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completed picture.
    “Look here,” Alina said, pointing to the first match. The completed picture was of a gray mountain with a blue backdrop, nestled on top of greenery. However, it was lying sideways from my point of view. “You must be careful,” she explained. “The mountain in this position is a warning of physical harm or accident, but one that can be avoided if you take precaution.”
    Skeptical, I began to relax, deciding to play along with her game for now.
    Next, she pointed to an old-fashioned scale with two gold baskets hanging from the post. The image was lying horizontal. “You are weighed down. You must find balance within yourself. Only then will you succeed in your life’s pursuits.”
    I rolled my eyes at the generic statement. But I said nothing, deciding to suffer through the fortune-telling hoax in silence.
    Third: A closed , black book with a gold binding facing my direction. “A secret. Something of importance is being hidden from you. Be wary of who you trust,” Alina warned.
    I caught Brooke watching me from the corner of my eye, but I suppressed the urge to look her way. My head starting to spin with the incense seeping into every pore of my body. Regardless, I followed the long, pointy, red fingernail that scraped across the cards.
    A fourth match: A green, four-leaf clover with a short stem curling upwards.
    At last, s omething positive.
    Alina shook her head, staring at the picture longer than the others. “An upside-down clover...bad luck. Despair and unhappiness are likely to fall your way.”
    I frowned at the deceitful clover in front of me. The music in the background continued to play its eerie melody while I waited to hear my fate connected with the final card. I had to turn my head sideways again to grasp the image before me.
    A brown, wooden bridge hovered over a blue surface, connecting two pieces of green land.
    “Ah ...” the woman’s voice said. Her eyes gazed into mine with impossible understanding. My apprehension returned. Her low, raspy voice continued. “Your past returns, an emergence you must face! Do not shy away from it, for it will fight to consume you if not conquered.”
    I felt the silent tugging emanating from her presence, the same force from the night of the storytelling. But my obstinate nature was a force of its own, willing against her—a shield for my secrets tucked away in safety.
    Her pull loosened and she spoke again, her voice hushed and urgent. “You must make that walk. Connect your past to your present.” Her voice was even lower, a whisper that passed through my entire being. She traced the bridge with that long, red nail, emphasizing her next words. “Stop. Running.”
    Her fervent words shook me. I stared at her, unblinking, hardly breathing. The unwanted past crept into my thoughts, painful images relived in my memories. Shameful liquid filled my eyes, brimming full. I swallowed hard, shaking my head, slowly at first, and then with real desperation. The tears slipped over my lids, tumbling down my warm cheeks. My body shook without control, quivering against Brooke’s hand that held my own.
    I could see Brooke in my peripheral, despite the blur of tears. She looked back and forth between Alina and me, confused. She glared at the woman.
    “That’s enough!” Brooke stood up, yanking my arm and pulling me up with her. We bumped the table, sending an earthquake through the cards. We stormed out of the tent into the brilliant sunshine. We both shielded our eyes, grateful for the fresh air and natural light. Brooke marched us away, tromping across the dirt and brush. Lightheaded, I had no choice but to cling to her arm and follow.
    “Wait!” Alina called, scurrying behind us. “Wait.”
    We paused, half-t urned around.
    Brooke fumed. “Can’t you see you’ve upset her with your silly games?”
    I didn’t expect the protectiveness and anger that Brooke unleashed . She zipped open her purse and chucked a wad of cash at the woman’s