The Fortuneteller
Is
out
A short-ish Story in Five Acts
By Serafina Goodnight
The Fortuneteller is Out © 2019-2023 by Serafina Goodnight is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Cast List
Rose/Sebastian (in Disguise as Violet)(15)- Violet’s Twin
Violet (in Disguise as Sebastian)(15) - Rose’s Twin
Hunter (18)- Violet’s Boyfriend
Darren (15)- That one guy
Em (14)- Violet’s Best Friend (Girl)
Joel (14)- Violet’s Best Friend (Boy)
Jasper/The Clown (38)- Technician, Actor (By Necessity), Team Dad.
Tara Blessed/Abigail (24)- Actress (Townie), Fortuneteller, Fool.
Roxy Femm/Morgan (28)- Actress(whatever, man), magician, girlboss.
Jesse Fitzgerald/Blair (18)- Entertainer, contortionist, force of nature.
And introducing...
Mallory Hayward/Guenevere (22) Actress (The Star), Queen of Roses, Dreamer
ACT ONE, SCENE ONE
ONCE UPON A TIME
Back when we still lived in Autumn- or just outside
In a town like that you can’t even call it a suburb.
We had one floor and two bedrooms: one for Violet and Myself, and one for our mother.
It was mid-afternoon in late September, and the sun was in my eyes. Violet- my sister - was painting a picture of herself on my face in the sunlight, which was just now yellowing into orange with age.
I felt similar
‘I’m getting too old for this’ - I realized the thought had completed its evolution into speech too late.
“This will be the last year, I promise” said as she dragged an eyeliner pencil across the edges of my eyes- I struggled to keep them open in the light - we didn’t have any ring lights, or a fancy makeup vanity until….well, later- but V knew plenty about vanity.
“ I just don’t know if it’s going to work this time”
“It will” she stopped making me up for a moment and stuffed her hair under the hat that ‘I’ only wore once a year.
I
<3
The Autumn Faire
Was set against a black snap-back hat.
We had gone to the Autumn Faire on the opening night every year, since even before dad left, before Violet and I had started swapping places with each other, first at outings and then - rarely- at school.
For the longest time, the Faire was just ‘The Faire’ to me. I’d learn, many years later, when I came home, that the Autumn Faire had been founded during the late ‘70s and was deeply tied to the new-age and witchier sides of culture at the time by it’s founder, Arthur Castillo- known in the park for many years as simply King Arthur-
But then, before that night, it was just the place we went…somewhere between a Renaissance Faire and a Theme Park.
“Besides….Are you Listening?” I refocused on my sister and nodded slightly.
“We’ve never been caught before” And she took to styling my allegedly too long hair to look as much like hers as possible.
It was true: we had been successfully weaving in and out of each other’s shoes without incident.
But….Puberty was creeping onto my skin and body, threatening to take all of that away. I had noticed the beginning of some hairs on my face and, although I had been quick to cut them down, a shadow remained. The makeup will cover it up, I repeated what Violet had told me.
And yet, it wasn’t just my changes that scared me.
“Let’s go over it one more time” Violet said as she stuffed more filler into the push-up bra she had bought specifically for this occasion.
“Okay. First, there’s Hunter. Hunter is your b…”
“My,”
“Hunter is my Boyfriend. He’s a big-shot on the baseball team and he also plays online games with his friend. Recently he’s gotten handsy.” Honestly, Hunter scared me the most. He spent the third-most amount of time with Violet. He had dove head first into his hormones.. Everyone knew what he wanted, but Violet swore that she had been able to pressure him into waiting.
I would have to pray that nothing about the night turned….romantic.
“I’ve told him that I’m going to be hanging out more with Judy to help me develop my novel,” there was no novel “and to make it up to him next Wednesday”
“Thursday”
“Next Thursday”
“Good- What else?”
“He…..” I honestly could not remember if my note-card had anything else about Hunter.
“He has some kind of tournament on Sunday.” Violet finished my thought “I can’t remember if it’s Jock shit or Nerd shit. It- I,”
She stared dead into my face.
“What?”
“You look great!
Couple more things, though”
“So that-”
“Darren is going to be there”
“Tonight?”
“No, at the tournament- so it’s probably Nerd shit
But also yes, tonight”
I stuffed down a gasp. Darren was the closest my Sister’s circle and mine came to intersecting. Things had been weird recently though.
Even with that in mind: Darren never ‘showed up’ to anything…..Moving on.
“Joel is coming too- Joel is my best friend who happens to also be a guy” I tried to rush down the list.
