The Oracle
“Next” called the receptionist as the number 31 flashed above her head. I looked at the 31 stamped on the back of my hand and rose to my feet.
The receptionist looked up briefly avoiding my eyes “Through the yellow door” she instructed.
Straightening my shoulders I tugged down my jacket and walked slowly to the yellow door; as I neared the door silently swung open. Entering, I quickly glanced around the room. It featured a burly man in a suit behind the broad desk and one chair set squarely in front of the desk.
Without looking up the man barked out “Sit”
I sat down in the uncomfortable chair; this was not going to be pleasant.
The man finished entering data and sat back and looked straight at me. Not many could look me directly in the face. I tucked away the thought that I was facing a formidable opponent.
“You state your occupation as Oracle”
“Correct” I responded
Briefly he looked down and read from his screen. Raising his eyes he asked “What was your relationship to the deceased”
“I didn’t have a relationship with him” I responded
“You didn’t have a relationship, yet you called in his death”
“He was a petitioner; I didn’t have a relationship with him”
“So, just whar did you have with him?” he challenged.
“An appointment for a prophecy.”
“What prophecy?“ he barked back.
I smiled slightly “You know there is no answer to that question” I replied. “My disc turned yellow and I rang it in as required”
He rose from the desk and moved around to the front looming threateningly over me.
“You know what happened to him and you will tell me. Either of your own accord or through whatever means we have to get the information out of your head.”
“Inspector, threats won’t change what is. I gave the petitioner the prophecy and it is no longer in my head. I don’t know what prophecy I gave to him. I came to; the disc was yellow indicating death had been spoken. I rang it in as required”
He dropped into my lap some papers. I looked down and my eyes were trapped by the dead gaze of the petitioner, his bloodless corpse ripped open and emptied leaving only skin and bone. The ugly picture printed itself onto my brain. I was glad I had not eaten this morning as my stomach tried to turn itself inside out.
I raised my head and felt the world receding as I went into a trance my white pupil-less eyes wide and beginning to glow as the prophecy came into being.
Danger threatens in sterile white;
Lost children return with teeth;
Three lines converge;
As wind-borne spectres harvest;
Death howls and souls are freed.
Words released into being I collapsed eyes closing, everything shutting down.
A few minutes later I came back to my senses I looked down at the disc embedded in my palm. It glowed yellow. I raised my head and looked at the Inspector across the desk. He was busy on phone and screen. Without looking up he dismissed me with “That’s all we need today, you can go”
I knew he was a formidable opponent, push the Oracle had enough emotionally and she will revert to prophecy. I tapped the time into my wrist link and printed off a bill for my fee, stood and pushed it across the screen in over the data he was busy with. Turned on my heel and left before my stomach decided to rebel as I thought of the petitioner’s flayed body.
