I stare at my watch while tapping my foot with an impatience that was quickly eating at the nerves of my two friends. Elena and Yuki look at each other, wondering just how long they were willing to wait around before finally calling it a night.
"She's late," I say.
"We know," they respond.
"You've said that, like, ten times already." Yuki lays back against the hula school wall.
She told me she wasn't planning on coming at first either. It was super late and if her parents found out she had snuck out, being grounded was the last of her worries. Elena on the other hand seemed like she was just cold and tired.
"Can we go?" she asks us. Or more likely me.
"No!" I quickly shoot back for both herself and Yuki. "If Teresa doesn't get here in the next minute, then we'll just go in and do it ourselves."
With tensions starting to run high we stand around in silence. A sudden chill flows through the air, sending a shiver down my back. The sun had long since set, and it would be a long time before it would rise again. I had never been out to the hula school this late before. The old wood seems to creak eerily even from outside. But maybe that was just my imagination acting up. I shouldn't be so silly.
Everything seems to stand still for a moment when suddenly a twig snapped and the bushes rustle as someone bursts through. It almost takes me by surprise enough to make me scream, but I notice it is Teresa quick enough.
"Don't do that!" I berate.
"Sorry-" Teresa talks between panting breaths, doubled over from running- "my dad just wouldn't go to sleep. I snuck out a few minutes ago."
I stare at her, considering whether or not to keep up the scolding. Looking back at my watch, I see that we need to start soon or else there would be no time to get to any of the good stuff.
"It's fine," I say as I sling my bag over my shoulder. "Let's just get inside and start already."
I open the door to what sounds like the loudest screech in the world. All of us gaze into the dark and empty room. I have never seen it so barren of life. I always thought that with all the dancing and music that the hall would always be filled with life. I guess I was wrong. There's a first time for everything.
"What about Lilo and Victoria," Elena squeaks, "aren't they supposed to be here too?"
"Oh please." I can't help but roll my eyes. "I never thought they'd show up. Too big of babies. You heard Lilo earlier."
I have to force my friends inside and close the door before any of them decide to chicken out. The moonlit night did very little to illuminate the room. All it did was leave an eerie blue glow in the areas that it could reach. None of us say a word about how creepy it feels, but I'm sure we're all thinking it.
I throw my bag up on the stage and pull out the spirit board before joining the others in the center of the hall. Teresa pulls some extra chairs to one of the tables that were set up earlier. Elena and Yuki are still apprehensive to join in, but I'm able to be very convincing.
"Does everyone know the rules?" I ask. Before anyone can answer I place the board in the middle of the table, sliding the planchette in place. "No?" I sigh. I guess I need to do everything. "Fine then. I am going to be the leader. Elena, you have the best handwriting so you'll just be taking notes on what the spirit says." I toss a pad of paper and a pencil towards her. "Yuki, Teresa. We'll be the ones touching the wood piece while I ask questions."
"Why do you get to ask the questions?" Teresa challenged me before instantly backing down.
"Because it's my spirit board. So I get to decide." I look to the others to see if there were any other objections before continuing. With no one else challenging me, I feel a smug smile crawl on my face. "The final rule is to remember it's just a game. I don't want anyone chickening out or screaming."
"Shouldn't we maybe take this a little seriously?" asks Elena . The pencil and paper are already shaking in her hand.
"Enough-" I pick up the cheap board and planchette- "okay? It's a flimsy piece of cardboard. Does this look like anything real? My dad picked this up at a cheap flea market or something. Now are we doing this or not?"
The three girls quiet up really fast. Tossing the board back down, I place my fingertips on the small wooden planchette and motion for Teresa and Yuki to do the same. Once everyone was in place a dreary chill passes through me. The only sound that could be heard is the scratchy shaking of Elena's pencil.
"Okay," I didn't mean for it to come out as a whisper, and quickly clear my throat. "I welcome any spirits to join us!"
We wait a moment to see if there is any response.
"It doesn't look like anythings happening," Yuki whispers.
"Shut up, Yuki!" After another moment I decide to try again. "Are there any spirits with us today?"
Slowly, the planchette begins to move. Elena, Teresa, and Yuki's eyes widen in fear, but I couldn't be happier. The piece slowly makes it's way over to the corner of the board, where it stops on the word 'yes.'
"You moved it," Yuki says as she pulls her hands away.
"I did not," Teresa shoots back. "It had to have been you or Mertle."
I quickly nudge Elena to start writing, who immediately begins scribbling down her notes.
"Come on guys, stop being ridiculous," I stare down at the board and place my fingertips gently onto the wood. "We've only just started."
As the night goes on, we continue to ask questions. Almost every time someone either screams or lets go. To be honest, it's kind of annoying. Why did they bother coming if they were going to be this big of chickens? I told them it was just a game. And my short breaths and racing heart are only from the adrenaline.
We get part of a name out of the spirit, but just before the planchette moves again, Teresa lets go.
"I don't know if I can do this," she says. "It just doesn't feel right."
I shake my head and grab her hands myself. "Listen to me-" I forcefully put them back down- "we are going to finish this. Nothing has even happened yet."
Teresa manages to steady her hands and I start again before anyone else can stop us.
"Okay, Ali," I say the partial name we received so far, "Did you die here or somewhere else?"
The board begins to shake as we're guided across the letters. Elena quickly notes down which ones we stop at before it finally ends on the last letter.
"On stage," she whispers.
"What?" Yuki asks.
"It said on stage."
