Disclaimer
1: This story is posted on this site at the discretion of the
author. If you want to host this on your site or reproduce this
story in any way, shape or form, you must get the author's consent
first.
Disclaimer 2: The foretuneteller belongs to Gumnut, the original
chars of Knight Rider (Michael, Devon, etc) belong to Universal
Studios, and Marissa belongs to me.
Authot's Note: This takes place several years after Gumnut's
Knight Rider story "Lifelines"and a week or so before the beginning of
"Knight of the Children". My thanks goes to Nutty for the
permission to write this! :-D
It was the beginning of March. The cold
air from winter was diminishing,
the flowers were starting to bud, and the city was having a spring
festival in
several spots, including a few parks.
Among other attractions were a carnival, as well as a circus and
fortune
telling. Of course, the people at the
Foundation had heard about it, and that included the children that
lived with
their parents.
It
had been mostly curiosity and a little
“whisper in the heart” that made the decision…which was how Devon soon
found
himself at the festival with Marissa.
Currently, they were in one of the parks, one that had a
carnival. Bonnie
and Michael had also come along, although
it was made clear that the two other adults were not simply tagging
along.
“Father,”
Marissa asked, “What kind of a ride is
tunnel of love?”
Devon’s
head snapped to his left and down,
peering at the little girl in surprise.
“It’s…not
a ride that little kids have any
business with. It’s a ride for
grown-ups,” he answered after a moment, “Why?”
“Well,
Michael asked Bonnie about going on it
and she really gave him a nasty look before she took off.”
He
shook his head, amused, “Now why am I not
surprised…? No, don’t answer that.”
“What’s
this stuff…?” she asked, pointing at a
machine that was creating strands of pink, sticky stuff that a man
wrapped
around a white paper cone.
“Hm?
Oh…that’s cotton candy. Not
exactly something you should eat. Even
Dr. Alpert said it wouldn’t help you gain the proper weight that you
need.”
“Why
do people sell stuff that isn’t good for
you?”
“It’s
a matter of what the public wants, dear.”
“You
mean that supply and demand thing?”
“Precisely,
Rissie. I know Bonnie talked to you about
it this morning.”
“Yeah,
she did.
So, people really like this cotton candy, even though it’s bad
for you?”
“Yes.”
“That’s
really weird.”
“That
it is.
We’ll get something for lunch later, my dear.”
“Oh,
okay.”
She then looked around and said, “Maybe we’ll see a fortune
teller.”
Devon
stiffened a little as he said, “Fortune
tellers…I’d rather not.”
“How
come?”
He
looked at her, distracted, then replied,
“I…haven’t had any good experiences with them.
Last and only one I had was when Amelia was still alive…the
fortune
teller was a woman and she spoke so much gibberish that I…became fed up
with
her.”
“Oh,
I see.”
“See
if you can find Michael or Bonnie
nearby. They might not be with us, but
in a place like this, anything could happen.”
“Okay!”
Marissa then turned to look for them when she smacked right into
a
larger adult.
“Ow!”
“Oh
my,” an older, feminine voice replied, “Are
you all right, child?”
“I’m
okay, just sore, but I’m not a child.”
Devon
looked right at her. Black hair with gray
streaks, strong grip,
motherly-at-times demeanor…
“Oho,
not a child, dearie…? I’m sorry, little
lady.”
“Are
you okay, ma’am?”
“Yes,
I’m fine…” She looked up from the little
girl…and as she saw Devon, her eyes
widened in surprise…no, closer to shock.
“My
goodness…so this truly is fate,” she
murmured, “I remember you…back when you were a lot younger. You and your lady friend had come at night
for a reading.”
“Yes,”
Devon replied, “We meet again.”
Marissa
tugged his sleeve slightly, asking, “Is
this the one you just mentioned?”
“Yes,
it is.
This is Marissa.”
The
woman looked at her and held out a hand to
shake, which the little girl took.
