Just Five Stories

By Mayer Virginia

Five short stories with activities including comprehension questions and analysis of the main features of the story. Every short story opens a  door  for the reader to step into a new world made of characters, places and events to discover and share.
The protagonists are yuns people who directly or indirectly involved in events, somhow unesxpected and surprising.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Virginia Mayer
• Release date: Dec 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9791222490816

Book preview

Just Five Stories

The tarot pack

The Tarot Pack

In a trunk in my grandmother’s garret, I found a tarot pack and a book.

It’s by my great-grandmother, said my mother when I showed the dusty volume to her. – They said there was a witch in our family! She concluded laughing.

The book explained how to read the tarots. I perused it carefully. Then I shuffled the cards, sliding them over one another. I started to place them face down, forming a pyramid. What did I expect from the reading? I knew I would never find a specific answer for a specific question. Tarot predictions were always true but cryptic: they sent a message that had to be interpreted. Everything was important: the order they were drawn, the suits, and the place. I took a deep breath. I drew the first card and placed it face up.

It was the Jack of wands: an unexpected event occurring. Something striking. I drew another card: the suit was swords. Bad omen: something dangerous or harmful. I drew again: The Sun. It would happen in daylight. The last card at the basis of the pyramid: The Knight of pentacles. A man. A man would be involved.

I heard my mother calling me: dinner was ready. I collected all the cards on the table and put them back in the pack. But as I was going downstairs, I had a bad feeling. I had interrupted my prediction before reaching the apex of the pyramid: would that affect my future? Sybil, don’t be silly: it’s just fun.

I had dinner with my family: everybody was in high spirits we talked and laughed, as we had not done for days. I felt cherished and relaxed, and laughed my fears away.

Nothing happened for days. How silly of me to worry about!

A Friday evening I went out with the girls and I told them.

- Maybe it doesn’t work on yourself. You should try with someone else, explained Mary.

The following day she came around and convinced me to read the cards for her. I decided it would be one question one answer – that meant only one card drawn.

What would you like to know? I asked her.

I have a job interview next Tuesday: will they hire me? She replied.

I shuffled the pack and made her divide it and then I turned the card on top.

It was the two of pentacles.

Money, I explained.

Money…. She repeated dubiously. – Where from?

I cannot tell you.

Well, anyway it’s a good omen: wherever it could come from, she enthused.

Next Tuesday Mary called me. - Guess what? she started, her voice thrilling along the wire. – It worked.

What worked? I asked calmly, pretending not to know what she was talking about.

The prediction… Come on! Don’t tell me you I don’t mind, she scolded me.

Did you get the job?

No. But I’ve got a grant for the college. I asked for it ages ago I almost forgot. I’ve got it! I’ve received the letter today. Money! The cards were right.

I told my mother and she was very sceptical: - It could have been just a coincidence.

Mary spread the news and soon all my friends came up to me seeking for an answer to their questions. It seemed so easy: one problem- one card- one solution.

Peggy found the ring she lost; a boy she liked asked Kate out; the new diet started to work for Jean, so she could wear her skinny jeans again.

It is a dangerous game to play, Sybil. – My mother warned me.- If something goes wrong all the blame will be on you. I don’t foresee anything good if you go on.

But it wasn’t my mothers’ reproach that made me stop. I was annoyed by the fact that those cards did not work on me! I made another try: I had an exam at the end of the week: would I be passing it with merit? The card I drew was the chariot: travel. I wasn’t going anywhere! I got impatient and furious so I threw all the pack into the fireplace and set them on fire.

The last card to burn was the Fool – smiling at me with his malicious grin.-That is the end- I’ve finally got rid of them. Now I can go back to my usual life.

Everybody came off unhurt from the accident but me. I was taken to hospital and I was given 30 stitches on my left arm. The scar had the shape of an indented half moon – a sort of teeth rim across my forearm – red and protruding. I could hardly look at it: so, I started wearing long-sleeved shirts even if it