I woke up to a cold draft. I looked around but no windows were open. I threw back a few too many shots last night with the degenerate I guess, I don't really recall though. I just remember getting home and he fixed me a drink. In a thick morning daze I climbed out of my bed only to find my apartment ransacked. The front door stood wide open and every drawer and shelf was cleared. I didn't have much to begin with, but everything I had was gone anyway. I went into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth...but even the toiletries were gone! So there I was, essentially back to square one with nothing.
I threw on a jacket he hadn't taken and checked my stash of money: safe and sound. I grabbed twenty bucks and headed to Mo Liquor and the Food Mart.
"Hey Big Z, what's going on?"
"Hello, third day in a row, you going through a handle a day?"
"Yeah..work's sorta slow and I don't really have many friends quite yet so..I dunno what else I'd do but drink."
"Well bye then, come back and see me, baby." I smiled courteously and headed out for groceries, asshole drank my drink and ate my food. It was brisk outside but at this point I was used to it.
"Aisle 12, 16 and 21...bread, cheese, mayo and pop tarts..brown sugar cinnamon"
"Excuse me, are you alright?" I guess I was talking to myself and hadn't noticed until some greasy hag called me out.
"Yeah, just remembering." I picked out what I needed and headed for the cashier, register 4.
"It's gonna be $12.87, Bite."
"Shit, Jude..come on, I already spent $10 on..my medication, can you front me $3?"
"Goddamn, I can't keep doing this for you, third day in a row...I can't do it, I'm sorry. Put something back."
"Please..this is all I need and I won't be back for a week and I'm late on my rent, please Jude."
"No, I can't, I'm sorry." Just then a thing hand slid 3 dollars under my hand that clutched the counter. It was the...dirty hag. I stared her down and realized what she'd done.
"Just take it, it's nothing."
"Oh..thank you." I whipped out a smile, took the money and headed out.
"My name's...Fanny Mae Le..."
"Yeah..thanks."
As I walked back home, I realized..there was nothing keeping me here. Based on the lack of shifts and way my boss talked down to me, I knew he knew I didn't belong in the industry, that I was going nowhere.
I stopped, looked around. I was surrounded by the dirty, wet town of bumblefuck...nowhere, except this fortune teller. Madame Maureen?
"what the hell, might as well..." I went inside. Granted, I didn't believe in fortune teller's, if she can see the future so damn well then why didn't she see herself in this crumby town? Because I know for a fact she didn't choose to live here, she just wound up here like the rest of us.
The incense fled my nose and the warmth penetrated my exposed skin.
"May I help you?"
"Hey..I'd just like to get my fortune told."
"Sure thing, come sit down and concentrate."
I sat across from where she sat as she gazed into her crystal ball.
"So..where do you buy a cryst-"
"Sh! I want to get a clear vision..you shouldn't talk."
I rolled my eyes and was about to leave when she began,
"Oh dear, I don't really know how to tell you this...but I'm seeing disaster in your future. Death, perhaps. Maybe not to you personally, but someone you've interacted with recently."
"Maybe my boss?! That'd be great."
"No, no, a female..middle aged maybe?" I waited for more, but that's all she had to say.
"So..anything else? Good news?"
"Nope. That's all, sorry sugar. That'll be 20 dollars."
"Bullshit, you told me one thing, I've been here for like..5 minutes. I make less in an hour..but I guess that doesn't say much. I'm not paying, you can kiss my ass." I stormed out and began running, maybe it'll be her that dies. Whore.