The Prediction

She is withered and small. She can barely stand up straight for the hunch in her back, and can barely lift her left foot off the ground. When she walks, it sounds like thump, sliiiide, thump, sliiide...Her walker shakes with the effort of her frail arms to move it forward. You are walking close beside her, and her head only comes up to your elbow. Suddenly, halfway down the long hallway, she stops. You stoop to her eye level and she looks at you with a worried expression. In her small, gravelly voice, she mutters "I'm shhhhcared."
You don't ask why. You want to get her to bed as soon as possible, or she might fall. "Everything's okay," you reassure her with a gentle back rub. "We're here to take care of you. Nothing's going to happen."
Momentarily mollified, she moves forward again. You finally get to her room and tuck her in. But before you leave, she grabs your arm.
"I'm shhhhcared," she says again. She plays games. She's a great actress who craves attention, and you know this is one of those times. You get down to her eye level again and reassure her that everything's fine, you're watching out for her.
"Not just me..." she says. Suddenly her blue eyes are clear and piercing and wide, and she looks directly into yours with a certainty you find chilling. She continues: "Shhhomethin'gshhh going to happen to shomeone tonight."
Okay, we're talking storybook foreshadowing creepy. Of course, it's just the dementia talking. With staff turnovers and such, she's just confused and a bit upset with all the activity. But the look in her eyes...no matter how explainable and rational this "prediction" is, it still seems a little bit creepy!