The Future
A Spooky West Virginia Folktale
by S.E. Schlosser
She was nervous and excited as she approached the psychic's store. Normally, she didn't go in for fortune telling. But her best friend had visited the psychic a few months ago, and everything the woman had predicted came true. Everything! The new boyfriend, the new job, the marriage proposal, a small win in the local lottery. Obviously, the psychic was a genius!
The room she entered was surprisingly open and pleasant. She smelled coffee in the air, and fresh flowers were on a stand by the window. She smiled to herself. Somehow, she had pictured an old gypsy caravan and a dark-haired woman in flowing robes. But the pert, crisp woman approaching her did not look psychic at all.
They sat down at the table, and the woman did a reading of her palm. The psychic frowned a bit in concentration. Then the psychic asked if she would like a Tarot card reading too -- free of charge. That was different from what had happened to her best friend. For a moment she felt a trace of unease. Then she shrugged and said okay.
The psychic studied the cards carefully. Then she looked at her palm one more time. Finally, the psychic looked up into her eyes, realized that she was feeling nervous, and said soothingly: "Your future is very clear, my dear. I've recently changed my policies, and now put my predictions in a sealed envelope for my customers to read in the privacy of their homes. It is to show customers my credibility in the psychic arts -- that I am not "reading their expressions", but have truly seen something in the palm and cards."
She blinked a bit, but was impressed. It made sense, after a fashion. The psychic had asked her no questions at all, just read her palm and the cards. So any prediction she put in the envelope would be proof of her powers. The psychic hurried into a back room, where she could hear the faint sound of pen and paper. Then the woman returned with an envelope.
"Thank you," she said to the psychic, and shook her hand. Then she hurried out to the car, eager to get home and read the predictions in the envelope. What would they be? A rich husband? A career change? Travel to exotic places?
She had just pulled out into the fast lane on the highway when a semi-truck swerved to miss a careless sedan that pulled into the lane right in front of it. She had a single glimpse of a massive shape coming toward her when the truck slammed into her car, crushing it completely against the cement divider.
When the girl's body was removed from the wreckage, the envelope was found lying beside her. It was presented to her grieving parents, who opened it. The note inside contained four words: "You have no future."
Story contributed by Jim Harold from the Paranormal Podcast. Listen to his interview with S.E. Schlosser in which he tells his own version of "The Future".
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Comments
omg its a little scary well i got to go
Posted by: vanessa rodriguez | October 8, 2008 11:04 AM
hi
Posted by: hi | October 8, 2008 10:35 PM
it was unexpected but it was ok
Posted by: Tatina Clark | October 9, 2008 01:17 PM
that was a creepy cool story! I love it! defintielt the surprise twist in the end and when it said you have no future!
Posted by: becky | October 10, 2008 06:43 AM
OMG that was freaki and unexpected.
Posted by: nicole | October 10, 2008 03:22 PM
it was really unexpected and really cool i love scary stories lol it wasnt that scary
Posted by: Anonymous | October 10, 2008 08:14 PM
oooooo....spooky....
Posted by: demi lorey | October 11, 2008 09:10 AM
omg wtf it is so omg i know dude lmao that is so wierd omg ahhhhhhhhh
Posted by: nina | October 14, 2008 12:58 PM
It was ok. This story wasnt scary but it was interesting!!!
Posted by: Sarah | October 17, 2008 11:09 PM
When she didn't open the envelope I was really curious to what was written inside, but then, it was really unexcepted! Cool Story!
Posted by: Diana | October 18, 2008 04:51 AM
the girl in the story is a complete dumb*** and doesnt know how to drive
Posted by: Alejandro Guzman | October 21, 2008 11:47 AM
Dude that is like totaly awesome!!!! very unexpected
Posted by: Robert | October 21, 2008 01:26 PM
omys that was a good story but a bit long
Posted by: coralee | October 21, 2008 04:11 PM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL JK
Posted by: coco | October 21, 2008 07:56 PM
storie so cool might go back on it one day anyway watch out it is almost halloween
Posted by: angela .m. serrano | October 23, 2008 06:21 AM
wow that was very interesting and not so scary.....
Posted by: johanna | October 23, 2008 01:31 PM
due this is the kooliest story eva yo...lol...so...yea...wait what was i talkin bout again???
Posted by: yo | October 28, 2008 07:26 PM
I really like the story. I like that it seemed really thought out when you read it. It was more freaky than scary.
Posted by: JellyBellyEllie | October 29, 2008 12:51 PM
its not really scary but its also wierd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: jessica | October 30, 2008 08:18 AM
i dont think its that scary
Posted by: Anonymous | October 30, 2008 09:25 PM
this story was so sad but it was also very realistic!!!!!!!
Posted by: noel | October 31, 2008 11:30 AM
There should've been more to it! But it was gooood
Posted by: Anonymous | November 3, 2008 12:05 PM
not scary just weird
Posted by: Anonymous | November 16, 2008 08:00 PM
OMG.........that was kind of scary saing *you have no future*o_O........
