Selena thought she saw judgment in Rob's eyes. So, she asked him: "would you like to say something to me?
Rob chuckled. "It's scary even talking to you."
The police picked up the old woman and led her to the exit. The old woman obediently followed the officers, but suddenly she looked over her shoulder and shouted: "Everyone here is an animal In human skin, and you are a special breed! Her face was distorted by a grimace of hatred; she barely looked like a human at that moment. "Damn you! May the universe respond with rudeness to your rudeness and indifference to your indifference! I CURSE YOU!"
Selena backed away, unable to hide her fear. The old woman was looking into her soul; the rage that distorted her face was so tremendous that it was indeed frightening. And the last straw that sealed the craziness of the moment was a clap of thunder right after the crazy old lady stopped talking.
Selena felt uneasy.
"Take the woman away. She's had enough." Rob said sternly to the officers. The old woman kept trying to turn around and look at Selena. When she disappeared from sight, the sky calmed down. "Don't take her words too close to heart. It's unlikely that she was even fully aware of her actions."
Rob notices that Selena was affected by the old woman's prediction. Although she tried to hide it, those words hurt her. Selena awkwardly straightened her suit and looked at Rob. "Don't look at me that way. Everything's fine."
"What way?" He smirked a little
"With pity." She frowned, the very thought annoyed her.
"Believe me, pity is the last thing I feel for you."
Is he flirting or insulting me? Selena thought while trying to calm her pounding heart. She still couldn't shake off the feeling of helplessness that took over her as soon as the old woman grabbed her.
"Would you like an escort, or are you good on your own?" His words started her. "What?.... Oh, you're still here.... Excited me if it's not too much of a bother."
Rob smiled slightly. Selena walked past him as if she hadn't noticed that. Rob followed her, a couple of steps behind as if he were a bodyguard
Selena could feel Rob's gaze on her but pretended to be focused on exploring the fair. To many people.... Do they actually enjoy wasting time on pointless rides and fast food? She judged people as she walked
The crowd didn't bother Rob. He put up walks between herself and the outside world a long time ago. Maybe that's why he was amused by how tense and uptight Selena was. In her office she felt lime a fish in the water, and among people, she looked like a pufferfish on dry land sticking out it's spikes. He noticed Selena turning around slightly, feeling his gaze on her.
Selena suddenly stopped and turned to him. "If you think I've forgotten about today's incident, you're wrong" She spoked calmly yet arrogantly
"Are you talking about the 'cook"?
"Exactly. You won't get away with it that easily." She said with her usual ice cold voice.
"As you say."
'He doesn't care?! What kind of person is he?! Selena continued walking forward. "Do you like your job?"
He shrugged. "I find meaning in it."
"Meaning?"
"Yes. My work has a certain meaning for me. What about you?"
Selena remembered how she looked at the first bridge built by her, how she peered into the horizon on the other side and saw her mother's face. Selena wished she could build a bridge to her past, but all she could do was build one into the future. "Yes. Definitely."
They fell silent again. The scene with the old woman unsettled Selena, and she was grateful to Rob fir accompanying her. He didn't try to initiate a dialogue. At first glance, it seemed that he wasn't particularly interested in her, and yet Sekena felt that this wasn't entirely true. She'd gotten used to acting tough around men and keeping her professional distance....She was always ready to stand up for herself and shoe she was their equal. Selena forgot what simple human communication was like, where there were no bosses or subordinates.
Rob wasn't afraid of reprimand and wasn't going to obey Selena in fear that she might end his career. Selena was discouraged. Rob looked like a savage like her, and she didn't have the upper hand. She turned to look at him and squinted. He simply nodded.
Rob was good at reading people. He noticed the smallest details and that help him understand the person's character. In Selena's office, he saw who that girl was an arrogant boss who git used to the feeling that the whole world owes her something. Yet she forgot that the world wasn't revolving around her. Somehow, Selena's fear of the old woman reminded him that she was only human
Some passer by jumped out in front of Selena, ans she recoiled, bumping into Rob. Selena felt Rob's body. She felt the gentle touch of his fingers touching her waist. And it excited her. She recoiled in fright. Selena turned to Rob. Their eyes met "Sorry. She muttered unnaturally.
