The air in the interior of the shop was enough to bring a chill down my spine. Upon entering it was clear to me that whoever owned this shop was a believer in whatever fairytales they had been told as a child. Paintings of what I assumed to be goblins were hung all around. The main desk, or glass case if you prefer, was a milky color, and the dark-stained cedar frame was left unattended. The interior was full of trinkets of all kinds, gemstones, and healing crystals amongst many other unusual items.
The floor was covered in grey and brown dusty stone that seemed as old as time. I honestly doubted it had been there long though. Although it looked old, it seemed fairly well kept, there weren't any prominent cracks laced in the stone. My eyes scanned the entirety of the shop as my group's footsteps matched one another, creating an echo throughout the cluttered room. No one else seemed to be inside which made me slightly uneasy.
I had just noticed then, but both James's mom and mine had left us to wander through the shop by ourselves while they did their own thing inside. I felt like I was looking for something, however, I was unaware as to what. James was dead silent aside from the calm breaths he in took and released. We wandered over to an aged bookshelf full of novels that had titles regarding mythical beings. My eyes scanned over a book titled Shapeshifters, I removed it from the shelf, staring at the ragged cover.
"Are you finding everything alright?" An old lady with a hoarse voice appeared from around the corner. I jumped up almost colliding with James. Her skin was discolored with prominent dark tan splotches riddled throughout wrinkles. She was very thin and looked fragile, almost like a glass doll. Her grey hair was pulled back into a long ponytail and librarian-like glasses protruded from her nose.
"Oh yes we are thank-" James began to speak but I intervened. "Actually, I have a question about what you know of these types of mythical beings," I looked down at the book and held it towards her. She stared at the book.
"I figured you'd pick something like that up," she smiled gently at me. "Would you like to have a tarot reading beforehand? It's free of charge, so I'll answer any questions you have dear." She gently pushed the book back towards me and beckoned me to follow her. James, of course, followed after us.
As we approached a purple curtain at the back of the shop, the old woman stopped dead in her tracks and turned towards us. "Can you stay out here please sir?" she asked in a gentle voice. "This reading is meant to be private." James reluctantly nodded his head, deciding to wander the rest of the store. The old woman pulled the purple curtain back and entered the room. "You may come in, Makayla," I stared at her in confusion. How did she know my name? I pushed the thought out of my head, close on her trail.
When I opened the curtain, the room was dimly lit only by a small candle on the table. Two chairs faced each other on either side. She sat down quietly, waiting patiently for me to follow. I couldn't see anything besides what was placed in front of me. The woman smiled at me and began to place six cards in front of her.
"Each pair of cards represents the past, present, and future." She started to turn over one of the cards.
"The Lovers…" She said, turning it to reveal the full card. She turned over the second one. "The Magician." The cards were captivating. "It seems that somewhere in the past, you have been deeply in love with someone, and quite possibly still are. But this love goes beyond feelings, and is physical, entirely bound by a spiritual connection." I don't say a word and wait for the rest. "The Magician symbolizes a deep manifestation, coming into fruition."
I don't say anything still and watch her reach for the present cards. She turns one over. I freeze, seeing a man bleeding out by what appears to be ten swords sticking out of his back. "The Ten of Swords." I slowly look up, to see her gazing at me. She looks down again and continues. "This card means betrayal; it seems you have had a very fatal blow to a relationship. Or relationships." I wonder why she emphasized "ships." She goes to flip the second one.
"Can you tell me anything else?" She looks up, her eyebrows raised.
"I'm afraid not, dear." She flips the second one, to reveal death. She seems to draw back a little.
"What is it?" She breathes in a heavy sigh.
"This card doesn't necessarily mean death, but it seems this time it does."
"So?" I choked out, my chest tightening.
"So," She continues, "it means someone is bound to die, or has died." I don't answer, so she continues. "I'd be very wary darling, be careful."
She finally flips the last two remaining cards. "The Two of Cups, and the Three of Swords." Her breath seems to grow shaky, and I consider even staying to find out why. "The Two cups means two forces coming together, yet it seems you will have to make a great choice between the two."
"What are they?" I ask, feeling any sense of calm leave my body.
"I'm sorry, I really don't know. You'll know when the time comes." I sit, silently waiting for the last card. "The Three of Swords, means simply, a very broken, and damaged heart." I can't take it anymore. I stand up, and am barely able to thank the women, before bolting out of the room. Why does it seem like all my life holds is heartbreak? Death? This is all a hoax right? I'm so out of it, I don't even see James in my line of vision.
I slam right into his chest, nearly falling on my butt when he catches me by the arm then proceeds to wrap his other around my waist. "What happened?" He asked, eyes wide.
"Can we leave already?" I basically shouted at James, taken aback he helped me stand and released me from his grasp. "Where are our parents? I just want to leave already," My breathing had already begun to quicken. I felt like I was going to have a panic attack.
"I-I'm not sure where they-"
"James can we just go outside please," I said out of breath and put my hand to my chest trying to breathe normally which my body refused to let happen.
James grabbed me by the shoulders and led me out the door as the elderly woman came out from behind the purple curtain. Holding the book, I had been so drawn to. However, I didn't notice at all.
By the time we had exited the shop tears had already fallen down my face and my head began to pound for the second time that day. I shook my head, sinking to the hard cement, while covering my face. I attempted to the best of my ability to breathe, I felt claustrophobic.
"Makayla," James rubbed my shoulder gently. A sudden far away memory seemed to envelope my mind. Again, with the same James look-alike. The situation was almost the same as before except we were in the woods surrounded by tall trees and grass. I was crying, hyperventilating on the ground and a younger James was there too. He was rubbing my back as I sobbed into his shoulder.
"I'm sorry Makayla, I shouldn't have shown you those creatures again. I just thought it would be better this time." He squeezed me tighter, as the memory faded into reality.
"Makayla," he spoke softly as he attempted to make me look up by leveling his brown eyes with my grey ones. "What happened in there?" I just shook my head, I didn't want to talk about it, nor did I want to think about it. James just sighed quietly and whispered, "Alright," then proceeded to hug me.
We sat there for a while. I have no clue how long, but eventually my mother exited the store and saw James and I sitting on the ground. "What on Earth-," my mother began in shock then Mrs. Lewis placed her pale hand on her porcelain-like shoulder causing her to hush.
"Mom," I said meekly, "can we go home now?" James was still hugging me tightly, his cologne wafting into my nostrils. My eyes were shut, my head throbbing. She just nodded and shortly after we left.
The ride home was a complete blur, and I still can't recall how I got in the car, but by the time we got home I was disheveled. I felt like a zombie, concern was evident on everyone's face, but I just brushed it off, not caring about anyone or anything at that moment. I said no goodbyes to the people in the home and headed straight for my room. My mind was full of so many questions, so many thoughts, but none had answers to them.