The Ouija Board

It was strange, unnatural. I felt like I was already watched and the board was yet to be set up. We really had decided to do this, ha?

"No, put it in the middle."

"Right it will be easier for all of us to reach it."

"Well... yeah."

I didn't think I would be nervous but that thing was a bit dangerous and Jace with Bernadett just casually slid the board around the table as if it was nothing. And they took forever to finally find the perfect place on the table for the board because of their arguing. I didn't listen that much on who said what, but clearly it would be the Bernadette pestering everyone to do things her way. To be honest, we were already used to it, even if it was annoying she always did help decide on the best option for anything.

Other than that, it was rather silent.

Everyone seemed calm and I, I had never felt more conscious about just placing my fingertips on the

wooden arrow of some sort, planchette I think it was called. I felt my hands shaking. It was a strange feeling that this simple wooden object could be the item of those weird stories on the internet from which people even got hurt.

It was scary.

I usually am the last to get worried about things, strange how tables had turned on me.

At the thought, I couldn't help but glance at the girl beside me from the corner of my eye. A smile escaped my slightly

plump lips.

Jen was laughing.

She was still wrapped in her large old jumper in which she looked like she was drowning in but she really seemed to have fun spending time with us. I think she looked more confident now, or at least it looked so to me. My mind had completely drifted away from the board.

A tug.

I shot my eyes back at the arrow on the board then turned to my friends scanning everyone's faces.

They didn't seem to notice?

Was it only me that felt it, that the arrow slightly moved? No one

seemed to show anything. Well Except Jace who showed a face of excitement to finally communicate with the dead.

It moved again.

"It's moving!"

"Who is moving this?"

"I'm barely holding it, it's not me!" I shouted back at them, to ease the suspicion. While more questions erupted from every side of the table. Laughter in between.

"JACE!"

All voices shouted his name in unison who just seemed to laugh at the first landed letter which was an "I".

Thought strangely...

Through that whole thing, I couldn't keep myself still. Something bugged me as if we were forgetting something. I kept looking around but nothing seemed to graze my memory. Or I might have just trying to put my thoughts away from the tapping at my shoulder.

***

After I and Jace had placed the ouija board down, he immediately sat down calling everyone to it while already deciding on some weird questions which I obviously had to correct.

"Than their favorite popcorn?"

I roll my eyes.

"What? It works!"

"Why not ask if the ghost is even here first?" I suggested.

"Or not?"

Nathen pitched in, he's like the voice of all world's worries when it came to the supernatural. But he could really stop worrying about a simple game, that was meant to mess with people, at least once.

But Nathen will always be Nathen.

I huffed giving him a look while keeping my red hair out of my face, I really wasn't up for dealing with him right now. I just wanted to be done with it and prove myself right, that ghosts were just a made up tail to scare people...

A tug.

That was strange.?

I didn't believe in these things and I wasn't scared yet still a shiver ran down my spine. I could see the planchette move to the side and all I could think was, that someone did this on purpose. It was someone's joke from which Klara’s eyes were still wide open with shock as she looked over us slowly.

It was safe to say. It wasn't her who tugged it.

Someone else had done it.

But who? I was watching the whole time and nothing suspicious came up except that slight movement.

Another tug.

"Who is moving this?" I couldn't help but speak up out of surprise as the tug slowly got stronger. But we haven't even really

asked the question yet? I mean we didn't decide on it, even if this was actually real, it seemed suspicious.

I narrowed my eyes at the wooden piece of the board which once again moved, none of my friend's hands were giving much away. It was difficult to spot anything while with a quick movement the planchette traced itself on to the letter "I" moving all our hand together as we kept in contact with it by our fingertips.

It did not stop there.

It moved closer to Jen now. Who was just following it with a calm curious, gaze, and a small smile on her face as if she was really enjoying this?

"A"

I read it in my head. I'm sure everyone else had now too put their full attention onto the wooden board. As everyone just seemed to be shouting questions and arguing over it while Jace just laughed his lungs off. It was his stupid jokes again! I agree it's

hilarious, pretty sure Nathen looks like he's about to pass out but that even scared me for a second.

I glared at the laughing guy to make him stop, only then realizing he had his eyes closed. He always teared up when he laughed too much, complaining about, how his tears usually burned his eyes not letting him see anything.

"Aaagh, acid tears!"

Yeah, always on cue. This means he would keep them closed for a while now but the planchette still moved on its own, continuing this strange occurrence while Jace was still trying to get a glimpse of what was happening.

"M"

I read it out loud for him, knowing he will not leave me alone after if I won’t do this for him.

So maybe it wasn't him either then?

He usually was the one that went for pranks like this. But he obviously couldn't do a lot with his eyes closed and laughter that barely let him breathe, I'm pretty sure he had no idea what was happening around him.

***

No matter how worried I was I always repeated I could do this, it was easy. If Jen can handle it I can handle it too!

A tug.

No! No, I can't!

I think I even jumped. I think I stopped breathing for a minute too, if not. It sure felt like it.

