The children's librarian had no idea what we were up to on that fine, sunny afternoon. She was thrilled that we had started a creative writing group for teenagers and she reserved the best room at Queset House for us. That's the historic old stone house next to the main library. She even said we could bring in snacks and sodas, as long as we agreed to clean up after ourselves. I showed up early for the first meeting, to make sure the door to our room locked. Super important. Because what happens at Queset House has to stay at Queset House.
Right on time, my best and only friends file in. It's hard for me to make friends because I don't play well with others. I'm an only child and a total Machiavellian narcissist, in a good way. I only get along with this very special group of girls because they let me boss them around. My IQ is off the charts but my grades suck.
Maddie and Arielle are the first to arrive. Sarah announces, "On Fridays we wear flannel." And everyone screeches with maniacal laughter because Maddie isn't wearing flannel. She's wearing her MCR Ouija board t shirt and a retro denim jacket. We all point at her, cover out mouths and snicker.
"Shut up, you soggy-oat imbeciles. All my flannel shirts were in the wash."
"Haven't you heard of the grunge cult? We're supposed to be grubby. Do you think Kurt Cobain spent his valuable, creative energy doing laundry?"
"Body odor is the new Febreeze."
"As long as no one uses Axe. I'd rather smell armpit than Axe." I add.
"Yes! Axe is the new pepper spray." Taylor says.
"And Old Spice Swagger is mace." Arielle continues and the beat goes on.
"No, tear gas." Maddie, as usual is cracking herself up.
"Okay, you guys, time to get scandalous. Take out your laptops and tablets. We at least need to seem like we're writing a literary magnum opus."
Maddie stands up and takes something else out of her messenger bag, the Ouija board. We'll save the EVP reader for later. I tiptoe over to lock the door and turn off the lights. Ashley gets up, too, and pulls the heavy drapes closed.
"Sarah, did you bring them?"
"Yes. I had to go all the way to Salem to find black candles. I told my mum we were reading The House of the Seven Gables at school and I wanted to see it. She dropped me and Adelaide off and waited for us in Starbucks. Instead of visiting the museum, we went to a few stores that sell occult products." She takes a bunch of black candles out of her bag and passes one out to each of us. Then she hands a box of matches to me. I light my candle first and we're no longer in total darkness. I hand the matches to Reilly and the box travels around the table, stopping again at me.
"Join hands." Everyone does as they're told.
Arielle has written a poem for this special occasion. "Repeat after me", she intones. And we begin.
"Midnight skies,
Buzzing flies,
Glowing eyes,
Victimize,
Dark surprise,
Fantasize,
Criminalize,
Evil lies,
Demonize,
Vaporize,
Everyone dies,
Final goodbyes."
We agreed beforehand that Sarah, Reilly and me would go first on the Ouija. We moved our chairs close to each other, with the board on our knees and the rest of the girls stood behind us in a circle.
"Ask the first question, Ashley." Reilly bestows the honor upon me. Awesome.
"Is anybody here?"
Nothing happens.
"Okay, maybe that question's too lame. I'll try again." I stop and think then ask, "Would you like to join our secret society?"
We each have two fingers on top of the planchette. No one's fingers are supporting it from under neath. That's why Reilly gasps when it rises a half inch above the board.
"Shhhh." I warn them. "We can't make any unusual noises. Remember, we're supposed to be writing a novella."
"Yes, that's Italian for small book." Taylor pipes in.
The planchette falls back onto the board and only Sarah and I still have our fingers on it. We make eye contact and the device begins to creep toward one corner. "Yes."
A small voice whispers against my ear. "Yes." The room grows colder. And then the planchette starts making a slow journey toward the letter I, hesitates for a heartbeat, then moves to the N and progresses to E, E and D. It waits a second before it creeps over to Y, O, U.
A breeze blows through the room, but the door and windows are closed. One candle goes out, and it's mine.
YOU ARE READING
Unforeseeable Events
Mystery / ThrillerA group of teenagers starts a creative writing group at the local library, but the club's true purpose is very hush hush. They're really a secret society, with strange rules and frightening initiation rites. At their first meeting, the most popular...
