CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"I want you to take me to a sorcerer," her eyes fixed straight ahead.
Carlos's eyes widened in surprise, and he let out a disbelieving chuckle.
"A sorcerer? Común (Come on) Miss Amy, what's gotten into you? I don't know anything about sorcerers or magic shops around here.
Aren't those just for fairy tales and fantasy flicks?" he asked.
Cherry shot him a "don't-even-think-about-it" look.
"You should know, Carlos. Take me to anyone, anywhere. You can't go against my rules."
Carlos let out a resigned sigh, his eyes darting nervously around the road.
"I...I don't know if there's anyone like that around here, but I've heard whispers of a fortune teller who claims to read people's futures and predict things.
But honestly, Miss Amy, I don't put stock in such superstitions. I'm sure they're just charlatans looking to swindle people." He hesitated, unsure if he should proceed.
"Where is it?" Cherry pressed, her impatience growing.
Carlos reluctantly continued, "It's on the outskirts of town, but I'm warning you, Miss Amy, I don't think this is a good idea. What's your aim?"
"Don't ask questions, Carlos. Just take me there because even if I answer you, you won't believe me so what's the point?"
Carlos shrugged and put the pedal to the metal. "Okay, okay, I'm going to be using the GPS. But if we end up in some wacky witch's lair, I'm blaming you."
"Fasten your seat belt," he said.
The click of the buckle sounded through the car.
Then, he reached behind him and handed Cherry a scarf.
"Here, take this. It's daytime, and you don't want to draw a crowd. You're a famous face, after all."
Cherry accepted the scarf and paired it with the dark shades from her bag. She wrapped the scarf around her head, ensuring her anonymity, and slid on the shades.
The GPS led them down a winding road, into the heart of Nowheresville.
Carlos pulled over in a deserted clearing, and there was a tiny shack that looked like it belonged in a horror movie surrounded by towering trees and a carpet of crunchy dried leaves.
Carlos snorted. "This place looks like it's been kissed by the sun...and then abandoned. Are you sure about this, Miss Amy?"
"Is this the place?" she asked, trying to dislodge a stubborn leaf from her slipper.
Carlos nodded curtly. "Yes, it is."
Cherry's gaze swept the desolate surroundings. "Why is it so deserted? And in the middle of nowhere."
Carlos shrugged. "That's where he chose to live. Now, Miss Amy, can you please tell me what you're here for? You're starting to freak me out."
"Let's go," she replied nonchalantly.
As they approached the shack, a sign creaked in the gentle breeze – "Zorvath, Seer of Truths."
Cherry asked abruptly, "Did you bring any cash?"
Carlos replied, "No, I didn't. You didn't tell me where we were going until we were already in the car."
Cherry fretted, "Now what? I need to pay the sorcerer!"
Carlos suggested, "There might be some cash in the backseat. That should cover it, unless he wants more."
Cherry ordered, "Get it!"
Carlos retrieved the money and counted it.
"It's $3000.50. I hope that's enough."
Cherry gasped, "You're not sure it's enough? That's my two months' salary!"
Carlos exclaimed, "your two months' salary? What are you saying, Miss Amy?"
Cherry growled, "Ugh, you wouldn't understand. Let's go in," she retrieved back her words, 'or no, just wait here for me, I'll go in and meet you back here.'
"No way, Miss Amy. I'm not letting you go in there alone. You might get hurt, and you still haven't told me why you're seeking out a sorcerer."
Cherry's eyes flashed with defiance. "I can take care of myself, I'm not scared of anything, and to top it up I'm a skilled fighter. Just stay here."
Carlos hesitated, unsure of what to do. "But..."
Cherry cut him off, "No buts, Carlos..just stay here. I'll handle this."
Cherry spun around to enter the shack, but a bird suddenly swooped down, its wings brushing against her face.
She let out a startled "Ah!" and frantically jumped about, trying to shoo the bird away.
In her panic, she leapt onto Carlos, landing in his arms.
For a few moments, she kept her eyes shut, her face buried in his chest. When she finally opened them, she found herself staring up at Carlos, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
She quickly extricated herself from his grasp, standing up straight and trying to play it cool. "Nhm nhm! Umm, it was just...not like I was...I just..." she stammered.
Carlos raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in his eye. "There's no way I'm letting you go in there alone," he declared.
Cherry's pride was still smarting, but she couldn't deny the bird had rattled her. "No! Just stay here, you see...birds are not just my thing," she muttered, trying to save face.
Carlos chuckled as he retorted, "Soon you'll be jumping at cockroaches too, and maybe something even scarier will come along!"
Cherry snapped, "Just keep quiet and wait here!"
Carlos shrugged and replied, "Okay, if you say so."
Cherry then gently creaked the door open and walked into the hut, her eyes adjusted to the dim light, revealing a space cluttered with peculiar objects with her eyes scanning the cluttered space.
She took in the shelves packed with weird stuff, old books, and strange gadgets ticking away. The atmosphere was thick with incense, making her nose twitch.
As she walked in, her feet crunched on dry herbs and twigs scattered on the floor. She felt the softness of a rug beneath her feet, its patterns seeming to squirm like snakes.
Her gaze landed on the sorcerer's workbench, where crystals, gemstones, and tiny bones lay scattered.
A huge old book lay open, its pages yellowed and crackling. Cherry's curiosity got the better of her, and she reached out to touch a glowing crystal...
Suddenly, a deep voice boomed from the shadows, "What are you doing in my hut?"
Cherry's heart skipped as she jumped back, her hand flying away from the crystal. She spun around, trying to locate the source of the voice.
The sorcerer emerged from the darkness, his eyes gleaming with a knowing intensity.
Cherry's eyes met his, and became more afraid wondering if she had done something wrong.
"I-I was just here for….," she stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse.
The sorcerer raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
But then, in a little while, he burst into laughter.
A deep, belly-shaking laugh that filled the room.
Cherry was taken aback, wondering what was so funny. She joined in, laughing awkwardly, trying to play along.
"Haha, yeah, I guess I shouldn't be snooping around," she said, trying to sound natural.
But inside, she was thinking,
"What's going on? Why is he laughing? Did I miss something?" She was just wondering if she was the punchline of some joke she didn't understand.
The sorcerer's laughter slowly died down, and he wiped tears from his eyes.
"Ah, forgive me," he said, still chuckling. "I think we got off on the wrong foot."
The sorcerer's smile was infectious, and Cherry found herself relaxing a bit.
"Let's start again, shall we?"
He put on a stern face again and began again, "What are you doing in my hut?" He asked, touching his beards as his eyelids closed a bit.
"I….I came in search of you."
He then turned as he made his way to sit on his chair.
"I am Zorvath, the sorcerer. And you are...?"
Cherry hesitated for a moment before introducing herself. "Cherry!"
Zorvath's gaze seemed to bore into her soul searching for secrets.
"Welcome, Cherry," Zorvath said, gesturing to a small table with two chairs.
"Please, sit. I think we have much to discuss."
As they sat down, Cherry noticed a strange, glowing tea set on the table.
Zorvath poured two cups, and the aroma of spices filled the air.
Cherry's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "What's this tea?"
Zorvath chuckled. "A special blend. It will help us...communicate more effectively."
Cherry raised an eyebrow but took a sip. The tea was bitter, sweet, and strange all at once.
"Ah, yes," Zorvath said, his eyes glinting. "Now we can speak freely. What are your worries?"