“You can just say….
Huh, weird”
“Yeah, no there’s no normal way to say that.” I sighed “Do you have to have two best friends?”
“Yes”
“....Okay”
“With Joel…..Just be normal”
“What does that mean?
Oh, what’s your passcode again?” I asked, and Violet showed me the pattern before pulling me close.
“Don’t get too close and make your boyfriend jealous” she stopped, looking up for a moment “but also don’t push him away”
I nodded and started working my way into the dress that Violet had laid out for me, And we talked about Em- Violet’s best friend who just happened to be a girl. She was rich, but she was also the only person either of us knew who gave any sort of damn about social justice- at the time I’ll confess I found it annoying. Now, I miss her bravery.
She, too, might have been in love with Violet…
She was in the back seat in between Darren and ‘Me’ (my sister’s imitation was effortlessly flawless) While I rode shotgun next to Hunter, who was Driving.
“You excited about tonight, babe?” and honestly I was. I loved the Faire so much and- if their website was to be believed- tonight would be an opening night like no other.
“Babe?”
I had been spacing out- watching the road
“Yeah, I guess!” nice save,
At least it’s something to do~” I added Violet’s signature lilt.
Meanwhile, Violet had been alternating between talking to our friends and looking behind us to make sure Joel was still following us.
“Good~” Hunter put his hand on my thigh. It was cold, and his knuckles were still lighter from his death grip on the wheel.
“Did it really get dark all of the sudden?” Em noticed, and she was right.
The winding road that cut through the Autumn Forest was almost shrouded in darkness.
It was still relatively early, perhaps the night had gotten us by surprise- perhaps the trees blocked out the evening sun.
Either way,it was dark in the road- in the car- aside from our headlights.
And then, the torches.
Fire warmed the air and guided us to the parking lot next to the gate, which- wreathed in torchlight and twilight- read
Welcome,
All Dreamers,
to the
Kingdom of Autumn
Though the word ‘King’ had been crossed out in red paint.
I realized I had been staring in open mouthed wonder at my surroundings since the first fire had come into sight.
Next to the gate was a rainbow colored clown- standing as the only defense between the land of my dreams and a now growing line of lesser fools- who looked down at us through green glasses that sat perfectly atop the lines under their eyes. As we waited for others to go ahead of us, we all talked about this and that.
My rehearsal was tested
I don’t remember the conversation well, but it probably went something like this.
“Packed this year, huh?” as he spoke, Hunter put his arm around me. It felt weird because we were standing, like it was an awkward family photo.
“I feel like it’s the same amount of people as usual,
They just ain’t usually got a line” Em responded first.
“Maybe~” I again lilted “I just hope we don’t have to stand around too long.”
“Lol” my sister-brother said aloud- my shame.
“At the end of year celebration, this one” me “was voted ‘eager beaver’”
“There’s no way that’s a real thing
Gross” Hunter squeezed my shoulder. It was a real thing. Again, shame.
“ Yeah, why the fuck are you so weird?” one thing about this disguise is that I could see from a safe distance how others felt about ‘the real me’ or at least the me that my sister imagined me to be.
“Did any of you see the trailer for…” It was probably something dorky, that would date this story interesting- but I was staring at Darren’s Lips as he talked about it.
“I don’t really watch movie trailers any more- kind of show too much”
“Spoilers aren’t real, but go off,
Well, I’m really excited for it. Ever feel like a movie changed the way you see the world?”
“Not yet~” I said
“Well that’s how I felt about the first one. You really should see it” Darren moved his lips some more. Hunter’s only challenge was a baritone chuckle.
“Yeah, you watch too many movies” Em added.
“Welcome!” cracked the voice of the Clown . His greeting had gotten more faint with each party he ushered in.
“Autumn has Arrived- At last!”
“Huh” Hunter laughed again.
“Here, is a map of the kingdom with a recommended order of events if you want to get the full story..”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“There’s a story this year”
“Quite” the Clown’s eyebrows furrowed just above their glasses.
“Look, If you do not wish to follow the storyline, we ask that you not get in the way of those that do
And....please,” They looked at Hunter directly.
“The people of Autumn are not here to be ridiculed and they do not wish to be…treated indecently by outsiders and their children”
They looked back at the rest of us
“If you follow these simple rules I’m sure you’ll have a great time- Oh! I’m Jasper, and I do hope you’ll show up to the Tourney at Ten
There is to be a challenge to choose the newest ruler of Autumn and this Never happens- Never! Arthur-king was good to us these many years, but it is time for someone new”
“What happened to him?” I asked , eager for lore.