Posted by: itssakurabitchh | November 27, 2008 04:34 PM
That was creepe!its okay
Posted by: Carolina Santos | November 30, 2008 12:57 PM
THAT WAS REALY SCARY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:@
Posted by: Amber Gainey | December 4, 2008 06:26 PM
OMG THAT WAS LIKE SCARY.
Posted by: whitney hardin | December 13, 2008 10:48 PM
That was pretty spooky, I shivered when they found out that the envelope said 'You have no future.' :)
Posted by: Megan | December 30, 2008 05:51 PM
lol you have no future mean but obviously true kina sad..;DD
Posted by: Meagan | January 1, 2009 10:12 PM
that was cool...............
Posted by: rebecca | January 2, 2009 08:59 AM
i wish i had something more misterious but it was still good.
Posted by: lauren | January 4, 2009 01:28 PM
omg i had no idea that was gonna happen!!! i thought it was gonna say something like you will get into a car crash or somethin but that was awesome!!!
Posted by: raven | February 21, 2009 04:12 PM
This sotire spooks me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Yazmine | February 21, 2009 11:57 PM
it was ok i guuuuuuess :\
Posted by: scarlett | March 16, 2009 05:53 PM
I love these endings! When the people die and somone finds something. It just makes you want to hear more, but your left wondering what happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Bo | March 25, 2009 06:58 PM
i could see that comeing
Posted by: dyllon | March 26, 2009 12:47 PM
so scary!
Posted by: Anonymous | March 31, 2009 05:14 PM
interesting, but short.
Posted by: random person | April 10, 2009 01:36 PM
A very good story. The context is well put and above average than some stories here. The build up was pleasant and just perfect; not too long and not too short. I imagined the letter saying "You will die by ____" or something along those lines but what you had written was nothing short of brilliant. This story is definitely one of my favorites.
Posted by: QuarterCentre | April 17, 2009 12:42 AM
nice story but the ending isnt the best no offence maybe u can change it a little but it was still good
Posted by: rikk | April 22, 2009 12:03 AM
Great Miss Sandy! Great!!
Posted by: Coley | April 22, 2009 09:24 PM
HOLY CRAPY!
SCARRRY MAN!! SCARYYY!
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 26, 2009 06:12 PM
coooool! she had no future. why?she died!
Posted by: emily | April 28, 2009 07:55 PM
diisss Storyy wzz nice....i luvved it :) :) :)
Posted by: aisha | May 7, 2009 04:39 AM
OMG
Posted by: Anonymous | May 13, 2009 11:10 AM
that was a sweet story , I LOVED IT!!!!!!! the build up was perfect , it made the story even MORE! interesting! & it wasn't to long OR! to short!!!! Email me more of your storie's!
Posted by: Maddy* | May 26, 2009 10:06 PM
Very Scary!
Posted by: Maybeleine | May 31, 2009 07:14 AM
HOLY SH**T, that just f**ed up my mind right now... omg
Posted by: Gobbeer | June 29, 2009 11:37 AM
well i wouldve read it right in the physic's shop
Posted by: marcus | July 22, 2009 12:46 AM
it's ok
Posted by: Jonathan | July 30, 2009 07:55 PM
this wasnt scary, but it was creepy!! i loved the ending, very interesting!
Posted by: omg | July 31, 2009 04:34 AM
how amazing!
Posted by: sarah cullen | August 6, 2009 11:53 AM
oh shoot .
Posted by: michael-jackson lover | August 11, 2009 05:56 PM
what ever i hirdt scarier
Posted by: vanessa | August 26, 2009 09:41 PM
wow....not scary at all!
Posted by: carolina | August 30, 2009 07:55 PM
I liked it! Just wish there was more to the story.
Posted by: Tammy | October 6, 2009 01:50 PM
y didnt she just warn her n it wouldnt happen.
Posted by: Anonymous | October 23, 2009 07:50 PM
ummm OMG that was so Wierd How she just knew that she was going to die like that....YOU HAVE NO FUTURE WOWZERZ
Posted by: MM | October 27, 2009 07:54 PM
Will, I saw that coming unlike the semi-truck that the girl DIDN'T see coming hahahahahaaaaaaha
Posted by: nealne | October 29, 2009 12:53 AM
wow that was cool
Posted by: WOW | March 18, 2010 11:47 AM
excellent story....... i love it......... :D
Posted by: katy | March 27, 2010 04:47 PM
kindof expected... but still really good
Posted by: Anonymous | June 12, 2010 01:31 PM
Well even if she read the letter or had been warned it wouldn't of done a bit of good. It was her fate to die it would of just been worse cuz she would be scared and tried to avoid dying and could of suffered a worse death like a slow and painful 1 instead of an almost instant death which she probably died of.
Posted by: Thomas | July 20, 2010 03:43 AM
and thats why you dont do things while your driving. :D
Posted by: lil red | July 21, 2010 02:33 PM