Reddit Stories 2019

The Prophecy Girl

Throughout the centuries, The Society of Seven managed to maintain their secrecy. Always in the background, they stole influence in politics and amassed a fortune large enough to fund their activities, but never once fell caught the gaze of the public.

That was all by design. The society was founded on the end of the world. Some ancient evil would rise up to start the apocalypse and only a chosen hero could save us. Information was on a need to know basis and the public didn't need to know.

But as time passed and the world grew smaller, the secret was harder to keep. The number of potential apocalyptic threats rose, and time was running out. The Society of Seven needed to find its hero.

That hero, they decided, was me: Veronica Aubrey Langdon IV. Ronnie to my friends. Aubrey to my mom. The prophecy girl to the society.

Allegedly.

I'd been with the society since I was a child, training the the standard apocalypse prevention skills: swords, magic, stage magic, math (gross), and gymnastics. As the years went on, I slowly learned more and more about the society and the old castle they called home. Slowly they revealed more and more truths to me and, finally, on my twelfth birthday, they told me about the prophecy.

Then I took the test.

"Now, Ronnie, I know you're nervous," Dr. Blake said as he led me down the steps to the castle's catacombs. Even with the flickering torchlight, the darkness obscured his face, but his soothing English accent was enough to calm the thunder in my heart a bit. "We'll all be on the other side of the gate. If it becomes too much, just scream and we'll be there. Hold still."

I nodded to him, rolling up my sleeves. Dr. Blake offered me a kind smile as he administered the shot. He slowly swung the gate shut. My heart rate quickened again as he turned the key in the lock.

"Good luck," he whispered.

Then the world went dark.

Once I woke up again, I was back in my bed with a broken arm, one less tooth, and a destiny. I passed. I was unquestionably the hero in the prophecy. My training became more intense. I dealt with more supernatural threats (not the world ending kind). I felt stronger.

Way stronger.

Saving the world involved more cuts and twisted ankles than TV led me to believe, but every time my body seemed to heal a little faster and Dr. Blake was always there to tend to my wounds. For a while I saw him on an almost daily basis.

Twice a year, he'd take me down to the castle's catacombs to repeat the test from my twelfth birthday. He always had a soft smile and a good sense of humor as he administered the shot, but as the years went on and my training continued, I noticed the sadness in his eyes. The older I got, the more concerned I became. Something was off.

When I was sixteen, I learned the truth.

I woke up the day after my birthday with only a bruise and all the teeth from the day before. My body ached, but it was dull and easily ignored. Dr. Blake and my mom stood by my bed, talking in hushed whispers. My mom shifted toward me as I slowly woke, but I kept my eyes shut. For a moment, they didn't say anything, waiting until they were sure I was asleep again.

I wanted to call them out, but I knew I'd never learn whatever secret they were hiding that way. I shuffled slightly, convincing them I was just turning in my sleep, and focused on their conversation.

"I have to tell her," my mom whispered. "I should have told her the moment I found out. I spent my life on the society. Aubrey shouldn't have to."

"Veronica, please," came Dr. Blake's reply. It was weird hearing my mom's name. I always just called her 'Mom.' "Please just give me some time to figure it out."

"We don't have time. If the world's going to end, then at least my daughter can live an ordinary life. She can stop doing these psychotic tests."

"It might not."

"You heard him, Henry." I almost sat up at that. I assumed Dr. Blake's first name was Doctor. "My grandmother failed. We can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?" I asked. I heard enough. They'd have to answer my questions. I sat up in my bed, crossing my arms.

Dr. Blake and my mom turned to me with quiet surprise. My mom's worried expression was quickly replaced by fake warmth. Dr. Blake tried, though he struggled to maintain the mask as well.

"Aubrey, you're awake. We were just talking about breakfast. What do you want?"

"Answers."

"How are you feeling, kid?" Dr. Blake asked.

"Well enough to kick your butt if you don't answer my question."

Dr. Blake and my mom exchanged a glance. With a sigh, my mom sat on my bed, gently patting my leg. Dr. Blake locked my door and, for safety, stuck a chair under the handle. He pulled the blinds as well.

"What did you hear," my mom asked quietly.

"Enough. I know something's wrong. Just tell me. I hate that no one will tell me anything. How can I save the world if I don't even know what I'm saving it from and no one will ever tell me what's going on. I..." I took a deep breath. I slowly relaxed my hands. "I just want you to stop keeping secrets from me."

My mom slowly nodded. "You're right. Aubrey, when I was twelve, I took a test. I don't remember it very well - I'm pretty sure I blacked out - but when I woke up, a member of The Society of Seven told me that I was the chosen one. They said I would save the world from some monster and began training me. The same training you're doing. I was the girl in the prophecy."

"But... I'm the chosen one." The words fell stupidly out of my mouth, but the news hit me hard. Either the society had lied to me and was forcing me to go through training for no reason, or they lied to my mom.

"That's what I said when they told me about you. I spent years training for a threat that never came. They told me they were wrong about me and that you would be the one who'd save the world. So I let them train you." Tears welled in my mom's eyes. That hit me harder than any punch ever had. "Aubrey, I'm so sorry."

I gave my mom a hug. I couldn't punch her sad, and I honestly wasn't great at magic, but a hug seemed like it would work. I knew I'd feel the same if someone told me I wasn't going to save the world after I spent my entire life training for it.

I slowly released the hug as the thought ate away at my mind. Someone already had.

"There's more," I said flatly.

My mom looked to Dr. Blake. Dr. Blake sighed and nodded.

"The society's training is meant to make your body stronger, but not just so you can handle these monsters. Twice a year since you were twelve, they've been channeling magic into your body. That's what the test is. That's where your strength comes from."

"I'm strong because I'm the chosen one." I knew what was coming.

"You're not the chosen one, Ronnie." There it was. Even though I knew it, it still hurt to hear. Dr. Blake didn't give me a chance to recover. "The society's been trying to turn you into her so you can complete the prophecy, but the truth is, they're just hoping you'll somehow succeed. The prophecy isn't about you."

"Then who is it about?"

"Veronica Aubrey Langdon. The first," Dr. Blake clarified. "Your great-grandmother. She was supposed to defeat the beast. She did fight it. She wounded it. But she didn't kill it.

"She failed."