Regression (6 page)

“
I can’t see
everything. I only see small parts of the entire panorama, like
working on a jig saw puzzle without the guide picture.” She smiled
slightly. “No, I can’t read minds, but your face is like an open
book, every emotion and thought is there to be read.”

“
How can I be here and
now the way I am, do you have any idea? Are you like
me?”

Zita shook her head. “No, I have
been and will only be my physical age. I am able to see flashes of
people’s lives, playing like a silent television show. Sometimes
their past. Sometimes their future.” Glancing at her hands, she
grimaced. “For the past ten years the futures have been finite for
so many people, like the show is ending in our lifetime. They ask
me for reassurances which I have not been able to provide.” Her
voice quavered. “I am scared, have been for a while
now.”

The seer directed her toward a
table set with two chairs and took a seat across from her. A brass
bowl filled with water was centred on the surface. Concentric rings
carved into the oak underneath appeared to radiate from the
basin.

“
You will face much
danger. Sadness, loss, confusion. But, you must follow your
instincts. Your journey will begin very soon, sooner than you are
ready for.” The oracle removed a pebble from a pouch around her
waist and handed it to Adya. “Please drop this river pebble into
the bowl.”

She savoured the velvety smooth
texture of the tiny stone, rolling it between her fingers before
dropping it into the bowl, slightly to the left of centre. It made
a small ‘plink’ as it punctured the surface of the water. Both
women watched the ripples which formed, mesmerized by the water’s
movement until the last undulation faded away. The soothsayer
tracked one of the lines on the table, and then raised her
eyes.

“
Great pain will
afflict you soon. Block it out, or all is lost. What I see in you
is the continuation of the show, beyond everyone else. Beyond even
you. I can’t tell you what that means; only you can interpret the
vision I see. But the image is of you standing alone, looking out
over an endless horizon of white. Behind you are shadows. Not
menacing, just silhouettes fanning out in your wake, extending on
beyond the horizon. That is what I see in your future. But, to make
it there you must endure much.”

“
Does the future look
something like this?” Adya unrolled the caricature. Zita’s eyes
widened.

“
Yes, very much like
that. Where did this image come from?” The psychic traced the
drawing with her fingers, almost reverently.

“
You mean you don’t
know?” The seer’s forehead wrinkled as she fixed Adya with a stern
gaze. She blushed, grimacing. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.” Tapped the
drawing, she continued. “The caricature artist here at the fair did
it not half an hour ago. Perhaps he has…what do you call it,
sight?”

“
You say this was
drawn by a man?”

“
Yes. About thirty,
dark brown hair, roman nose, brown eyes.”

“
There’s normally a
female artist. This is all too strange…and exhausting.” She stood.
“I apologize but I must rest now. I will look into your mysterious
artist later.” She led Adya to the doorway and hung an ON BREAK
placard. “It takes a great effort to foresee even the small details
which I described to you.”

“
Can you please tell
me more? There’s so much I need to know.”

“
I’m sorry. I don’t
have the energy. After each viewing I require a rest but I knew you
needed to hear from me. I really need to lie down; please excuse
me.”

Madame Zita retired behind the
curtain, leaving Adya to ponder the significance of a great line of
shadows standing behind her. She left the tent, her eyes adjusting
to the early evening light. Turning toward the beach, she collided
with a solid chest. The boy she crashed into picked her up and spun
her around, teasing, “I’m the tall, dark and handsome guy the
fortune teller just told you about.” He and his drunken friends
laughed as he spun her a second time.

Pushing at his chest, she
struggled to be released. “Actually, she said a short fat bald guy
was in my future.”

His reply made her blush as he
moved his hips suggestively against hers, “I can show you a fat
bald guy, not too short.”

His friends took up the chant,
“Show her, Darren, c’mon, she wants you.”

Adya twisted and escaped his
grasp, slipping past the reaching hands of his friends. She glared
over her shoulder as she walked off. “Grow up, idiots.” They simply
laughed again, in high spirits. Soon after, she ran into her friend
Jessica. It took her a moment to recall the girl’s name. The first
strains of music from the carnival dance could be heard.

