Inklings 2021

MAJESTY Catie Tohulka ENDLESS Lucia Rose Dahn I haven’t had a gumball in a long time, but I remember inserting a coin into the silver slot as a child, turning the knob, awaiting a random sphere from the machine, excitement pulsing through my veins as I glanced up at my mother. Pink, I’d shout, I’m gonna get pink, or yellow, or red! And she would nod, disconnectedly. When I read tarot cards, I am faced with a feeling like no other. A sense of mystery with each shuffle, unknown power as the cards filter through my hands. I love the silent smile that finds its way onto my lips, when the first card escapes from the rest. Analyzing the energy that pulls me in a million directions, deep and heavy in my gut. Adrenaline travels from my brain through my body as I recognize the image: the Three of Wands, a figure facing sunlight, on the path to achieving wild dreams. A new journey is beginning, an escape from my mother and my father arguing about their divorce; freedom from having to explain to my seven-year-old sister that love isn’t always permanent. Teardrops bloom in my eyes, blurring my vision, as I scan the rest of the spread. 9