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The Prison Seer

Sing Sing, 2006

Shallow breaths echoed in the cramp cell. The crow had been alone in the cell for a couple months now. All he could do to keep his focus was to shuffle the cards in his talons and listen to the river outside. He'd been working on the synthesis of what his body craved, but the prison commissary didn't have the alchemical supply he'd consider ideal. With the tighter security at night and general technological advancements over the years, he was having a harder time laying low. He had never gone this long before succumbing to his needs before. He was restless, drowning the sounds of the other's in the cells around him as they slept.

There was the tell-tale clinking of metal of the gates being opened down the hall. Soon a pair of guards accompanied by the warden were standing in front of his cell. The well dressed bull looked him over.

"Jesus, inmate, you look like shit." The warden said, a look of genuine compassion on his face.

"I'll live." The crow replied.

"I'm sure." The bull stated, "I wanted to have a word." He signaled to the guards to get ready with the handcuffs.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." The crow said, standing. He leaned to put his cards on his bed.

"Hand over the cards, please." The bull extended his large paw through the opening in the door.

The crow handed over the pile of cards, turned around to be made ready for transport.

The small group headed down the halls into unfamiliar wings of the prison. They were soon ushered into a small featureless room. There was just a large mirror against one of the walls, a metallic table and a chair on either side of it. He'd been a few rooms like this over the years, but never this late, or without cause. It wasn't long before the guards sat him down and tethered him to the table. The warden sat opposite him then gave a nod to the guards. With the door closed, the two were alone.

"Do you need anything?" The bull asked.

The crow just looked at the warden, "What is this?"

"I uh.." He dug into his pockets for a keyring, "You're not in any trouble."

The crow watched the bull uncuff him, "Then why bring me here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you in private." He looked over at the large mirror, "There's no one on the other side, just so you know."

The crow nodded, he'd have known if

"You would have known if there were, wouldn't you." The warden looked at the crow carefully studying him.

"I'm sorry?"

"I've heard rumors about you."

"Rumors?"

The bull nodded, "Honestly, they were pretty outlandish, but.." He fished out the cards from his jacket, placing them on the table.

They were a pile of 78 playing cards. The warden looked through them, then gave them a bit of a shuffle.

"Tarot, right?" He pulled the top card, showing it to the crow. Crudely drawn on it with pen was a tower, being struck by lightning. On the bottom were the letters "XVI" followed by the words, "The Tower"

The Crow nodded, "A hobby of mine."

"Rumor is that you are pretty good at predictions."

The crow shrugged, "It passes the time."

"That's all well and good, however." He placed the cards in front of the crow, "I've reviewed your case." He looked the crow in the eyes, "Looked over the notebook"

"Scribbles of a drug fueled brain." The Crow sighed, "I wasn't in my right mind when-"

"Cut the act, Grimms." The bull spat, "I cracked your code. They're sporting events. Winners, dates."

"I like watching sports."

"Yeah, that's what I thought at first." The warden pulled a small notebook from his pocket, "Some of these results are from after your arrest. All correct."

"Lucky guesses."

"What I don't understand is if you are so lucky, then why are you caught up in some sloppy bank robbery?"

"Hubris."

"Y'know, you were a model inmate for the better part of a year." The bull pulled another piece of paper from his pocket, "Then, out of the blue, you start acting up, causing fights."

"Gotta pass the time somehow."

"Uh huh.." The bull didn't looked convinced, "I think you want to be in here." He grinned, "I think you are here to for a reason."

"Is that a crime?"

"No, but it got me thinking about things."

"Going to enlighten me?"

The bull smirked, pulling out a small pile of photos, laying them on the table. The crow looked them over, eyes going wide. Pictures taken over the years depicting him in various states of fashion.

"Ah!" The bull laughed, "Look familiar?"

"Can't say that it does." The crow sat back in the metal chair.

"I think these are you."

"Are you going anywhere with all this?"

The bull nodded, "I feel as though if you wanted to leave, you could just do it. I think you are calculating something."

"Quite the story." The crow shook his head, "But it makes you sound kinda crazy."

The warden pressed his large finger on one of the older photos, "I want to know why I found your picture in my father's old war photos."

"My grandfather was in the war."

"Bullshit."

"Are you implying I'm some kind of time traveler?"

The bull shrugged, "I didn't want to believe it, myself. But I made a few bets with your notes."

"That's what this is all about? Gambling?"

"I'd just like a reading." His hand reached into his pocket, "Word is that they come with a price." He pulled out a clear plastic bag, tossing the blood filled sack across the table.

The crow clenched his fists to stop them shaking, "B..Blood?"

"That's the rumor." He leaned over with his elbows on the table, watching the crow closely, "So I removed your roommate, see if I can't starve you for a bit."

"Vampires, now?" The crow took a deep breath, "I.. I thought you were claiming time travel."

"I'm just testing theories, here." He eyed the blood bag, "Besides, having your own cell for a month isn't exactly punishment."

"Pretty.. Pretty sure vampires don't exist." The crow breathed heavy., feeling exposed.

The bull nodded, "Yeah, you're probably right." He grabbed the bag and stood up. He walked across the room towards the door, "Guess this was a waste of time."

"Wait!" The crow yelped, "Fucking... Fuck! God fucking dammit, fine. You win."

The bull turned around with a smug expression.

"I'll tell you what you want." He extended a shaky hand, "Just give it." He lowered his head, ashamed.

The warden placed the bag in the crows hand before sitting back down at the table. The bag was empty by the time he'd looked back to the crow.

"Just so you know this conversation never happened." The bull stated, "If you're here for some underworld business, I don't want to know it."

"That would be to your benefit." The crow said, mildly satiated.

The bull scratched his head, "But you can see the future, right?"

The crow nodded, "In a way." He spread the cards face down on the table in a long line.

"With the cards?"

"The cards are just a medium. Spirits exist in a realm beyond time, they can tell me which cards to pick."

"How reliable are they?"

The crow shook his head, "It's hard to say." He picked a few cards, "It's vague at best."

"But I saw your notes, how did you get those?"

"I've got friends in high places."

"They seemed to have abandoned you."

"I'm exactly where I need to be." He turned the first card over.

"Political gains, huh?" The crow looked up at the bull.

The bull looked stunned, "How.. Yes."

"I see.." The crow turned over another card, "Ah." He thought for a moment, "I think I know what's going on." He put all the cards back into a pile.

"Why did you stop?"

"I can only see so much with these."

"What do you mean."

"These cards are merely windows looking into the world beyond. You can only ever see the pathways, never the destination."

The bull looked angered, "So you can't help me?"

"Oh I can help you." The crow grinned, "But I'll need supplies, and a lot more payments."

The warden thought for a moment, "What will it cost?"

There was a glint in the crows eyes, "How high do you want to rise?"

"Mayor? Governor?" He eyed the crow suspiciously, "Pres.. President?"

The crow nodded, "I think we can help each other."