"It's okay" Selena stepped away from the detective. She was a bit confused and needed to do some thinking. She realized that she might have looked stupid in his eyes and was angry with him for that. Selena pulled herself together as ifvthose moments of weakness never happened. "I can handle things from here, thanks.
Rob smiled as if he understood what thoughts were rushing through her head and nodded his head obediently. "Whatever you say. Good luck
Selena looked at him, disappearing among the crowd. She sighted with relief. Outside of work, men confused her and made her panic. She felt she was losing control around them. And Selena hated losing control.
Thunder rumbled with renewed vigor, lightning pierced through the black clouds. Selena froze. The old woman's words flashed through her head again. (Everyone here is an animal In human skin, and you're a special breed....I CURSE YOU!!) 'What came over me? Why did those words affect me so much?
Selena panicked. The flickering faxes of the random passers-by began to frighten her. She wanted to run away and hide. She wanted to stop seeing those tipsy faces. She looked around. Selena's gaze fell on a tent. The strong wind was shaking it walla, but Selena felt enticed to go in. It looked dark inside. She couldn't explain it, but that tent seemed to be the only safe place in the entire fair. She quietly read the sign: "Arcanum."
For a moment, she considered turning around and running away, but the tent was calling her, beckoning. For the first time, she submitted to something without questioning it or putting up a fight. Her legs walked towards the tent, and it seemed that the wind pushed her from behind. Sekena stopped to get used to the darkness. Little by little, the outlines of a table and someone's silhouette wearing a dark hoodie began to emerge. "Welcome, Selena."
Her eyes widened a bit. "How do you know my name" The tarot leader pointed to a chair. "Have a seat." Sekena stubbornly remained in place. "YOU didn't answer my question."
"Sit down." His order made Selena obey. She shuddered and sat down against her will.
A stack of tarot cards lay on the table, and several candles were strategically placed around them. Shadows moved around the tent, enticing the imagination. "Selena..." Her name echoed through the rent and inside her brain. "White moon that brings light and truth. The moon that brings purification and harmony." Sekena was silent, trying to make out the face hidden by the hood.
He fell silent fir a while as if he were searching for something around the bottom of her soul. And then summed up: "You're not worthy of your name. You need to earn it." Only now Sekena realized how quiet it was in the tent. It seemed that there was nothing left in the world besides them. It seemed that the moment she left the tent, she'd fall into an abyss.
Selena jumped up, frightened by this thought. "What...what are you?" At that moment, she realized it wasn't human standing in front of her. There was nothing bit darkness inside that hoodie. The voice is omnipresent, neither male or female. As If the universe itself spoke to her.
The tarot reader, not noticing Selena's panic, calmly continued: "Let's see what the cards have to say. What fate and what trials have they prepared for you?" The tarot reader slowly took the cards and began to lay them out one by one. Selena felt weakness in her legs and almost collapsed into the chair. 'I want to leave. Why....why can't I leave?'
Her body didn't obey her. And where would she go? Now the entire universe shrunk to the size of a tent....Selena gave in to the unknown force and looked at the table. The tarot reader held out three cards. Therapy were spread our like a fan I'm front of her. "This is your destiny. Look at it."
Selena peered at the first image. Shewanted to look away but couldn't. "Seven of swords!" The card depicts the image of a woman with her back turned, holding a wooden board with seven swords impaled in her back.
The swords depicted on the cards seemed to pierce right through her body.
ONE.
Selena flinched from unexpected pain.
TWO. THREE.
"Ahhh!"
FOUR. FIVE.
Everything turned dark before her eyes. The image of the tarot reader became blurry too. Selena tried to look at him, but the swords continued to stab.her in the back.
SIX. SEVEN.
And, as soon as the last sword pierced her through, the tarot reader's voice roared; "FIND THE COURAGE TO LOOK AT YOUT OWN FATE!" Selena opened her eyes.