The Opposite sides

Prologue

    Zara tapped her fingers impatiently  on the table as she looked around the dramatically overdecorated room.  The room was dark, the twinkling crystal ball in between the huge table serving as the only source of light.  Zara could make out the strange paintings sprayed on the wall like it was done by an amateur artist or someone with no knowledge about painting.  There was a shelf stuck to the wall beside her that contained bottles of different colours with animal label on them. Portions, Zara concluded. There were also skull stickers stuck on every corner of the room which was supposed to add to the effect in making the room looked creepy but Zara find it funny and let out a loud snort which caught the attention of the man shuffling through tarot cards, sitting in front of her.  Just like the place, his dressing was also over the top with a large red ribbon tied on his head, a dark robe that fell to his feet and a huge amulet chain hanged loosely on his neck. He had thin beard than ran from his side of his face to his chin, forming a goatee at the end.  Zara thought he looked like a bad Halloween costume.

    He gave her a look asking what she finds funny but Zara shook her head. She cleared her throat trying to get his attention again when his head was buried back into the cards. 

“find anything yet?” she asked with a sly smile on her face. She didn't walk up to the fortune teller to get her palm read or her future told. She didn't believe in any of that gimmick.  She had only walked in out of sheer boredom.

“No” he answered. His fingers were still buried in the cards but his eyes where focused on the crystal ball that cast light to his dark eyes.  Zara rolled  her eyes and checked the imaginary watch on her wrist. Tapping her wrist lightly.

“Have been sitting here for over an hour and all you've been doing is play with cards and stare at that  bright glass bowl”

The fortune teller looked up again, with a frown etched on his face “you've only been here for ten minutes ” he said simply and went back to his cards.

  This went on for awhile and Zara thought she was going to die from the reason she walked in here in the first  place. Finally, he let out a sign end pushed the cards towards Zara.  “Pick three cards” he said.

  Zara picked three cards apart and pushed it back to the fortune teller. 

“The cards represents your past, present and future" he said in a mysterious voice that almost sound believable to Zara.  He picked up the middle card and turned it over.  "this represent your present "

'the fool' was written on it with a picture of a man carrying a load connected to a stick about to fall of a cliff.  That was the way Zara saw it.

"what does it mean?" Zara asked, etching closer to the table  curiosity written on her face.

"hold on" he replied and turned over the other two cards.  On one was a picture of an angel blowing a horn and people waking up to listen and adore him below the card 'judgement'  was written on it and on the other card was written 'five of cups' it showed a man with his head bent in sadness, three of the cup turned over and their contents have spilled out.

He picked up  'five of cups ' card "this represent your past.  This card shows your strength and courage to overcome any difficulties, but you lacked the skill in being able to tap into that strength or find it. 

Zara raised both eyebrows but kept quiet, her eyes on the fortune teller as he picked up the second tarot card.  'the fool'  "this represent your present.     It shows decisions taken without thinking about the effect of your actions on yourself and others. "

  Zara frowned but still kept her cool. Waiting for him to finish his reading before bolting out of there.

He picked up the last card 'the judgment ' "this represent things to come or to say simply, your future.  It shows transformation, return to good health and a new lease on life. Improvements will happen in all areas of  your life, and in particular in the personality aspects. This card shows that it's time for your spirit to wake up and take positive action."

Zara allowed his words to sink in.  She looked up at the fortune teller as if she was contemplating his words then she burst out laughing.  She laughed so hard tears were streaming down her face.

"That would be four thousand " the fortune teller said in a bored tone, her laugh having no effect on him

  Zara stopped mid -laugh.  Her mouth still wide opened but every humour gone.  "what?! " she gasped in disbelief.

It was the fortune teller's turn to roll his eyes.  "your fee is four thousand " he leaned against his chair flashing a smile at Zara.

  She stood up, her eyes still wide opened but her mouth closed " four thousand for reading a boring story from the children handbook "

The fortune teller frowned in annoyance "you should have asked for the price before sitting down to get your fortune read. Don't waste my time, girl. There are still people waiting outside "

"well... I... Uhm " Zara couldn't let out any words instead she pulled out her purse and searched for money she didn't have. an idea crossed her mind. With no other way out,  she pushed  the table hard hitting the fortune  teller in the groin and she swore she heard the sound of something breaking. The fortune teller bend over in pain, his hand cupping his groin. He let out an animalistic cry, spewing  all sort of profanity.

   Zara turned and ran out of the room  as fast as she could leaving  the crying fortune teller on the floor, his nuts cracked.