Gypsy Magic

"Which couple will brave the journey?" the gypsy matriarch asked her captive audience. She had bespoken a spell and sand rose like smoke and drifted towards me and the one that I wished was my partner.

The spell was listening to my heart, but if I let it complete, all those gathered at the camp would know I wanted us to be a couple. It was scandalous. I could feel the surprise and outrage welling up so I changed my heart's wish.

The sand, like smoke, turned sharply in midair and all of it zipped like an arrow towards me. I grew afraid of the spell reaching me and some instinct inside me made it burst and dissipate in a cloud, heavier particles falling down at my feet.

The spell broken, the camp looked at the woman for her interpretive wisdom. She scowled at me. If only I had broken the spell one second sooner!

My heart raced. Instead of declaring my heart's desire, I publicly declared my immense power to control the spell.

"What have we here?"

I looked at my feet.

"Did you see that?" someone whispered.