slipped over some loose acorns on the sidewalk. She slid off of the pedestrian path and into the oncoming path of an eighteen wheeler truck. The squirrel dashed away at the initial sound of tires screeching, but came out of hiding to snatch an acorn broken open by the shoe of the woman. It sat contentedly, munching on the acorn, amongst the blades of grass which were painted with the woman’s blood.