A Segment from "A Cheery Story"
by me
There's a little boy standing in the corner. At least, that's what Cheery says. I continue laying down the cards, trying to keep my focus, trying not to think of little dead boys watching us.
I lay down the 9 of Swords, a card illustrated with nine swords dripping blood.
"Cruelty".
That's what Crowley calls this card. Self-inflicted wounds, self-torment. Story of my life.
I chance a look at Cheery. She's still staring intently at the corner behind me.
I try not to shiver, to suppress the surge of chills beginning their electron race through my peripheral nervous system.
I fail, so instead I just lay down the next card.
The hero with a thousand faces, the idiot, the dreamer, the court jester, The Fool. Why am I not surprised?
The first card is me. Cruelty. The second is Cheery. The Fool. The first card of the tarot major arcana. Reason, logic, caution: these things mean nothing. No, this is the card of throwing your fate to the wind, of spontaneity, of creativity and chance.
This is Cheery's card.
I'm not sure, but the room suddenly seems a few degrees cooler. I really hope he's still just standing there.
Cheery motions to the left ceiling corner and I can imagine him up there, this little ghost boy, hanging Exorcist-style and staring down at us.
"He's just watching", Cheery mouths.
I glance up at the corner again, seeing nothing, hoping she's not just saying that for my peace of mind.
Third card now, the outcome card, the one that shows where all this is going.
Ingredients: one part me, one part Cheery. Stir, shake, and in ten minutes you have-
Nothing.
Blank. The card is blank. There are no blank cards in the Crowley Thoth tarot deck. I looked at every one.
"He's gone", Cheery mouths. She looks down at the cards, then gets a puzzled look on her face.
I look down again and almost yell out.
Me: Cruelty. Cheery: The Fool. And the Outcome card has changed. There are now two Fool cards in front of us.
by me
There's a little boy standing in the corner. At least, that's what Cheery says. I continue laying down the cards, trying to keep my focus, trying not to think of little dead boys watching us.
I lay down the 9 of Swords, a card illustrated with nine swords dripping blood.
"Cruelty".
That's what Crowley calls this card. Self-inflicted wounds, self-torment. Story of my life.
I chance a look at Cheery. She's still staring intently at the corner behind me.
I try not to shiver, to suppress the surge of chills beginning their electron race through my peripheral nervous system.
I fail, so instead I just lay down the next card.
The hero with a thousand faces, the idiot, the dreamer, the court jester, The Fool. Why am I not surprised?
The first card is me. Cruelty. The second is Cheery. The Fool. The first card of the tarot major arcana. Reason, logic, caution: these things mean nothing. No, this is the card of throwing your fate to the wind, of spontaneity, of creativity and chance.
This is Cheery's card.
I'm not sure, but the room suddenly seems a few degrees cooler. I really hope he's still just standing there.
Cheery motions to the left ceiling corner and I can imagine him up there, this little ghost boy, hanging Exorcist-style and staring down at us.
"He's just watching", Cheery mouths.
I glance up at the corner again, seeing nothing, hoping she's not just saying that for my peace of mind.
Third card now, the outcome card, the one that shows where all this is going.
Ingredients: one part me, one part Cheery. Stir, shake, and in ten minutes you have-
Nothing.
Blank. The card is blank. There are no blank cards in the Crowley Thoth tarot deck. I looked at every one.
"He's gone", Cheery mouths. She looks down at the cards, then gets a puzzled look on her face.
I look down again and almost yell out.
Me: Cruelty. Cheery: The Fool. And the Outcome card has changed. There are now two Fool cards in front of us.
shoot some through my email if ya can.
jemsuicide@yahoo.com