Short Story: The Fortune Teller

 

When Adam was driving back home at night, an old lady asked for lift on an empty road near the forest. He stopped the car and rolled down the window to ask where she wanted to go. The place she wanted to go came on his way, so he allowed her to come inside his car. As he drove silently she asked to his surprise “How was your meeting? Are you still confused about this deal?” He sort of stopped the car and looked at her with utter surprise. “How do you know about my meeting?” He asked.

“Keep on driving” She smiled.  He followed her instruction as he was mesmerised and felt hypnotised. He felt a huge adrenaline rush in his gut because of her knowing so much about him.

He looked at her. She was old but her wrinkled skin was radiant, she wore some traditional gypsy dress and ornaments. A slight smile with lots of calmness adorned her face. She was looking straight and was silent. He removed his eyes from her face and concentrated on driving as she had instructed him.

“Don’t waste your time thinking so much about how I know things which are personal to you.” She said with immense calmness in her voice.

“I am astonished by your wisdom.”  He murmured like a child. “I am a fortune teller. That is why I know all these things about you.” She answered. “Then you might know the future as well?” He asked with curiosity splashing from his eyes. Her smile widened. Her gaze shifted to him. “You want me to predict your future?” She asked. “Yes” He immediately replied. “You are all the same” She murmured in a mocking tone.

“Stop the car. I have reached my destination.” She said. It was a forest kind of a place. “You can come if you want me to predict your future.” She looked at him and said.

He decided to go with her. There were small huts and light was coming out of their windows. They entered in one such hut. There was a small table with a crystal ball kept on it. The ornate interior was exactly as of a fortune-teller’s house. Colourful pebbles tied to strings, old coins kept on the plate and light coming out of a lamp embellished the room.

They were sitting across the table on which the crystal ball was kept. She closed her eyes and moved her long fingers over the ball. Adam’s eagerness to know his future was at its peak. “Laziness and low determination followed by extreme dearth of wealth will lead to your complete debacle. Shadows of abaddon will cover your ecstasies. Your daft acts will lead to your abasement among peers. Dark shadows of failure, decline of pride and humiliation all over. You will act as an abettor in several offences and your life will become a big incubus.” She announced in a dramatic tone and then opened her eyes. Adam was quiet and bewildered. He felt sad and extremely disappointed.  “I have told you the future my dear. Now you give me one coin as reward.” She said. He took out a coin from his pocket and gave it to her. He didn’t know what to ask. Although he was incredulous about the predictions he felt a tinge of fear scrolling down his spine.

While he was heading toward his car which was parked on the road, he saw light coming out from the window of another hut. It seemed that house also belonged to a gypsy only. He decided to ask his future from that gypsy too so he knocked that door. “Come in” said a lady from inside the hut.

He entered the hut. The interior of this house was somewhat different but of same genre. He sat in front of the crystal ball to get his future predicted once again. He expected her to predict something good for him or at least give him some suggestions which will prevent his debacle. “You must already know what I am here for.” He said.

“Yes you are here to get your future predicted” she said in a soft but powerful voice. She sat in the dark. Adam could not see her face. She moved her long fingers over the crystal ball. “You will grow opulent and your charm will never reduce. Because of your amiable nature and indisputable correct decisions, you will be lionized among peers. Gradually your fame will reach all the heights and your hard work will break the records of success.” She announced in a powerful voice. He realised that smile had spread across his face and his face was probably glowing out of happiness. “Thank you. Thank you so much” He stammered out of happiness. “You don’t know how happy I am. Few minutes ago another gypsy lady predicted a very dark future of mine. ” He stopped and started thinking what if her predictions were dark but true. “What happened my son” she asked in a soothing voice.

“I am unable to understand anything. She was also a very good gypsy. She knew about my past and present. How can she predict my future wrong? She might have predicted it right. I am unable to trust any of the predictions. I want to trust yours but cannot find a reason to assume her predictions to be wrong. I am totally puzzled.” He babbled.

She put her closed fist in front of him and opened it slowly. It had the same coin which he gave to the first gypsy. Suddenly there was light all over and he could see her face. She was the first gypsy herself. He was taken aback. “I am the same and so are you. Only my words were different and opposite just like the two faces of this coin. Both the sides exist but it depends on you which side you want to see. You have the ability to turn it around and make the other face your story.” Her eyes twinkled with wisdom and so did his.

Her metaphorical words made him realise the power he had to fill colours in whichever future sketch he liked. She made him know his own potential of creating a reality he would wish to live in. He was spellbound and mesmerised. Smiling with confidence he left the forest driving and thinking about how that old lady changed his thoughts and made a never ending impact on his life. However, how she knew his past and present was another unsolved mystery which he wished to get solved someday.

 

Pragya Prasoon