(Part 1)
Thora finished her drink and kept her bottle in her newly bought bag. She continued walking along the five foot way with her cousin, Erica. Sellers were selling foods, souvenirs and clothes. They planned this trip, but it was put off for months as excuses always came up. So when they arrived at their destination, they were looking forward to go on a shopping spree.
“I heard there is a renowned psychic here,” Erica stated when they continued their walk.
“You believe in such nonsense?” Thora questioned.
“It’s not really nonsense,” Erica argued. “One of my friends sought help from her to find out if she will fall in love again.”
“Again?”
“This was five years ago,” Erica started. “She just had a bad breakup with her long-time boyfriend. She took it hard because she thought they would have their happily ever after. She found out that he cheated on her. The money she saved for their future was spent on that woman. After weeks of not eating and not sleeping, a colleague recommended this psychic. Sure enough she went and seek her. She informed her that she will fall in love again.”
“Did she or was it a scam?”
“In fact, she did. Exactly two weeks later she met her classmate. She didn’t think much of the psychic’s words until days later.”
“So that classmate was her Mr Right?” Thora asked as they turned into another street. She realised that most shops were closed. She checked her watch to see that it was not even noon. It was odd that it was this quiet.
“Yes, he is Mr Right,” Erica replied, specifying on the present tense. “They got married beginning of last year and the last time I heard from her, she was happy.”
“It could just be coincidence,” Thora expressed her scepticism. She stared at the aging woman on the wooden chair and looked into the shop to see that they sold accessories. Thora decided not to go into the shop as she had a strange feeling about that place.
“Are you telling me you don’t want to know if there is a Mr Right out there for you?”
“I’m sure he is out there just that we are not at the same place,” Thora replied. “By the way, where are we? It looks dead here. Perhaps we should go back.”
“The psychic’s shop is actually here,” Erica informed.
“And? You came all the way here to see her?”
“I want to know if I will find love again,” Erica stated and a frown formed on her face. Erica’s boyfriend died from cardiac arrest while playing badminton when they were young. That was a decade ago, and she had not found someone else. “Maybe this is a bad idea.”
A thought like this made Thora sad because she was Erica’s shoulder to cry on when she received the news that her form school sweetheart had passed. “No, we’ve come all the way. We might as well get an answer to your question.”
“Are you sure?” a smile formed on Erica’s face.
“Yeah. Let’s do it,” Thora pushed the wooden door, followed by the ringing of bells before stepping into a dimly lit shop. The candles were burning and white wax rolled down onto the base of it. The surroundings looked calm and the smell of rose filled the air. As both of them were observing the place, a tall woman with thick curly hair appeared from behind the counter.
“Hello,” she startled the both of them. “How can I help you?”
“Um… we would like a reading,” Erica answered, approaching her.
“Follow me,” the woman led them into a small room at the back of the shop.
The room had a round table with a soft cloth over it and three comfortable chairs. The psychic took her seat and the two cousins followed. A clear crystal ball was placed on the side of the table while a stack of tarot cards were next to it. Erica showed her palm to the psychic, and she ran her finger along the lines as if she can read the future based on the lines. Erica was happy with her findings as she would fall in love again, but not just yet.
When it was Thora’s turn, the psychic’s face changed as if something was troubling her. Seeing this, Thora and Erica exchanged glances as it was odd. She continued studying the lines on Thora’s palm for what felt like a long time without speaking a word.
“Nothing, just darkness,” the psychic started, her piercing hazel eyes stared into Thora’s. “Dark entity… Death is upon you-“
Thora jumped out of her seat, paid for the reading and hurried out from the shop.
Erica followed from behind, washed with guilt. They walked along the alley in silence before Thora stopped to go to the public restroom.
“Anyone using this bathroom will be murdered,” she read the written red words on the bathroom door and thought of the psychic’s warning. “I need to get out of here…”
To be continued
Carina Lim bears different messages through her fiction. These messages could be useful in life. She can be contacted at mermaidgal103@yahoo.com