“I
never did tell you my name,” she replied,
“It’s Maria. You two come with me, and
we’ll talk somewhere that’s more…comfortable.”
Devon
started to object, loudly.
“No,
I quite insist, Devon,” she added when she
saw this, “Besides, I have some tea and soda.”
The
British man seemed to look inward for a long
moment…before he reluctantly nodded and followed her, making sure
Marissa was
beside him.
The trio
walked into a tent that was, as she had
said, more comfortable. There were also
exactly three chairs, two at a medium sized table, with a third a short
distance away.
Maria
took the teapot from the back and poured
two cups, and then opened a small cooler and took out a can of soda for
the
little girl.
“Many
things have happened since last time,”
Devon said simply.
“So
I can tell, just from those eyes of yours,” she
answered, “Have you found the two sons of your heart…?”
He
simply peered at her for a long moment before
he nodded, just as reluctantly as before.
“I
did not mention this before, but there was
another offspring in your life as well.
A daughter, more of your heart than of your blood.”
This
made him look directly at Marissa, puzzled.
Maria
looked at first him, then the little
girl. “Ah, I see. To
be honest, I wish to read your future one
last time, Devon…and your daughter’s as well.”
He
glared at her, saying, “That—“
She
cut in, saying, “If you think I will charge
much, you would be wrong. No, this
time, the readings are…as people say nowadays, on the house.”
He
sighed and breathed deeply for a long
moment…then nodded. He whispered to
Marissa, too low for Maria to hear, “This will be a good example as to
the
difference between your dreams…and this…nonsense.”
He
then asked the old woman, “Who goes first?”
“You
will.”
Devon
then sat down, facing Maria, who took her
hand into his, palm up.
Marissa
watched closely as to what the old woman
was doing…and to her, it seemed like tracing lines, in the same way you
traced
on paper. After a while, she spoke.
“Much
time has passed since I last read this, and
much hardship has happened. Two have
died and two…well you would know better than I…and death still follows
them.”
He
nodded quietly, not moving the hand.
Her
eyes first narrowed, then widened in pure
shock as she said, “The lady you were with before is not your true soul
mate…you know that now, I believe.
No…the mate of your soul you will meet…and lose tragically…many,
many
years ago.”
He
blinked, puzzled…to him, this made as much
sense as it had all those years before…which was none at all.
She
peered closer and added, “Also…it seems that
although others will be involved, you and three others, most of all,
will be
closely tied into something crucial that will change the shape of the
very
future…”
He
asked, “What could possibly be that
important?”
“Birth.”
Marissa’s
eyes widened at this, although Devon
shook his head and muttered.
“Although
it is a tightly kept secret, someday
you must learn the truth about your existence, your very bloodline. The time during which you discover it for
yourself will be hard and very painful…but if you do not learn,
everything will
cease as if it never was.”
“Just
what do you mean by that? My very
bloodline…?”
“I
only tell what I read…I don’t claim to
understand this. All I know is that you
won’t like what you learn, but you must, and you also must accept it as
truth.”
He
sighed and nodded, and Marissa could tell
that he was playing along with her now.
“The
only other thing I can say about your
future is that it will be filled with many, conflicting emotions and
things…although it will be a well-lived life, all in all.”
She then let go of Devon’s hand.
He
nodded and stood, nearly telling Marissa that
they were leaving.
Before
he could say anything, though, he could
hear Maria say, “All right, little lady, I believe it’s your turn.”
She
nodded and hurried over to the table, sat
down, then placed her hand on the table, palm up. The
older woman took it in her own and began examining it.
Maria
could tell that Marissa’s hand was little
more than skin and bones…and that due to poor nutrition.
It was in the process of being taken care
of, though, so the old woman saw no sense in mentioning that. She merely started examining the little
palm.
“I
usually don’t read a child’s palm,” Maria said conversationally, “But
in your
case, I’ll make an exception.”
