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By evening, dozens of discarded flyers tuainst the buildings On my way horeatest performance

in the world Live aniht! Coht&039;s show began at 9:00 pe and eat dinner, I drove the familiar route to the lake

Rows of cars spread across a e turnout, but not a bad one, either If the performance was all the Gypsies had proht Everyone would ood word of mouth on the Lake Bluff Full Moon Festival would increase traffic for this year as well as the next

A ring had been set up, surrounded by portable grandstands Thethe seats so the audience could view the ani quarters had been moved halfway around the lake; I could barely see their roofs froraced the nearest trees, and spotlights illu it

A ticket booth stood in the center of the path that led to the perforerthem to try to slip by without a ticket

One was big, bulky, with thick dark hair and a fierce expression The second had lighter hair, nearly brown as if bleached by the sun, and he was so thin and tall he hunched over as if trying to disguise his height, or perhaps his pro woalloped past carrying a bushel of apples She handed thee, curious eyes and a beaked nose who began to dip each one into a vat of caramel Balloons bounced in the hands of children The scent of popcorn and cotton candy filled the night

I handed ht have been a thank-you, but I doubted it Beyond him, tables had been set up for the sale of trinkets I trailed past, glancing at the iteht

I&039;d left the swastika-ht be understandably testy about a Nazi syh the war had been over for sixty-plus years, that didn&039;t et No one should

I exale item that rese in wood?" I asked

The ancient Gypsy&039;s face was so wrinkled and brown it resehtly colored, coin-fringed scarf, and huge hoops swung froled on each of her arms Whenever she , I wondered if she spoke English I&039;d started to turn ahen she reached under the table and pulled out a box I took the offering, nearly dropping it when soive it back; she wouldn&039;t take it Instead encouraging me with nods and motions to open the lid

I did, but the container was too shallow and the night too dark for me to discern as inside I upended the box, and a shriveled paw fell intolike, "Glurg Blah," and threw the thing away

The old wo, and tossed it back inside

"What was that?" I demanded

I didn&039;t expect her to respond I truly didn&039;t think she spoke English

"A joke, dearie Didn&039;t you ever hear the tale of the monkey&039;s paw? Ancient curse? Three wishes?"

I forced myself to take a deep breath, then another My heart, which had been pounding far too fast and too loud, slowly settled "Sounds faive the people what they want"

"I didn&039;t ask for a monkey&039;s paw!"

"What monkey&039;s paw?"

"The one in the box!"

"This box?" She picked up the container and upended it Nothing cahter, then applause erupted behind me We&039;d drawn a s your fortunes told," the old wos after the show"

I&039;d been set up for an advertisement I didn&039;t think I liked it, but since we both needed the festival to do well, I couldn&039;t co Joyce waved at me from the middle of the crowd and I waved back Most of the seats were taken, but I ed to squeeze onto the last one in the first row just as the lights dian to beat a rhythm that sounded as if it had corowled and so that had howled the other night answered

I glanced around, but everyone was focused, fascinated, on the center ring

Suddenly one of the lights flared, illu Sabina She see had been shadowed, e a snake