Ouija

The abandoned building

We probably shouldn't be going down to an old abandoned building...we also shouldn't be sneaking out at 3am...and we most certainly should not be playing with a ouija board. But we are adults. And we can handle it. It will be fine.

I told myself all of these things as I laced up my black combat boots. Careful to not let the wood floors in my room creak and alert my room mate that I was going anywhere. We didn't exactly get along great but we had agreed to finish our lease together since there was only 3 months left until the end of sophomore year. College had been quite the eye opener financially for me and I was just happy to have a responsible room mate even if it was a total buzz kill that she had no sense of adventure.

I grabbed my bag and put on my beanie underneath my gray hoodie. Slipping out of my bedroom door and tiptoeing down the hall to the front door I heard Tiffany's door creak open. I froze dead in my tracks as I saw her walk out into the hallway. Groggily she turned the opposite direction and then entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. I wasted no time darting through the front door and sneaking past the front window, then down the sloped drive way to where my friend Lexi was parked waiting for me. I hopped in the car and said "Drive before Tiffany looks out the window!" And off we went.

"So how freaked out are you already?" Lexi asked over the bumping music filling her tiny white Toyota. "Uh, I'm cool. Nothing is going to happen. I doubt we even contact anything." I shrugged. Truth was my anxiety was through the roof. You know how your gut gets those awful knots whenever nature or whatever spiritual force is trying to tell you not to do something incredibly stupid? That was how I felt. But I just told myself really what is the worst that's going to happen? I didn't even know if I believed in spirits or ghosts or any higher beings in the universe. Tonight would probably just confirm for me that it's all a bunch of staged garbage for entertainment on TV.

Flying down the highway we rode the rest of the way to our destination listening to the music and being care free. I'm really not even sure why we agreed to do this. Chloe had been into paranormal investigation ever since she met Zak Baggins during one of their filming sessions in our home town. She had convinced us and another friend to join her on this thrill seeking trip and it was something different to do so we obliged.

"Shit they have the entryways blocked off. I forgot they had put these up." Lexi said turning onto one of the many entry roads to the old abandoned Jamestown shopping mall. The mall had been shut down for years now due to the building deteriorating and lack of business but increase of vandalism. The outside sported plenty of graffiti now days and broken windows decorated each section. Weeds had over grown the parking lot and the old theater sign displayed just a few mismatched moldy lettering. It was sad to see what this place had become as we had so many childhood memories of hanging out here when it thrived.

"We will have to park up the street and walk in without being seen." I suggested and Lexi nodded in agreement. We drove a little ways up to an old plant nursery that was out of business and parked the car, trekking back to the old mall and across the cracked cement that use to accommodate tons of vehicles daily. As we approached the old main entrance where the food court once bustled we heard an odd noise moan from near by.
"What the fuck was that?" Lexi said as she startled.
"I don't know." I said while trying to focus on the dark corner. Slowly walking closer, something grabbed my shoulders and I jumped, twirling around with my fist cocked back ready to punch a hobo.
"Got ya bitch!" Said Chloe laughing.
"Dick." Lexi commented.
"Guys I realize it's 3am so we are all a little bit slap happy but can we go in here and get this shit done so I can go back to sleep before my class tomorrow?" Kayla said in a very unamused tone.
"Ok, ok. Come on guys I found the perfect spot already!" Chloe said excitedly as she disappeared through an employees only doorway.

We followed Chloe through a dark corridor, led only by the lights of our phones. It was so quiet I could hear my own breathing and heartbeat. There was a faint echo of footsteps as we walked along the faulty concrete and then up broken wooden stairs to what appeared to be an old security office. There was a table in the middle of the room with torn, dusty leather chairs. A pallet of blankets lay in the corner with couch cushions. Apparently someone squatted here. But I hadn't seen anyone in here so far so as it appeared everyone else had chosen to do, I ignored it.
"I just texted Zack and Jordan. They're almost here." Chloe said without looking away from her phone screen. "You got the board right Lexi?"
"Yeah it's right here." She pulled the 'children's section board game' out of a tote she was carrying and sat it in the middle of the table.

It was probably just nerves but again I got that feeling I...we should not be here. But I quickly dismissed it all for paranoia. This shit was not real and this was just some stupid experiment with a guarantee of one very disappointed Chloe at the end of it.

We waited about 10 minutes and finally Zak and Jordan walked in the door.
"Alright is everyone ready?" Chloe asked lighting the final of 12 candles she had placed around the room. "Everyone knows the rules. We stay together in this and we ALL say Goodbye at the end!"
I rolled my eyes. This was at best a 1990 horror film experience.
"Ok, two of us have to place our fingers on the planchette. And move it in small circles to get the board warmed up. Who wants to be person number since obviously I am person number one?" Chloe looked around the room eagerly. Everyone else just looked back and forth at each other.
"I'll do it." I said smirking and sighing at everyone taking this all so seriously. 30 minutes of no answer from this stupid thing and we would all be out of here. No doubt.
I sat across from Chloe and placed my fingers on the planchette with hers and we began to move it in small circles. After a minute or so of doing this Chloe looks up at me and says "ok now we ask it questions." She took a deep breath and said clearly "Is there anyone else here with us?"

...5 minutes pass...and then...

...nothing.

"If someone is here with us please speak to us now."

A loud clanking sound comes from the corner of the room and everyone jumps.

"Sorry guys..." says Zak. He had dropped his phone.

Another 5 minutes pass...nothing.

"Guys this is stupid." I say removing my hand and standing up.

Chloe looks really disappointed which I think we all braces ourselves for. "It's ok Chloe maybe there just isn't anything here." I say trying to give encouragement.
I grab my bag and everyone else looks rather disappointed as they start to gather their things. I start to head for the door.

SLAM.

The door shuts before I make my exit and everyone stands frozen in place. We all look back at Chloe still sitting at the table but hands up not touching anything. The planchette moves to the corner and sets on the word "no."

And then the candles blow out simultaneously.

We all stand in pitch black...afraid to move...

Chloe turns her flashlight on and finds a match. She lights the single candle sitting on the table near the board and the planchette moves again.

S T A Y.
P L A Y.