“
Adya. Hey, how are
ya? Haven’t seen you all summer.”

“
Hi, Jessie. I’m okay.
Ran into a few jerks that had too much to drink, though.” She
glanced back toward the boys, still in sight. They waved. She
flashed her middle finger at them but softened the gesture with a
flippant smile.

“
Hey, not too shabby.”
Jessie observed, a smile on her lips and speculation in her
eyes.

“
No way, don’t even
think it.”

“
Oh, that’s my
favourite song.” A top ten song began in the background, Jessica
grabbing Adya’s arm in response to the pulsating beat. “Adya, can
you please ask your mom if you can go to the dance with me? My mom
won’t let me go alone but if you go I’m sure she’ll say okay.
Please say you’ll go.” Jessie pleaded while dragging her toward the
music.

She deliberated, rubbing at the
birthmark on her hand as it started to sting, before smiling
excitedly. “Sounds like a great idea. I left mom back this way.”
She indicated the opposite direction. “I haven’t danced in years…it
feels like.” They went in search of their respective
mothers.

Samantha still chatted with her
friend, sitting at one of the picnic tables on the perimeter of the
fair grounds.

“
Hi Mom, Jane. Mom,
may I please go to the dance for a bit with Jessica?

“
I don’t
know…”

“
We’ll be back for ten
thirty.”

Jessica added her voice to the
plea. “Please, Mrs. Jordan, I haven’t seen Adya all summer, please
can she come with me?” Her most persuasive puppy dog eyes appealed.
Samantha and Jane exchanged looks of exasperation.

“
Are you sure you’re
up to it? You are still recovering, you know.”

Jessica’s face fell, flooded with
concern. “Oh, Adya, I forgot. Will you be okay to
dance?”

“
I’m fine. Mom.
Please.”

“
Alright, I’ll hold
you to your promise to return by ten thirty, though. No late night
tonight.”

The girls were already running
away with a quick “Thanks.” Jessica’s mother was also nearby and
the girls obtained her permission before heading to the dance
area.

The carnival dance throbbed in the
centre of a natural amphitheatre formed by terraced stone benches
surrounding a stone floor fronted by a slightly elevated stage. A
band covered top forty songs from the years before. Adya could feel
the beat of the drums reverberate through her and the bass guitar
drew her out onto the dance floor. She had never felt quite like
this before, like she was one with the beat. Her hand throbbed, but
she began to dance anyway.

Adya let herself move with music, unaware of anyone else,
even her friend. With the passion of a flamenco dancer she whirled
and spun across the dance floor. Jessica stopped trying to keep
pace and just watched, caught up in the mesmerizing movements, a
primal celebration of life. The music built to a crescendo and
Adya’s movements became faster and more forceful until she finally
crashed to the ground during the last beats of the song.

Her chest heaved with exertion as
she slowly rose after the final notes subsided. From the circle
around the spectacle every eye watched, including the band members.
Cheeks flushing, she ran from the dance floor to race through the
sand dunes, leaving the other girl and the crowd behind.

Revelling in the feel of the wind
through her hair and the cool air in her hair, she sprinted on. Her
senses were acute even in the dark, navigating the dunes and
grasses like a deer. Eventually tiring, her pace slowed. Pulse
returning to normal, she walked one of the trails to the
waterfront. A warm hillock provided a cushion to watch the last
rays of the sun fade away, enveloping her in darkness. A chill
shook her over-heated flesh, forcing her to wrap her sweater a
little tighter around her shoulders as a slight breeze fluttered
her skirt. The sounds of the waves washed through her mind and
settling her breathing. The seagulls wheeled and turned like dark
shadows skimming over the surface of the water.

