A future filled with flames

The old man was wearing a robe, he looks really pale and skinny, to the point that his collarbone was protruding out. He approaches Orchid with a smile and greets him.

"Hello young man it's nice to finally meet you.." he looks at Orchid enthusiastically. Orchid was taken aback as he said that. He had never met this man before so the question circling his mind was,

'Why did he want to meet me?'

He pulls Orchid's hand abruptly. Orchid notices that this old man has really slender fingers and his hand was filled with wrinkles. He started to feel sorry for him wondering if he was conditioned with a disease.

The old man flips Orchids' hand to get a good look at his palm. He stays silent for a while and looks back up meeting Orchid's ember eyes.

"You will go through many struggles young man, whether you like it or not. It really saddens me that you are set with such a fate." Orchid notices that he was truly sympathizing with him from the somber expression painted on his face.

"Your impending future will be engulfed in flames but you have to go through it. You will lose a lot of things that you love and pain will be a secondary emotion for you in the future. You will have a big role to play young man and time will be your guide showing you what you have to do." he looks at him with an unwavering look that changed into a crescent smiles as his parted lips close shut.

Orchid was weirded out by this. His face could be read by his mom and sister who started to get worried by this seer's premonition. Orchid's mom and sister are pretty strong believers of fortune-telling voodoo that comes with things like palm readings and star charts. They go to the market every Sunday together to get them done. They also make sure not to miss a single horoscope reading from their daily newspaper. It's their routine that they religiously implement.

"Is something bad going to happen, sir? "his mom looked at the man pleading with him for an explanation for the future he had just prophesied for Orchid.

"Mom, don't listen to his horse-crap, did you pay him? " he looks at his Mom with a stern look, already expecting that she did.

"Orchid don't be rude, he has given you insight on your future," she tells him with a soft tone as if trying to scold him.

"Is there anything we can do to put a stop to such a future?" she asks him waiting for his reply

The man standing there looks at them regaled by the mother and son's argument. But at the same time, the look of sadness was mixed in there as if commiserating for them. This was noticed by Violet who was just staring at the man trying to read him but for her, he was indecipherable.

"Young man, you shouldn't take what I have said lightly, try your best to enjoy the moments you have now, don't take it for granted for you may never have it again. Your loved ones may be missed in the future so cherish them as much as you can, throw them all the love that you have now. The tears that you shed will never bring back what you miss, so before it's too late love as much as you can." as he said that he bobs his head at the three of them leaving after. He didn't want to disturb their moment together, Orchid may not have it for long, and disturbing the time he has left would be counterintuitive to his advice.

Orchid rarely believed in fortune-telling and was always complaining to both his sister and mother that it was all poppy-cock and told them to stop. Orchid and Violet even got into a fight about it and in response his dad forbade him to ever bring the topic up again. He would occasionally follow them to the market to get his fortune taken just to see how inconsistent they would be.

But this time he found himself irritated by this guy, it was as if he pitied him, and for what a stupid augury.

He looks annoyed staring him down as the man walks away, "This is why I hate gypsies and seers, damn fucking psychics." he mumbles in vexation.

He found it annoying that this random old man came up to him with no prior notice and told him that his world would be filled with flames and that he should appreciate his situation as it is. As if he was ungrateful with what he had. But he doesn't want to bother with the thought of him anymore and just tries to move past it.

"Kids, it's getting late let's go home, your dad might be waiting for us" Orchid realizes his mom's attempt to lighten the mood. He puts his mind to rest as he could see his mom's efforts, he knew that his mom would worry more about that future that seer had envisioned more than he would. So he just left it.

They left the temple as it was getting dark, once they were reaching home he could see a figure standing in front of their wooden house. It was a female figure and as they drew closer he notices it was Racquel.

She had a bandage on her knee and her arm was in a cast. He looks at her with worry. He let go of his sister's hand and rushes over to her.

"What happened, why do you look like that? Did something happen?" he bombards her with questions.

"Oh, I just fell, can we talk privately?" she says as she realizes Orchid's mom and sister are behind him. She greets her with a slight bow. Both the mother and sister duo bow and goes on to walk into the house.

"Take your time Orchid, I will leave dinner on the table." she pats Orchid on the shoulder smiling at Racquel before entering with Violet. Violet waves goodbye to Racquel with a smile as she enters the house following her mom. Racquel waves back but her expression develops into a serious one when Violet was not in view anymore.

"Orchid what happened between you and Jake? Don't try any funny shit with me, I saw him drag you to God knows where after school" she tells him enraged. He looked stunned, he was unarticulated, unable to say anything that could twist the truth. so he said feebly,

"We had a fight and I lost, that's it."

"Orchid!" she shouts, she was more put out by the fact he didn't say anything to them rather than with fighting Jake. She didn't think there would be any secrets between the three of them. This was a major blow to her, and once the truth left his mouth it was like a bomb had exploded in her brain.

"Really that was all that happened nothing else"

" Alek is in the hospital!"

"What! Did you guys go to him? Why would you do something so stupid, I didn't ask you guys to do anything! This is why I didn't say anything to you guys, I knew this would happen!"

"Orchid what, you mean not do anything!" she retaliated in furry. The anger made her mute, she was about to slap him but as she raises her hand she notices a little silhouette peeping out of the door.

"Hey sweety what's wrong, were we too loud?" she asks as her tone makes a 180-degree change. Their voice started to get loud and it worried Violet, so she peeped out the door, wondering what were they arguing about.

"Sweety? Racquel do you think this is a joke?" giving Racquel a deadly stare. It confused Orchid but as he follows her eye view he realizes why she started talking like that.

"Violet! go inside..." he raised his voice. Violet stuck out her tongue at him and closes the door leaving them both alone.

"Which hospital is he in? Show me..." he gives up arguing with Racquel as he realizes that Alek is admitted somewhere and he needs to go to him...