Reading: "Sybil of Doom" from RITUALS OF THE ANTITHETICAL (A.Glass 2023)

 






Zabel points to her nose. “Apparently the early strains of the virus attacked the cells in the nose lining, something to do with the olfactory receptors. But, the variant that I caught, which will be the next wave, the fever was brutal, despite being vaccinated for the earlier strains...” Looking directly at the young woman standing behind the counter. Zabel, with her left index finger points to the left side of her chest. “...The new variants affect the cardiovascular and neurological worst than the first versions.”
Well my boyfriend and are double vaxxed, best probably get the booster at some point...” The woman lifts up a two kegs of soap from the self to her right, placing them down onto the counter. To which Zabel begins to separately wrap both soaps, placing them into a paper carry bag of the perfumery.
Well I am Four in, going for my Fifth in three months, since this thing keeps mutating. Things ain’t looking to good. I have the Grafarga resort show coming up, I gotta prove that I am fully vaccinated.
Really? That’s awesome!” The younger woman replies, only interested in Zabel modeling for the fashion brand Grafarga, rather than her opinion on vaccinations. She hands Zabel her debit card, to which Zabel completes the transaction, tapping the card onto the Eftpos reader, handing the card back with a receipt.
Yeah, so best be healthy. We all get tested prior to the show anyway, including the attendees,” Zabel says, handing the bag with the soaps to the woman.
Where is it being held?”
Sorry, I can’t say. Kinda a secret show,” Zabel replies in a coy manner.
Oh well, so envious, wish I was a model.”
I’m grateful, for this…” She points around the shop with her right index finger, then with the same finger of her left hand, she points it inward at her face and neatly cropped short dark brown hair. “... So that I can pay the rent in this, I won’t use a swear word, expensive city. Hey, the shop is offering promotion for birthdays, can be yours or someone else you know.”
So, would it mean a discount?”
Yeah. You’ll receive an email confirmation. It’s not on our website as yet.”
Sure, well I’ll give you mine,” the woman replies, as Zabel hands her a pen and a small blank card.
Hang on, I gotta something better. I’ll guess your birth date and star sign. Take out your phone, open the calculator. But, don’t write anything on the card as yet.”
The woman takes out her phone.
Think of the day you were born and the month. And don’t tell me. Multiply the month you were born by Five, equal every equation…
The woman complies looking down at her phone.
...Add Six, multiply by Four, add Nine, then multiply by Five, equal. Now, add the day you were born. Equal the equation. Write it down what you have on your phone onto the card.”
Writing it down, she hands the card back to Zabel, who looks at the number, which is written as Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven.
She then looks at the woman standing in front of her.
You were born on the Twenty-Second of June. Which makes your star sign Cancer.”
That’s incredible. How did you do that?”
Zabel doesn’t immediately answer her question, but rather replies with an offer.
I also do Tarot card readings. If you’re interested.”
Maybe. My mind is kinda blown at the moment on how you knew my birth date and month. Thanks for the soap...Best be going, well good luck with the show.”
Thank you...” Zabel replies, as the woman leaves the shop. Watching her leave, she whispers to herself. “...And your age is about Twenty Two. So easily distracted...
Zabel, using the same pen writes the number One Hundred and Sixty Five beneath the young woman’s scrawled number of Seven Hundred and Eighty Seven. With her right hand, Zabel lifts up the shop’s calculator from under the counter. Looking at the equation she had typed in, without the young woman being aware of 787-165 which equals 622.
...I’m not that good at math,” she chuckles to herself.
She rips up the card.


___



Reading:  "Sybil of Doom"  from RITUALS OF THE ANTITHETICAL (A.Glass 2023)  

Comments