“We need people with good energies together.” Rune said. “Any three people that have good memories together.”
“So, not Edda and me.” I clarified.
Kayla scoffed. “Definitely not you two.”
“Actually, I think Marcus should be one of the three.” rune mused. “He’s got royal blood. The spirits will be honored by that.” he words made me shiver. It made me think of the kingdom of South Guinea, where they did blood sacrifices.
“If Marcus is doing the creepy ghost thingy, Liliad should do it with him.” kayla decided. “They’ve known each other longest.”
“Then Guinever should do it to.” I said, almost instinctively. “She’s been my friend for years.”
Rune clapped her hands together. “Great! So we have our three. You need to sit in a triangle around the spirit board, and put your hands on the planchette.”
“Can you stop saying the word spirits?” Undine squeaked. “It’s giving me the chills.”
“Plus it’s satanic.” Velma added
Cass rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”
“Sorry Pinky, but the word spirit is kinda unavoidable if you don’t want to use words like creature, ghost, ghoul,”
Kayla chimed in. “Don’t forget demons, devils, hellbeasts-”
“Okay. time to stop.” Jamie announced.
Rune cleared her throat. “Just put your hands on the planchette.”
Gwen sat cross-legged in front of the board. “okay, which part is that?”
“The part. That. moves.” Rune said, exasperated.
I put my left hand on the heart-shaped planchette.
“is there a spirit on the board?” Rune hissed.
nothing happened.
“this is stupid.” Edda and Rachel said at the exact same time. I raised an eyebrow. “So is your lack of patience. Just shut up and wait.”
I had barely finished speaking when I felt my left hand tremble. I looked down just in time to see the planchette shoot across the board to “yes”
Undine squeaked.
I looked at Gwen, then at Marcus, both of whom looked as surprised as I felt. Marcus nudged me with his shoulder. “Did you do that?”
“I’d barely touching it!” I hissed.
“Wasn’t me.” Guinevere shrugged.
“Shhh!” Rune snapped. “What is your name?”
I looked down. This time it moved slowly.
“D” i called as soon as it stopped.
“I”
“O”
“V”
“A”
“L”
“Dioval.” Marcus confirmed. “Why does that sound familiar?”
“How did you die?” Rune called, ignorant to our rising confusion.
Gwen read aloud this time.
“Not dead.”
“What does that mean?” Grace asked.
“Can you show us how to find you?”
The planchette didn’t move.
“Is it gone?” Someone whispered-I think it was Jamie.
“Good riddance.” Velma scoffed.
I tried to pull my hand off the planchette. “Um. I can’t get off.”
Gwen tried to yank her arm back. “Me either.”
“Me three.” Marcus added.
My eyes widened. “That’s… not good?” Cass asked, turning to Rune. The pale girl shook her head. “I don’t know, why are you all looking at me?”
“This was your idea!” Valentina snapped.
“Uhh, guys?” Gwen said shakily. I turned to her. “Yeah- oh. Oh..”
In the center of the board, a heap of black fabric appeared. I couldn’t quite tell what it was, but before I could inspect it it unraveled in the air to reveal three hooded cloaks.
“...that’s not good.” Cass whispered.
Acosta furrowed her brow. “This is not scientificly possible-“ “its’s a ghost.” Kayla interrupted. “Just go with it.”
“We are not ghossssstssss…” said a voice from the tallest cloak. When I squinted, I could see flesh weaving it’s way to reality underneath- but couldn’t discern a face. “What are they doing here?” Undine squeaked. “I thought they fell off a tower?”
“It takessss more than a little shhhhock to kill ussss.”
I like my heart was going to explode. “What do you want?” I yelled, and al, three of them turned to me. “We want Dioval. We ssssensssed hisss ssspirit here. How did you ssssumon him?”
“Ever herd of a seuance?” Rune offered.
“You could send him an invitation to tea.” Kayla advised.
“ENOUGH!” the spirits boomed, making all of us jump. “DO NOT DISSSRESPECT USSSS! DIOVAL ISSS A FUGITIVE! WHERE IS HE?!”
I snorted. “If anyone here’s a fugitive, it’s Lavinia.”
Lavinia stomped her feet. “I was drunk, okay?”
I tried to keep the smirk on my face. I could already feel my anger boiling and knew it wouldn’t help.
“Liliad, you’re sparking.” Gwen whispered.
I ignored her. “Is that what you were doing when you tried to kill Guinevere? You were looking for Dioval?”
“We are not trying to find him, we are to kill him!”
That was it.
I stopped trying to hold it in.
