Member-only story
The Fortune Teller: Love Me Till I’m Me Again
It was a mild night, and Madame Spangles was glad that she still lived in a tent, even if it was battered and motheaten. Most of the other crew had discarded their own tents in favour of wooden caravans years ago, but she was an old fashioned sort, and liked to feel the fresh air on her face. Au natural, she liked to call it. She was a simple character, and always had been. She liked to get up early each morning, and take a walk barefoot on the soft, damp grass. There was nothing like the feeling of stepping over, from the fabric of the tent, to the dewy strands. She’d done it every morning, since she was a babe. She shuffled her deck of cards, and laid them down on the small round table in her living area. Slipping off her shoes, she went behind the curtain, and laid down on her bed. It was only a straw mattress, which was nearly as old as she was, but it was hers, and she liked it. That night, as she lay there and listened to the sounds outside, just before sleep washed over her, she was struck by a thought that hadn’t occurred to her in years.
Eddie looked through the one way glass into the room where Aila, or Madame Spangles, as she had now become known, was seated. He didn’t know what to think. He had never met Madame Spangles before a fortnight ago, and strange as it sounded to people, he was scared. It did sound…
