Tarot Cards

• Lilah Ding, Grade 4, Ironside State School
• Short Story
• 2022

Excellence Award in the 'National Treasures 2022' competition

Jason opened his bleary eyes, feeling nauseous as his bandaged head throbbed. The room came in and out of his focus as he gradually regained his consciousness. A memory suddenly came back to him—it was the early morning, and music was singing gently through the speakers. He and Emily, his caring, sweet wife, had been driving along the coast. He remembered with a jolt a car swerving into their lane, and a thunderous crash—metal and debris flying. His wife screaming. Then, darkness.
“Are you okay?” Emily whispered. He smiled at her. Doctors and nurses walked around in the other hallway. She began telling him about the holiday they had been planning to go on and how she’d bought some flowers the other day for their garden. Jason listened intently and he felt the pain in his legs slowly melt away. While they were talking, he felt much better and couldn’t wait to get back home after his injuries had healed.
Over the course of the next few days, she would always be sitting there in the mornings through to late at night with Jason, keeping him entertained, reading his books and chatting with him. Her mere presence made him feel better. One afternoon, as grey clouds began to blanket the sky, Emily took some tarot cards out of her pocket. “They’re for fortune-telling,” she explained and handed some to Jason. As he took his cards, he saw his wife looking at the cards intently, like she was hoping they were good. Jason slipped his bad cards under his pillow, and all his cards were lucky. Emily looked relieved at that.
Afterwards, when Jason’s injuries had almost fully healed, a knock came from the door. A nurse opened the door, holding a stack of cards, and positioned it carefully on his bedside table, giving Jason a sympathetic glance. Jason grabbed the first card on the pile and read it.
‘Dear Jason, you are in our prayers.
We’re deeply sorry for the loss of your wife and remind you that you can count on us during this time.
We all loved Emily and we are grieving for her.
Love,
John and your (grieving/worried) family’
“Emily…?” Jason drifted off as he saw the sadness, the glistening tears in her eyes. He could see the paleness of her ghost-like skin, all signs she was not truly in this world. “I returned because I couldn’t bear to see you so hurt because I wasn’t there with you.” She smiled sadly, love and sadness blurring her vision. “People come and go, my love,” she whispered, cupping a hand around Jacob’s tear-streaked face. “No matter what form I take in these worlds, I will always be here.” She gently placed a hand against his heart.
“And I will always be with you,” Jacob whispered, sobs wracking his body as she disappeared, his heart fulfilled and peaceful as he smiled at his wife one last time.