“Oh, he retired. Have a great time” Jasper held out their hat- for a moment none of us understood the gesture, but Em dropped a few crumpled up dollars into the hat.
“Thank you” they bowed, and we slowly moved past the gate.
Though there were still many torches, most of the light was now coming from lamps shaped like curled tree branches holding- hand like- orbs of many different colors.
It was easy to follow the green lights to the first stop in the brochure
The witches^3
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACT ONE, SCENE TWO
‘Alright, let’s go over it one more time’ Roxy said, dabbing a tissue against her forehead to ensure that her makeup remained in place.
‘I think we have it down pretty good, Rox’ Tara responded- all three: her, Roxy, and Jesse were quite tired at this point.
Rehearsals had gone on for a period of months leading up to opening
On from a more competitive than usual Audition process.
‘Character names only. You don’t get to drop character anymore’
‘Do we have to Ro- Morgan? ‘Tis hours until opening.’
‘Abigail, dearest, (sighs) what do you want most in the world?’ Morgan looked down at Abigail as she spoke- she stood a head taller than Blair, who already towered over Abigail.
‘I guess I want to get paid enough that I can actually call this a job’
‘Then you understand my dedication to quality. Quality means-’
‘Means a happy audience’
‘Which means….’ she gestured for Abigail to finish her thought.
Abigail stood silent.
‘More Tips?’
‘More Tips’
‘More Tips!’ Blair had been quiet up till now, but even she knew what Morgan and Abigail were, nominally, here for.
‘Can we get started, then? I promised Jasper that we would get dinner before opening’
Morgan Glared at Blair.
‘It will be a small dinner.’
Morgan stood, statuesque.
‘I can redo my makeup in no-time at all. If we get started now I’ll have plenty of time!’
‘Alright! From “wander”’
Abigail
“Wander, as you will
Roam, as you like it. Many paths you will find to pass the space and find the time….”
____________________________________________________________________________
ACT ONE, SCENE 3
Some hours later, but not many….
Tara Blessed, known to her audience as Abigail Williams- The pilgrim witch, and fortune telling lady to all of autumn- stood in front of the cheval mirror that stood in the corner of her tent, Laying a (measured and perfect) seven feet from the table at the center.
A Table upon which, at the time, sat a crystal ball- an ashtray - and a stack of cards.
Tara looked and was satisfied, as far as she could be, with the costume and her makeup. Though she thought to herself that she looked a little more “Addams Family” than “The Crucible”, she knew that those who would understand the reference (High Schoolers forced to read the play and theAtre addled gay weirdos) would understand regardless.
‘Magic Mirror…’
As if to answer an unspoken question, she saw another woman walk in like a wisp of smoke from the darkness.
‘My queen…’ Tara said in her best faux Yorkshire.
‘Please none of that right now, Tara. I’m…’ her elegance crumbled, hands clenching and extending, but clearly shaking.
‘Okay you’re freaking out. Cool’
‘Yeah…’
‘What’s up?’
‘You know how I said that I could handle the pressure’
‘You mean when you said it after the audition or the dozen and a half times you’ve said it since?’
‘Oh fuck oh God.’ She looked hastily through the curtain to make sure no one was there.
‘I’m not ready.’
‘Heavy is the head…’
‘Fuck Shakespeare. I’m having to manage literally all of this. The regulars are breathing down my neck- they’re all expecting me to fill Arthur’s shoes and they don’t know that even he couldn’t fill his shoes’
‘Was he filling them with…’
‘Tara,’
‘Have you spoken with him?’
‘Not since the middle of August. Not even Adrian will tell me where he is’
‘R U N N O F T.’ Tara looked for a smile, and was disappointed. ‘There’s a reason I’m joking around, babe..’
‘Is it because you believe in me?’ still not even the trail of a smile. Just those massive eyes.
‘That too.’
‘Then what?’
‘I’m feeling the same way. You know I’ve never read the cards outside of rehearsal?’
‘There was that time..’
‘You don’t count, Mal’ Tara sat down and pushed one layer of her cards in so they were again perfectly stacked ‘you just don’t’
‘I don’t even know if I know all the cards, to be honest. My lines? Easy. But these meanings and possible twistings of meanings just keep slipping out of my brain’
‘You’re lucky.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I can actually help with this’ she pointed her open palm to the cards ‘may I?’
