CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Jess sat in the middle of the music room floor and placed the Ouija board in front of her. On it, the illustration of disembodied heads seemed so creepy in comparison to the happier, glowing Ouija board she’d used a few years ago. In the top left corner next to the word YES was a picture of the sun, only with a man’s mustached and goateed face. The sun wasn’t quite smiling, but close. In contrast, in the upper right corner, the face on the moon appeared to have an annoyed or disapproving expression. Letters were arranged in arcs across two rows. Beneath them were numbers one through zero. And printed underneath the name were the words The Mystifying Oracle.
Be careful, Jess.
It was just a board.
A witchboard. That’s what they used to be called before.
What if Allison was right? What if she called the darker spirits in Siler House instead of friendly ones?
“Are you going to do this or not?” she whispered aloud in the empty room.
Taking a deep breath, she placed the planchette on the center of the board and lightly rested three fingers of each hand on the base. Staring at the open hole at the top of the planchette, she called out. “Gracie? Emma? Are you here?”
No answer. No movement from the planchette. She wiped at her forehead. Despite the air conditioner running almost day and night, the room was sweltering. August was usually the warmest of the summer months in the South, and this year, it seemed determined to break all records. Back home in Asheville, the temperature would be nearly ten degrees cooler and at least there would be a breeze. The air in Savannah felt as stagnant and thick as the moss draping the oaks.
Jess glanced around the room. “Could you guys at least cool it off in here a little?” The strong presence of a ghost sometimes meant a drop in the air temperature. “Gracie? Emma? Anyone?” She paused. An eerie silence filled the room as though the house were listening.
On a whim, she whispered, “Grams? Dad?”
The word seemed to hang in the air, expectantly. It’d been the first time she’d called to them since coming here.
There was no reply, not a single word, not a breeze or solitary creak. Feeling foolish, she stared at the board. The moon and sun continued to smile and frown, respectively. The women in the bottom corners were still conjuring spirits. The planchette’s triangular shape sat on the board like some alien fly, patient and still. She tried to visualize the planchette moving, spelling out the words: I’m here.
Your imagination. Your misplaced imagination.
Admit they’re gone. Both Grams and your father are gone, Jess. They’ve moved on.
No. They wouldn’t leave her. Not forever. Not without saying—
Her eyes glanced to the bottom of the board and the two words written underneath the line of numbers. GOOD-BYE.
The word rekindled a familiar ache inside her chest. Regardless of what the board was, or did, it was her best hope. The girls had promised to help, and they’d given her the board. That had to mean something. This was her best hope of being able to say those two words to her father. She desperately wanted to see him, tell him one last time that she loved him and wished him well—wherever he was.
Dad. Grams.
I miss you guys so much. You have no idea.
It almost felt too good to be true. Was this all there was to it? To find an old board? One that had…aged? The board was old enough. Dr. Brandt had said that although it wasn’t the one Mrs. Siler had used in her séances, the planchette was. Ghosts and spirits often attached themselves to objects. If there were ever a fact guide for ghosts, she was sure that tidbit would be in there.
And if it wasn’t fact?
What if nothing happened?
God, Jess. You really are losing it. You’re sliding down a slippery slope. It’s commercially produced, for heaven’s sake. There’s a trademark symbol—
“Need an assistant?”
The words broke her concentration and Jess glanced up to find Gage walking toward her. She inhaled deeply, regaining control, or at least the illusion of it. She adjusted her shirt, hoping the action would offer some relief from the heat. Despite the warmth, Gage gave off a cool appearance, even dressed in a sleeved shirt and jeans. She wondered if he ever broke into a sweat, and an image of his bare chest glistening in the summer heat made her look away and focus on the Ouija board instead. “Aren’t you supposed to be resurrecting a bird or something?”
Gage grinned as he sat on the floor next to her, leaving barely a breath of air between them. Jess’s pulse picked up a notch.
“Sorry. No phoenixes from the ashes today. I like the idea of resurrecting something, though. Like the other night?”
Wow. Jess drew in a breath and struggled for something appropriate and witty, or even a little sexy, but not a single word formed. She could only stare, stupidly, like some silly thirteen-year-old with a celebrity fan-girl crush. Okay, so Gage was hot, but there were plenty of hot guys.
None of which made her feel weak in the knees like Gage did. She forced herself to focus on the board.
“You look like you’re in the middle of something else.”
“No!” Jess nearly shouted. “I mean, I really could use some help here.”
“So, then,” Gage said, and coughed.
It was bad enough he was hotter than the seven rings of hell, but he knew the effect he had on her. Probably had a lot of practice.
“I’ve never done this before. What should we ask it?”
“I think we’re supposed to put the board between us,” Jess replied somewhat reluctantly. Not that she wasn’t up for trying to work the board with him right by her side, but supposedly, that’s not how the board worked.
Gage scooted across from her, sitting cross-legged, and positioned the board across their knees. Jess scooted in until her knees touched his and placed her fingers on the planchette. Gage did the same, letting his fingers rest against hers.
