Nice Chance

It was a rainy Thursday afternoon, when Aniase Thimberton gave a half trot to the bus station for the first time. At twenty-eight years old and living in a large city, she figured it was only going to be a matter of time before she had to catch public transportation. “ Too bad that time is now..” She mumbled to herself as she slid under the bus shelter. She looked up at the sky, grateful that it was a warm, spring drizzle, rather than a cold hard downpour. After recounting her change for the third time, she forced herself to relax. Pulling out her phone, she exited the tab titled “ How to catch a bus” and Google searched “Are buses ever late?” Before she could thoroughly read an answer, a little old lady with a maroon umbrella asked “Mind if I take a seat?” “Of course!” Aniase retorted, “ Hi, I’m Aniase, my friends call me ‘Nice’” “ Well it's very nice to meet you!” The old lady chuckled in response, Aniase laughed. “I’ve never seen you here before, and I've been here every day the last 4 years.” “Well, to be honest, this is my first time taking public transportation. I’ve had a really rough week, I attended my mother’s funeral, my car broke down and…. I’m oversharing.. I’m sorry” She said at the end of her ramble. “ No worries, it’s rare that I find someone friendly enough to talk to at a bus stop. Here, You dropped this.” The woman handed Aniase a black Moleskine, much like the ones she used for day planning back in college. “ Oh, that isn't mine.” Aniase gave a shake of her left hand, as she pocketed her phone with her right. “ But it has your name on it” The lady answered. Aniase took the little black book and turned it over to the cover, it did indeed say her full name. “ Well that's weird, because I know for a fact that I’ve never-” Her sentence trailed off as she looked up and saw that the lady was gone. Sincerely shocked at just how quick the woman must be able to move, Aniase got up to search for her. The bus pulled up, on time, giving her no time for thoughts, she put the notebook in her bag and boarded. The bus was crowded as she had anticipated, so she stood. Curious, she took the book out of her bag and opened it up to the first page. The notebook was empty, but a single sentence written on the first page, written in… Latin? Nice closed the book, “ I’ll have to translate that at work” she thought as she felt herself perspiring from the sheer anxiety of being crowded.

The workday was longer and more tedious than usual, leaving no room for lunch, a snack or extra tasks. Around five-thirty P.M when everyone had left but Myra the cleaning lady, Aniase pulled the book out for the second time and read aloud: Manifesta communem vobis fore

Typing the sentence into Google translate, she repeated the words and said “ Manifest your desires? What is this, some sort of dream journal?” Closing the book with a confused thud, she left the building. The day had been long, and the last bus had gone, so outside of work, she hailed a cab. After a long hot shower, a full plate of nachos, and a fresh change of clothes, curiosity had Nice reopening the journal. This must be some sort of manifestation journal, I've heard of these. Pulling out a bottle of soda, she sat at her laptop. How to use a manifest journal. Clicking on the first result, she learned that manifestation journals were growing in popularity, it was a tool in the Law of Attraction to help bring anything you desire. The internet said to write out what I want, in current tense, as if it's already happening. She thought to herself. Taking a swig and giving a quick shrug she opened the book to page 2 and wrote: I currently have $20,000 in my bank account right now. Laughing, Nice looked over at her cat Twizzy, “ Let's start off small shall we? 20k would be an upgrade from the $200 we currently have.” She closed the book.

After probably the best night's rest she had had since her mothers funeral, Nice readied for work in her usual fashion, teeth, black coffee and out the door. The rain had left a crisp scent to the air and the day was going to be warm again. The old lady was already on her perch when Nice approached. “Hey! Where'd you go yesterday? That book you gave me wasn't mine, plus. I don't think I got your name?” She said with barely a breath. The old woman smiled. “ It most certainly is your book. And I see you've figured out how to use it.” Aniase’s smile dropped, the lady had looked just a little creepy for the first time. “ What do you mean?” In lieu of an answer, the woman pulled a duffle bag from under the bench. “ This is for you.” Weary eyed, Nice took the bag with a shaky hand. “Wh-what is this?” “ Open it.” The woman nodded with a smile. Nice gapped at the bag full of money in neat little stacks, with bands around them. Curiosity had her stick an arm in just to touch. “ There's no way you could have-” Annoyed at the fact that she got distracted enough to let the woman leave a second time, Nice zipped the bag with force and frantically looked around. The bus came, but she walked back in the direction of home. She called a cab and went to the only place she could think of: Morgan’s house.

