I pointed to the window. “No one has power. It’s a neighborhood tradition.” I glanced outside and saw that the only illumination on the street was from the old gas lamps, faithfully casting a small amount of light onto the lawns.

“Don’t you have a generator? We bought one after the last Fourth of July,” she said as she frowned. She pulled her tank top away from her body and fanned her chest with the magazine. “Why is it so hot today? What horrible weather.”

Jess plopped down on the carpet and crossed her legs, her bare feet tucking under. “No such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.”

Melissa grumbled as she sat down, too. “Easy to say for someone who doesn’t wear much of it.”

I ignored their bickering and placed the Ouija board on the blanket. I thought again about how the emotional balance of our group had shifted without Liz. Melissa and Jess had always gotten digs in against each other, but without her buffer, her kindness, the remarks seemed more mean-spirited than funny. Her presence was like a propane dial on a firepit, capable of turning down the flames so they could be enjoyed without too much heat.

Finally, Melissa’s brave exterior crumbled. “Can we please just get this over with so I can go home?” Her voice cracked in the middle of the sentence.

Nodding, I opened the box and pulled the board and planchette out, placing them in the center of our makeshift triangle. I shivered and tried to push thoughts of The Exorcist out of my mind, my fear that we might make things worse by opening a door with the demonic world.

We put our fingertips on the planchette. “All right,” I said as I shifted closer to the board. “Let’s close our eyes and try to picture Liz, to let her know we want to communicate with her.” I swallowed hard as I thought of the words written on the photo.

“But what if I actually don’t want to talk to her?” Melissa whispered, and neither of us answered.

I closed my eyes and thought of my friend. The memory that popped into my head was the first night we all hung out, after the incoming kindergartner park playdate. I had immediately connected with Jess first; her easy and carefree attitude reminded me of my sister when we were young. She was her own vortex, one that I could stand near and absorb energy from. One that used to wrap my own insecurities more tightly. A shield.