Don't Tap!

- 11 -

"I wish people would be more aware of the fact that demons do exist. What you kids did there is a fairly grave act. Do you know the meaning of the summoning ritual you had performed even?" Father Maurice seemed to disappointed in us.

"No..." Ronnie said quietly. "We didn't think it was real – or had any meaning. We just thought it was all bogus."

"Well, evidently, it isn't." I snap at my friends before turning to the father. "What does it actually mean, Father?"

"Well... You say your ingredients – or said items required for the ritual – were," He paused for a breath and a moment to think. "A piece of charcoal, a dead plant, a white candle, and a lock of light hair –" He froze. "Hold on... What were you supposed to do with the hair?"

"Burn it to close the ritual." Kat scoffed. "It's supposed to close the portal or some thing like that. I really don't get how."

"Ah... Let me explain then." The Father took a deep breath. "There are 5 aspects to summoning a demon. The charcoal was the base of their portal. What's it made from? Something burnt. And what do you suppose happens down there?" His question has us in silence for a while, as we don't quite understand what was happening.

"It burns." Jayce said quietly. "Look, I don't need someone to tell me what we did was wrong or real. It's not. It's a stupid kid's game. Maybe not the burning but –"

"Jayce." I pleaded for him to stop. "Please. Just listen." I give him a look of despair and he stares at me hard for a while.

"Fine." He mumbles angrily. He was an agnostic on the verge of atheism and whatever we couldn't see, didn't exist for him.

"Please, continue, Father." I turn back to the priest.

"Alright. Where was I; ah yes. Charcoal. Did you notice that this is the only dark item on your list? Because this is the opening. By the end of the ritual, the only thing that would have survived would have been the white candle. Every other item you used, would have been black." Father Maurice gave me a reassuring smile. "Now, what is interesting is that you had to use a plant for the apparition to form. A dead plant is resemblant of death of nature. When you place the hair on top, you are interfering with nature – which is their realm – by using a human object – which is from our world. A demon has rules and no matter how strong the demon is, they may not break these rules. They are incapable of doing so. The white candle was meant to be your protection. It would be the part of your world, the part of the portal that the demon cannot reach out of."

"What about the 5 aspects?" Kat asks.