Breathe, stupid. He’ll think you’re a clueless idiot.
“Ask away.” Gage’s eyes met hers. “Ask if it knows where Riley is right now.”
Jess returned her focus to the board and concentrated. The question wasn’t her first choice, but it’d do. “Where is Riley right now?”
The planchette moved over the letters slowly, their fingers floating along with it.
H O U S E
“Did you see that?” Gage asked.
Jess nodded. Shocked, it was all she could do. She’d hoped that the board would work, but seeing it in action was something else entirely.
“Ask it something else,” Gage urged.
“Is Riley in this room?”
Again, the planchette moved across the board.
Y E S
Jess’s heart began to race. She glanced at the mirrors the Silers had installed along the walls, but Riley wasn’t in them. Suddenly, she didn’t want to be in here. Not with all these mirrors.
“Ask it about demons. Ask the board about Allison.”
Jess wondered if it was a wise thing to do, but nodded. “Are there demons here?”
For a moment, the planchette didn’t move. Slowly, it spelled out an answer.
S O O N
Jess sucked in a breath. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
“Which ones?” Gage asked, solemn, as they exchanged glances. The planchette didn’t move for him.
Resisting the urge to wipe her sweating palms on her shorts, Jess repeated his question. “Which ones?”
The planchette moved up, then down, creating a figure eight over and over again.
“He wants to channel a specific demon,” Allison said as she walked into the room.
Jess and Gage looked up from the board, surprised. The last place Jess figured Allison would venture into was a room with a Ouija board. The planchette stopped its repetitive figure eights.
“What are you doing here?” Jess asked. “I thought you didn’t want any part of this.”
“I don’t.” Allison inched carefully closer as though the board might suddenly lunge for her.
She nodded toward the board. “But he does.”
“Who?” Gage asked. “Who wants to channel a demon? Riley?”
Allison nodded again. “Yes. A really bad one.”
Gage frowned. “They’re all bad, Allison. Which demon?”
“The one who possessed him when he was alive?” Jess guessed.
Allison nodded once more.
“Well,” Gage pressed. “Does the demon have a name?”
The planchette began to vibrate on the board, although neither she nor Gage was touching it. Jess swallowed hard, trying to keep down the fear building inside.
This was so not a good idea.
“They all have names,” Allison replied shakily as she eyed the board. Jess had no idea how Allison was still here, why she hadn’t turned and run by now. “I’m not doing that, by the way.”
“Does the demon have a name?” Gage asked. If he was frightened, he didn’t seem like it. “What or who are we dealing with?”
The question finally broke Allison. “Don’t ask for its name!” she shrieked. “Never ask for a demon’s name when using the board! Never!”
As if feeding from Allison’s outburst, the planchette resumed figure eights again, faster and faster.
“See what you’ve done?” Her face had gone completely white.
The board rattled slightly.
“Allison,” Jess said quietly, trying to calm her. The board was feeding off their energy. It was all Jess could do not to push the board away from her, but that might upset Allison even more and if the board was feeding off her emotions, that wouldn’t be good.
Allison backed up a few steps. “Now you’ve done it.” Tears began to flow down her cheeks, but at least her voice had returned to its normal pitch. “They’re angry.”
“Who?” Jess implored. “The demons? Riley? Who?” She could only stare at the board now.
“Make it stop!” Allison demanded. “Jess, just make it stop. Tell the board good-bye!”
The planchette continued its figure eights. It took all her will not to get up and run.
She’s right! Tell it! Tell it!
“I don’t know much about Ouija boards, but I think Allison’s right,” Gage said. His eyes were wide now, all pretense of calmness gone.
“Good-bye,” Jess said weakly.
The planchette didn’t stop.
“What do you know about all of this, Allison?” Gage’s eyes were focused on the board as if it were a venomous snake. “What’s it doing?”
Allison shook her head. Her voice was quiet. “You won’t believe me. No one would.”
How could Allison be calm all of the sudden? Because that is what Allison did. She shut down. She’d found someplace to hide within herself and she wasn’t coming out until she felt it was safe again.
“Try me,” Gage insisted.
“I shouldn’t have come up here. I knew it.” Allison took another step back. “Something’s wrong with the board.”
“You think?”
“He’s not alone,” Allison announced as she stopped at the doorway. One of her shoelaces on her sneakers had come untied, but she didn’t seem to notice. Allison wasn’t home.
“Riley isn’t the only one here,” she said, eyes glassy. “We need to go.”
That was all Jess needed to hear. The time for false bravado had passed. She scooted backward, letting the board fall to the ground. Gage followed her lead. The planchette clattered to a stop, still on top of the board. With a quick jerk, it returned to its center, however. Jess yelped. The board vibrated a few beats as though some epic struggle was going on for control of the planchette.
Finally, the planchette began to move, gliding slowly over letters.
J E S S
Gage grabbed her arm and pulled her up.
Again, the planchette abruptly returned to the middle before hovering over three more letters in quick succession.
R U N