Marissa
nodded quietly, squirming a little and
trying to control it.
“Is
something wrong?”
“…it
tickles,” the little girl replied.
Maria
laughed quietly at that. She had not been
expecting that reaction to
palm reading.
Her
own palm had lines that were as long as her
father’s…a rather good thing, although it also wandered off at some
points…moreso in some ways than Devon’s, less in others.
This girl had experienced hardship for most
of her little life, something that the palm reader didn’t like
seeing…and she
had more to come.
“I
can certainly say that your life will be
unlike anything any other child will experience,” she began, “In some
ways, it
already is now.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.”
She peered closer as she said, “Just like your father, you are
one of
four people that are involved in the birth I mentioned…and from the
look on
your face moments ago, you might have an inkling what I mean.”
“More
than an inkling,” she replied, “But I’m
not completely sure. I’ll keep quiet
for now.”
“A
wise idea, little lady.” She then traced
the palm some more before
she spoke again.
“You,
too, must learn the truth of your
bloodline, but unlike your father, you’ll accept it more easily…and
learn about
it much sooner.”
“How
soon…?”
“I
don’t know exact when…but it will be very
soon.”
Marissa
nodded, then asked, “Is there something
else you see…?”
Maria
replied, “Yes. No matter what happens to
you in the future, no matter what role
life throws you into, you must never forget who you are…and do your
best to
never let things keep you down. This is
a wonderful life you live now…never take it for granted.”
“I’ll
do my best,” she replied.
“One
other thing,” Maria stated, “There will be
things in what is to come that will be painful…and you will even be cut
by one
or two of them, but they are very important to go through…and at least
one will
safeguard the future.”
Marissa
nodded and watched as the older woman
let go of her little hand.
“Keep
everything that I’ve said in mind, you
two,” she said to them, “As they will serve you well and protect you.”
Devon
said nothing but nodded, while Marissa
replied, “At least I will!”
“Come
along, dear, we still have more to explore
before the sun sets…and we need to make sure Michael doesn’t get
himself into
trouble.”
“Yes,
father,” she replied, bowed to the palm
reader while saying, “Thank you, ma’am,” then hurried over to her
father.
After
the older man and little child left, Maria
peered in the distance, thinking. Fate
had truly been kind, as she been thinking about the time, years before,
that
she had partly read Devon’s palm, when he had been with a woman named
Amelia. Even then, it was so
surprising…the things that she had mentioned then…as well as what she
had not
said. Now…when she ran into the little
girl, she was given the opportunity to read his one last time…and his
daughter’s
was just as interesting, if not more so.
She
felt tired…and drained. A good nap
would be perfect, she
thought, then closed the tent flaps, sat back in her chair, closed her
eyes and
was soon resting.
A week
later, Marissa was eating breakfast with
Devon outside when the newspaper came in.
One of the things that she would do on her own was read it
completely,
out of curiosity more than anything.
She
peered at some of the articles at the bottom
when she heard her father take in a sharp breath.
“What’s
wrong, father?”
He
looked up from the paper, had her pick up the
plates, then put it down on the table.
“Read
the obituaries,” he merely said, and she
started reading the area.
Devon
looked at her as she did, and her eyes
widened.
“Oh
my goodness…” she remarked.
“I’m
afraid so.
That palm reader, Maria Espara, died in her sleep five to ten
minutes
after she read our futures.”
Marissa
said quietly, “It’s almost as if reading
us was the one thing she had left to do…and afterwards, she was ready
to
die. I hope she’ll rest in peace, now.”
Devon
looked right at her and saw that she was
pretty shaken by what happened, but also concerned about him.
“Come
here,” he said very quietly…and when she
did, he held the little girl close to him.
I
hope you rest in peace too, Maria, he thought, even
if I still can’t understand what
you told us.
Click
here
to return to the Celestial Library.
Click
here to return to
the Main Homepage.