These people- spirits, whatever- we’re trying to murder someone. I didn’t know what Dioval did, but I didn’t care.
I jerked my hand back- but it didn’t come off the board. Instead I pulled it with me, and the spirits went flying. Gwen had somehow managed to unstick herseld]f, and stumbled back.
Marcus also had his hand glued to the board. “This is inconvenient.” He muttered.
I closed my eyes and tried to focus. Separate, I commanded, and the board clattered to the floor. I held onto that feeling- being the one in control. I focused it on them- laser sharp and hot like fire.
But then I lost control.
Because I remembered the boy from the graveyard- and I knew.
I knew it had to be him.
***
I stopped while I was climbing the iron gates. The snow had flurried into a force near a blizzard, only not quite. I wrapped one arm around the bars and wedged my feet in so I could turn around.
“what is going on?” I yelled.
“I’m sorry!” Someone yelled back
I fell off the gate.
“I lost control!”
I looked around. “Who the hell are you?”
a boy emerged from the whiteness, shaking with fear. His green eyes flickered. He had on a plain brown scarf and cap, yellow coat and black leather gloves. His brown skin was slightly blue from the cold.
“lost control of what?” I cried, looking up from the mound of snow I fell into. I propped myself up on my elbows.
The boy ran over to help me up- even through the gloves, I could feel cold radiating off his skin.
“who the hell are you?” I repeated, louder this time.
he cringed. “That question is more accurate than you think- but I can’t tell you my name.”
I stumbled to my feet. “What us going on?”
“... I told you. I can’t stop it.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Stop it? Is this coming from some kind of machine?” I asked, shivering. He shook his head. “Here, take my coat.” He said, sleeping it off his shoulders. “You need it more than me. I can’t feel the cold.”
“I don’t need a coat.” I snapped. “I need to get out of here!”
“okay.” He agreed. “I can’t open the gate, but… I’ll help you climb it.”
***
“someone distract her- I’ll follow the creepers!” Cass yelled.
lighting crackled in the air around me- but I couldn’t see it. The whole world was white. I could sense everything, every person, every footstep, every spark in the room.
someone grabbed my shoulder and tried to shake me, but my body wouldn’t budge. I pushed away the hand- though i don’t remember touching it.
I was shaking. I could feel it in my bones.
“ I said distract her!” Cass cried, and took off running.
You can’t distract lightning.
It filled the air.
And then, again, the hand. This time grabbing my arm and pulling me in and someone pressing their mouth on mine-
My eyes flew open.
It was Marcus.
“That’s one hell of a distraction.” Kayla muttered.
I could feel my body going limp, but…
Marcus pulled back, his face redder than a tomato. “Sorry. I wouldn’t have, just…” the other girls started giggling. “I don’t think that’s what Cass meant.” I whispered. He chuckled a little. “No, I don't think it was.”
“Okay, cool, you love each other. Can the rest of us go home now?” Kayla snipped.
My face turned pink. “We’re not getting married” i barked at the same time Marcus stuttered, “why would you do that i was trying to get her to snap out of it?”
“This whole place is Satanic.” Velma groaned.
Kayla smacked her arm. “You are so not helping.”
My ears pricked up as I heard a crash. “Dammit, Cass.” I hissed, and took off after her.
The hallways, which were usually full of pristine and bright felt dark and clammy, like something was wrong with the air- like their wasn’t enough of it. I took a shallow, shaky breath and started to run.
The grand staircase was usually slowly creaking and shifting- now it was littered with boxes and upturned furniture. A potted plant had shattered and spilled everywhere. Cass definitely wasn’t going down without a fight.
I hurried to the closest room, and threw open the door.
Nothing. And empty, lifeless room with a piano and an armchair.
The next room, a ballroom.
Then again, the dining room. I was running out of options.
I opened the next door.
Cass screamed as she hurtled a potted poinsettia flower at the remaining spirit. The other two had evidently evaporated, leaving behind their empty cloaks. Cass stood on a polished ivory chair, throwing anything she could get her hands on at the screaching spirit.
I blasted him quickly.
Cass turned to me, eyes narrowed. “I had that handled.”
I nodded. “I’m sure.”
Cass hopped down, her blonde hair bouncing. “I got rid of the other two, didn’t I?” I sighed. “I think it’s time we all got to bed.”
Cass groaned. “So early?”
“It’s one in the morning.”
Cass wrinkled her nose. “Boo…” i took her arm and pulled her to the door. “Jeez, Cass. please tell me you’ve gotten sleep at least once in your life.”
“Once or twice, sure.”
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