Alex.J.Cobalt

Leaneé kicked her heels on the edge of the wall, watching the city rumble below her. Night was already falling over the City of Katrough, taking with it the warm red of the day sky and replacing it with the gentle purple hue of the night sky. Against the city lights below, Leaneé couldn’t see the stars that she knew where up there. She wondered what they would have told her tonight, if she had brought her cards. But they were stashed back in her room downstairs, waiting for tomorrow’s classes.

For tonight, she’d have to let the future be unknown.

Still, her hands itched for the cards. Once you had glimpses into the future you could see splinters of what could happen. Of the possibilities that could come about. And even if not all of them came about, just having the flashes inside her mind was enough to give her some guidance or direction. The cards would give her clues about the bad things that could happen or the things she should avoid. They gave her a guide to her future.

But they didn’t tell her the truth. They didn’t keep her wishes. They didn’t let her change what she wanted and the cards certainly didn’t allow her to create her wishes.

Which is why she came up here, at the end of every week of reading the future. To sit and watch the chaos of the world below. The unpredictable chaos that no cards could tell her. The many lives that would be affected by tomorrow’s prophecies and readings.

They, down there, had hopes and wishes and dreams. They wished of places, of people, of lives that were not their own. And so they wished with a feverant belief that Leaneé wished she could have again.

But the future, once seen, told you that wishes could not be made. They didn’t necessarily come true, no matter how hard you believed it.

Leaneé’s hand reached for her necklace pendant, rubbing the amethyst between her fingers. It hummed at her, whispering of a time when the people who owned her power would be gone, when she would be free.

She dropped her fingers. It was a wish. And wishes were futile.

Only the cards told the truth.

Enjoy this story? Check out my other fantasy flash fictions below!

• Traits of a Turned
  “You don’t understand me” he said, head in his hands, “you can’t see inside my head.” Amily sighed at her brother. He was in a … More Traits of a Turned
• Reunited
  “Can you stop flicking that bloody coin,” Regan said, “it’s annoying.” Chasey flicked the coin up high again, catching it as it fell back towards … More Reunited
• We’re not going that way
  “Why not?” “Why not?!” Favian’s voice rose another octave, “because I don’t want to die, Renglat. I like all my limbs on me, not in … More We’re not going that way
• Do you recognise this song?
  “Do you recognise this song?” The words were raspy and barely formed. Marlie moved her head slowly on the bed towards Ranlen, looking up at … More Do you recognise this song?
• March of the Valentas
  Ashayra was taller than Miaken expected. He knew that she was from the South, and like all Southeners was always going to be tall, but … More March of the Valentas
• You can’t re-write history
  “Stop this!” Vashna screamed, pulling at the ropes around his wrists, “for the sake of yourself, Maynie, you need to stop!” Maynie looked up from … More You can’t re-write history