Special Child

She held her newborn son to her chest. He had to be special. Something inside of her said so. Her husband was asleep and didn’t know that she was doing this. Meanwhile, she rushed across the sand down to a small shack on the beach. The woman could see it in the distance. Her heart raced against her chest. This was it. She just had to know.

The woman took in a deep breath. Her child started to whimper at her breast.

“Shhh. Shhh,” she whispered. She bounced her baby in her arms. The child slowly went quiet. His mother breathed out. No more playing around. She walked across the sand with the child in my arms. She finally made it to the front door. The house looked so much bigger when she first saw it. This time, she wasn’t going to turn back. She reached up to knock on the door.

“Enter,” a raspy voice croaked. She about jumped at the response. That fast? Damn, she was fast.

“Are you going to come in or not?” the raspy voice asked. “I don’t have all day.” The young mother took in a breath and opened the door. Inside was dark. She narrowed her eyes and tried to look around.

 ‘Come closer,” the voice said. She held her baby to her chest. The woman took slower steps to the back. She poked her head around the corner.

“I’m right here,” the voice said. The woman looked up ahead. An old woman sat at her table with a crystal ball. Purple robes seemed to eat up her small, wrinkled body.

“Please,” she said. “Take a seat.” The woman sat down, bouncing her baby in her arms. The oracle took a puff of her pipe.

“Speak,” she said. The mother sat up straight.

“Please tell me my son’s future,” she said. “Is he destined for great things?” The baby slept at her chest. The oracle held out her hand. Her eyes rolled back into her head. She didn’t make a sound. The mother held her breath. She clutched the child to her chest. The baby watched as the light reflected off the crystal ball. He tried to reach for it at one point. The oracle’s eyes returned to position. The mother pressed her lips together.

“Your son will walk among kings and gods,” the old lady said. The mother’s heart fluttered against her chest.

“First, he will have hardships in his young life but live happy in his old age,” the old lady added.

“Is there anything else?” the mother asked. The oracle smiled.

“You will have a long line of generations in the future,” she said. The mother bowed her head.

“Thank you, Oracle,” she said. “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing,” the oracle said. The mother looked at her with wide eyes.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yes, now run along home,” the old lady said. “Your husband will wake up soon.”

“Thank you,” the mother said again. She stood up and bowed. She couldn’t help but smile to herself.