Day Thirty Seven - Task
"I know you from somewhere".
His breath washed over me, roiling in hot, putrid waves from between his broken, brown teeth. His dirty, ragged assortment of clothes stank of stale urine and liquor. A louse leapt from his dust caked beard, I had time to be reminded of the inside of a vacuum cleaner bag, before it landed on my jacket. I brushed it and his grimy, scabbed hand away.
"I haven't any money" I growled. He hadn't asked for money, which immediately concerned me. A vagrant who didn't ask for money was generally seven leagues north of sane. I hoped to distract him, and, momentarily it worked, his eyes clouded over, I stepped aside and started forward.
In my periphery I saw his eyes sharpen and his hand shot out, twisting me back with surprising strength.
"No! Listen! I know you!"
"Listen mate, I don't know you. Let me pass."
"Seven great wheels have begun turning.."
"That's lovely, now - "
"Listen!" he urgently spat, "The wheels are great conflicts that grind heavily across the land. There will be famine, there will be fire, there will be great, great loss"
"Yes, yes the End is Nigh and all that bother... " I paused dramatically, "Now: Let. Me. Go. Or regret it."
He held me fast, speaking quicker.
"You will lead a great many, you will bring us back through flame, you bring us hope. You turn dark tides into silver dawns but this, this you must know... the girl she will divide your will, three times. Twice you will let her go, you must let her go, you must! The third time you must hold her fast and never let her go. Never let her go, else all is lost, else all is lost, never let her go, else all..."
He became quieter, his grip loosened, and, still mumbling he walked away. I watched and listened, he looked lost and blindly turned a corner. He ranting echoed back
"Never, never... not your butterfly."
I staggered as the world swum. I fell heavily against a parked car, the ground shifting under my feet. Reeling, I stood and chased him.
I rounded the corner to an empty street.
"My butterfly?" I whispered, falling to my knees, " She's already dead."