The Otherkind Book One:Heart

~*~ Now 1 ~*~

~*~ Now 1 ~*~

Change that leaves one wondering if the world has slipped off its axis should not come shuffling towards you from noisy, two-bit traveling carnivals. Nor should it be doled out by flamboyantly dressed gypsy women who have a sign on their wagon boasting of some obscure lineage to an ancient line of royalty. Especially if she looked like she could be anyone's eccentric grandmother dressed up in bright rags. Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that something was not quite right. Somehow, something felt wrong. Anxiously I looked ahead wondering where everyone was. I didn't even know where my friends had gone having lost them a short time ago. We had all walked up together as a laughing group of four, our first taste of summer vacation that was still two weeks off. It was the last night of the carnival that had already been here since last Saturday morning, but I know there had been more people here, at least before I had decided to look for dad at the back of the fair grounds. Looking down at my watch I knew he should be here by now.

Starting to jog, I headed around the backside and began going down the other side of the midway. Scanning the few people that I did see I tripped over a cable lying across the dirt lane. Black twisting cables snaked out from between all the stalls where there remained a few carnies hawking their wares half-heartedly. Landing awkwardly on my hands and knees, embarrassed I stood up. Brushing dirt from my pants and hands, feeling foolish I looked around, no one had seen me thankfully. And then I saw her. An old gypsy woman hobbling as the elderly and arthritic do. She had just come down the steps from a garish rendition of a gypsy vardo with the extraordinary proclamation of a sign gently thumping against it in the evening breeze. Her wispy hair was mostly wrapped in a long purple scarf and she had an amazing display of cheap, dime-store jewelry hanging around her neck. There was an impossible amount of bracelets and rings on her wrists and age-gnarled hands. She reeked of sandalwood and patchouli. At least she smelled authentic.

It was then that I noticed her eyes. They were so dark that the pupils matched the color of her irises. The way she was standing there looking at me caused a chill to pebble up on my skin. I definitely didn't feel comfortable, but then again I was no fan of those who claimed fortune-telling abilities.

"Are you okay?" her voice sounded frail.

"I'm fine." I really was, I had just made a fool of myself. Hastily I gathered my things that had spilled out of my backpack. I had left from school with some of my friends intending to meet dad here. Since it was a Friday, my backpack was loaded, most of it was now spilled unceremoniously on the ground around me. Shoving my things back in any way I could stuff them in, I regretted not having shut my bag properly.

"Good! Come in child. I'll fix you a proper cup of tea and tell your fortune. It'll be on me. After all, I owe you. It was my electrical cable that caused you to fall." She smiled happily. "Come!"

I could see most of her teeth were gone and grimaced. "I'm meeting my dad and I'm also out of money." I tried to smile politely. "So, thank you just the same." Picking up my backpack, stuffing the last of my belongings into it I looked up and caught her looking intently at me.

"But you must! This one is free, come on in, it's the least that I could do for you. Let me make it up to you. Besides" she looked both ways, "it's been lamentably quiet around here lately and I'm lonely. Do say you'll come in for a moment or two?" She was looking at me so hopefully. "Please?"

She looked so hopeful and forlorn at the same time. I chose to accept her hospitality out of kindness, not that I wanted anything to do with a reading. Following her to her wildly colored wagon I went up the three ramshackle steps wondering at my stupidity.

"Do sit dearie," she pointed with a gnarled finger to one of the threadbare, sagging chairs as she entered in through the door first. "I'll get us a spot of tea, won't be a moment. Wait for me?"