Cartomancy by Kristin Cook Page B

no idea what a card catalog
was. But, she could look up subjects on a computer and write things
down. She found quite a few books on different kinds of fortune
telling, but nothing that really seemed feasible. However all of
that changed when she ran across a book on the subject of
Cartomancy. It had lots of cool pictures and diagrams for reading
tarot cards and Astrid thought this seemed like the easiest form of
fortune telling that she had seen so far. Astrid was sure that all
she had to do was read the book, and the money would start rolling
in. She ran to find her grandma in the library. “Are these the kind
of cards you were talking about?” Astrid had never seen cards like
this at her grandma’s house. “Yes, but we’ll get you your own
deck.” Her grandma said in a way that seemed weird to Astrid, but
she didn’t care. She was too excited. “This is going to be so easy
grandma; I’ll have a great summer job in no time!” Astrid’s grandma
moved her glasses down her nose and smiled. “Whatever you think
dear. But a word to the wise: be careful what you wish for.”
     

Chapter 4
     
    Astrid and her best friend Waverly sat on the
railroad trellis and threw rocks into the creek below. They most
definitely were not allowed on the railroad tracks whatsoever, but
they figured that if a train ever came, they could just jump into
the water. “So, your mom didn’t react at all?” Waverly asked.
“Nope, and I had it planned out so perfectly, but she didn’t even
care! I would have at least thought there would be a mention of
therapy or something… but nothing.” Astrid let her shoe dangle off
her foot over the water below. “Well, you’re lucky, my mom would
have totally freaked.” Astrid knew this all too well. Waverly’s mom
flipped out over everything she did. She seemed convinced that
Waverly would die or be kidnapped on a daily basis. Astrid knew
these things but didn’t comment. She felt sorry for Waverly because
of this, but ONLY because of this. Otherwise Waverly was a
beautiful girl with long dark hair and very blue eyes. All the boys
wanted to talk to her, and they all seemed to drop their pencils
around her. Not a lot to feel sorry about there. Also everyone knew
that there weren’t any kidnappers in Black’s Glenn. “All she said
was: “they’re too expensive.” Astrid said in her best mom sounding
voice. “So I said, well what if I get a summer job and pay for it
myself?” Waverly nodded in agreement. Then Astrid imitated her
mom’s voice again “You can do whatever you want with your own
money, dear.” Astrid used finger air quotes this time, which
Waverly hated as they usually never applied to any situation in
which they were used. Waverly laughed a little at this and wondered
if maybe Astrid wasn’t taking the boredom thing a little too far.
Coffins just seemed creepy and vampiric to her. “I swear all my mom
cares about is restoring the Queen-Anne-Vic. SO, anyway, I walked
over to the funeral home on Greenlawn Avenue to see the coffins.
They cost like $3500 dollars! Can you believe that crap? Coffins go
in the ground for cripe sakes! You just lay in it and rot for all
of eternity; they could just put you in one of those long, plastic
containers, like we keep our fake Christmas tree in.” Astrid was
exasperated and Waverly was stunned. “Dude, I can’t even believe
you went inside a funeral home. You’re gross.” Waverly said shaking
her head back and forth.
     
    “Hah! Judgmental much? You made out with
Jordan in the cemetery in sixth grade.” Astrid reminded her for the
hundredth time. Waverly blushed and seemed super flustered. “First
of all we were in sixth grade like a year ago and second, we were
playing Ghosts-In-The-Graveyard and it was dark, what else was I
supposed to do?” Astrid laughed at her friend. “Yeah, I know, but
Jordan? You’re the gross one.” Astrid just rolled her eyes and
played with the two dimes that were in her pocket. “It’s really