11th PAWW’s Story

Yes, I’m on time for this one! I’m so proud of this story, I really like how it came out, and I may or may not got inspired by myself (lol) because I read tarot cards and do must stuff that Jay does in the story.

“Hey, I’d like a Large Mocha with an espresso shot please.” I smiled at the barista who took my order and began to prepare it. Few customers were in the small café this morning, which suited me just fine. I wasn’t very social. I didn’t have to wait for long before the barista was lending me a cup. I thanked her and took it, our hands touching briefly.

Deception. Anger. Nothing really mattered anymore. She had failed her brother, and now he was in prison because of her. She needed to solve this, and fast.

Another tortured soul. So many around here. I turned around and went outside, quickly walking under the rain to reach my small boutique as soon as possible. The bell clinked loudly in the silence and I put down my coffee to open the window for my cat to roam in. The rain would also make a relaxing background sound.

My boutique wasn’t very big, as was my business with my apartment right above, but it was enough for me. My natural talents were making me live comfortably enough that I could enjoy buying pricey Mochas every now and then, which hadn’t been the case not that long ago.

Sometimes my customers would make appointments, others would walk in, curiosity peeking at the Jay Minds You sign. I could see people’s memories and future with a simple physical contact. That was my gift and burden, but at least I could use it to my advantage most of the time, if I forgot the times during my childhood where I would blurt someone’s fatidic fate.

Today I had no appointment, but I felt that someone would come in soon. I installed myself at my desk and booted my computer to work on a short story, sipping my Mocha.

The bell clinked a few hours later, and I quickly finished typing my sentence before going to the front of the boutique which was separated by curtains.

“Hi,” I greeted the tall man eyeing my various paintings. Another hobby of mine.

“You’re James Atkins, right?” The man’s voice was deep, like a caress to my ears.

“Jay’s fine. What can I do for you?”

His eyes, a light grey, were inquisitive, but I was used to it. Few believed in my talents at first.

“What is it that you do exactly?” His tone was genuinely curious, so I wasn’t offended by his question.

“It depends of what you want. I can read your palm or tarots, but I usually simply need to touch your hand to look for the answers you’re seeking.”

I cocked a hip and crossed my arms, smiling at him. He certainly was attractive.

“For now I know your name is Atlas, like the god who supported Earth on his shoulders. You seem to have a lot of weight on your shoulders as well, don’t you?” Quite a broad pair at that, underneath that navy shirt, but I didn’t add that part, as Atlas was already hesitant.

“Shall we sit?” I asked him, and he nodded in silence. He followed me to a table where my necessary kit was already prepared, but I didn’t think I would need any of it for this encounter. I sat in my confortable chair, noting with a smirk that my cat was sitting in the other one.

“Um…”

“Pull the chair, she’ll jump down.”

Atlas did so, and Olya went away with a glare in his direction.

“Don’t mind her, she’s feisty but won’t bite.”

“I see.” The look he threw me made my insides warm up, and I didn’t need any talent to know he thought the qualities applied to me too.

“What are these?” He gestured to the runes inscribed into the wooden table.

“Protection runes, nothing fancy. It’s more of a show to be honest, but these are my favourites.”  I stroked an engraved part of Ansuz, a rune that looked like a capital F with the two horizontal lines a bit crooked downwards. “I also use runes for some customers, they prefer that over tarot, probably because of the origin of their previous lives.”

I was rambling for some reason, and I never rambled. He probably didn’t come to get a lesson, and so I pressed my hands together to concentrate, emptying my mind to focus on his energy. I could feel it on the other side of the table, warm and blue; circling around him in powerful waves.

“Take my hand.”

This time he had no hesitation to do as I said. I clasped his hand between mine, hung on its warmth.

Sobs. Slaps from his father. Years of hard work at school, only to fail his first operation as a police officer.

His heart was drowning in the sorrow of a lost love, the certitude no one could fill that hollow place in his heart.

Sleepless nights trying to find a solution to his case.

The deep breath he took at the sight of wide green eyes staring at him.

My eyes.

“You’re a cop.”

“And you’re truly what you pretend to be.” His fingers idly traced the curves of Eihwaz which looked like a capital S with sharp edges. The perception rune, standing on the bridge between life and death.

“You need my help to solve your case.”

“Yes,” Atlas answered without blinking despite the set in his jaw. I saw his struggle, and perhaps his memories didn’t give me a full view of his personality, but I knew he didn’t like to ask for help. The struggle of the stubborn ones.

“Alright then,” I chimed. “Tell me I won’t have to prove myself to your colleagues, however.”

“Solving the murder should help with that.” Already he was looking through the suitcase he’d brought. Hope was feeding his soul.

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