Afraid to use the phone, Nice had the cab drop her off one block away and decided to walk the rest. She paid the cab with her credit card, too afraid of what was in the bag. Morgan came to the door after the first ring. Dressed in shorts showing her Batman tattoo on her thigh and long socks, she smiled. “Nice! Why didn't you call?! I just got done with this new herbal tea I made. You must try it.” Always the eclectic, Morgan turned off her “90’s R&B” playlist, and turned on cartoons for background noise. “ I sense tension, what's wrong with you?” Morgan cocked her head to the side as she studied her oldest friend. As a self proclaimed witch, she was big on vibes. Not waiting for an answer, she nodded her head at the bag “ And what's up with the duffle? We having a slumber party?” Without speaking, Nice unzipped the bag and proceeded to drop in on the floor, so the money would spill out with a dramatic thud. Morgan’s half smile dropped into shock as she went down on all fours to rummage through the piles. “DID YOU ROB A BANK?” She asked, with all pleasure and no judgement. “ Of course I didn't!” Nice relayed the past couple of days to her friend over a cup of tea. Listening intently, Morgan rose. I have to read some cards on this, do you have the journal?” Eager for clarification, Nice handed over the Moleskine.

After two hours of tarot, meditation and panic, Aniase felt relieved that she wasn't going through..whatever this was, alone. Morgan provided a few details such as: The journal being a “gift” from her mom. (But what did that mean?) Nice wondered as she paced. Morgan was tentatively going through each page of the journal. “Did you call the number?” She asked as she took note of the last page. “What number?” Nice was at Morgan's side in two paces. “I never noticed a number.” She stated. “Do you think it was always there? Or that it magically popped up just now?” Morgan asked with a grin. “Don’t be shy, call! I didn't get anything malicious earlier when I read tarot on the situation.” Aniase hesitated. Morgan sighed dramatically, pulled out her cell and punched in the numbers. “ Wait!” Nice stopped her as she pushed the last 2. “Lets Google the area code” “ Do we have to Google everything?” “ It helps.” A few moments later, Nice looked up from her phone, “ It says this area code doesn’t exist.” Morgan smiled again, “Cool.” she said as she hit the call button. After a flash of light and what sounded like a white noise machine, Morgan and Aniase found themselves in front of an old house. “Where are we?” They asked in unison. The old lady from the bus stop opened the front door and smiled. “ Is that Creepy Old Bus Stop Lady?!” Morgan asked with excitement. Running to the door without invitation, Morgan stopped in front of the aged woman. “ I’m Morgan, and you've got some ‘splainin’ to do.” She declared. The woman took a sidestep to let them both in. “ I’m Alice, and that I do. Please come in for some tea.” “ I love tea.” Morgan exclaimed, half pulling Nice inside. At a large round table in a cozy dining room, Alice explained that she was a sort of guardian of the book. The book is a tool that has been passed down to each woman in her family generation. Staring in half disbelief, half amazement. Nice asked if the money was safe. “ Of course it is dear, and it's yours. As a matter of fact, everything you write in that Moleskine will become yours. But there's a catch of course.” “Of course!” Morgan repeated. “What is it? Give up her first born? Terminal illness?” Alice chuckled, pleased to have such entertaining company. “ No, she can only use the book to physically manifest 100 things in her lifetime, and one of the hundred things, must be to manifest the book to whoever the next woman in your family is.” “ Now that's a catch.” Morgan said, enjoying the mysticality of the old woman.

After a long day of questions, answers and tea. The old woman gently put her hand on Nice’s. So how are you going to live your life now?” She wanted to know. Aniase took a long pause. “ I’ve decided that I'm going to attempt to use two, no more than three uses of the book a year over the span of my lifetime. As far as what those manifestations are? I’m not sure.” Alice stood on her old bones as she picked up empty cups. “ I think that's a marvelous idea, you and your friend have kind hearts and intelligent minds. I know you will use it wisely. Just know that I'm always here if you need me.” “ Would you mind if I came to visit you sometime Alice?” Morgan asked, looking like a shy child. Alice’s eyes lit up. “ I would like that,very much.” “ So how do we get home?” Nice wanted to know, her anxiety was giving her a headache. Too much had happened in a twenty-four hour period.” Alice smiled. “Just dial the number.”

Back home in their respective beds, Aniase and Morgan both slept soundly, with thoughts of the amazing things to come clouding both of their dreams.