Fate's Keeper

I hate feeling obligated into anything, especially attending events. I know you’re supposed to be there for family, but mine wasn’t as tight knit as movies make you believe they should be. We were at some fancy restaurant in town for a rehearsal dinner for my brother’s wedding. But what’s a rehearsal dinner anyway, just another chance for the two families to argue, fight, or compete.

I guess that’s a bit harsh; our two families get along in general. My brother and fiancé have known one another for as far back as I can remember. The perfect couple with their perfect background story that would make any normal person sick. I was genuinely happy for them, but some of it had to be a façade.

Everyone finished eating; now for the worst part, everyone starts talking. Random family members start off by trying their attempts at toasting the future bride and groom, but they’re always ill prepared. and the wine doesn’t help. Thankfully tomorrow was going to be a full day, and everyone is more than eager to wrap up early.

I managed to get myself to the back of the group, and let everyone file out first; I like to stay as unnoticed as possible. I gave the coat check lady my ticket, and looked past her to see mine was the only one left hanging. I tipped her, and slung it on to feel something hit me in the chest. Something was poking me from the inside pocket. I reached in, and pulled out a small day planner.

I turned back to the lady, “Ma’am, this isn’t mine.”

She turned and looked around, “That’s the only coat left, what does yours look like?”

I shook my head, “No, this coat is mine, but this notebook isn’t.”

She shrugged, “I’ve been the only one back here all day.”

She turned, and walked away so I did the same. Once I was on the sidewalk, I noticed no one waited for me, which was probably for the best.  I found a nearby bench, and started flipping through the day planner. Pages had been ripped out up until today’s date. Not every page had writing, but so many had hard pressed notes written in haste.

They all seemed to be different types of instructions with times and locations, but it seemed all gibberish. I went back to today’s page; 9:17 P.M. was circled. I looked at my phone, that was only another twenty minutes. The notes said to go to the corner of Wood Street and 13^th. Face Wood at the crosswalk, and stand between the fifth and sixth white hash marks. Count to ten without moving to experience the vulnerability of time.

I didn’t have anything better to do on a Friday night, and my curiosity was getting that itch so I started walking. The sidewalk was full of others going about their way, but it kept feeling like someone was staring a hole through my back. I stopped and turned around to scan the crowd, but no one seemed to be paying me any attention. My gut was still trying to tell me something wasn’t right, but I pressed on anyway.

I got to the corner with a couple minutes to spare. Nothing about this intersection looked special. It wasn’t one of the main roads or anything; it was more a path to take to avoid heavy traffic during the rush hours. People were crossing without any problems, the lights were working correctly, but someone was definitely staring at me somewhere.

My phone showed one minute to go.  I stood there staring at it waiting for it to click over. I began to feel stupid for doing it; I had no idea what to expect. The number changed, and there were no cars coming so I counted my spaces, found my spot and started to count, looking dumb for anyone who was watching.

I got to six when I felt the embarrassment kick in; I had to look like a fool standing in the middle of the crosswalk. But it was when I said eight that I felt the change. It felt like an ice cold wave had just run across my body. As I went to say nine I was cut off by a horn and screeching tires. I never saw the car coming, but it swerved to avoid me, and plowed into the light pole. 

A new wave of terror flashed through me. I just caused an accident. Steam and fluids were pouring out from the car. I ran to the car to check on the driver. His face was busted up pretty bad, and he was unconscious, but still breathing. I pulled out my phone to call an ambulance when I heard the trunk lid pop.

I started towards the back when the operator answered. I told her there was a wreck with an injury, and what corner we were on. She wanted me to stay on the line which I anticipated. When I raised the lid it felt like I’d been shot in the gut there was a woman bound and gagged not moving.

“Tell that ambulance to hurry, and send the cops,” I said.  “There’s a woman tied up in his trunk.”

I slid the phone down in my pocket, and checked for a pulse. She was still alive. The wreck may have knocked her out too. I started untying her when the ambulance rolled up. They got their stretcher, and bumped me out of the way to remove her; a cop appeared out of nowhere, and was asking them questions. I backed away onto the sidewalk trying to stay out of the way. 

The cop pointed to me, “Don’t leave, I’ve got questions when we’re done.”

The last thing I wanted to do was answer a bunch of questions. What was I going to say? He was going to ask why I was standing in the crosswalk counting to ten, or I could lie and say I was crossing like a normal person. 

My phone began to ring; I looked down at the screen to see the number was blocked. Normally I would just swipe it to the box but my brain wasn’t acting typical so I answered it.

“Now it’s your turn,” he said.

I looked around; most of the crowd had phones up to their heads telling everyone that would listen to them about what had just happened.

“My turn for what,” I asked.

“To be the fate keeper,” he answered. “You have the dates and locations for the next hundred events; you get to decide their fates.”

I shook my head, “That’s not something I can do.”

“Sure you can,” he said sounding relieved. “You just did with those two. You could’ve stayed out of the crosswalk and let him go free. That poor woman would’ve been subjected to a nightmare, but you chose to obstruct his path. Now he’ll go to jail, and she can return to her family.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said getting frustrated. “How could I have known how my actions would affect the outcome?”

He laughed, “You won’t, and that is what’s going to drive you mad. I couldn’t finish the book, I don’t think anyone ever has, I wish you luck.”

I started to panic, “Why me?”

“You were in the book,” he answered. “I had to choose whether to pass the burden or bear it. I’m sorry, do a better a job than I did.”

My phone beeped, and the call ended.

They had just closed the doors to both ambulances; apparently a second arrived while I was on the phone. The cop was about to start towards me with questions I didn’t really want to answer. I pulled out the notebook, and looked at it again thinking about all the torn out pages, the last being about me allegedly. I wondered if it was really me or anyone in that restaurant. I flipped the page to tomorrow, the time and location was my brother’s wedding.

My heart started racing, it had to be a coincidence, how could this book really have future events planned out to the minute. There were so many pages, and so much writing I couldn’t wrap my head around it all. It couldn’t be possible, even if it was it wouldn’t be fair for one man to make those kinds of decisions.

I went to close it when I noticed writing on the inside cover. I hadn’t noticed it before, it was written in thick red ink. ‘Bad decision making will fall consequences on fate’s keeper.’