Ending Unknown

Elvira grew up being told her fate was decided. Prior to her birth there was prophecy that her family had been fulfilling from the baker who married the traveling Gypsies youngest child up until recently with her whole family dying before her tenth birthday. And our young hero had grown skeptical because did not screw up her knees in the dark forest from a fall. However on her sixteenth birthday her arm did nearly meet a ghastly fate from a crocodile that thought she was a tasty treat.

A question brewed for her was she able to stop what was next or was she slightly bound to some version of what they said.

Elvira wanted to know what was next because unlike the rest of her family she didn’t have one to two lines about how her life would go. Instead there were several scrolls she hadn’t read.

The priests said it wouldn’t work if she knew the end as she might try to cause those circumstances to happen. Then everyone would question was this man made or from the higher order that dictates humans lives.

She wasn’t interested in the higher order which allowed her the space to try and research what fate she was avoiding. At the pit of her stomach was a suspicion that they were unwilling to let her know it was a simple human sacrifice to assuage the gods and goddess. Or even there was some perilous danger at the edge of town that she might die fighting. Despite the fact that she knew it couldn’t be good, the curiosity lingered on.

Jacob was a good friend and also the high priest son. He was charming, good looking, and non chalant without any effort. He would have been masterful pick pocket in a larger town or a traveling showman who swindles money with ease. Because he knew it was too small of town to not be missed or caught he laid off such easy acts of juvenile behavior.

It was a beautiful day with a light breeze and tall grass that one could get lost in. She felt a slight tickle of grass against her face. Elvira turned her head towards Jacob. “Hey, I wonder what’s in the scrolls.”

“No, idea and thought you didn’t believe in all that anymore.”

She rolls her eyes. “Ten generations of accurate predictions and one is off still has me curiously unsettled.”

“Sure, but maybe it’s an indication that something has changed. Maybe people’s anticipation is there own stupidity.”

There was a bright smile and a playful arm hit when she said “I would love that and yet I cannot help but think the one mistake was to put me at ease. Not that I should drop my guard and assume someone else will take my place.”

“You know I heard this wild story from one of the travelers. It was about a boy whose family died when he was ten. He was supposed to nearly lose his arm to a crocodile but instead he messed up his knees running through a dark forest.”

He looks at her playfully.

She is startled. “Wait, are you sure?”

He laughs heartily. “No, but wouldn’t it be wild. Like maybe you are one in the same expect for minor differences like someone got you confused while writing about it.”

“I need to know what’s in those scrolls and to meet this person who ideally knows my fate or theirs assuming it was one slip up and not more.”

“Oh, common on. We have no idea where he is and even if he was curious enough to find out.”

“I think he would be. I mean I didn’t stop. And if there were many generations of accuracy I would think that would cause him to wonder too.”

“Ok. Well if we are going to find him. We should at least get you the scrolls. I can swipe them before my father leaves town next week. And best of luck finding your mysteriously matched potentially cursed buddy.”

The scrolls basically said Elvira would meet her energetic match in the forest and it would be through their lives that everything would change. She expected text but instead found a bunch of maps.

There were forests, caves, and mountains on one map and others featured villages. Two villages had a stars on it. And a sketch of a young man who had blonde hair and blue eyes.

She drew a sketch of the unknown village and decided to head towards it.

What wasn’t known was at the village there was a man who was also drawing a sketch of unfamiliar village.

After a week of traveling by foot, she sees stunningly blue eyes and golden hair. A breath of air is inhaled suddenly and tightly. It’s him.

He doesn’t see her behind the trees.

And no one knows if they ever crossed paths. They only know a prophecy of two paths that are meant to intertwine.