Prompt: During one Halloween, I entered a haunted house with friends, believing they could perform a séance for my grandmother. Although it worked, who we summoned wasn't my grandma, it was someone completely different.
I ALWAYS DID LIKE HAUNTED HOUSE. I NEVER NEEDED to be convinced to go to one. They were a fun time for me during spooky season.\
I always love visiting them and getting to see all the spooky things made.
But this haunted house was different. My friends had called me up talking about a haunted house that offered more than just a scary time. This place offered séances for an extra ten dollars. So, you get your shit scared and could talk to a dead family member.
I was skeptical of course.
A séance or anything medium-like is typically in their own shop or at a fair. Not to mention the frauds are more likely to be found than the ones actually capable of hosting them.
But I do like a haunted house and my friends had been the ones to offer to pay. Although I know why they wanted me there. I was the only one with a dead relative as of now. All of them still have alive grandparents while mine had died last year.
Me and my grandmother had been close back when she was alive. She was one of the few family members of mine I remained close with. I had become estranged from my family once I turned eighteen. The last time I saw any of them was at my grandmother's funeral.
Even if I do doubt this psychic performing the séance it couldn't hurt to try.
Which is how I ended up making my way through the haunted house. Of course, you have to do the haunted house to get to the séance room. Lucky for me we had already bought our tickets so now I'm just trailing behind my friends.
I was in the middle of the group as we made our way through the scare zones before the end finally appeared.
We walked into the room where a woman sat at the table with a bunch of the classic fortune telling and psychic things you'd see.
A man thanked her before he left.
"She's the real shit."
"You four must be my next appointment, come sit."
Her accent is heavy, and I couldn't identify it. To really pull her look together her outfit is stolen from at least three different cultures. Nothing sells séances and fortune telling like cultural appropriation.
All four of us took a seat at her table and the moment we did someone else appeared who I assumed to be the assistant of the woman.
"This is Madame Avery, she will be hosting the séance, feel free to introduce yourselves. I'm her assistant Glenn." Glenn told us.
"Uh, I'm Azura, this is Fall, and that's Basil and Ashby." Azura pointed over to me last.
"So, who are we calling forth today?" Madame Avery asked.
"My grandmother." I answered.
"Do you have anything of hers with you, and what was her name?" Madame Avery asked.
I removed the chain necklace I wore which has amethyst at the bottom. My grandmother loved crystal jewelry and the amethyst necklace I wore was her favorite. It also happens to be both of our birth month gemstones.
It's one of the things I loved.
Madame Avery accepted the necklace.
"Her name was Julia. Julia Collins." I gave Madame Avery her name as well.
Madame Avery took a deep breath before handing the necklace back to me.
"We're all going to hold hands now."
She offered both hands and none of my friends even hesitated to accept her word. I reluctantly took Fall's hand and Basil's hand. Madame Avery held Glenn's hand and Azura's hand.
"We call upon Julia Collins, we invite you here tonight. Your grandson Ashby invites you here tonight." Madame Avery began her chant.
I wasn't surprised to see some of her decorations begin to sway. Places like this always want to sell you the experience. But hey at least I'd get some fun out of it. I also didn't pay for the séance. That was my friend's idea. I paid for my ticket here but nothing else.
A séance interested me but not enough to pay for it. Especially one at a haunted house. But I will attend.
Madame Avery began to hum and make slightly weird faces.
I looked elsewhere to avoid any laughter bursting out. Sure, I respect the arts but it's hard to respect people who don't respect that arts and are just in it for quick cash. I could be respectful to actual spiritual people.
My doubt ended up fizzing out tonight along with my desire to ever come back here.
All it took was a very loud bang that had both Madame Avery and Glenn jumping. Fall looked over to see one of the windows open. Then it slammed shut again.
"Does this mean Ashby's grandmother is here?" Basil asked.
Madame Avery didn't get to answer as the wind started howling and her eyes rolled back into her head.
Glenn's worried expression had me believing that this isn't part of the show.
"Avery?" Glenn asked.
A fit of laughter burst from Madame Avery as she began squeezing Azura and Glenn's hand. She laughed wildly as the windows and doors began to slam open and shut.
"Is this part of it!" Fall shouted.
"No!'
Suddenly all of it seized and Madame Avery dropped the hands and sat there.
"Madama Avery?" Glenn asked cautiously.
"She isn't here." Madame Avery smiled at him.
"Shit, I think it worked." Azura murmured.
"Grandma?" I asked cautiously.
Madame Avery turned to me, and I didn't even need her confirmation to know that my grandmother wasn't in there. The predatory and taunting look is something my grandmother never would've done.
My grandmother was always a kind woman.
"Not her either. I have to admit it's not often I get a body to possess."
"Is this part of it?" Fall asked.
"No, this isn't part of it." Glenn looked visibly concerned.
Basil didn't hesitate to go running for the door. With a flick of her hand Madame Avery had the door slammed shut.
"Hey open this!" Basil demanded.
Panic began to break out amongst the room, and I regretted ever coming here.
"No, not yet. No one is leaving until I'm done. And I haven't been out in a while, so I have a lot of catching up to do." Madame Avery told us.
"Do something!" Fall shouted at Glenn.
"I don't know what to do! I am not paid enough for this bullshit!" Glenn shouted back at her.
"Séance was a brilliant idea." I told Azura.
"Shut up how I was I supposed to know?" Azura retorted.
"Séance in a haunted house surely something should've clicked with you." I spat out.
"Madame Avery open the door." Glenn told her.
"No. Not until I'm done. Oh we are going to have so much fun. It's been decades since I've been out. Now whose ready?"
1123. A cliffhanger. Needless to say they didn't summon a friendly ghost. ***
