THE FORTUNE-TELLER SYSTEM

CHAPTER 1-THE CURSED BOY

Brooke Rancher was always sitting in his wheelchair, staring out the window of his small, dingy apartment. It was a gloomy day that matched his mood perfectly.

Ever since he was a kid, he always felt like the universe was against him. Everyone in the orphanage had avoided him, talking behind his back that he was cursed. They believed that his presence brought misfortunes to those around him.

Well, it all started when his parents died in a car crash when he was just nine years old. He was left alone at an early age and had no family to turn to. The Hope Orphanage took him in, but it wasn't long before he was adopted by a new couple.

However, fate had other plans. They died too, and Brooke was left back in the orphanage. All alone once again.

Kids in the orphanage started to bully him and call him names like 'Bad Luck Brooke, and 'JINX'. They also believed that he was the reason why the orphanage was almost burned down.

As Brooke grew older, the bullying only intensified and he became withdrawn, preferring to keep himself. When he turned eighteen, he finally left the orphanage and was determined to make a life for himself.

But as if fate was playing a cruel joke on him. Brooke was hit by a trailer truck while crossing the street. He lost his legs in the accident and was left crippled.

The doctors were amazed that he had survived but Brooke didn't see it that way. He was depressed and ashamed, feeling like he was a burden to everyone around him.

Brooke now believed that he was indeed cursed and that his presence brought misfortune to the world.

Today, as he was sitting in his wheelchair, staring out the window, he felt an overwhelming sense of despair.

Brooke couldn't take it anymore and decided to end it all. To let himself fall from the terrace and put an end to his miserable existence.

But as he was about to make his move, he noticed a fortune cookie on the ground. He had no idea how it got there but he decided to open it and read the message inside.

It said, "You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from."

Brooke was taken aback. What did it mean? He wondered. He decided to eat the cookie, hoping it would give him some kind of answer. As soon as he took a bite, he heard a voice in his head.

"Welcome, Brooke Rancher to the fortune-teller system. You are the new host."

Brooke's forehead creased. What was the fortune Teller system? And what did it mean to be the host?

"Hey? Is anyone there? Are you pranking me?" Brooke said aloud, looking around his apartment.

"This is not a joke, Brooke. And that's good that you can hear me so let me repeat it. You're now the host of the fortune-teller system. You have the power to change the course of people's lives."

"What do you mean? How can I change people's lives when I can't even change mine." Brooke was skeptical.

"You'll see. Just remember your bad luck might be the thing that saves someone else's life and who knows, it might even change your fate."

Brooke was intrigued, he had believed he was cursed but what if that wasn't the case? What if his bad luck was a blessing in disguise?

Brooke's curiosity piqued, "Okay, what do I need to do?"

"You will have your first client today, and he's on the shrine hills." The system said, "Also, you have to sell charms to make a profit."

Brooke's eyes widened, "What? Are you kidding me? I'm crippled. I can't even walk properly, let alone go out and tell fortunes."

Brooke sighed and rubbed his temples for talking to this system he didn't know where it came from.

"Fine, but how am I supposed to get there?" Brooke muttered, reluctantly pushing himself out of his chair. He winced as his crippled leg throbbed in pain.

Suddenly, Broke felt a strange sensation, and the next thing he knew, he and his wheelchair were standing on a hill overlooking a bustling festival. He was surrounded by people in colorful clothes.

But his excitement was short-lived when he looked down and saw that he was holding a placard with a bold, red letter: FREE FORTUNE TELLING.

What the hell? Brooke's face burned with shame and he hated being the center of attention, especially with his crippled leg.

As he scanned the crowd, his eyes landed on a familiar face sneering at him from a distance. It was Oliver Miller, his bully from the orphanage.

This was not going to be good. Brooke thought.

"Hey, cursed boy! You think you can tell fortunes now?" Oliver shouted, strutting towards him.

Brooke's face grew hotter as the crowd began to stare. He then hid the placard.

"Come on, Brooke. Tell me my fortune. If you get it wrong, I'll throw you down the hills." Oliver taunted.

Brooke tried to search for an escape but before he could think of anything, his fingers snapped twice, unconsciously. Suddenly, he was flooded with visions of the future.

"Oliver...you need to be careful." Brooke stammered trying to process what he saw.

"You're going to die if you join the car racing tonight."

But Oliver just laughed, "You think you can predict the future? You can't even save yourself from being crippled."

"I'm telling you, Oliver. I saw you crashing and dying." Brooke repeated.

While Oliver's girlfriend, Sabrina, stepped forward. "Maybe you should listen to him. I had a dream about it too."

Oliver shook his head and ignored her, "You're just trying to scare me, Brooke. You're jealous because you're stuck in that chair while I'm living my best life."

The crowd began to murmur and Brooke hated being mocked in front of many people.

His eyes dropped and wondered why the system had to choose him for this task, and why he had to be the one to tell fortunes.