Eye Of The Fortuneteller

19

“There must be another way!” Drew protested.

“No. No other way,” Gregor stated.

“Maybe Madame Valda left something in your shack?” Drew turned to Zandra.

“Umm. Let me think…”

“She didn’t have anything except that stupid deck of cards,” Kelsey interrupted.

“Kelsey!” Drew exclaimed. “That’s it! The card! You still have the Fool card! That belonged to Madame Valda!”

Kelsey’s face lit up. She started rummaging through her backpack to find it. “You’re right! We do have something that belongs to Madame Valda.” She laughed. “And here it is!” Kelsey pulled the Fool card out of her bag.

“I’m not sure this will work,” Gregor said, taking the card from Kelsey to examine it.

“What do you mean?” Drew shouted. “Of course it will work. It’s Madame Valda’s card!”

“Yes, I know,” Gregor started to explain. “But the book suggests using an article of clothing or jewelry.”

“Yeah,” Kelsey snapped. “But we don’t have an article of clothing or jewelry. We have a card. Besides, the book doesn’t say you can’t use a card, right?”

“No,” Gregor admitted, flipping through the pages. “It doesn’t.”

“Then this will work!” Drew exclaimed. “This will break the curse!”

Gregor handed the card back to Kelsey. “Yes,” he agreed. “This should break the curse!”

The crowd of gypsies cheered.

Kelsey stared down at the card in her hand.

The Fool’s haunting face grinned up at her. But this time Kelsey grinned back. She was going to break the curse. Now she was sure of it.

“Approach the fire,” Gregor instructed as the crowd fell silent.

Kelsey took a deep breath. Then she stepped up to the flames.

The heat of the fire stung her cheeks – so she backed off, standing just close enough to toss in the card.

“Here goes,” she whispered to herself.

She lifted her arm, ready to throw – and the fire began to crackle.

She lowered the card to her side. She glanced around. Then she began again.

But as she raised her arm, the fire’s gentle flicker roared to a blaze.

Kelsey jumped back.

The flames soared higher and higher. Hot sparks shot out from their tops.

“What’s going on?” she screamed at Gregor.

But Gregor didn’t answer. Kelsey could see his face in the glow of the blaze. He looked terrified. He edged back – away from the circle of gypsies.

Kelsey moved in toward the flames.

I have to throw this card in! I have to!

“Hurry!” Drew shouted. “Throw it! Throw it before it’s too late!”

Kelsey swung her arm back and-BOOM!

The fire exploded in her face. And the flames leaped out – leaped out to grab her!

She screamed and screamed. And when she finally stopped, she heard a terrifying sound. A sound she had heard once before. A sound she would never forget. The sound of Madame Valda’s evil, haunting laugh.