I’m not sure where I should go. Stuff’s been happening all over the house, but I don’t want to go in the basement, Caitlyn’s room, or mine for that matter. This probably isn’t going to work, but if it does, whatever is here can make the trip down the stairs, or up from the basement to talk to me.

I sit on the couch and withdraw the first of my purchases from the bag: a Ouija board. The receipt comes out with it. It feels ridiculous to remove the thin plastic wrapping. I also feel stupid looking at the toy company logo on the box. I take off the lid and set it off to the side, along with the instructions. Who doesn’t know how this works? I place the board on the coffee table in front of me and remove the plastic heart with the clear plastic hole. I quickly consult the instructions and discover it’s called a ‘planchette’. I place it on the board and lightly rest my fingertips on its edge. I’ve heard you’re not supposed to do this alone, but I’m not asking anyone else to do this with me.

Deep breath. Here we go.

“Ummm … hello?”

I wait, my fingertips barely touching the planchette.

There’s no movement.

“Is anyone here?”

The plastic heart remains motionless.

I can’t believe I’m about to ask this …

“Nicole, are you here?”

I almost want it to move. I want it to slide over to the word ‘NO’ on the board and spell out ‘NICOLE IS NOT HERE’. Then, I’ll head out the door and never look back.

Instead, the planchette stays right in the middle of the board.

Thank God Caitlyn’s not here to see this.

“Katherine? Are you here?”

I wait … My arms are getting tired.

I keep trying to come up with different versions of the same question over and over, again.

“Will someone speak to me?”

“Is there something you’re trying to tell me?”

“Who is here in this house?”

“What is it that you want?”

The only time the planchette moves is when I’m startled by the sound of the motor in the fridge kicking on in the kitchen.

*

An hour later, and the planchette still hasn’t moved under my fingers. How shocking that something I learned from the movies is wrong. I finally take my fingers off the planchette and put it and the board back into the box. When I walked into this house, I was terrified. Now, I’m tired and bored.

Time for Plan B.

From the bag, I take out the large sketchpad and pencil. I rip out a couple pages and stack them on top of the pad in my lap.

I’m going to try that ‘spirit writing’ thing I saw in that George C. Scott movie.