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 ^{(it's beta!)}

They watched her. For the second time in a week, she was watched. This time her walk was not defiant, her shoulders were not pushed back, she did not swear or glare through the wind.

This time she walked slowly, around the fence, into the next yard. It was tidy and green, she saw something else. They watched as her breathing came short and fast. Then I came and watched too. Our hearts broke together as she threw her head back and howled, feral anguish. But this was a happy ending. I knew I could go down to her, and she would tell me her story. I even had some idea how it would begin.

“The wind blew sharply across my face. Lifting my hair with tugging, teasing fingers. I wasn’t paying much attention though, as unfair as I would’ve normally found this. No, I was looking at the ground in front of me. In front of my gate. In front of my house. I shivered once, then pulled the thick woolen socks up over my elbows. It was a primitive way to keep my arms warm, but it worked.

There was a book lying there. No, not lying. That implied accident or chance, things I was suspicious of. The book had been placed there for me to find. Not by fate or anything supernatural, I didn’t believe in that either. It had been left by a person, with a fucking twisted sense of humor. Chiromancy: A Beginner’s Guide.

Fuck. I glared at the book for awhile longer, debating what to do. Palmistry. Hand Divination. The art of telling a person’s past, present, future and love, through creases of skin. This was all bullshit, but I couldn’t leave it be. Whatever son of a bitch had put the book there expected me to do just that.

The hand on the cover twisted it’s fingers and beckoned tauntingly. I wished it to hell. Nothing happened.

Right. I made up my mind, I was going to read this fucker, and make my own damn future. Screw rationality, screw common sense (my best friends of the past year), and screw the shithead who meant to hurt me with this. Their plan was going to backfire.

I bent down to pick up the book, with some difficulty.

“Fuck!” I shouted at the neighbors as it slid out from the socks onto the wet ground. I forgot I was wearing these bloody things. I struggled for a few minutes. Then at last I got it securely, pressed tightly between my wrists. I turned to go back inside. Time to make a life.”

So, you’ve made it to Chapter One! Give yourself a big pat on the back.

…Right! Now let’s get into it! For the Beginner’s ease, the lines on a palm can be sectioned into three groups. The major lines, the minor lines, and the personal lines. At this stage of your palm reading education, it is best to focus on the major lines, which tell you the essentials of a person. Let’s start with the most important and most famous line. Maybe you’ve heard of it… The Life Line!

The Life Line starts between the thumb and forefinger, and curves around towards the base of your thumb, near the bottom of your palm. Or maybe it arcs across to join your fate line! It could be deep, or light, or ringed, or feathered or sometimes even disconnected! Don’t worry though; it is a common misconception that the Life Line

The first time she was watched, it was from a distance. He watched her pick up the book. He knew it would be hard for her. He knew about the accident.

“Fuck!” She shouted, and he almost smiled.

She had always been so strong and alive. He couldn’t stand it if she let this disarm her completely.

He came a little closer, a little further down the hill. She marched up the path to the front door, and kicked it three times. He watched as she disappeared inside. Sat down on the edge of the road, next to a little rock called ‘Scruff.’

“You can me both, Scruff.” He said, “Fucking you and me both.”

indicates length of life. What it really shows is major events, your feelings towards life, and past life.

Is there a revelation coming your way? Are you often angry or temperamental? Were you an octopus in your forgotten past? Did you find this book on the ground outside your house and start reading it to be ironic, knowing full well it will make you feel awful and your mother cry when you leave the room? Follow the guide on the next page to find out!