This is a fictional story I wrote for the BFF writing prompt 24 Hours.
After another ride on the Ferris wheel they came upon a tent with a sign reading “Madame Zelda’s Fortunes”. Ann grabbed Pam’s hand and dragged her toward the tent with a laugh. “Come on! Let’s go see what our futures hold!” To Pam’s expression of doubt she insisted “Oh come on, it will be fun!”
They entered the tent which was eerily lit by soft candlelight to discover a middle aged woman dressed in full gypsy costume sitting behind a table draped in purple velvet. Ann held back as Pam rushed forward and eagerly gave the woman $5.00 and settled into the chair provided. Ann crossed her arms and watched the proceedings with mounting skepticism. The woman took the money then gazed into the murky crystal ball. “I see you falling in love with your high school sweetheart and growing old gracefully surrounded by a houseful of children and grandchildren.” Pam let out a squeal of delight. “I knew it! Ann, you have got to have her tell your fortune!!” Ann rolled her eyes and gave the woman her money before replacing Pam on the chair. Madame Zelda peered into her crystal ball and then gasped. She immediately looked worried and tried to hurry the girls from her tent. “What did you see?” demanded Ann not at all amused by the dramatics. “My dear child, in 24 hours time you will die. It is your fate. You can not change it. Make the most of the time you have left!!”
Startled Ann whispered “How?” The gypsy looked scared and muttered “I know not, but use what time you have left well! You must go! Hurry! The clock is ticking!” She bolted from her seat and shooed the girls from her tent. Millions of thoughts filled Ann’s head as Pam talked almost nonstop. What if the gypsy’s prediction was true? What if she only had 24 hours to live? She was a gypsy at a carnival for crying out loud! She was a fake! Still the gloom the gypsy woman’s words had cast fell around her like a shroud. She grew quiet and lost in thought as they drove home. Pam tried to laugh it off and make small talk, but she hadn’t been told she only had 24 hours to live either. Her fortune had been to grow old and have a hand in populating the earth. Hell, Ann hadn’t even had sex yet!! Certainly she wouldn’t die a virgin not knowing what the excitement was all about!
Ann fell into bed that night haunted by the gypsy lady’s prediction. She tossed and turned all night long barely sleeping. The alarm clock rang announcing the start of another day, according to the gypsy lady, her last day alive. She rolled out of bed and hurried for the bathroom to get ready for school eager to shake her feeling of unease. Her mom was busy in the kitchen pouring a bowl of cereal for her little brother when Ann burst into the room, grabbed a quick glass of milk and headed for the door. She rushed back and caught her mother into a loving embrace whispering how much she loved her in her ear. She kissed her brother on the cheek that he quickly wiped off with disgust, and told him she loved him too. She raced for the bus boarding it just in the nick of time.
Classes, laughter, and chatter rolled together as the day unfolded. During biology class Billy Watson burst into the class unexpectedly, pulled out a gun, and opened fire. Ann tried to get away, except there was no where to go. She tried to hide, but she was hit along with several others before Billy cried in agony then turned his weapon onto himself ending the rampage.
She heard the screams and the gun fire as she fell to the floor. Pain exploded in her arm and chest and she realized that she was bleeding. People were running and crying. She heard sirens in the distance then nothing at all. The next time she woke she was in a sterile white room surrounded by people talking frantically. She was looking down on what appeared to be her body hooked to many machines. She was surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses. As the machines flat lined, they begged her to come back working feverously to save her. After several minutes of trying, they admitted defeat. With tears in his eyes, a doctor led her parents to where her body lay and explained they had done everything they could. Ann felt a warmth fill her, seen a bright light beckoning, and with one last look at her grieving family turned and went toward it and the overwhelming peace it offered exactly 24 hours after the gypsy predicted her death.
They entered the tent which was eerily lit by soft candlelight to discover a middle aged woman dressed in full gypsy costume sitting behind a table draped in purple velvet. Ann held back as Pam rushed forward and eagerly gave the woman $5.00 and settled into the chair provided. Ann crossed her arms and watched the proceedings with mounting skepticism. The woman took the money then gazed into the murky crystal ball. “I see you falling in love with your high school sweetheart and growing old gracefully surrounded by a houseful of children and grandchildren.” Pam let out a squeal of delight. “I knew it! Ann, you have got to have her tell your fortune!!” Ann rolled her eyes and gave the woman her money before replacing Pam on the chair. Madame Zelda peered into her crystal ball and then gasped. She immediately looked worried and tried to hurry the girls from her tent. “What did you see?” demanded Ann not at all amused by the dramatics. “My dear child, in 24 hours time you will die. It is your fate. You can not change it. Make the most of the time you have left!!”
She heard the screams and the gun fire as she fell to the floor. Pain exploded in her arm and chest and she realized that she was bleeding. People were running and crying. She heard sirens in the distance then nothing at all. The next time she woke she was in a sterile white room surrounded by people talking frantically. She was looking down on what appeared to be her body hooked to many machines. She was surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses. As the machines flat lined, they begged her to come back working feverously to save her. After several minutes of trying, they admitted defeat. With tears in his eyes, a doctor led her parents to where her body lay and explained they had done everything they could. Ann felt a warmth fill her, seen a bright light beckoning, and with one last look at her grieving family turned and went toward it and the overwhelming peace it offered exactly 24 hours after the gypsy predicted her death.
