"Location: Yucaipa, California, May 12th 1990"
Chuckie wouldn't have noticed him had it not been for the smell. It wasn't a bad one, but simply the type of smell that you wouldn't notice if you were too busy tending to "grown folks business", as the adults around him were. Looking across the train platform in the town of Yucaipa where he stood, the one year old orange haired boy watched as the figures of rushing people blurred across the wooden boards in an attempt to get out of the light drizzle that had began to fall.
Melinda had been sick for over a month now, and although both she and Chaz had assured Chuckie that it was nothing more then a cold, the hacking cough that Melinda let out even at that moment said something different. They were currently seeing relatives on Melinda's side in Yucaipa, and they had taken a train from Modesto to the town. Raising a handkerchief to her lips, the woman coughed again, quickly shoving the fabric into her pocket, but not fast enough to keep the child beside her from seeing the blood that seeped into it. Chuckie froze at the sound of a masculine voice that seemed to echo in his head.
"Chuckie." the voice whispered.
Chuckie looked around for the location in which he had heard his name called. No sooner had he blinked his eyes did he appear. On the far end of the platform just past the ticket booth was where he stood. A well dressed gentleman, tall and thin with a devious smile and piercing light brown eyes he knew were studying him even from the distance that he stood. Raising a slender hand, the man moved his finger in a beckoning motion. Looking around, Chuckie debated a moment before letting his curiosity get the better of him as he allowed his hand to slip out of his mother's hand in order to make way towards the gentleman.
"Today is your birthday, isn't it, Chuckie?" the man asked as the boy as he came within a few feet of him.
Nodding, Chuckie took a quick glance back to his mother across the platform, who seemed at least for the moment unconcerned about her empty hand. He had always been taught not to talk to strangers, but his silence was rude. Not noticing the boy's contemplation or rather ignoring it, the man continued to speak.
"And how old are you, mon cheri?" the man asked.
"One." Chuckie replied, casting his eyes shyly towards the floor.
The man nodded. Chuckie realized that the man must have understood what he was saying, which was odd because he wasn't able to speak words that older people were able to understand yet. The man smiled, and then he swept off his hat and bowed.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Facilier, a humble practitioner of voodoo. I deal in tarot readings, charms, potions... I'm in the business of making dreams a reality." the man introduced.
Facilier straightened up, his smile perhaps a fraction wider then before. He then lifted Chuckie's chin with his finger, smiling at the innocent eyes that greeted him.
"Would you like to see a trick?" Facilier asked.
Chuckie nodded, and he watched in awe as Facilier pulled a deck of cards from what appeared to be thin air. With a flick of his wrist, the deck became three cards, which he held in front of the boy.
"Pick one." Facilier instructed.
Lifting a small hand, Chuckie plucked out the middle card and studied it. On the face was a beautiful woman that looked exactly like Melinda, only she wore a frilly purple gown with a jeweled necklace.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Facilier asked.
Chuckie jumped at the sound of Facilier's voice, unaware that he had moved from his place, leaving the two remaining cards floating before him.
"This is your future. But, with every future, there must be a sacrifice and a life lost." Facilier whispered.
Chuckie's eyes widened at his words, and he turned in the direction of Melinda.
"I can save her, Chuckie. All you have to do is choose one more card." Facilier explained.
Chuckie's hand hovered over the paper drifting from left to right until finally choosing the card on the left. The boy whimpered as he felt the edge of the chosen card cut the tip of his finger, drawing a small bubble of fresh blood. Taking a hold of the child's chosen card, Facilier flipped it over, revealing the image that lay on the other side. There was a picture of two Japanese looking females. The first was a baby that had dark purple hair that was rearranged into three pigtails, and she wore a yellow dress that had a blue cat on it. And the second was an adult woman that had dark purple hair rearranged in an asymmetrical hair cut and glasses, and she wore a long yellow dress.
"What does that mean?" Chuckie asked.
Reaching out a hand, Facilier took the boy's face in his hand.
"You will find out in time." Facilier replied. He then leaned forward, brushed back what little there was of Chuckie's hair, and he said "And remember, mon cheri, a promise is a promise.".
Facilier then swept off his hat and bowed before disappearing. Just then, Melinda ran towards Chuckie.
"Chuckie, now what did I tell you about wondering off like that? You nearly gave me a heart attack." Melinda asked scoldingly, taking a hold of the boy's hand.
Looking down, Chuckie offered his mother a sullen look. Shaking her head, Melinda lifted Chuckie from the floor, wrapping him in her arms.
"Come on. It's daddy's turn to cook tonight." she whispered.
Wrapping his own arms around his mother's neck, Chuckie breathed in her scent, a mixture of flowers and dirt, all the while replaying the last words Facilier had said in his mind.
Standing within the shadows in front of the platform, Facilier watched his future friend and his mother walking away. He had come to this time so he could do what he needed to do, and he had succeeded. He smiled to himself before he stepped into a time portal, which disappeared as soon as he had stepped through it.