V is for VISIONS OF DARKNESS
There was a noticeable heat
building behind Carla’s face. It wasn’t anger or frustration, but the actual
heat of the small room, bare save the covered table with the ball, and the
overpowering stink of whatever incense was burning in the ceramic burner on the
side table to the left. That and the increasing embarrassment she was
succumbing to as the minutes dragged on, and this old faker gave her banal
generalities for forecast as she traced the lines in Carla’s palm with dried-up
fingertips.
She hadn’t even wanted her fortune told. It wasn’t a novelty
she’d normally acquiesce to, but it had been a birthday gift from her
stepmother.
“I believe I’ve given you all that
I can from your palm, dear. Now, let us consult the crystal ball.”
Madame Rosa closed her eyes and
bowed her head, kneading the air around the curvature of the ball. Suddenly the
interior of the ball lit up. Probably done with a foot-activated switch, no
doubt, Carla mused.
“There is something…”
Carla had to admit, the old bag
certainly had the carnie palm reader bit down pat. She was giving Maria
Ouspenskaya a run for her money.
Madame Rosa froze, her eyelids
retracting. Slowly her face tilted upwards, gaping dumbly at Carla.
“A bat!”
“A bat?” Carla repeated. “What kind
of a bat? What about it?”
“A large bat. It’s coming for you
dear. Oh my, oh my. I see visions of darkness in your future child!”
Carla was getting a bit frightened.
“What do you mean?” she begged.
“Leave this place, child. Hide
somewhere. Something evil is hunting for you, and it aims to have you!”
No comments:
Post a Comment