“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice betraying me slightly.
“I told you my dear. Madam Geary can see things that others can not. And I can see that you have been touched by one of them. Your aura betrays you. Though, “ she studied me intently for a few seconds, “you do not appear to be especially disconcerted with their presence. I would even go as far to as to say that you, “ she gave me a sly smile, “like this presence.”
I felt my heart flutter in my chest. Surely she was just making this up. Some sort of mind-manipulation to make it seem as if she really was, what, psychic? I took another step into the shop. Keeping my voice neutral I said,
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh dear, that’s a shame.” She gave a deep sigh, her shoulder sagging. “I must be losing my touch. I was hoping I could help you with your problem but I guess that won’t be necessary.” She began to head back through the beaded curtain but I called out to stop her.
‘Wait, what do you mean, help me?”
Still with her back to me she replied with,
“It doesn’t matter dear, as you said, you do not have a problem.”
“But, what if I did?”
If she was at all surprised my change of attitude she didn’t show it. Turing around, she fixed me with a level stare.
“When people find themselves able to communicate with a ghost there are usually only two reasons why. Firstly, the ghost has no connection with the person but is merely seeking assistance with something that needs to be put right before they are able to move on or, secondly, the ghost has a connection with the person and needs to communicate something to them before they are able to move on. Either way, something needs to be done before they are able to go.”536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbXhhYoKsg
“Go? Go where?”
“The spiritual world, the afterlife, heaven-whatever you wish to call it.” She turned to face me.
“So, really, the only way for them to-go-is if they are helped by someone.”536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNNVNGFcU2
“Correct.”536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WZl8BKGS4
A momentary standoff ensued. We continued to stare at each other over the counter, neither of us moving or speaking. Eventually she moved through the beaded curtain once more, motioning for me to follow her. Reluctantly, I did.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjnGn0YbsP
.....536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuYVniVDfg
The back room was much smaller than I had imagined. There was barely enough room for the small table and two chairs that were crammed inside. The only light came from a red bulb in the ceiling, casting everything in the room with a pink tinge. The table itself was laid with a thick, dark red, velvet cloth with gold tassels decorating the edge. The chairs were wooden with bulky arms and legs. On top of the table was a crystal ball mounted on a silver stand. Madam Geary sat herself down on one of the chairs and indicated that I should do the same on the other.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjigUeExhE
“My apologies for earlier,” she began, her voice taking on a more normal quality. “We get a lot of tourists here. It helps to play the game every now and then.”
“What game?” I asked, settling myself into the other chair. It was hard and uncomfortable.
“The spiritual game,” she swirled her hand around in the air. “People have an idea of what to expect from a place like this so it pays not to disappoint them. Most people don’t have the faintest idea about the other half of this life, though they like to pretend that they do.” She reached into a deep pocket on her dress and drew out a small, purple pouch from which she produced a very elegant looking set of tarot cards. She shuffled the cards slowly, her eyes never leaving my face. “I could tell you were different though,” she continued. “I saw you too had the gift.”536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YEKdmgD9L
“I’m not sure I’d call it a gift!” I scoffed.
“Gift, curse, whatever you want to call it, its yours.” Madam Geary shrugged her shoulders, not looking at all perturbed. She placed the cards on the table and pushed them across the cloth towards me. “Tap the cards three times with the middle finger of your right hand.”
“Why?”
“I told you, I was going to help you. But I need a reading from you first.” She glanced down at the cards and I followed her instructions, doubting the value of this exercise. When I had tapped the cards Madame Geary smiled and picked them up once more, shuffling them a few more times before laying the top five cards face-down on the table.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4AsTNmC6R
“Let us begin,” she said, turning over the first card. On it was a picture of what appeared to be a turret of a castle. The background was painted as a black night, with glistening silver and gold stars and bolts of lightning striking the top of the tower. 536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyyg9ggNjw
“The tower,” Madame Geary said, “Representing the sweeping away of old beliefs and values, everything you thought to be true and safe in your world. It depicts the tearing down of your old fortresses as you embrace the new changes that have come to your life.”
“Well, I guess finding out that ghosts are real would qualify for that,” I replied. Madame Geary simply smiled and continued, turning over the next card. This time the picture showed the back of man, three long wooden staffs stuck in the ground next to him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpWoG9S8Km
“The Three of Wands, representing a solitary figure, someone who has made a long and difficult journey and is in need of friendship and assistance in order to succeed.”
I cleared my throat but said nothing. Madame Geary turned over the third card. On this one was a beautiful depiction of a moon, all pale silveriness over a pale blue sea.
“The moon. Showing a journey or destination that you travel but of which you don’t necessarily know the way, yet you still travel. But we warned, not everything is as it seems or as you imagine.” The next card turned over showed a long, silver sword with a gold crown floating above it and a dark green vine wrapped around its length. “The Ace of Swords, a powerful weapon, in the right hands. It represents a duality, good and evil, triumph and defeat, success and failure.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, becoming more and more confused at this went on.
“It means you shall be successful and yet you shall also fail.”
Well, that cleared that up then. The final card revealed a sun with a human face shining down on a magnificent white horse.
“The Sun, representing light and life. If you allow the light and warmth into your life.”
Now all the cards were face-up Madame Geary gathered them together again and put them with the rest of the cards that were sitting on the table.
“That was a very interesting reading my dear. I sense many adventures coming your way soon.”536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhc8gNoVt6R
“Yeah, well, I don’t really want that many adventures thank you.”
“You may not have a choice. Why don’t you tell me about your situation.”536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rOH6RL6YE
I didn’t really want to tell anyone, part of me still thought this was all some crazy fantasy. But here, in the warmth and light of the shop, I felt my resolve start to crumble.
“There’s a ghost, in my house.” Saying it out loud sounded even crazier. “He arrived the same day we did, he says he can’t remember anything about his past life, apart from his name, or why he is there. All we know is that he died a long-time ago.”
Madame Geary leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. I was thankful that she didn’t immediately laugh or dismiss what I had said as the ramblings of a mad-woman.
“That is unusual. Most spirits are very clear about their presence, and their former existence. They typically appear to people with whom they have a connection and if they don’t its usually because they are tied to some place for a particular reason, but they are most often aware of that reason.”
“Yeah, well my ghost has a full on case of amnesia.”
Madame Geary stared down at the tablecloth for a few moments before standing up and heading back out into the front of the shop.
“Wait here a moment dear.”
She returned a minute later, holding an ancient looking book in one hand. She sat back down again and placed the book on the table. It was small, with an aged-leather cover and yellowing pages. I could not discern any obvious title. Madame Geary flipped trough the pages, finally resting on one about half-way through the book. She read for a few moments in silence before returning her attention to me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj0zWsXAnq
“For spirits who are unable, or willing, to know their past it is possible that it is caused by their death being, unresolved. Something is holding the knowledge back. The only way for them to move forward, is for the truth to be revealed to them. Only then may their soul be saved.” She closed the book and appraised me over the table.
‘What do I need to do then?” I asked, hoping to eventually receive a clear-cut answer.
“Simple. You must help your spirit to discover the truth about their life and death. Only then will they, and you, be free.”
Fair enough, that seemed clear-cut. I just didn’t think it would be particularly easy.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBgkFraa07