Adya had never let herself go in
either timeline like she just did. What possessed her to completely
lose herself in the music? This was an entirely novel experience.
Had her head injury impaired her judgment? It felt so natural, so
exhilarating, to dance as she had. And the freedom while running
was invigorating, endorphins still pulsing through her bloodstream.
Face raised, she breathed deeply and arched her back as she leaned
on her elbows.

A slight shuffling sound startled
her just before a rough hand covered her mouth, smothering her
scream. The assailant thrust her back against the sand as she
frantically struggled. He stuffed fabric into her mouth and she
retched against the force of it. Arms flailing, she fought his
attack but was not strong enough to prevent him from capturing both
her arms above her head. As he straddled her midsection his weight
forced the breath from her and rendered useless her attempts to
wriggle free. The skirt she wore did not provide much resistance to
the attacker’s hard hands. She could feel the air as he raised the
hem and ran his hand up her leg, ripping away her panties. Just as
quickly he tore through the barrier of her virginity. Grunting as
he thrust himself from the ground, the assailant turned away from
the noise of the carnival, a prominent nose all she saw of her
attacker as he ran perpendicular to the path and out of sight.
Shaking in shock, she sat up, hands trembling with white knuckles
as she clenched her knees. Anguished sobs rocked her shoulders as
the horror of the experience sunk in. She cried for the pain of the
physical assault but also for the loss of all she had known and
loved, for her unknown future and the things which would not be
found again.

The sun disappeared below the
horizon, its rays long gone before Adya’s tears finally slowed and
then stopped altogether. She collected her wits and rearranged her
clothing, sobs returning as she felt the blood and fluid stains on
her skirt. She raged at the empty sky. “Why? You bring me here and
then allow this to happen? What do you want from me?” She wept
until her throat was raw with her cries and her face burned with
tears. Tiny hiccoughs tapered to sniffles before she felt calm
enough to walk up the beach toward the carnival grounds. A family
entered the path and she followed closely behind them, taking
security in numbers. She found her mother sitting with Evan and
Annie. Her voice cracked as she asked, “Mom, can we please go home
now?”

Samantha looked up, her brows
furrowed with worry. “Everything okay? You look pale.” She touched
her daughter’s forehead. “Did you overdo it being here this
long?”

“
I’m a little tired;
it caught up with me quickly. I’ll be okay with a bit of a
rest.”

“
Your voice sounds
raw. Are you coming down with something?”

“
I think I just yelled
too much at the dance. It’s okay.” She turned her head to hide the
tears threatening to break through her composure.

Jessica caught up with them as
they were leaving the table. “Hey, where did you run off to? You
okay? What was all that?” Adya checked over her shoulder to ensure
her mother had not heard and shrugged with a vague
smile.

“
I’m all right, just
strained something. I went to cool down.”

Her friend laughed. “I strained
myself just watching you. When did you learn how to dance like
that; it was incredible?”

“
Lots of time at the
hospital to watch movies. Gotta go; ‘night Jessie.” They bid each
other goodbye with hugs.

“
Night, you. Call me
tomorrow, ‘kay?”

“’
Kay.”

The family walked to the truck,
Samantha keeping close to Adya. “You sure you’re
alright?”

“
Yes, Mom. Just
tired.”

“
What did the psychic
say? Anything interesting?”

“
You know how it is.
I’m not allowed to talk about it for fourteen days; all the ritual
stuff.”

“
That’s right. Don’t
want to jinx it.”

“
Still can’t believe
you went to one of those people.” Evan snickered. “What a crock.
Why didn’t you just give me your money; I can tell you the future
just as well as they can.”

“
Very funny, Evan.
Shut up.” Annie stuck up for her older sister, taking her hand.
“Leave her alone. Some day I’m going to get my fortune told, I know
I’m going to be rich and famous.” Adya gently squeezed her hand as
they arrived at the truck. She sat at the window, watching the dark
countryside roll by, and then glanced at her reflection. The image
reminded her of her daughter, and a single tear rolled down Adya’s
cheek. She breathed onto the window, and in the fogged patch wrote
“I love you”.