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Are You Afraid Of The Dark :: Sheldon Sidney
Страница: 12 из 173Damn!
* * *
THEY WERE TOGETHER every night after that, and each time Diane saw Richard, she felt the same warm glow.
On a Friday evening, Richard said, "I coach a Little League team on Saturdays.
Would you like to come along and watch?" Diane nodded. "I'd love to, Coach." The following morning, Diane watched Richard working with the eager young ballplayers. He was gentle and caring and patient, screaming with joy when ten-year-old Tim Holm caught a fly ball, and it was obvious that they adored him.
Diane thought, I'm falling in love. I'm falling in love.
* * *
A FEW DAYS later, Diane had a carefree luncheon with a few women friends, and as they left the restaurant, they passed a gypsy fortune-telling parlor.
On an impulse Diane said, "Let's have our fortunes told." "I can't, Diane. I have to get back to work." "So do I." "I have to pick up Johnny." "Why don't you go, tell us what she said." "All right. I will." Five minutes later, Diane found herself sitting alone with a sunken-faced crone with a mouth full of gold teeth and a dirty shawl over her head.
This is nonsense, Diane thought. Why am I doing this? But she knew why she was doing it. She wanted to ask if she and Richard had a future together. It's just for the fun of it, she told herself.
Diane watched as the old woman picked up a tarot deck and began to shuffle the cards, never looking up.
"I would like to know if-" "Shhh." The woman turned up a card. It was the picture of the Fool, colorfully dressed and carrying a satchel. The woman studied it a moment. "There are many secrets for you to learn." She turned up another tarot card. "This is the Moon. You have desires you are uncertain about." Diane hesitated and nodded.
"Does this involve a man?"
"Yes." The old woman turned up the next card. "This is the Lovers card." Diane smiled. "Is that a good omen?" "We will see. The next three cards will tell us." She turned over another card.
"The Hanged Man." She frowned, paused, and turned up the next card. "The Devil," she muttered.
"Is that bad?" Diane asked lightly.
The gypsy fortune-teller did not answer.
Diane watched as the old woman turned up the next card. She shook her head. Her voice was eerily hollow. "The Death card." Diane got to her feet. "I don't believe in any of this," she said angrily.
The old woman looked up, and when she spoke, her voice was macabre. "It does not matter what you believe. Death is all around you.
* * *
THEY WERE TOGETHER every night after that, and each time Diane saw Richard, she felt the same warm glow.
On a Friday evening, Richard said, "I coach a Little League team on Saturdays.
Would you like to come along and watch?" Diane nodded. "I'd love to, Coach." The following morning, Diane watched Richard working with the eager young ballplayers. He was gentle and caring and patient, screaming with joy when ten-year-old Tim Holm caught a fly ball, and it was obvious that they adored him.
Diane thought, I'm falling in love. I'm falling in love.
* * *
A FEW DAYS later, Diane had a carefree luncheon with a few women friends, and as they left the restaurant, they passed a gypsy fortune-telling parlor.
On an impulse Diane said, "Let's have our fortunes told." "I can't, Diane. I have to get back to work." "So do I." "I have to pick up Johnny." "Why don't you go, tell us what she said." "All right. I will." Five minutes later, Diane found herself sitting alone with a sunken-faced crone with a mouth full of gold teeth and a dirty shawl over her head.
This is nonsense, Diane thought. Why am I doing this? But she knew why she was doing it. She wanted to ask if she and Richard had a future together. It's just for the fun of it, she told herself.
Diane watched as the old woman picked up a tarot deck and began to shuffle the cards, never looking up.
"I would like to know if-" "Shhh." The woman turned up a card. It was the picture of the Fool, colorfully dressed and carrying a satchel. The woman studied it a moment. "There are many secrets for you to learn." She turned up another tarot card. "This is the Moon. You have desires you are uncertain about." Diane hesitated and nodded.
"Does this involve a man?"
"Yes." The old woman turned up the next card. "This is the Lovers card." Diane smiled. "Is that a good omen?" "We will see. The next three cards will tell us." She turned over another card.
"The Hanged Man." She frowned, paused, and turned up the next card. "The Devil," she muttered.
"Is that bad?" Diane asked lightly.
The gypsy fortune-teller did not answer.
Diane watched as the old woman turned up the next card. She shook her head. Her voice was eerily hollow. "The Death card." Diane got to her feet. "I don't believe in any of this," she said angrily.
The old woman looked up, and when she spoke, her voice was macabre. "It does not matter what you believe. Death is all around you.