Jack had never been one to believe in mystical powers. To him, that was all a load of rubbish, nothing real. So, now he had to ask himself why he was in this dingy basement that reeked of cat urine. No one had forced him to be here, but here he was.

Dragging his feet, Jack walked over to the curtained off part of the basement. That’s where she worked, the psychic. It was said that she could really know things about a person, without them saying anything to her. She knew their past, present, and even their future. That was why Jack had saved up his cans and cashed them in. That was why he was visiting a psychic instead of spending that money on much needed food. He wanted to know what was in store for him. He needed to find out if his life would ever get any better.

As he approached the sparkly, beaded curtain that served as the doorway, Jack heard her speaking to someone else. This other person was female, young. She was probably just another yuppie wanting to know about her future love life. Pathetic.

Love was as intangible as the stars in the heavens. Jack had found that out the hard way, on the streets. But, then again, he had also learned that magic was a hoax and not to waste money on those who said they could see the future. So, why was he here?

Jack waited patiently outside the curtain, letting the young girl get her fortune told. It wasn’t like it would hurt her, although she should know better.

Jack’s thoughts had begun to drift, when the girl exited the curtained room. She had paint splatters on her jeans and Jack figured that she was most likely one of those starving-artist types. He ignored her as she walked by him and he entered the psychic’s domain.

Inside the curtains, many candles burned, creating a warm glow. There were no chairs, nor was there a table. Instead, a rug and cushions adorned the space. But, amidst all these pleasant surroundings, Jack saw shelves along the back wall, shelves that didn’t contain anything nice or fluffy. Jars filled with liquid held strange creatures and objects. He suspected that one jar even held sheep guts, perfectly preserved. It was a creepy setting to find a psychic in.

During his perusal of the room, Jack had not noticed the psychic herself. She was seated on a cushion in the middle of the room. The reason he hadn’t seen her, was because she was a dwarf. This fact surprised Jack. He had been expecting some skinny woman with a turban and a fake accent. Instead, here was a diminutive woman, dressed all in black, staring at him.

Slowly, wariness crept in. He didn’t know what to expect from this woman. She said nothing to him as he lowered himself onto a cushion across from her. She remained silent even as she reached for a goblet from a silver tray beside her. Silently, she beckoned for him to drink what was in the goblet. He stretched a shaky hand out and grasped the goblet. Peering inside, he saw a red liquid gleaming in the light of the candles. Nervously, he pressed the rim to his lips and tipped the goblet back, letting the liquid slide down his throat. It was warm and sweet. The taste was strange, but quite enjoyable. With a smile, he returned the goblet.

The small woman smiled back at him and took a hold of his hands. She didn’t look at them, instead, she gazed intently into his eyes, searching.

Jack felt as though he were an open book to her. Immediately, he tried to seal his thoughts from her probing gaze. On the streets, you got hurt if you let people see you, see the real you. It was instinctive, trying to pull away, but he found he could not look away, or even close his eyes. Desperately, he tried to move away, but the psychic had his hands in an unnaturally strong grip. He cried out, and she let go. Jack tumbled backwards on the pillows, panting with the exertion of the struggle.

As he sat back up, the female dwarf looked at him thoughtfully. She reached behind her and picked up a small wooden box. Without warning, she thrust the box into his hands and he found himself getting up and walking away.

Once he was once again outside, he was able to think freely again. Looking at the box in his hands, Jack knew that his life was going to change for the better.