• Ai, a twelve year old girl, walked into her home, with her Grandfather not far behind. The two had just come home from the city, where Ai preformed acrobatics, to her Grandfather's fife playing. She was still trembling heavily, from the cold, as she walked through the front door. Even the comfy cottage failed at warming her. She reached out for a small doorknob, which lead to her old room; however, this task was made difficult by her nerves. She actually failed three times before she gained entrance.

    Once inside she looked around, making sure they had not been robbed again. The walls were bare, except for a few photos of her, Gramps, and the animals she had made friends with. These images all made her smile, but the main thing that had her attention was her bed. The large, feather bed was soft to the touch. The cotton sheets were cheap, but at the same time warm and welcoming.

    She turned around looking into the darkness. She had been raised to believe that nothing was there, but, after most of her visions, she thought otherwise. Yawning, Ai removed her cap and began to feel her way through the small sack she carried her belongings in.

    She searched through the bag for a few minutes, before removing a small, silk gown. The gown was just long enough to reach her knees. The fabric forming the gown was a sea foam green, like her street clothes. She loved this color; it brought out her eyes, which were a deep azure.

    When she was done garbing herself, Ai slipped into the bed and snuggled under the cool sheets. Upon closing her eyes, Ai began crying uncontrollably. She looked around and noticed she was wrapped in a blanket, while a woman carried her through a storm. She looked at the woman through the tears streaming down her cheeks and believe her to be her mother. She slowly stopped crying, as the woman had begun singing to her. The woman's voice was calm and relaxing, even though they were apparently being chased.

    The woman carrying her was young - probably in her late twenties. She was beautiful, with jet black hair, ruby eyes, and skin that was as pale as the moon that peeked through the clouds above. She wore a deep purple robe and had wrists adorned with small gold bracelets that belonged to her kind, gypsies.

    This woman had lived in the same village for two years. She spent her time sharing her predictions with the villagers, but they soon grew tired of it. There was no surprises left in store for them, so they ordered her to keep quiet. This lack of predictions soon forced her into famine, and made her go to extreme risks to make a living. Fortune telling was all that the woman had to get by. She eventually began to sell herself for scraps, which resulted in dear Ai being born and the chase that was now underway.

    Soon everything was back the way it was. Life was filled with surprises, in fact, the villagers though it was too surprising. There were murders that were never solved, storms that would appear without a second's warning, and unexplained fires that destroyed crops. They eventually blamed the woman, thinking that it was her causing the events and not actually predicting them.

    After ten minutes of running, the woman stopped at a bridge, where she would then hide with the infant. Sitting down, the woman looked at the child and forced a smile. They were safe for now, until they brought the dogs out as most villagers do, when hunting gypsies. The woman then held the child to her bosom and hummed softly, as the infant fed. They were at peace until, "Bang!" a gunshot tore through the air. The loud noise scared the child, causing her to stop feeding and let out a bloodcurdling scream.

    "Damn," muttered the woman under her breath, as the sound of dogs began to get louder. "They're getting close."

    She rose to her swollen, bleeding feet and once again began running. She looked back at where she rested and only saw one thing, two puddles of blood. The sight of this gruesome vision scared her intensely; it meant that they would be easier to track. The chilling rain had made her legs numb; however, she pulled through, in a desperate plea to save her young one.

    Beside the woman rested a shallow river, it was only ankle deep but was steadily rising. She took in a deep draught of air, sighing with relief. She thanked God for the cover. Quickly she jumped in and began running, with the current. The rocks beneath were slippery, but still she persevered.

    Meanwhile the group of villagers, that had been chasing her stopped at the water's edge. Their dogs whined, resting on a large group by the shore. They had been confused at the suddenly disappearing scent. "Come on!" The leader shouted as he brandished his torch in the air. "She's taken to the water. She'll probably hide out at the dam! We'll take short-cut through the woods and finish off the witch for good! She's plagued out village for two years now and decides to further our torment with an infant? I think not! Who's with me?"

    Upon finishing his speech, the village leader then brandished his torch once more. With the torch in the air a clear vision as to what he looked like was given. The leader appeared to be in his mid thirties, had a well cut chin, and broad shoulders. His apparel was common, consisting of a thick, brown overcoat, khakis, and a white button up shirt.

    His angry mob then rose their weapons into the air. Machetes, knives, clubs, pitchforks, they were all in the air, reflecting the moonlight.

    Further ahead, a mile down the river, the woman ran with her child. The water was now halfway around her shins, when suddenly she tripped. With water now dripping off the mother and baby, the mother huddled the child close to keep her warm, not slowing down for a second.

    She ran for another hour before her target was in her sight. It was a small shack on a dirt road. The lights were on and a fire was burning in the chimney. The woman ran up to the door and began beating on it with all of her energy. Once it was opened, an old man stood there and saw the young woman on the ground, dead with the infant Ai in her arms. Beside her a small crystal sphere laid reflecting the moon in its entirety.

    Next thing Ai knew, she was in her bed, staring out into the night in a cold sweat. She drew her knees to her chest and whimpered. She had a vision and saw her mother for the first time ever. She looked at the small crystal ball that rested in her bag. "Mom..." She uttered as she grabbed the ball from her bag and hugged it tightly. The sphere comforted her as she lay back down and soon drifted back to sleep; this time, without any vision of past, present, or future.