What is NASA?

1

Emily Dickinson's PoV

"I'll show you to the washroom. Lenore, Emily... watch Ms. Brontë," Annabel said as she exited after Oscar and George.

"So... Who does your hair?" Charlotte asked in an attempt to diffuse the tension.

"He only works with ectoplasm. I can't even with you," Lenore responded.

No one was saying anything or moving, so I got up and began to look around. Neither Charlotte nor Lenore seemed to notice me as I rifled through papers on the table. A newspaper caught my eye with the headline "Daily Horoscope".

There was a paragraph at the top which I ignored as I ran my finger down the list until I landed on Sagittarius.

"Great danger lies ahead for you today outside of your home. Perhaps stay in for the evening

with a nice cup of tea."

"Perfect," I thought. Why couldn't I have been born in the summer for a lovely "you'll meet a new friend today"?

I set the paper back on the table and began to turn away as the paragraph I had previously skipped came into view. The first thing it said was "STOP!" So I did. I went back to the top and read what it had to say.

"Could we have been wrong about our horoscopes all along? NASA discovers new constellation

to change the zodiac calendar. New dates are as follows:

"I can't believe this! I have a new sign?" That just couldn't be right. Also what is NASA? Sagittarius has never steered me wrong before. I double checked the list. Yes, that's right. December 10th now falls under Ophiuchus. How is that even pronounced? Oh well, better go check what misfortune lies ahead for me now.

I scanned the horoscopes until I found Ophiuchus. Here goes nothing.

"You are more than you ever thought you could be. Today is your day to do great in this world.

When given the chance, you will stand up for yourself and defend what you know is right."

Fat chance. No one ever even notices me. How will I ever stand up for myself. That 'when' should really be an 'if' because I'm not so sure that opportunity will ever arise.

I dropped the paper and returned back to my seat, waiting for something to happen. Moments later, the doorbell rang.

I excitedly stood up. It would surely be Agatha Christie and with her here, we were bound to figure out who the murderer was. "Oh, that must be the great Ms. Agatha Christie" I said, voicing my opinion. Charlotte was still tied up, but Lenore was already out the door. I hesitated for a moment before following after her.

We met Edgar and H.G. on the way to the door and then stood by eagerly as Edgar opened it.

"Ms. Agatha Christie, we are indeed pr..." but before he could finish, she fell forward, knife protruding from her back. We were all shocked of course, but not even seconds later, there was a scream from elsewhere in the house.

We all rushed to the source to find Oscar trying to get into the bathroom that George Eliot's scream had just escaped. Thankfully Edgar was able to break the door in, only to find Geor.. okay let's face it, we all know she's Mary Ann.. slumped against the wall after having been hit over the head with a painting.

We tried to ask what had happened to her, but all she managed to get out before taking her last breath was that she was actually a woman, a fact we all knew and that was of no use to us.

Edgar realized that Ernest was nowhere to be found, so we all rushed back to where Charlotte was tied up. He wasn't there either, but did appear after a few moments, knives in hand. He gave us all a good fright, but I'm still doubtful it was him. I had a feeling he was a little too drunk to be performing murder without getting caught.

After returning to Agatha Christie's body to examine it further, H.G. stepped forward with the brilliant plan to call upon the psychic, Krishanti, who had brought Lenore back as a spirit, to perform a séance to try to find out who the murderer was from one of the victims.

Before she arrived, I yet again had to introduce myself. Had they really not noticed me all night, my god. But, whatever.

All was well and good when Krishanti arrived. She checked all of our auras, which I'm not totally sure I believe in, and then proceeded to cleanse the room with a newly lit, white candle. She began to speak to the spirits, asking them for a sign. We all waited in anticipation as she announced that the first spirit had returned, although none of us could see anything yet.

Oscar spoke up asking, "Where?"

Her response was a gesture in my direction. I looked behind me, expecting to see one of the victims' ghosts, but instead saw nothing. At that point, I realized she meant me. She thought that I was the ghost. How is this still happening?!

"I'm not a ghost!" I shouted. "I'm a live person!" They all seemed very confused, as if I hadn't already explained to them all countless times that night that I was a real person who was there. I knew I shouldn't have left the house. But... wait. That's what my old horoscope said. My new horoscope, Ophi... something, said that I was going to receive the chance to stand up for myself, and that I would take it. Maybe these were the kinds of chances it was talking about. That's it, next time someone contradicts my humanness and capabilities, I will stand up for myself and what I know is right.

Krishanti finally managed to summon the actual ghosts who only spoke complete nonsense. Suddenly some man we had never seen appeared and actually offered a little bit of insight. The moment was interrupted by Charlotte's sneeze, however. Apparently she was allergic to lavender. Krishanti said she would go and fetch some sage to finish the séance, and left the room.

"I'm going with her," I said.

"We really should stay together," Annabel said.

"She can't go alone. There may be a killer out there," I protested.

"Erma, please stay put," Edgar said. Honestly? I've told these people my name countless times.

"It... It's Emily," I began to mutter. Here was my chance. You can do this Emily. "No. You know, I am standing up for myself," I said. Immediately after which I tripped over my footing and fell to the ground. Of course. I may as well just stay here, it's not like anyone would notice. But no, my horoscope has always held true and it's not stopping now just because I've changed signs. I got back to my feet. "I am now standing up for myself and I am going to find the sage that she needs for the ghosts. I am not nobody!" I declared before leaving them all, probably very shocked, although maybe more confused than anything.

I made my way towards the kitchen, assuming that was the most logical place to store sage. I arrived in the open kitchen doorway to find Krishanti on the phone. I didn't want to interrupt her call so I waited patiently for her to finish. Before she could, though, someone dressed in black came up behind her, hung up the phone, and wrapped the cord around her neck, effectively strangling her. They didn't seem to notice me at all and just walked away.

It took me a moment to fully realize what I had just witnessed, but once I did, a scream escaped my mouth.

Maybe people would actually begin to take me seriously now that I had witnessed something of importance. Probably not though.

You know what, I'm calling bull on this whole "NASA" discovery thing. I'm sticking with my Sagittarius horoscope and regretting that I ever made the decision to leave my room.