The Crystal Ball
by Donna L Martin
A nervous giggle escaped Mattie's lips as she glanced around the tent once more. Her friends had come with her to the gypsy camp outside of town, had even dared her to seek her future with the fortune teller. Now that she was actually standing in front of the old woman dressed in rich colors and sparkling jewels, Mattie was beginning to think it was a bit foolish to have agreed to her friends' dare.
"Sit down."
The voice was surprisingly strong, even though it was a mere whisper hanging in the air around them. Mattie sat on low stool in front of a velvet covered table where a lone crystal ball balanced on a small pedestal in the middle of it. She could have sworn there was something flickering in the middle of it but before Mattie could peer closer the old gypsy covered it with her blue-veined hands and began to chant in a low singsong voice. Mattie gazed at the woman, mesmerized as a small band of smoke began to swirl inside the ball, twirling faster and growing larger until it completely filled the inside. The fortune teller's eyes seem to bore into Mattie's as that voice filled the tent once more.
"Why are you here?"
Another nervous giggle escaped as Mattie attempted to make a joke of her reasons for entering the tent in the first place.
"Uh, my friends dared me to come in here and I thought it would be funny to see my future."
The old gypsy stared into the smoke for a long moment before gazing back at the girl sitting opposite the now glowing orb.
"Ahhh, but I bet you would love to find out about the treasure, now wouldn't you?"
***Okay, it's your turn! What happens next? Is the old gypsy woman for real? What is the treasure she is talking about? And what does she really see in Mattie's future? Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph. Continue my story or start one of your own. Join the fun and see where this picture prompt takes us!***
"Treasure? I would love to know about the treasure" Mattie said with sudden interest.
ReplyDelete"What is it your heart most desires?" asked the gypsy.
"Wealth!" replied Mattie instantly.
"Ah" was all the gypsy said but she looked a little disappointed.
Mattie waited patiently for the enlightenment but the old gypsy woman remained silent. He raised his eyebrows and made a gesture with his hand as if asking the woman to elaborate. She turned her attention to the crystal ball and moved her hands around it but without touching. Mattie looked at the globe, was it getting brighter. It had been clear but now looked cloudy and Mattie bent over quickly. He looked under the table suspecting he would see an electric cable or something. There was nothing there.
"What about the treasure?" he asked.
"Watch the crystal and your path to the treasure will be revealed"
Mattie stared hard at the crystal ball and the cloudy interior formed into an image, like a kind of transparent black and white television picture. Almost faster than he could take in, the images flashed and changed, building up a story over a series of snapshots. He saw his mother in a hospital bed looking deathly ill, then he was at the graveside throwing a single rose onto the coffin. Next was a solicitor's office and Mattie being handed a cheque......
"Stop!" yelled Mattie tears streaming his cheeks "what devilry is this?"
"What is it your heart most desires?" the old gypsy asked calmly.
Mattie jumped up and rushed out of the tent, he had to see his mother and tell her how much he loves her.
Hi JP! I rather like your addition to my story. Only thing though...Mattie started out a girl in my version and ended up a guy in yours...;~)
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!
Lol attention to detail, Mattie is a boys name here short for Matthew but perhaps the old gypsy had stronger powers than we imagined.
DeleteTreasure, what treasure? I'm just a working girl who came here on a dare. I don't believe in your or your chrystal ball." Mattie pointed to the smoke filled ball on the table. " You just want me to pay you more than what I did at the door.
DeleteThe gypsy asked,"May I prove to your I'm real?
"If you think you can," Mattie said with a smirk.
You were born on the full moon of the third month of 1989. Your mother was born 22 years before you on the same day."
"How did you know that? No one knows that about us. Okay you may be real. Tell me something else only I would know and no one else."
The gypsy looked closely at the girl and said "You have a secret wish to marry a fine young man named Jimmy Brystal."
"That is something only I would know so I believe you. Now tell me about the treasure you mentioned."
The gypsy smiled at the girl which changed her whole exterior to a shining glow. "The treasure is the beauty of your life and the reality of your wish. Jimmy is going to ask you to marry him and he will make his way in the world by finding the cure for a deadly disease and become a wealth doctor.
"Jimmy has no disire to be a doctor so why would he find a cure for a disease?"
That is for you to wait and find out but he will and you will be his assistant. Now go my child and do not tell your friends what you have learned here today. Next time rely on your own feeling and belief. Not someone else dare.
HI Gladys and welcome to my blog! I really like your addition to my story as well. I'm glad you decided to join the fun!
DeleteThanks for stopping by and come back any time!