Little Green Stars

Chapter 40-Ouija You Say?

"Ok, I'm just gonna come out and say it. Fuck this!" Jaxson says as soon as he sees the ouija board. "Vel, you know those things aren't real! Come on! Are you really trusting this guy?"

"You are correct," Malcolm responds. "Most ouija boards are not real."

"Exactly!" Jaxson says.

"I said MOST aren't real," Malcolm repeats. "I don't have MOST boards. I have MY board. It's real and dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Jin asks.

Jin is making the same face as when I pulled my mom's ouija board out—he's definitely superstitious.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Jin's voice cracks.

"Jin," I say, squeezing his hand, "are you afraid of ouija boards?"

"No," he responds awkwardly.

He totally is.

"And we need to contact Vel's mom because why?" Jaxson demands.

"When you pass, you become privy to certain unknowns. You absorb all knowledge of what is and what was. You learn all the secrets of the universe. That's why consulting the spirit world is always necessary for matters such as these." Malcolm says as he sits down to brush off the board.

"Vel, this is crazy!" Jaxson says.

"If you don't think it's real, then why does it matter if we try? Look, I know it's hard for you to understand, but it's real. THIS IS ALL REAL!" I demand, pulling Jin along to sit down beside Malcolm as Jaxson follows, crossing his legs with a sigh.

Even though I've never believed in Ouija boards, I also never used to believe in spirits or souls, and then Red Lady happened. So, if my soul can live outside of me (not to mention haunt and try to kill people), then why wouldn't souls that have passed on be able to talk to the living?

"What are you going to say to my mom?" I ask Malcolm as my eyes scan the brilliant colors of the board.

It doesn't look like your typical Walmart game isle Ouija board. Its base looks heavy and sturdy, the edges lined with velvet purple—shocker. And the alphabet on it is sleek and gold lined. Malcolm draws my eyes away from the board as he takes out that sage stone from his pocket again.

"I'm going to ask for her guidance in curing you," Malcolm says as his hands hover over the board as if trying to feel something.

I move my hands forward to touch the board too, but Malcolm slaps them away.

"Don't touch!" He demands.

"Why not? Don't we all need to put our hands on that thingy that moves around?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Malcolm scoffs as if offended.

"Yeah, Vel, don't be ridiculous," Jaxson adds, rolling his eyes.

Malcolm pops the sage stone out of the bracket holding it onto the chain. Then, he ever so carefully sets the stone down in the bottom corner of the board.

"Hands," Malcolm announces as if we should all know what the hell he means.

Jin moves his hand towards the board, but Malcolm swats it away.

"You said hands?!" Jin demands, his voice still a little shaky.

"I meant hold hands," Malcolm says. "Amateurs," he mumbles.

Jaxson, who just so happens to be sitting between Malcolm and me, shoots me a dirty look as Malcolm's hand extends toward him. Jaxson quickly shakes his head and scrunches his arm back to his body.