The air in the room seemed to settle as we waited, the only sound our breathing and the distant laughter of the husbands as they sat at the firepit next door. The candles cast shadows around the room, making the furniture seem grotesquely large.

“We are asking to speak to our friend Liz, who we love. Liz, if you can hear us, let us know.” My voice was strong, confident, belying the terror inside. My stomach felt like a black hole.

The planchette quivered under our fingers, and I noticed Melissa’s hand was shaking. Her eyes were closed tightly and her lips pressed in a thin line. I wondered what memory from her childhood this brought up. Jess’s face was open, expectant, eyes bright and clear as she waited with the calm excitement of a Labrador retriever.

When nothing moved, I repeated the question, louder this time in case the spirit world was hard of hearing.

Again, nothing.

My shoulders sagged. I had been so sure the Ouija board would work, and the thought of going to bed a failure made my chest tighten.

I was startled when Jess spoke.

“Liz, where are you?” she shouted. “Hello?”

The air around us seemed to crackle and the candlelight danced against the walls. My eyes wide, I nodded to Jess. Keep going.

“Stop,” Melissa said, wide-eyed.

Jess was undeterred. “Liz, I’m sick of this bullshit. If you can hear us, get over here and talk to us.” Her words became louder as she spoke, like the volume on a radio dial slowly being turned to the right.

The planchette quivered under us and slowly began to move in a circle.

“It’s happening,” I whispered, mostly to myself. No one spoke as we watched it turn clockwise twice, the dancing shadows of the candles casting a flickering glow on the letters and perverse humanoid sun at the top.

I glanced down at the gel pen and loose-leaf paper next to me, ready to record any messages.

Yet the planchette stopped in the center of the board, not pointing to anything. We waited a few more beats for it to move again, but nothing. The air in the room changed again and lightened, like a helium balloon slowly floating to the ceiling.

Frustration bubbled up in my chest, and I pressed down harder on the planchette.

“Liz!” I shouted at the board, feeling a bead of sweat run down my back and absorb into my red, white, and blue tank top. “Talk to us!”

We felt the air change again, like hitting pause on the television.

“Do you feel that?” Melissa whispered, her face pale.

And then, everything exploded.

CHAPTER
27

Breaking glass, a ripping sound that exploded all around us. We threw our hands over our heads as we heard a pop pop pop, like firecrackers going off in a circle around us. Through my arms, I could see glittering pieces of glass falling onto the carpet.