We all stay silent. Even I'm starting to get a little tense. My eyes wander over to the dancing stage and for some reason it looks a little darker than it did before. As if the wood and curtains are slowly turning black. I can see swirling shapes within the darkness, as if it was moving and growing. Being so caught up in the sight before me, I don't feel my hands moving. It's almost like I'm caught in a trance.
"Mertle!" Elena shouted, snapping me away from whatever was taking hold of me.
"What?"
"What do you think about what it spelled?"
"I'm sorry." I say, looking down at the board. "I wasn't watching." The three of them stare at me in awe. Even I realize how odd that sounds, considering how insistent I was on doing all of this. "Just tell me what it said." I try to make it sound like it was their fault I didn't see what was spelled out.
Teresa says, "Help."
"Excuse me?"
"It said 'help.'" Repeated Yuki. "As in it's asking us for help. I think."
"Or maybe it wants to help us?" chimes in Elena.
Yuki sighs, "What do we need help with though?"
"I don't know. It was just a thought."
"Then let's just ask it."
Eyes fall on me. It takes me a moment to remember that I'm the one asking the questions. I take a deep breath before looking back down at the board.
I ask, "do you need help?"
Not a second goes by before I hear what sounds like a light laugh echoing through the halls. A chill runs up my spine as I check to see if anyone else heard it. By the looks on their faces, they did. The laugh comes again, this time a little louder and clearer.
Elena mouths, "did you hear that?"
The others nod. I'm hesitant, but nod as well. I take another deep breath, but I can see my breath as I exhale. When did it get so cold?
"Do you need help?" I ask again.
The others seem lest than thrilled by me continuing, but it's just a game. The planchette starts to move across the board, and everyone waits to see where it stops. Just as it starts to slow down I feel a shake below the board.
"You can't hit the table," I say to the group.
"I didn't." each of them respond.
"Well if you didn't," I begin with a little more authority in my voice, "then who-"
Before I finish, the table shakes again. This time it was much more violent. Everyone drops what they were doing and scoots back into their chairs. Before too long, the table shakes again. And again. And again.
"W-what's going on?" Yuki asks. She stutters over her words, and I can barely hear her over how loud the table is rumbling. "This isn't funny."
"Yeah," says Teresa, "cut it out Mertle, it isn't funny."
"I'm not doing this." I say. "How could I? I'm all the way over here."
"So what then? This is a ghost?"
"Of course not!" I snap back.
A shiver goes through everyone. It feels like a blizzard is starting to hit the building.
Elena starts to stand, but immediately slams back down in her chair. Her face had gone completely white, eyes wide in terror.
"Then what's that?" she asks with a weak voice.
She lifts a shaky hand and points towards the table. The planchette had started to levitate in the air while we were looking away. A good two feet above the table which had stopped shaking at some point. No one says a word, leaving the room in dead silence. I can't look away from the floating piece of wood. This was all a game. But what the hell is going on? I just wanted to creep everyone out. Get some screams and laughs. This is not what I wanted. As the room continues to grow colder, it becomes harder and harder to see the area around the table. I rub my eyes trying to get a better focus, but they aren't the problem. It is just getting darker.
"Guys... look."
Yuki's voice sounds distant, and no one needed to be told. A giant shadow had engulfed the table. The center of the room is drenched in what seems to be a black oozy substance. Something I can't say is natural.
"Let's get out of here!" Elena screams as she stands.
My other friends get out of their seats and all of them make for the doors we came in. In their frantic movements, most of the tables and chairs get knocked out of place. I sit transfixed, unable to take my eyes off of the shadow. An odd feeling is eating at the back of my mind. Something wasn't right here. But I can already feel the fear take over. The shadow begins to move towards me, and that's as much motivation as I'll ever need to get away. I take off and run, unsure which part started first. It isn't until I'm half way to the door that I realize that I need to go back for the spirit board. I skid to a halt and close my eyes to take a deep breath. Turning on my heel, I make a break for the table. The shadow is still there, still moving towards me but I can't stop. Dad gave me that board, I can't leave it behind.
I don't even look at the shadow as I run past. Grabbing the planchette out of the air I look around for my bag. I quickly spot it on the floor by the stage and move to it without looking back. As I throw the board in and sling the bag over my shoulder I freeze.
"Wasn't this on the..."
It isn't my choice to look up on the stage. I just do. And what I see makes my heart stop. It looks like a young girl on stage, but something is not right. Her black hair looks smokey, and her entire body is out of focus. She's suddenly closer, but I don't see her take a step. Now that she's closer, I can tell that she is wearing the same hula outfit we do.
"Lilo?"
It looks like her. About the same height, long black hair. Our hula outfit. I can't make out her face in the darkness but it all makes sense now.
"I knew it was you," I say with a huff. "Thought you could get me, huh?"
Her head cocks to the side and suddenly she's even closer. Again, I don't see her move. I can hear something cracking and popping, but I can't tell where it's coming from.
I'm sure that's Lilo in front of me.
I'm sure it is.
I'm sure.
Again she's closer.
"W-whatever," I start saying, "I'm getting out of here."
I turn around to see that the entire hall is back to normal. The shadow is gone and the tables and chairs are all back to where they were when we first arrived. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Looking over my shoulder, the girl I swear is Lilo is even closer. I can't see her face. Not because it's too dark. It's just not there. My feet start moving before I tell them to and before I know it I'm outside. The cold night air hits my skin and I nearly plow into my friends. Laughter is in the air, but it's not coming from us.