The path that is laid in front my eyes

The next day, I apologised to my mother, as I had promised to my father. She hugged me and assured me that everything was fine, she had been taken aback the day before and had overreacted.

So my mother and father went about their daily activities as normal, but something was off; you could call it awkward.

It's quieter than usual, and I'm not sure what to do. I was terrified I'd do something wrong, but now they're ignoring me as if I'm free to do whatever I want.

This is probably what my father meant when he said, 'They can't be there for me anymore.' This newfound independence has a bittersweet taste to it.

"Mother, I'm going for a walk." I opened the wooden door as the wind blew into the home. "Go," my mother said, washing my father's clothes.

I've ventured out of my house alone so many times, but this time seemed different.

My mind was still disoriented. Without a second thought, I just let my feet carry me wherever they wanted.

I pass by the massive rice field, full of birds devouring the seeds. A large apple tree stood near the rice field exit.

I grabbed the already-fallen fruit and nibbled into it. It was half-decomposed already, leaving a nasty taste in my mouth.

I cracked up at how silly I was. I hit my head to get rid of my embarrassment. I walked away from the half-bitten apple and towards the town centre.

I decided to head out to get some bread and explore the town. I've never thoroughly explored the town before.

I stroll down a less jam-packed alleyway after purchasing bread, the more I shift forward, the fewer people there are. I kept wandering till I stumbled upon an unusual shop.

The shop was entirely covered in greenery, and if you peek through the glass, the shop is loaded with peculiar, antique-looking items.

I made my way in since I'd grown fascinated.

I knock on the black door with the moon symbol, and as I enter, a lovely bell tolls, informing my presence.

"Excuse me," I murmured gently. It felt like I was intruding on something.

The lavender aroma surrounds the entire store. Very soothing.

My heart flutters with excitement, the shop is precisely what I expect a witch shop to be like when I play D&D. The walls were purple with a star theme, and there was a huge curtain in the centre of the shop.

Suddenly, the shop lights abruptly went out, and the door vanished. My eyes darted around the now-dark area, hoping to see something.

"Who are you?" A deep, rich, feminine voice spoke out. I try to look for the source of the noise. "Come closer," says the voice.

The candlelight only revealed the delicate white hand, and a sharp, long nail moved, lighting the space and displaying a wooden red chair.

The hand taps the chair repeatedly. I then approached the chair, and the hand slowly backed away.

The voice then requested that I sit. She placed the candle on the table, but I couldn't see her.

Even though they were already this close, the only thing I could see were her hands.

"Care for a drink?"

"Water would be fine," she said, pointing to the left, and a cup of water flew to the table. I knew that there was magic in this world, but this is the first time I've witnessed it.

Oh, just how much should I wish to possess a gift like that?

She then directed her finger to the cup and said, "Have a drink." I nodded and drank a sip of the lavender-flavoured water.

"What is your reason to come here?" she asked while twirling her hand.

"Should there be a reason?"

"No, but most of my customers usually do."

"I'm sure you're already aware that my shop isn't just an ordinary shop, most people would usually beg for a reading from me."

"Are you interested?" Even though I couldn't see her face at the moment, she was most likely grinning. Of course, given the option, I was interested, but there was one more thing I needed to know before agreeing "Can I pay you with bread?"

Her loud, piercing laughter made me shudder.

"Of course. You are an exception. But please don't tell anyone else about me, okay?" She extended her pinky. It was a pinky promise, and her hands were as icy and white as a corpse's.

"It's a promise," she remarked as I agreed with a nod. "All right, let's get started, shall we?" she said after shuffling the cards.

She then laid out the five tarot cards. The first card she showed was an upright devil, followed by an upright tower. When she saw the two cards, she tapped her fingers on the table.

She paused before displaying the third card, a reverse star.

It was tense, she hummed as she unveiled the fourth, which was a reverse world, and the final card was an upright knight of swords.

She sighed as she examined the cards.

When I saw an upright devil, I gulped, wondering what it meant. As if understanding my worries she immediately reassured me.

"Don't worry, boy, don't be nervous, this is just a reading, fate is truly in your hands, especially when you have the upright sword of a knight and a reverse world."

"So, based on what I'm seeing here, these cards indicate that there is a lot of chaos in your life right now or in the future." She stopped to take a breath. "Let me explain."

"You may not realise it, but I see you are worried about something, and this worry is robbing away your peace and keeping you out of the present moment."

"The upright devil is a card that talks about feeling trapped, so your worries and fears are creating a situation that makes you feel stuck and trapped even though it's not the reality."

"The upright tower is a card that talks about the need to let go of some old ideas and ways of thinking, this is a process that needs patience."

"The reverse star is a card that talks about a block you are experiencing that could be related to your low self-confidence or self-esteem, and this is why the situation you are dealing with is making you feel trapped inside yourself."

"The reverse world is a card that talks about how you feel a sense of incompleteness. You need to be patient, you must focus on the present moment and not be worried about the future."

"And finally, the Knight of Swords card suggests that you are ready to take action and move forward, but you may need to take a new approach."

"My suggestion is that you should be gentle with yourself, remember that whatever life is throwing at you right now, you can handle it, you have the power to overcome it, and this is why it's here—not to hurt you, but to help you grow and learn."

"Do not force things, have patience, let them unfold on their own, you can't fight your way out of it. Don't let your worries control you, do not believe everything that is in your head, remember that worry is not reality, it is a future that doesn't exist yet, it is a projection."

"No… I get it, I'm just surprised." My mind had vanished. I couldn't think of anything to say about how I should feel about this event.

This woman destroyed my insecurities like they were nothing.

"I'm glad my reading touched your heart. Kid, you are special, and you have two paths in this world."

"The upright cards are advising you to embrace those uncomfortable feelings you are experiencing and to be patient with this situation, letting it unfold and learning from every moment of it."

"While the reversed cards are advising you to move out of your comfort zone and to start changing your beliefs, to act rather than to wait and see,"

"To summarise, the upright cards represent the path of learning and patience, whereas the reversed cards represent the path of action and self-growth."

"You must decide which path best suits your needs."