My Name Is Evil Read Free Page A

pocket of her red dress.
    â€œWho wants to go first?” Again, her eyes moved slowly over our faces.
    â€œI’ll go,” Jilly volunteered. She dropped into the chair across the table from Miss Elizabeth.
    The fortune-teller lowered her head again to gaze into the red ball. “Walter, bring me the words of the spirit world about this young woman.”
    I suddenly felt a chill at the back of my neck. I knew I shouldn’t be frightened. The woman had to be a fake—right? Otherwise, she wouldn’t be working in a tacky carnival like this one.
    But she was so serious. So solemn. She didn’t seem to be putting on an act.
    Now she took Jilly’s hand. She pulled it up close to her face and began to study Jilly’s palm. Muttering to herself, she moved her long finger back and forth, following the lines of the palm, tracing them with her bright red fingernail.
    Jackie leaned close to me. “This is cool,” she whispered.
    Judy sighed. “This is going to take forever.”
    Jackie raised a finger to her lips and motioned for Judy to shush.
    The woman studied Jilly’s palm for a long time, squeezing the hand as she gazed at it, murmuring to Walter in the red glass ball. Finally she raised her eyes to Jilly. “You are artistic,” she said in her scratchy voice.
    â€œYes!” Jilly declared.
    â€œYou are a … dancer,” Miss Elizabeth continued. “You study the dance. You are a hard worker.”
    â€œWhoa. I don’t believe this!” Jilly gushed. “How do you know—?”
    â€œYou have much talent,” the fortune-teller murmured, ignoring Jilly’s question. “Much talent. But sometimes … I see … your artistic side gets in the way of your practical side. You are … you are …”
    She shut her eyes. “Help me, Walter,” she whispered. Then she opened her eyes again and raised them to Jilly’s palm. “You are a very social person. Your friends mean a lot to you. Especially … boy friends.”
    Jackie and Judy laughed. Jilly flashed them an angry scowl. “I—I don’t believe this,” she told the fortune-teller. “You have everything right!”
    â€œIt is my gift,” Miss Elizabeth replied softly.
    â€œWill I make the new dance company?” Jilly asked her. “Tryouts are next week. Will I be accepted?”
    Miss Elizabeth stared into the glass ball. “Walter?” she whispered.
    I held my breath, waiting for the answer. Jilly and I were both trying out for the dance company. And I knew there was only room for one of us.
    â€œWalter can find no answer,” the fortune-teller told Jilly. “He only groans.” She let go of Jilly’s hand.
    â€œHe—groaned?” Jilly asked. “Why?”
    â€œYour time is up,” Miss Elizabeth said. She motioned to us. “Who is next?”
    Jackie shoved Judy forward. Judy dropped into the chair and held her hand out to Miss Elizabeth.
    Jilly came running over to join Jackie and me at the edge of the tent. “Isn’t she amazing?” she whispered.
    â€œYes, she is,” I had to admit. How did she know so many true things about Jilly? I was beginning to believe Miss Elizabeth really had powers.
    And now I didn’t feel afraid or nervous. I was eager to see what the fortune-teller would say about me.
    She squeezed Judy’s hand and gazed deep into Judy’s dark eyes. “You have great love in you,” she announced. “Great love for … animals.”
    Judy gasped. “Y-yes!”
    â€œYou care for them. You work …”
    â€œYes,” Judy said. “I work in an animal shelter after school. That’s amazing!”
    Miss Elizabeth ran a red fingernail down Judy’s palm. “You also have an animal that you care about very much. A dog … no. A cat.”
    â€œYes. My cat. Plumper.”
    Judy turned to us, her face filled with