Tara nodded and Mallory took the deck and turned it over,
Looking through cards like a deck of trading cards
‘First of all, when you’re reading, you aren’t dealing in fate’ she took one card and left it on the table, capsized, and said ‘So you don’t have to let it make the rules.’ she picked another
And then another. Tara watched, wild-eyed.
‘Now you don’t have to do it like this, I would suggest ordering your deck prior to your reading’
‘Based on what?’
‘That’s the tricky part, because you have to get a read on the person you’re reading’
‘Oh’ Tara said, voice wavering.
‘Don’t worry about that right now. I’ll give you the wheel when your hands are steady’
‘Or when we open and you don’t have any choice’
‘I mean, if I feel like you’re not ready, I Do have the authority to fire you…’ Mallory said with a playful grin.
‘Oh..’
‘...or just reduce the amount of responsibility on you. But don’t worry about that now’ she tapped on the table with the long nail on her index finger ‘Less scrupulous fortune- tellers will go to honestly disturbing lengths to get to know their marks. I’ve heard of people looking folks up on social media, but obviously we can’t do that here. Not enough time and besides…
…Wi-fi is spotty in the park.’
‘Where did you learn all of this?’ Tara asked.
‘Mom went through a phase when we were set up at the flea market back home.’ Ah, the dream-market of our youth ‘Things got boring at times, so she taught me what she knew’
‘I bet she was a sight to behold’
‘Shh. Right now you don’t know me and I don’t know you. Let’s begin…
What’s your name, my dear?’
‘Tara…Tara Blessed’ She paused, wondering for a moment if she should use her character name.
‘Beautiful name, by the way’
‘Thank you’
‘Tell me a little bit about yourself. As personal or shallow of details as you want’
‘Yeah…Well, I’m Tara Blessed, I live in upstate New York- pretty close to here, actually - but I commute into the city a lot with my best friend, we take acting classes together’
‘So you’re an actress’
‘I want to be’
‘You aren’t acting outside of class right now?’
‘No, I am- I just. I work at a theme park. It’s hardly prestigious.’
‘....So you’re an actress’
‘Yes’
‘I’m something of an artist, myself’ she waved her hands around to indicate the space ‘obviously,’
Tara watched Mallory’s hands as she spoke. Dark hands, elegant and feminine- even more than hers, which had been scarred by various burns and the hard work she’d taken on to get enough money to move as close to the city as she could. The hands started to shuffle the cards
‘And the thing that I’ve asked myself a lot lately is….when was the last time your art actually touched someone?’ Her voice lost its affect for a moment as she asked the question.
‘What?’ Tara asked
‘When was the last time you saw someone in the audience and you could just tell they could see exactly what you wanted them to- and it was changing them with every line, every expression, every gesture?’
‘Oh.’ Tara tried to think, leading to a moment of nearly uncomfortable silence ‘I guess I’ve never thought of my art like that’
‘Then why are you doing it?’
‘Mainly as a job. I know if I do well enough, I’ll never have to work in another factory again’
‘Is that why you started? Is that why the dream was born?’ The shuffling of the cards slowed, showing Tara the artifice on display- Mallory was moving the cards, shifting ten, maybe twenty at once to the bottom of the deck…but never the cards on the very top, the cards that she would draw for the reading. Those, she had already chosen.
‘No.’
‘Why, then…if you don’t mind my asking’
‘When I was a kid, there was this movie- Driftwood Girls. One of my friends had used a fancy machine to copy it to tapes for each of the girls in our little friend group.The quality was so bad’ She laughed, and felt a pull deep in her throat telling her that the story didn’t need repeating ‘but that only made it more magical. It was this movie about a…dream place. Some island, where all these people lived. But there was one of them, her name was Anna, and I loved her story so much- but even more, the actress who played her. Her eyes, the way her hair looked in the grainy sunlight, the colors of the clothes she wore….I wore that tape out.’ the lump pulled harder, and she covered her mouth as the tears welled in her eyes.
‘Hey….Tara, it’s okay’ Mallory and Tara had come from the same place. She put a hand on Tara’s shoulder ‘Do you think you’re ready for me to read you?’
‘Yeah’ Tara gripped her face for a moment and blinked a few times to scare away the tears.
‘Alright. It’s only going to be a three card spread, just so you know’ Mallory cut the deck, still keeping the cards she wanted at the top- then she tapped the top of the deck with her index fingernail before pointing her finger up towards the sky.
‘Tara Blessed, your past- a tunnel with no end, leading only to the void from whence you came, and that you can never return to’ and she turned over the first card…