I ease the oracle over to the recliner and allow him to settle himself. While he’s distracted, I step out of his line of sight and lift the kettle from the burner. “Black tea, no s-sugar,” he sniffs.
I smile. “Did you have a vision of me making tea for you?”
“N-no, don’t be silly. I heard the water.”
I chuckle and carry over two mugs of earl grey. Plain for him, some milk for me. He takes it gratefully and cups it in his hands, staring mournfully down at the dark liquid. “There’s…there’s no point to me being here. None at all.”
“I think I can easily disagree to that. It seems like you’re right where you’re supposed to be.”
His face tightens beneath his long hair and untrimmed beard. “Yes. As always.” “What do you mean by that?”
The oracle absently lifted the tea to his mouth and jerked his head back at the heat. “There’s nothing I do not see,” he said softly. “So much pain. And so many delightful surprises rendered to mere inevitabilities, rather than the delightful serendipity it was meant to be.”
“Those are some big words. Would you please simplify what you mean for me, so that I may better follow?”
He leveled a flat stare at me. “My life is laid before me. So is yours. And everyone I meet. I knew I would see you today.”
I puzzle that for a few moments. “You didn’t see me make your tea for you.” “Making tea is of little consequence to the universe.” The oracle waved a hand dismissively. “It affects so little. Fate wouldn’t care if you handed me coffee or soda rather than this. But it would if you were to suddenly draw a weapon and attack me.”
“Then I guess its safe to say that today goes by relatively peaceful for you, doesn’t it?”
He closed his eyes and a small smile just barely pierced his melancholy. “Oh yes…but I have to get there. That’s the hard part.”
“You said earlier that there’s no point to being here. Could you explain that further?”
The oracle sipped his tea and stared off into space before speaking. “I know what you’re going to say to me. I know how today will end. Just like… just like all the other days. Like all the miserable, horrible days full of visions of heroes, villains, and innocents dying tragic deaths. How can I…How am I supposed to continue like this?”
I quietly nod, taking a sip of my own drink to stall for time. How does one comfort someone who already knows what you’re going to say? “I must admit, you have me in a corner,” I say at last. “If you can see the future and you already know what I’ll tell you, then I can only guess that one of two things will happen: either our time together does nothing to sooth you and you came here in a hopeful bid to try to change your future, or it works splendidly and, as you say, you must get through it first. The hard part.”
He nods, mumbling, “The hard part.”
“What is it I tell you?”
“A number of things. If I repeat them to you then I’ll only set you on the path. I hope—I pray—that by withholding that, just this once, it can be—" He clamped his mouth shut and squeezed his eyes tightly together. “I shouldn’t have said that. Now you’ll just say nothi-shit.”
I let out a loud laugh. “I can honestly say I have never experienced something like this before. Thank you for that my friend; you’ve shown me something lovely today.”
The oracle opens his eyes and stares so deeply at me that its hard not to get drawn in. I can almost see the prophecies swirling around behind his eyes. I try not to let how it affects me show on my face. “I cannot begin to understand the horrors you see on a regular basis. But may I ask something? How many visions have you had while we’ve been speaking?”
“Not many.”
I nod. “That’s good. Do you know wh…well of course you do, but let me have my moment to show off my degree anyway. It seems to me that your visions are just another muscle; one that works on its own. But most muscles can be taught to only work when needed. We need to condition this inner sight of yours to only work when you want it to work. And the best way to do that, I think, is to distract it. To remove you from your head and bring you into the real world. Action is usually the result of thought, but in this case, it may be its medicine.”
The oracle remained silent. I smile broadly. “So? How did I do? Did I nail everything in your vision?”
He raised his teacup to his mouth and took a long gulp before answering.
“Doctor?”
“Mm?”
“I’d like…I’d like to come back tomorrow.”
My chest swells, and I raise my cup to him with a wink. “I know.”
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