DO NOT READ AT NIGHT! ║⋄Completed⋄║

The Fortune Teller

Cally and her younger brother, Sam, were at the carnival with their parents, when they spotted a dark booth, nearly completely hidden from view by tree branches and leaves.

Cally called to her mother, "Can me and Sam go, Mommy? Please?"

Her mother nodded and smiled. "Sure, go on! Have fun."

Cally and Sam quickly hurried into the booth. It was dark, only lighted by a couple of candles. An old woman watched them as they entered.

"Ah, sweet children," she croaked. "Come along, come along, make yourselves comfortable. I will begin shortly, children."

Cally and Sam stepped through a thick layer of dark red curtains, into a small room with a couch, table, and other odd charms and items. As soon as they sat, the old woman appeared into the room.

"Your names, boy and girl?" she squawked.

"Sam and Cally," Cally answered.

"Good, very good, very excellent, good," the woman muttered to herself.

She fetched a stack of cards from a old dusty shelf. She placed them separately on the table, backs showing. Then she motioned to Sam, smiling. "You, boy, feel each card and select the one that feels warmest."

Sam touched each card, for several minutes until he looked up and whined, "They all feel the same!"

The woman scowled. "Are they all cold?"

"Yeah. They don't feel warm to me," Sam replied, pouting.

The woman pointed at Cally next. "You. Touch the cards. Are they cold?" she demanded.

Cally felt each card. None felt warm. She stared at the neat designs on the back of the cards. Then she glanced up. "They feel cold. They aren't warm at all."

The woman's eyes widened. Then she picked up the cards frantically. "Go now, you must leave at once!" she cried. She scooted away from the two children, narrowing her eyes in disgust. "Get away and never come back here!"

"Huh? What's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Please! Stay away! Don't touch me!" The woman responded, panting and gasping for breath.

Cally stepped forward. "Miss? Are you okay?"

"Please! Go away, both of you, now!"

Cally sighed, grabbing Sam's hand. "She must be a crazy lady," she told herself.

Cally and Sam started out of the booth, accidentally bumping into a couple holding hands. The man yelped, and the woman stiffened, freezing. "Come on, honey, let's get out of here," the man whispered. The couple sped away quickly, panicked.

Cally rolled her eyes. "Some people are just so rude."

They both turned around a corner, finding their parents waiting for them.

Their father beamed. "Let's go back home, kids," he said cheerfully.

Their home was just around the corner. They walked a few yards, and entered. Lined up graves, long grass that hadn't been cut for months, and the chilly wind waited for them back at their home.

It was so familiar after all those years of being dead.