Free The Straight Crimes by Matt Juhl Page A

soft velvet smelled like a dingy attic.
    Over the fireplace, a sharp battle ax was valorously displayed as if to boast—or taunt. Whatever its purpose, she found it incredibly unsettling.
    “You finally came,” a hushed voice called from the darkness of the long, dreary hallway.
    Harper gasped. She turned and saw a black shadow slinking towards her. Along with it were the soft glow of candlelight and the click-clack of footsteps across the wooden floorboards.
    “Don’t be frightened. The power has been going on and off all morning.” The dark figure stopped at the foot of the grand staircase. She ran her hands through the long, brown curls, cascading down her side.
    The woman was exceptionally tall, wearing tight, black jeans and an oversized matching blouse that shrouded her frail waist. It wasn’t how Harper imagined she’d look.
    "Are you the psychic?”
    The woman offered her hand. “Yes, darling, I’m Brielle.”
    She extended her hand. “Harper—”
    “I know.”
    She reluctantly returned the gesture. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    “Charmed, I’m sure.”
    Brielle’s pure white skin let off a haunting glow that mesmerized Harper. She couldn’t take her eyes off the captivating stranger.
    "So, you knew I was comin’?"
    "I knew you'd come, eventually. Now please, have a seat."
    The rickety chair appeared to be pulled out for her from the table. However, Harper had seen it pushed in just moments earlier. A troubled feeling suddenly washed over her.
    Brielle sat directly across the table. Her discerning gaze burned as if she could see directly into Harper’s mind.
    The psychic slowly parted her lips, letting out a heavy breath. Then she revealed an oversized tarot deck and began shuffling the pile.
    Harper cleared her throat and nervously spun the ends of her side ponytail around her fingers. She was astounded by the woman’s precision as she handled the cards.
    Without making eye contact, Brielle whispered, "What a beautiful necklace."
    "Thank you." Harper smiled, running her fingers across the heart-shaped pendant.
    "It’s strangely familiar, as if I’ve seen it before.”
    “Oh, you’ve seen one like it?”
    “No, that very same one you’re wearing. It’s just a question of where. I’m having so many visions right now that I can’t place it in time or space.” Her ice blue eyes widened as she looked into Harper’s. “Wait a moment, I see it now, but someone else is wearing it, another woman. Had you lost it at some point?”
    “Never, and no one’s ever worn it besides me.”
    “Are you sure about that?”
    “Yeah, I am.”
    “I see.” Despite her absolute certainty over the charm, Brielle sensed Harper’s skepticism and digressed.
    She gently placed the tarot cards in front of her. "Cut the deck for me, love."
    Harper quickly obeyed.
    Brielle reached across the table and moved one pile away and positioned the other one directly between them. She slowly ran her fingers across the top card and parted her blood red lips to speak. However, before any words came out of her mouth, she stopped and stared at the empty space around them.
    Growing nervous, Harper peered over her shoulder.
    "Relax. You can’t see the things I do.”
    "What are you seein’?”
    “Mostly energies and spirits. They’re always around me. They come and go as they so choose, but this was their world first, so I let them be.”
    “Do they talk to you?”
    “Some will, yes. Others choose not to. There’s a small boy that sits on my window ledge every night who never says a single word.”
    “That’d scare the hell outta me.”
    “No, he’s a harmless spirit, so I don’t mind him lingering around. I figure one of th ese days he’ll tell me what he wants, most of them do.”
    “So how about right now? What do you see?”
    "Don’t be alarmed, but I see hands. Each pair is reaching for you."
    "Hands, whose are they?”
    "I don’t see any faces, only the hands, but some images don’t always make perfect