Gwen and Tosh looked at the light meal of bread and fruit laid out on the table. "Let's finish this and go get something proper to eat."
Tosh nibbled the edge of a flat-bread. "This is fine," she said. The mid-morning sunlight beckoned thru small opaque windows. "But it might be interesting to see the actual town instead of hiding away in here for half a day."
Without much further activity, they left the brunch plates unwashed and hailed one of the motorized yellow taxis that clustered optimistically around the stairs of the lodgings.
"To the bazaar," Tosh requested without any specific idea of where they were going.
"Remember," said Gwen trying to mimic Bruce's accent over the noise and the wind. "Easy-to-carry food." They both laughed.
:::
They browsed a lot of stalls in the haphazard arcades off the main street, but they agreed that fabric and jewelry were not going to help them in the mountains. They found a stall of food oddments and bought four cans of condensed milk.
"I'm getting a bit tired of this," said Gwen. "We should rest somewhere and get a drink."
Tosh pointed to a gloomy doorway leading between kiosk fronts. Steps behind the door immediately led up toward the back of the building. "Look. A fortune teller."
A badly painted panel on the wall claimed 'See The Future' over a poorly sketched crystal ball.
"Why would a European fortune teller be here in the mountains of Nepal?" Gwen remarked.
"What makes you think they're European?" asked Tosh. She leaned into the open doorway. The steps were uneven and made of stone.
"You don't get that cheesy kind of sign anywhere else and the words are like something from an old music hall."
:::
They both looked into the gloomy room. A well-kept woman in traditional gypsy clothes was sitting behind a low table reading a local newspaper. A bare bulb shone thru from the door to an alcove acting as a kitchen.
"Hello girls," she said when she noticed them. "Come right in. I'm just making some tea." Her accent was not from Eastern Europe. Gwen thought that she was from somewhere near London.
"That smells great," said Tosh entering. "Are you busy?"
"I'm busier at some times than others, my dear. It's only really at the weekend that you have to make appointments." She stood stiffly, went to the kettle in the kitchen and returned with three steaming hot drinks.
"Well first, I'm sure you don't mind me asking you to cross my palm with silver," she winked.
Gwen rolled her eyes. The fortune-teller seemed pleasant enough, but her immediate interest in cash was disappointing.
"You know," the woman said. "A little bit of money, a stake in the encounter makes it more meaningful. And it keeps the browsers away." She winked. "Come on, let's get started. Call me Jeanne. What shall I call you two beautiful ladies?"
Gwen avoided the obvious quip about the fortune teller already knowing their names. "Gwen and Tosh. Just passing thru you understand. Our friend, our boss, Bruce, gave us some local money, but I don't know how much it's worth to you." She reached in the travel-pouch around her waist and rolled the little bundle in her fingers.
Jeanne smiled and shook her head. "You're right. That's only good for buying local food, getting the taxi. Things like that. In these uncertain times, I really want to put away a little bit in something more substantial. Do you have dollars or Euros?"
Tosh looked at Gwen and raised her eyebrows. "I have some pound notes. We can get more when we get back to the UK?"
Gwen nodded. She mused that if they got a receipt they might even be able to get the money refunded on expenses.
Jeanne poured more tea into the cups. The smell was strong. "Milk and sugar?" she asked.
She lit herself a small hand-rolled cigarette. "Do you mind?" she asked, taking the first puff.
"Not if it helps," Gwen replied. She met Tosh's gaze and bunched her cheek in a hidden wink.
The paper crackled and a light curl of smoke trails circled them. She flicked ash into a little glass dish beside the crystal ball and glanced carefully into the sparkling interior. Jeanne nodded as if reassuring herself of the facts before speaking. "Your world is getting bigger," she began.
Gwen sighed. "Too obvious," she thought.
"But ordinary methods of travel are not enough." Jeanne frowned archly.
"Too general," thought Gwen. The smell of the cigarette was distracting her.
"Go on," Tosh urged, but Jeanne froze. Her eyes widened painfully. A heavy sigh crept out of her throat.
"Oh god, the money shot," thought Gwen.
"A woman is standing behind you," whispered Jeanne.
Without thinking, Gwen and Tosh both turned at the same time to look over the bare wall behind them. Gwen covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Tosh thought more carefully. "Is she on the other side?" she asked. "You know, dead…"
Jeanne shook her head. "No. But she has a message." She paused for dramatic effect. "She has the gift too. I don't know her name, but sometimes she comes to me with a warning." She paused again. "Yes. Her little friend is with her as usual. She turns to her little friend. They both agree. She is warning you to go home."
Gwen groaned. "No thanks. We've come a long way," she said. "And I'm getting a bit tired to be honest, but we have to find our friend."
"Jack," said the woman, still looking down at the table.
"What?" said Gwen surprised. She leaned forward across the table. "What about him?" Tosh gripped her forearm.
"He is not here," Jeanne replied. "Go home." Her eyes stayed firmly closed.
:::
On the street again, Gwen looked at Tosh. "That was a waste of money." She bared her teeth in a false smile.
"I know. But it was fun. Don't you think?" Tosh blinked. She felt like she had been in the cinema all afternoon, expecting a gloomy evening and surprised at the afternoon sun.
"You don't look like someone who's been having fun," Gwen noted.
"It made me think," Tosh replied. "It made you think too. That's more satisfying than a belly laugh. We didn't go to see a circus clown."
"But he's here," said Gwen to reassure them both.
"Yes, he's…" Tosh was interrupted by the ringing of a bell.
A heavy red fire vehicle was rolling up the hill towards the commotion. They looked at each other, wondering what was happening.
Tosh shook her head. "No. We should really stay away from trouble."