Queen of Chaos

Freak.

There are not many things I am proud of about my past but there are a few. My ability to draw being one of them. When money was especially tight, stealing too risky and mother in a dark place, my gift was a savior. I would sit on the pier in my only dress with a pad of cheap paper and stubs of charcoal. If I were alone on the pier I would ask them how much they were willing to pay. Usually it was high, a compliment to my portraiture abilities. And it fed us. Ace would sing, accepting the coins in the cup.

But that will never happen again.

So when I see a woman dressed as a Gypsy and paint on her hands I immediately become intrigued. Billy sighs heavily as I take yet another unexpected turn towards the woman. We are supposed to go eat, having just been relieved from the ticket stand. However, I am called to each intriguing thing I see and Billy follows so I don't become lost. The woman looks up when we step up to her velvet table. Her eyes are such a pale and cloudy blue I wonder if she is blind. "William. And who are you?" Her voice is gentle, whimsical almost dreamy.

"I am Eris." She holds out a single ring covered hand. There is bright blue paint splattered across the back. Billy elbows me rougher than necessary and I place my hand into her's. She turns it over, palm up and tugs me closer. Her pale, clouded over eyes flicker up to the amulet around my throat but she doesn't comment.

"Oh." The foggy eyes lift to my own and she traces over my palm with a single bony finger. Her age is impossible to discern. Face wrinkle free but hair a dark grey. Fingers young and long but that move with a sort of ancient stiffness. "You are running." Her face becomes graver and I shudder, the entire world fading until there is only us two. A sharp shooting pain starts to travel up my arm. "And with good reason. You are frightened of many things...even yourself." I wince physically and move to pull away.

"I paint the future my dear but yours is so cloudy all I can see is the past. And you poor girl. So much darkness. And that one time you-" I wrench away abruptly and rub my arm trying to disperse the sharp pains. "My deepest apologies. I did not mean to hurt you...you really have no idea do you?" Her words stop me cold and I let my arms fall to my side.

"Deja, take it easy on the new girl will ya?" Billy tries to laugh it off but looks between the two of us confused. His icy eyes darken.

"Girl. Look at me." I stare at her frightened by my own reaction and violence I took in pulling away. "You are stronger than you know." My entire body is quivering terrified at what she may have seen.

"What did you see?"

"Enough. I shall paint for you later. See if I can divine anything. Be careful my dear. Be very careful." She turns away, towards the easel that is nearly covered in paint. The generic warning and prophecy is just that. Generic. Anyone here can be accused of running. But the momentary clarity in her eyes when she touched my hand is enough to leave me reeling, positive she knows everything.

I am shaken, shaken, shaken.

Billy gently takes my arm and pulls me away from the small woman. "What the hell just happened?" I have been very quiet all day, pulling further into myself. Does he even notice I am different?