Koty walked into the dimly lit room with his friends, poking and prodding him in the side to proceed. It was his 30th birthday, and at the behest of his friends, he’d reluctantly decided to go see a fortune teller to see if there was a special someone waiting for him in his future. As he made his way through the space, he saw all manner of crystals and zodiac-themed jewelry. Despite his best efforts to believe, all he could hear were the words of his mother: “You know all that stuff’s a crock, right?” she would say. Somehow though, throughout his entire life, everyone he’d ever met had a strong belief in astrology, fortune telling, and all manners of spirituality. Not much of it rubbed off on him.
In the corner of the building behind a beaded, purple fringe curtain, he heard a deep lull beckon him inside.
“Koty, come on in, dearie. I promise I won’t bite,” the voice said.
Koty did as he was beckoned and pushed his way through the beaded curtain.
“Sit, sit,” the voice commanded. Koty and his friends did as they were told.
“Welcome to Sir Lin’s House of the Seeker, where all who enter have been fated to seek their ultimate truths … whether they’re comfortable or not. My name is Sir Lin. I’ve been waiting for the four of you for quite some time.”
Koty and his friends began to look around at each other, still waiting to see the disembodied voice that was addressing them. Suddenly, a bookcase on the wall flipped, and Sir Lin walked slowly toward them. He was a bald and pale man with a long, bright blond beard that made Koty think of Vikings. His lips were covered in yellow and red lipstick, and his eyes were surrounded by a dark black eyeshadow that made the green-purple color of his eyes pop.
“Koty, Darren, Samitha, and Siobhan—I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get started,” Lin said.
“Well, Koty. We brought you here for a reason; step right up!”
“No,” Lin interjected abruptly. “From what I’m understanding of the four of you, Siobhan, you always have the need to be first, so I’ll honor your wishes. Come.”
Siobhan’s cheeks flushed red from the embarrassment of being called out on what everyone in the group already knew, but she would never admit. Koty watched as Siobhan stepped up, pulled all her jet-black hair to the front of her right shoulder, and approached Sir Lin.
He grabbed her hand and closed his eyes. “You need to learn to listen to those most unable to speak. There is something on its way to you, and if you don’t pay attention, it will consume you and cause Sparkles a great deal of hurt and confusion.”
Sir Lin then dropped Siobhan’s hand and made his way to Darren. “The object of your affection is not your friend, but they do adore you for reasons you won’t comprehend until it’s too late. Be aware, those six-inch heels have been used for more than the mere act of walking”
Samitha was next. “Be cautious. Your obsession with plant life just might be the death of you. Don’t forget that despite the static appearance, they too are beings with needs … some more unnatural than the others.” Samitha, being the most stubborn of the group, rolled her eyes, and Sir Lin made his way, finally, to Koty.
“Hm. Your future has not yet been cemented. Nevertheless, the tale weaves itself as we speak. I see desolation and loneliness forthcoming. Please do try and keep your three friends close … without them, you have so little.”
Koty scoffed. His life was great. He had an amazing job. He was surrounded by his favorite people, and he was sure they had no plans to go anywhere or abandon him.
“Come on, y’all, let’s get out of here. This guy is obviously just making things up to creep us out,” Koty flippantly remarked. So, they paid Sir Lin $500 and left, laughing and creeped out by how strange Sir Lin was. Before they passed the threshold Sir Lin shouted. “Remember! It was foretold.”
Months passed. The first to disappear was Darren. He’d gone on a date with someone from his office, but no one ever heard from him again. His date swears to this day that Darren stood him up. Then was Siobhan. She made a complete 180 from the person she was, got rid of her dog, Sparkles, whom she had always referred to as her daughter; moved across the country; and simply vanished from what remained of their friend group. And then last was Samitha, and this one hit Koty hard. Samitha murdered her boss. They found her sitting in a large pile of leaves clutching Sharon’s body. To this day, she says she doesn’t know what happened or have any memory of the event.
And now, Koty rarely leaves the house. Sir Lin’s last words to him constantly echo in his head: “Remember, it was foretold.”
