destiny | Today, You Will Write

Brandi pulled back, as the woman’s lips curled into something that appeared close to a snarl. Thinking that this wasn’t anything like what she had expected. The woman, Yin passed her hands through her hair and looked at Brandi again as a large television screen appeared in the center of the room. There the girl saw two men whose ages seemed closer to twenty-something. One of the boys had curly black hair like Roger and wore glasses; while the other one seemed a bit more tame, in a plaid shirt and dockers khakis.

Brandi edged closer. A hand reaching to her lips as she almost swore that he, the second young man, looked like a Van Elder. “Does this have anything to do with my father?” she asked, turning back to the Nameless One. “Is that really why I’m here?”

“Just watch the screen, my child,” The creature said. “Watch the screen.”

In the background, not to far from the man who appeared to be her father and his guardian, she caught sight of three young women. All of whom projected pointy objects that she suspected were wands. She reached across, touched the screen, and felt a sharp surge of electricity rush upwards into her arm.

The Nameless One shook her head, as if to say don’t do that, when the voices suddenly became audible.

“Darkest of night, and strongest of day, help us to see with sight beyond sight,” the women cackled, looking at the two men, whose apparel changed to some flashy metallic costume that Brandi could barely recognize. Was that also something that she could do as well, she wondered as she saw the women begin to fire.

“Van! Get back,” the boy with the glasses said, trying to act as a barrier between Van and the group of women.

He ducked behind a wall as the young women continued mixing the contents of their caldron.

The other boy tried to sneak past them, but one of the women kept throwing her wandering gaze at him and uttered something like a hex that seemed to keep him rooted to the spot.

“Without a guide, the Seer is unable to act,” the woman said, moving closer to the bespectacled man. The other two women laughed. “Stronger are we. The sisters of three.”

Brandi saw the man behind the wall stand up and point his sword towards them, as if he was issuing some sort of a challenge.

“Let Dwight go. He’s done nothing to hurt you.”

“A friendship so strong that nothing can break. A Seer, a daughter and lasting heart ache.”

The man edged closer. “What is to come will happen without us, you cannot name her for she is beyond.”

Brandi looked at the Nameless One, wanting to ask if he was referring to her. But the Nameless One held her breath. Remained silent. She was almost as silent as Brandi’s mother who had kept almost everything about her father hidden – the few things she had learned were gleaned either from picking her grandmother’s mouth, or making inferences about the things she saw.

She watched the men in silence as Van rushed at the furthest woman who seemed closer to him in age. He creeped up on her, then roped a hand around her neck. At first Brandi wondered if he was trying to smother her and then she saw something glint, and realized that he was reaching for something. A pendant. No, the wand.

Watching them struggle, she was relieved when it clattered to the floor. But then, the woman’s sisters could only look over at them with concern. But that didn’t prevent them from stirring their mixture as the cauldron bubbled and steam rose to the surface.

“It’s too late,” one of them said, pointing towards Dwight. “He’s going to leave without you.”

Brandi saw her father gasp and push the woman away. The look on his face more skeptical and doubtful as she grabbed the wand, pointed it at his friend and uttered a few words. Before Dwight disappeared. Leaving him alone.

Standing there, Brandi shook her head. Before now, she would never have thought that witches were real. No, to her, they had only been part of the myth and lore of centuries that storytellers used to frighten kids. Make them see reason. She held her breath, trying not to consider the idea of vampires and werewolves. Her hopes dashed because it looked as though her father had failed.

Just then, the screen collapsed. Closed in on itself and she took a moment to remember that she wasn’t the only person in the room, who had gone over the consequences of his actions.

“There are only three rules,” the redheaded woman said by her side. “You are asked only to memorize them. Know every detail.” She turned, a slight edge developing on her last three words. “Because when you first received the box, you were told to follow the rules. Knowing them can help you escape a much worse fate.”

Brandi looked down at her hands, wondering what could be worse than being deserted, as she passed a finger over the cuticles that she had wanted desperately to return. Did the woman know that already, she had partially failed? She averted her face, thinking of this as only a warning because, the woman couldn’t be serious, she thought, expecting her to live up to some age old rules that didn’t really apply to her. Or her father.

The Nameless One arched her back and pointed a finger into her chest, realizing how much things had changed over time. How people now sought fame as position as those things were more important than living rightly. Justly. Her features hardened. “Being chosen doesn’t make you a celebrity,” she said, looking down at the girl as if she was someone’s spoilt daughter, who needed to be chastised. Made to see reason.

“You are only here to help others. Your friends, family, they are no longer your concern.” She extended a hand. “You must promise this.” The Nameless One faced her. Appraised her as if she had been the one who had sounded glib.

Brandi closed her eyes, remembering Mrs. Jenkins and her need to instill order into the world. Was this woman any different? she wondered, realizing that for her, things were about to change. Could she follow such orders? she wondered, slowly looking around the room. Could she make the necessary adjustments? Follow suit.

The Nameless One retracted her arm, pulling out a pen and paper. “This is the contract, if you intend to be a Seer sign it and get it back to me.

Brandi watched them for a few seconds and then with a slight nod, she accepted the pen and the paper. Having watched a few lawyer shows with her mother, she knew better than to just sign on the dotted line and return it. Instead, she would go through it like a woman undoing box plaits with a fine tooth comb.

“Is this standard issue?” she asked, as if the papers were some sort of weapon that people like the Nameless Ones used to make them do what she wanted.

She hung her head. Uncertain. Wanting someone else to be there. Someone perhaps like Roger. The Nameless One shook her head, smiled. Reaching across at Brandi, she gave her shoulders a light squeeze. “You can decide on your own time,” she said, as the girl folded the papers. “But bring it back to me when you’ve done what’s required.”

Brandi stopped for a second, drew in a sharp breath. She had to decide this. She had to figure out for herself what could be done. She nodded to the Nameless One as the house started to disintegrate and then she found herself alone. The paper wrapped neatly in her hand.

Taking a deep breath, she walked back down to the water, and took a seat, trying not to think of her father. Trying only to imagine, her way back home.