Page 26 of Chasing Lynda

The first card has a man stabbed by several swords. “The Ten of Swords!” Micca announces, turning the next card. “Two of Wands! The Queen of Cups! Death! The fool!”

She spreads the cards out between us and I can’t stop staring at the Death card with a sense of dread.

Of course she’d draw Death and suddenly, I’m shaking. A second ago I didn’t believe this carnival fortune teller could predict the future, but as soon as I saw Death, my blood started curdling in my veins.

Micca picks up on my reaction and extends one hand to stop me when my butt starts lifting off the chair. “Don’t be afraid, young lady.” she coaxes me.

I shake my head, trying to keep from hyperventilating. “You—You drew Death, how am I—”

Micca smiles as if she knows something I don’t. “Death doesn’t have a literal meaning. Let me explain what these cards can mean for you.”

Her reassuring words work only marginally. I guess that if Death doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going to die, I should listen to what she has to say.

“The Ten of Swords indicates your present situation. Lies and deceit are on your immediate path. The wand card and the cups card have some opposite meanings that can mean a lot of conflict behind you but also in front of you. The wand represents fire. These cards talk about a difficult journey through often insidious waters. They highlight a great potential for a meaningful change in your circumstances. They also issue a warning. Next to the Death card it’s a clear warning. Fire can destroy you but Death means change and transition and with the water next to it? It looks like you need to die to come back as new. So it’s death and rebirth. It means change, especially because it’s followed by The Fool. I don’t know how much of this is metaphorical and how much is a physical warning. Just watch out whoever is close to fire and water, but be aware that the change you need is within your grasp. Choose wisely who you trust, because I’m not clear if that deceit comes from yourself or from the people around you.”

What do you say to someone that tells you that you might kinda, sorta ... die?

Ok, so maybe not really die but Micca’s explanation did nothing to calm the sense of dread that I’ve been feeling since I set foot in her tent.

I sit there in a daze, thinking about what her prediction could really mean.

Water and fire.

I mean, fuck. We’re right by the ocean. Maybe I should move onto somewhere more inland?

But then again, chances are that this is all bullshit anyway. My family and my church believed that something like trying to predict the future was evil. I simply don’t believe that humans can see what hasn’t happened yet; not outside a logical cause and effect connection.

Harold was right in one respect. We make our own choices and forge our own destiny. His mistake was to think that men were entitled to that choice while women were just instrumental to a man’s destiny.

“Lynda.”

I’m shaken out of my reveries when Zane puts a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Are you ready to go? I don’t know about you, but I saved some room for that award winning funnel cake.”

He’s put a couple of twenty dollar bills on Micca’s table and his smile makes me feel better, more anchored to reality.

“Sure. Sugary, fried dough sounds like what I need after an ominous prediction.” I giggle, trying to make light of the way Micca’s words affected me.

I rise from my chair and accept his hand, ready to follow him out of the tent.

“Lynda!” I turn when Micca calls out to me. “Remember! Fire and Water!”

***

Zane

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AS WE LEAVE THE FORTUNE teller’s tent, it takes a second to get used to the bright lights on the pier.

Lynda is extremely cute as she keeps blinking, looking around the spot where we’re standing.

She seemed tense from before she dragged me into the tent but I don’t think the reading she just got helped her relax.

I’m glad though that she hasn’t tried to let go of my hand. Lynda is different than any other girl I’ve ever been out with. In a good way. She doesn’t fit the mold of the typical spoiled, rich girl who cares only about designer clothes and having the last “it bag” before all her friends. I mean, her clothes are obviously high end but it doesn’t look like she’s trying to show off.

I was immediately drawn to her beauty, when I saw her on the beach and then intrigued by the haunted look in her blue eyes.

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