The Honest Guest: Night 20

       I was told a vision of my future. Despite the alleged foresight I was given, everything still seems uncertain. Whether or not I’ve come to a decision, or even if there’s a choice to begin with, there’s no turning back.

       The young man walked slowly down the hall, trudging his way through. He paused when white vapor started to gather at the spot in front of him, as a croaking voice rang through the air, “Burning…
       “Burning,” the old woman’s voice repeated, growing clearer in the dissipating vapor. A green tent of sorts now sat in the middle of the hall, blocking the young man’s path. Within the tent was a round table, with candles on either side. Standing on the middle of the table was a short, human-like frog dressed in black robes. Her matted, grey hair hung from under her black cap. Her green and slimy hands circled over a crystal ball atop a red pillow set up in front of her. The purple eyes behind her half-closed lids slid over towards the young man. She spoke with a crackling purr, “I see a burning corpse in your future. The near future, in fact, but I can’t say how soon.”
       Fear lighting up within him, the young man stepped forward, asking, “A corpse? Whose?”
       The frog’s eyes looked from the glass ball and back up at the young man. Her was mouth hidden behind the ball as she replied, “That will be determined by choice-” Narrowing her eyes, she added, “-which is as inescapable as fate.”
       Suddenly, a fresh cloud of vapor began to engulf her, which she gave no reaction to. The young man took a step towards her and called out desperately, “No wait! What do you mean? Don’t go yet!”
       Despite his pleas to stay, the frog and her tent disappeared without a trace, leaving the young man with her lingering words in the desolate corridor.