The Séance

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Janet's parents, Tom and Elizabeth, were watching TV when the girls walked in. They came out of the den to greet them and had a shock when they saw the condition the girls were in. The girls were all scratched and bruised. Rachel's dress looked almost torn off. Nancy's jeans and blouse were soaked, filthy and torn. Janet had had an altercation with a thorn vine; some of it was still stuck in her hair. Anestasia looked the worst though. Her clothes made it ok, but her alabaster skin looked like she had been severely manhandled. Her eyes were wide and haunted, and her hands looked frostbit, not to mention all the cuts, scrapes, and bruises from her walk to the cemetery. When her parent's looked ready to panic, Janet assured them that they had just frightened themselves telling ghost stories in the dark, and kept running into bushes, tripping over rocks, and fell into a stream- they couldn't exactly say what had happened, now could they?

The girls were scolded for being out so late without a flashlight, and for not staying on the path!   Elizabeth wanted all of them to stay overnight. Nancy and Rachel agreed; they didn't want their parents to freak out too, so Tom called the girls' parents and arranged for them to be picked up in the morning.

Anestasia insisted that she had to go home though. "My brothers are scared of thunder storms and are probably beside themselves," she said.

"What thunderstorm?" asked Elizabeth. "We didn't hear anything."

"You had the TV so loud we couldn't have heard anything," Tom teased. "Please let me give you a ride home."

"No, but thank you. I need the walk to calm me down," answered Anestasia. "I would really like a cup of hot chocolate and a sandwich though. We forgot to eat our picnic."

"I already have the water on to boil. While we wait, can I take care of your hands?" "No, they are already warming up," Anestasia told Elizabeth. "See." She washed her hands in the kitchen and they looked fine, just a little scratched. Elizabeth looked reassured, but puzzled. "Well, alright. Dinner's on girls."

Anestasia left holding the flashlight Elizabeth had pressed on her. As soon as she was out of sight, Anestasia turned the flashlight off and put it in her bag. She didn't want to make a visible target of herself. She knew her brothers wouldn't have gone home because of a storm - if it had stormed anywhere but the cemetery. She just couldn't sleep anywhere but her own bed. At least not after a big fright. She reminded herself of that over and over on the trip home. Anestasia was still so shaken by the encounter that every time she heard anything - a dog bark, the hoot of an owl, or even just the wind blowing through the trees, her heart raced. The full moon shone brightly enough, in the now clear sky, that Anestasia didn't trip on anything this time. She still raced home hoping to get there before Something came looking for her. That blast of ice would not have stunned Him long. Thankfully, He didn't know who she was. He may even need a host to work through on the physical plane, but there were those mysterious others....

After what seemed an eternity, Anestasia arrived at home. She took a furtive look around her. Other than a cat, there was nothing there. She unlocked the door and went inside. As soon as she was safely in Anestasia locked and bolted the door. She pulled the book out of her bag. I know I saw something about a warding spell in here somewhere. I don't want to have only physical protection tonight. When she found the spell, it didn't look too complicated. She got the holy water out of her bag. Anestasia walked through the house turning on lights. On every door and window, She traced a cross with the water and gave a prayer for protection. This may not be much protection, but it is the best I can do. Anestasia felt better now the house was warded. What a wonderful, wonderful book. I just wish I could find a teacher. They could tell me if I was doing everything all wrong.

There were no new notes on the fridge and no new messages on the answering machine. Anestasia sighed and took her own note down. As she headed for the stairs she started turning off lights. She left the light on the landing alone as she hurried to her room. Once there, she opened the blind and looked sightlessly out the window. Anestasia reached under her pillow and pulled out her white cotton Victorian nightgown. She went to her private bathroom and poured herself a bubble bath. She almost fell asleep in the lavender scented water. Anestasia dragged herself from the bath. She reveled in the softness of the towel as she dried herself. Then she pulled on her nightgown. The lacey collar tickled her chin. She brushed her hair free of knots then slid between her blue silk sheets. Anestasia fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

.............................

The owl in the window ruffled his feathers in relief. This was the right girl. She had much to learn, but she was strong. So strong. It should never have happened this way. The girl's powers should only just now be waking up. She should have had a teacher as soon as it started to manifest. His last student hadn't managed an ice blast until she was twenty five. She hadn't found her book at all. Even after seven years of training, she failed to seal that .. that .. Thing away. He should have stayed confined for a hundred years, not just ten. This one was his last chance. If he failed this time there would never be another student. He just might die of boredom. Steve flew to the crotch of the tree, closed his eyes, and went to sleep. At dawn he remembered yesterday's goof and became a tortoiseshell cat. That should be less conspicuous. I think I will make friends with her today. Maybe if I know more about her, I can concentrate better at the job. I've heard that girls often speak to animals. Maybe I should test that theory.