15October2025 Diary
I’ve never been certain how that young, impeccably dressed woman managed to persuade me into a bout of fortunetelling. Wed been seated together in the same carriage for over two hours, the rain drizzling against the window as the train rattled north from London towards York. She gave a very favourable impression: a thirtysomething brunette with a sleek bob, a figure the sort of curvy confidence that makes a woman like me, a bit rounder, feel slightly envious. She was chatty, always smiling, but her eyeswell, there was nothing particularly striking about them, if you could call it that, because she wore dark sunglasses even though the sky was a bleak, overcast gray.
I tried to convince myself there was nothing odd about the shadesperhaps she was hiding dark circles or a bruise. Still, I kept looking for any excuse to justify this strange request, and I found plenty. Curiosity gnawed at me, though we were hardly acquaintances. All I knew was that her name was Olivia, and she worked somewhere in the service industry. It felt awkward to ask a nearstranger, Why are you wearing those glasses in such dim light?what if she had an eye condition?
So I kept quiet, nodding along to the idle smalltalk that strangers usually exchange on a train. Then, after a moment, her tone shifted and she suggested, Evelyn, shall I give you a reading? Im quite good at it. My greatgrandmother was a professional seergenuine, not one of those modern charlatans. Dont you want to know a glimpse of your fate? It could be fun!
I shouldered my doubts and replied, Thanks, Olivia, but I dont trust tarot or any of those games.
She smiled thinly, Then you have nothing to fear.
I tried to sound steady, Im not scared, I just dont want to, and felt my voice wobble. She laughed softly, Its your choice. No one can force you.
A peculiar itch rose in my head, as if I could scratch it from the inside. Suddenly she added, Actually, why not? It could be interesting, even though Id intended to refuse. I opened my mouth to protest, but instead offered a polite smile.
Olivia nodded, pulled a velvet pouch from her bag, and laid a deck of cards on the small table between us. She removed her glasses, revealing two massive lenses that completely hid her eyes. My heart lurched.
How will you read them? You cant see a thing, I whispered, startled.
Dont worry, Evelyn. I feel the cards, I know every one by touch. I dont have many pastimes, so lets begin, she replied, slipping the glasses back on, the dark lenses making me uneasy.
I shrugged, forgetting that she couldnt see my movements. Olivia spread the cards in a circle, following the usual ritual, and instructed, Turn the one closest to you; it will show the past.
I reached for a card, my hands trembling. The card was utterly blank, no illustration at all. The seer frowned.
Strange. A white sheet suggests you werent there in the past. How can that be?
What kind of deck is this? Normal packs never have empty cards, I said, trying to sound confident, though a chill ran through me. Are you some sort of conartist?
Lets try again. Pick any card you like.
All I wanted was to finish quickly, gather my belongings, and get off at the next stopany stopso I wouldnt have to endure her voice or the prickling sensation in my scalp. But obedience won, and I drew another card, then turned it over. Same result: a pristine white page. My suspicion grew that Olivia was cheating, and I summoned the courage to ask, Shall we stop? All your cards seem the same. This joke isnt funny to me.
Olivias tone grew urgent. I assure you, Evelyn, the cards are genuine. The design is etched with a fine needle; I can feel it. Right now theyre just smooth paper, but Im shocked too. Try again, think of the present, be bolder!
I huffed, inhaled sharply, and grabbed two cards at once, feeling them with my fingertips. As expected, they were flawless, blank sheets of creamy cardstock. I tossed them back at her.
Enough of this farcewhy did you start it in the first place? she asked, looking pale and a little bewildered.
I swear I didnt plan any of this. I just wanted to pass the time. One more try, for future reference?
I mimicked her tone, annoyed, and pulled the next card. When I flipped it, I remembered she couldnt see it, so I shouted, My future is as white as a sheet! What do I do with that?
Olivias face went from pale to mottled, as if blood fled her skin.
Does it mean Ill die soon?
I widened my eyes but said nothing, simply snatching my coat and bag, looking out at the rainspattered countryside, and muttered, How should I know? Everyone meets their end someday Goodbye, I must alight at the next station; I have urgent business. I rushed out of the carriage, cursing under my breath, What a nuisance, ruining my mood, using people as her experiment subjects!
Stumbling onto the platform, I grabbed a cigarette from a pack, feeling a surge of irritation. I asked a contemplative smoker nearby, Got a light?
He nodded, handed over a lighter, and with a tired smile said, Sure thing. I lit my cigarette, inhaled, and felt a brief calm. The doors opened, and before stepping onto the platform I adjusted my coat, glancing at a man who seemed frozen with fear.
Poor chap, seeing a skull must be terrifying, I said lightly, Sorry if I startled you. Your time isnt up, and Im merely on holiday, having lost a bit of control. Even a seer can be blind to death, cant they? No one can hide from them.
Muttering to myself, I walked away onto the quiet platform of an unfamiliar town.
Good luck on your own journeys, Evelyn.
