Prophet

Outside, large snowflakes fall. Camille, dressed in a white turtleneck sweater and a white wool coat, quietly watches the snowflakes outside the window. At this moment, she is heading towards a luxurious suburban mansion.

The train and the tracks rub against each other, emitting a humming sound as they make their way to the suburbs. Around the carriage, there are sounds of passengers chatting, the cries of children, and people reading newspapers or books. Some are nibbling on cold sandwiches. Camille, wearing sunglasses, focuses on the snowflakes outside, contemplatively watching the scenery passing by as the train speeds along.

After the train announces the station name, the crowd starts to stir. Passengers getting off the train begin to gather their belongings. Camille also finally makes a move. Since she boarded, she has maintained an elegant posture, sitting upright. If it weren’t for the fact that the client is in a hurry and couldn’t secure a first-class flight, she wouldn’t have taken the train. She dislikes being in contact with crowds.

The train has now started to decelerate, slowly entering the station. Camille, holding her expensive leather bag, stands gracefully in front of the train door, waiting for it to open. At this point, the doorway is filled with passengers eager to disembark. Some are spritzing perfume, grooming themselves; others are inspecting the gifts in their hands, making sure they will be delivered to their loved ones in perfect condition.

Camille stands there quietly, her emotions concealed behind oversized sunglasses.

As the train doors open, passengers rush out, heading towards the arms of those they long for. In this cold winter, perhaps only love can melt the chill. Camille’s expensive white leather shoes step into the dirty slush of snow, with no clean spot on the road. There is no other option; she has to walk as quietly as possible, preventing the heels from picking up the grimy gray snowwater and soiling her shoes.

Suddenly, a young boy on a skateboard, wearing a cap, passes by her. Due to his tender age, playful nature, and lack of proficiency in skateboarding, he fails to notice the uneven road ahead. As he passes by Camille, he tumbles and ends up leaning into her arms.

The skateboard is brand new, clearly a recent gift for the boy. However, its wheels and the underside are already covered in black mud and dirty snow, instantly soiling Camille’s white clothes and white leather shoes as he topples into her arms.

When the boy’s family hurriedly arrives, they immediately apologize to Camille and check if anyone is hurt. Camille, however, remains expressionless and does not respond to the family’s concern. The atmosphere becomes awkward in an instant.

At that moment, two butlers dressed in suits and wearing white gloves rush over. “Miss Camille, the car has been waiting for you for quite some time,” they inform.

They take the items from Camille’s hands and anxiously escort her away. However, the boy’s family intercepts them and recounts the recent incident to the butlers. The butlers observe Camille’s expression, then glance at the uneasy family, awaiting their response. They politely reassure them that it is not a problem. Afterward, they hastily escort Camille away.

The boy’s family watches the departing figures of Camille and the butlers, feeling a bit puzzled. However, they quickly dismiss the incident from their minds. Christmas is just around the corner, and what could be more important than joyfully spending the holiday together as a family?

Upon arriving at the luxurious manor, Camille finds the mistress lying weakly in bed, surrounded by doctors and nurses. Seeing Camille enter the room, the mistress gestures for everyone else to leave, leaving only her devoted maid and close friends by her side.

The mistress takes Camille’s hand, resembling a caring elder sister. “Miss Camille, it’s a pleasure to see you. I appreciate your efforts in coming all this way, and I apologize for summoning you in haste. But I truly need you now,” she says with sincerity.

Camille removes her gloves and gently covers the back of the mistress’s hand, offering comfort. She then takes off her sunglasses and seats herself on the chair the maid had placed by the bedside.

“Cough, cough...” The mistress coughs twice before continuing, “Miss Camille, you know why I’ve called for you, don’t you? If you can help save me, I’m willing to do anything…”

Camille, observing the mistress’s frailty, gently places her hand back under the covers, hoping to keep it warm. At that moment, the cry of a baby pierces through the room, awakening everyone immersed in their sorrow.

Camille looks at the baby being comforted by the maids and says to the mistress, “Please rest assured. You will witness your daughter crawling, taking her first steps, calling you ‘mom.’ You’ll see her proudly introducing her beloved to you, witness her wedding, and even see her own children…”

Camille hasn’t finished speaking when the people in the room embrace each other, quietly sobbing. At this moment, the suppressed emotions in the room find release. The hostess on the bed also cries tears of joy, and a faint glow appears on her haggard face. “Thank you, Miss Camille. I am truly grateful to you. You saved my life, and I will do everything in my power to repay you.”

“That’s wonderful! Thank God, Juliette, I always knew you would get better!” The mistress’s husband, who had entered the room at some point, rushes in and tightly holds her hand, embracing her, kissing her forehead, tears sparkling in his eyes. The scene moves everyone present.

Finally, someone bursts into tears and rushes to the bed, embracing the mistress. “Oh, Mom, this is truly a miracle! God has favored us!” At that moment, everyone in the room breaks into tears, letting out the emotions they had suppressed for so long. It is an overwhelming release.

Camille stands up and retreats to the wall, choosing not to partake in the joyous celebration among the family members. At this moment, the maid approaches Camille, cradling the baby in her arms. She wipes away tears from her face and says, “You don’t have children, Miss Camille. Hold her; she likes you a lot as soon as she sees you.”

The maid gently hands the newborn baby to Camille, not allowing her to refuse. The baby, still in swaddling clothes, giggles at the sight of the beautiful Camille. The maid extends a hand to playfully interact with the infant in Camille’s arms, eliciting even more joyous laughter. “Miss Camille, you don’t have to feel too constrained. Look, she really likes you.” Saying this, the maid takes Camille’s hand and playfully interacts with the baby.

At the moment when the maid’s hand touches Camille’s, Camille stiffens. In an instant, a rapid succession of the maid’s life flashes before Camille’s eyes. Seeing Camille’s serious expression, the maid becomes visibly startled. “What’s wrong, Miss Camille?” she asks, clearly taken aback.

Noticing the situation from her side of the room, the mistress, anxious at the scene, shouts towards the maid, “Emma! Give Miss Camille some space; she might be feeling a bit weary.”

Upon hearing the mistress urgently urging her, the maid also grows anxious. She takes the baby back from Camille’s hands and says, “I’m sorry, Miss Camille, for making you go through more trouble. You should rest well.”

In the moment of taking the baby back, the infant’s hand grabs onto Camille’s finger. Against the backdrop of Camille’s finger, the baby’s tiny hand appears exceptionally delicate and adorable. However, in that fleeting touch, the entire life of the baby unfolds before Camille’s eyes. Yes, Camille possesses the ability to foresee the lives of others.

In fact, she can see the countdown of everyone’s life. At this moment, various colored numbers hover above the heads of the people in the room, as well as those on the train and at the station. The numbers persist densely, seemingly inescapable, appearing vividly before her eyes.

Different colored numbers hold different meanings. Green represents the normal passage of life, while red indicates an unexpected departure in the near future. However, because even God does not know their exact date of death, the numbers do not change; only the color shifts to red. Gray indicates the final year of life, while black signifies that life has entered its last month. When the number above someone’s head turns into a black digit 0, it means that person’s death will occur on that day.