Eye Of The Fortuneteller

11

She swung her head wildly. Her sweat-drenched body heaved in terror.

The flies still surrounded her. Biting deeper and deeper. Burning her flesh.

She tried to shake off the flies, but there were too many of them now. And she fell to the ground, exhausted.

She gasped for breath. She inhaled deeply. Inhaled a mouthful of sand.

Sputtering, gagging, she headed for the ocean. “I’ll drown them! I’ll drown them!” she screamed.

She raced to the shore, blinded by the horseflies smothering her face.

“Hey! Watch it!” some little kids yelled as she stumbled over their pails and shovels.

Finally she felt the ocean splash beneath her feet. She was about to dive in. Dive under the cool water to soothe her raw, stinging skin.

But someone grabbed her.

“Let go!” she screamed, squirming to break free.

“Where are you going?” Drew asked, holding fast.

“Into the water,” she shrieked. “I have to get these horseflies off me.”

Drew didn’t reply. He didn’t have to. His expression told Kelsey everything she needed to know.

There were no horseflies on her.

Not a single one.

Kelsey collapsed into the sand.

The burning and stinging stopped.

“This stupid amulet didn’t work,” she uttered hopelessly. “Now what am I going to do?”

“Let’s go back to the sand castle. We’ll think of something,” Drew suggested.

He helped her up, and they headed back to their spot on the beach.

“Oh, no!” Kelsey gasped as their sand castle came into view. She pointed a shaky finger at the top of one of its towers.

Drew followed her gaze. And moaned.

“How could this be?” she wailed.

Sticking out of the very top, fluttering in the breeze, was the Fool card – with a bright red X drawn on its face.