As Charlie entered the room he was filled with a sense of surrealism. It was an hour ago he felt used to interacting with the dead, but he was still put off. A giant glow in the dark pentagram was built into the floor of the room. The walls were covered in shelves covered in bottles, skulls, idols, and arcane books in other languages. Too fulfill the scene a glowing grid of stars was drawn on the ceiling.
Charlie was almost as creeped out as he focused his eyes on Madame Rosa. She was sitting at a table in the center of the room with an insense burner, a deck of Tarot cards, and a crystal ball. Her body was covered with a rainbow dress. A thick purple veil covered her hair, and a trainsparent sky blue veil hung from big hoop earings covered her face. She also wore an improbable number of neckaces. With the multi colors of her dress, and of her necklaces, the kids would not be surprised if she was wearing every color in a jumbo box of crayons. However there seemed to be a certain sadness about her. She said with a eastern european accent, "Glad too see you all. Welcome seekers."
Leonard O'brian asked, "Why did you ask for us, Rosa?"
Rosa said calmly, "I have known it for years, but before the arrival of these children, it would not have mattered. Leonard, the curse that binds us to this plane, to this house. It's my fault. I did not place it, but I brought the means to place it here."
Angela said, "What do you mean, maam?"
Rosa stood than waved around to the items around the room. "I have spent my life looking for the mysterious. Collecting items of the mystical. I delved too deep children. Leonard, the night you announced your retirement, I just received a shipment of goods from the middle east, and that shipment was broken into the night you were murdered. Is it any wonder I blame myself?"
Charlie and Angela saw the conflict on Leonard O'brians face as he absorbed this information. "What's changed now?"
Madame Rosa said, "Now is the time for redemption. These children have arrived as I foresaw. Good thing too because the curse can only be broken by the living."
O'brian said, "Rosa your predictions have never been that reliable."
Rosa picked up the deck of tarot cards and started shuffling them. "Yes which is why most of my practice in life involved the reading of these." But she then drew and displayed the death card. "But as my spirit left the spiritually confining physical body, my mind became more powerful and my powers of divination climbed tenfold. I only wish I had died before that child in the funhouse. I might have foreseen his death and prevented it. Mister Bucket, step forward." Charlie stepped forward and Rosa took his hands. "Your hands show that you have performed the art of magic well."
Charlie was impressed, "Yes on the Isles of Mystery."
Rosa looked into her crystal ball, and continued, "Next, I can see that the magic that binds us here is an ancient type of blood magic. Leonard, your murder was part of a blood sacrifice needed to set the curse. Leonard your blood started this, I see your blood will be needed to fix it. I've heard that one who carries your blood has arrived here too, correct? And lastly, Is that Erzulie?" Since Charlie didn't understand what that meant, he followed the gaze of Rosa's eyes to Angela's necklace. Angela's necklace centerpiece was a feminine idol.
Angela replied, "That's Erzulie allright. My aunt gave it too me."
Rosa continued, "The Godess of love?"
Angela shook her head and said, "Spirit not godess. I learnt some amazing things from the voodoo worshippers in my family."
Rosa said, "Just before I died I was beginning my own studies of the African religions. I've heard that the African priestesses control of the spirit world were amazing. Perhaps you and I should take a moment after these gentlemen have left to compare our knowledge.
As Angela nodded, "Very good. Now Mister Bucket. Your first step on the path to our redemption will be to travel into the funhouse and recover that which was stolen from me."
Leonard O'brian said, "Wait, Rosa. I don't approve of that! The last person who went into the funhouse died."
Rosa replied, "Yes because he was unprepared. Many things have been learned tonight. I won't lie there will be dangers. But let me tell you, Mister Bucket besides the fact that you've been a hero before, and you liked the feeling there is another reason. In the funhouse you will also find an understanding. You've reached a point in your life where the choices you make will affect who you become the rest of your life. Let me tell you with that understanding you will lead a much more fulfilling life. Isn't that worth a little risk. Leonard, I know you don't approve but if he or any of the others decide to go don't stop them please. Leonard, come here."
Leonard O'brian leaned over and and Rosa whispered something to him. Angela said to Charlie, "So you going to go?"
Charlie was thinking about all the spirits here who deserved to be in heavean, and were indeed stuck here and incredibly unhappy about it, when he suddenly heard Violet's voice in his head saying, "Be fearless."
Charlie replied, "Yes. Yes I am."