The Future Revealed

 

He taught me how to read people’s eyes.

He taught me how to use, to hide and how to control my skill, the Grand-master of our secret society, by the stories, old as the Earth was.

It was not a magic for me, as at one point in life, it just emerged to me. The ability we cherished in our family, was secretly hidden for centuries.

Once, the people called ones like us, The Witches or The Demons.

So, we learned how to hide and blend into the society that never understood our ingenuity.

 

There were rules, though. We could read other people eyes, see their memories, past and future. But it was forbidden to share our insight with the Commons, those without the ability.

I took the oath, privileged and accepted into the Congregation. I was finally equal to others, not inferior anymore.

In the real life, which I led normally, I was just another young woman. At the first few months I had a hard time controlling my insights. I didn’t wont to read everyone. But in time, I managed it.

I rarely used my mastery, though. Only in situations were I felt like I need to do it., like the rules implied.

“Hello”, said the voice behind me silently. I turned around. I was at work, and the delivery guy brought me some memos. I always thought of him as a strange person, somehow different.

He looked at me straight into the eyes. Almost without blinking. I felt an unknown energy flowing through me. As if I was uncovered, as if he knew who I was really.

Confused, I took the memos, and he just disappeared.

I was thinking about speaking to the Congregation about this event, but I decided not to show my weakness.

I haven’t seen him around for the next couple of weeks, and that made me calm. Even a slightest reflection of him made me nervous.

One day, I went shopping, looking for a new couch. I looked in the several stores, but nothing satisfied me.

“Looking for something?”, asked a familiar voice. I felt his look, even from behind. I didn’t want to turn around. But I must. “Yes”, I replied politely. The eyes. My body wanted to run away. It took all of my strength to appear….normal.

“Have you found it yet?”. Inquired voice, provocative eyes.

“No, I did not.  I had enough of searching”.

“Maybe I can help you”, replied he.

“What do you mean?”, I asked perplexed.

“The couch”, stated he firmly. I looked at him. I had to do it.

Like a universe unborn, his mind wild and bent, his thoughts rumbling, his memories mixed up. The past hidden in a gloom.

But the future, clear as a sky in a bright sunshine day.

” Yes”, I whispered. “The couch, help me find it”.

The future began, and I just took the first step into it.

http://www.yeahwrite.me/speakeasy/fiction-challenge-166-open/