A GATHERING

1:11 PM again, what a drag.

Fortunately Ava was free on New Year´s Eve. Fly said that usually in his family´s country superstition ain´t so bad, in fact it´s just a precaution everyone takes before the year kicks in; some make something so simple as having twelve grapes for every month and at the same time make twelve wishes, like resolutions. Others do white magic, put some nice colored candles and incense to welcome the good vibes and people like me go to consult the local psychic to see what´s up.

Now up to this point my curiosity has diminished in a very dramatic way but I still needed to sort out a few things, insignificant things that meant so much to me nowadays.

"Ah, Adrian, welcome back!" said Ava in a rather energetic mood.

"Thank God, I felt like I was going crazy without you..." I said.

"Hmm, I see...Amir told me you came here not so long ago, how are things doing?"

"Well, for one, everything you showed me is true. I met a lot of interesting artists lately, some friendly, others not so friendly, some even more famous than me. However they have all shown me really great things..."

"Yes, continue, I have a feeling you want to tell me something more..." she said as she waved her arms in a mesmerizing way.

"There´s this spirit lurking at my own house. It matches the description you told me; a sort of needy, poor person who was already there even before I came to the reading...remember that card?"

"I´m sorry, which card, dear?"

I rummaged through her Tarot decked and fished out the Five Of The Pentacles.

"Oh, yes indeed. You see, you decided to identify yourself as a figure of strength, which is the exact opposite of this card. And did you help them?"

"Somewhat, I listened to her when no one else did. "

"Oh, that´s nice..."

"But then as soon as I let her into my life she showed me Hell! I have seen my worst fears come to life. That´s why I need to know how can she let me go."

Ava made her usual ten card spread and smiled before she continued interpreting, "Why? She seems to be quite lovely! Do you see this? The Star. She is exactly like you."

"What do you mean like me? Like an artist too, she never told me that!" I said startled.

"I believe your friendship isn´t over yet, in fact, she could be your best ally and when the time is right she will let you go."

"What does she want from me? She almost killed me, she confessed!"

"Oh come now Adrian, ghosts can´t kill you..."

"OK, OK, so maybe I over reacted but she still gave me a very hard time."

Ava continued, "I also see you have another ghost in your life, another dead girl. She is represented here, by the Nine of Swords. Indeed it is a bad dream, but it can successfully vanquished with the aid of another spirit."

"Yes, and I already tried to seek all the help I could get from my girlfriend."

"She is more objective and down to earth, not like the other girls, she ties you to the reality that everyone else has come to accept. Didn´t I tell you to be strong for her as well?"

"Yeah, so?"

"The cards say all the contrary, Reversed Strength. You are acting weak beside her and while that may very attractive it also has its dark side. Don´t let her be the one who drags you out of the hole, instead be a guiding light!"

"Guide, like a leader? The Emperor, you showed me that one before, I never forget!"

"Yes! Absolutely, so you better be careful, because next year this will be your best card yet. You see, 2011 adds up by numerology 4, which matches the card after the Empress which was 3. 2010 was a very fruitful one indeed but the next one will be about action! You have the weapons inside you to go out there and make the ultimate transformation. Something big is coming, something even bigger..."

"Well I´ll be damned..."

"I see an army, you will be gathering an army..."

"The Thousand, I call them, I want more artists to join my new philosophy."

"Excellent my dear! You see I´m not revealing your future now, I´m making you present more evident than it is already, the future..."

"Belongs to me, and to everyone else around me."

"Yes, but don´t forget what you´ve already learned from the dead, they´re still full of surprises, so I would recommend more respect for the next time you see them."

I gave Ava a slight hug.

"Thank you, thank you so very much! You´re amazing, really! Hope you have a great year."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, sometimes you make feel like your own mother..."

"Oh no, I hardly think so..."

I hate being told what to do, but maybe I´ll put under next year´s resolutions to stop relying on superstitions and start relying on Ava...