“Ghosts....”

What else if not ghosts. They were using my body to communicate! My lips trembled, I couldn't speak. Though I think the rest knew who's hands trembled the most here. It was definitely me who

moved the pin to the letters. I wasn't really sure what it was called and I didn't want to know, but I really think it was me! I'm the

most sensitive to these ghosts who were clearly using my body to communicate. And I wanted nothing to do with them!

Agh!

It tugged again. And I swear I almost peed myself. They were here, they were really here!

"It's moving!" I shouted out.

But before I could say more Bernadette was already asking, who was doing this? As if she didn't believe these were some forces we shouldn't mess with. Yet strangely, I think I heard a bit of strain

in her voice as well. Maybe the belief of ghosts was finally planting into her head. Or maybe she was too irritated with Jace's complaining. But I really didn't need her reading out the letters! I was better off not knowing what ghosts had to say to us.

"M"

Was that really necessary?

I mean we can clearly see the thing was spelling "I AM..." And Bernadette just kept repeating it letter by letter and it wasn't helping, at all! I don't think the others even listened.

I saw that eye roll! That was clearly directed at me! What is up with that? So she was reading this and still pretending it was

nothing. Even after this? Ghosts are literally moving this weird heart shape thing... object? Right in front of her face and she rolls her eyes at me not believing its ghosts?! I mean who else? We are

barely holding this thing in place. This was the worst, why did we even decide to play this game?

Why did I even get myself into this situation?!

Bernadette and Jace were the ones that had pulled us in this and just agreed with no hesitation. Why did I challenge Jen with this, I clearly can't handle this. Who would be stupid enough to fool around with an ouija board? Klara looks paranoid over here, looking around it's unsettling me! Does no one care I am dying over here?!

"H"

"E"

Why do you keep reading them out loud!? It is obviously spelling "I am here." Why does everyone see it as a normal thing, does no one going to say anything?

"Guys! The thing is moving! Am I the only one here shitting my pants now!?" I was desperate, I think I made it obvious enough.

"I can't guys... We have to stop..." My voice echoed together with Klara's barely hearable one who seemed to have agreed to stop as well.

"We can't stop now."

Jen's voice carried with a light husk, she rarely spoke being a bit shy and never up for multiple conversations at once. But it was nice hearing her calm soothing voice interfere with the rest. But was she really this curious about the dead? I get Bernadette and Jace but her too?! So only Klara was on my team than!

Traitors!

The pin didn't seem to stop.

It just kept moving. Of course, the ghost just had to finish their started sentence! I'm glad someone agreed with me, at least now we had the advantage of voting to stop this, while Jace looked like he was up to ask more, having fun with this not thinking about the

consequences.

I exhaled.

I tried to keep myself calm.

"R"

It didn't hit me until now. It was saying "it was here".

I really couldn't handle this.

"No... no...no"

There it is my breaking point.

"I feel like we are forgetting something."

Klara? Seriously you're barely paying attention? Or are you trying to change the subject to make yourself feel better? You don't care that much of what happens here? What if it's a demon! The girl

looked shocked just a moment ago but her attention just seemed to shift. While I was here terrified! And the rest barely seemed to care.

Except for Jace... All he cared about was to prove some of the

seances he saw on the internet could be legit.

And I... I just want to go home.

***

The slight tug took me by surprise, it was strange but it really got me curious. Was this really working? In my house right here? We were able to call the spirits. We had a way to communicate

with them?

I think I looked at it confused for a while until my smile just became wider and wider, my voice stuck in the coming pit of laughter as the letters just began piling up. It literally was responding to our questions!

And I just had to laugh at Bernadette's face.

"This is officially a thing!"

I laughed at her, clearly, I was right, we can ask any kind of questions and it would answer. So I really could have asked anything.

My hands were a bit uncomfortable though, but I didn't want to move and ruin everything. This was a thing I didn’t want to miss. Everyone's faces were just what I was waiting for! I couldn't help but laugh. Why did we decide to not do a video of this again? Ah yes because Bett was against it. We missed an opportunity to

record this, it was truly too bad but the experience is great.

Except, I can't see anything!

"Aaagh, acid tears!" I squeezed my eyes shut the moment they began to burn. I was missing everything while all I could

see was darkness because of my shut eyes. I only felt my hands moving, following the movement of the planchette. I couldn't believe my first ouija board experience would be like this! I had no idea what was happening and everyone just kept talking or shouting over each other.

"What?"

"What does it say?"

"Guys! I want to know too? I tried to bend to wipe my eyes with my shoulder, but couldn't. I couldn't reach it without moving

my hands away from the board.

"Bernadett..." I whined.

I could already imagine the redhead's frown because I didn't leave her be. I just too wanted to be a part of this. Why did the rest of the group have all the fun it wasn't fair, I think I made a good

enough furrowed face to convince her.

She began reading them out moments after.

"M"

But... I was right, these weird wooden boards actually work!

Too bad I'm missing most of it.

"I feel like we are forgetting something."

I had finally blinked out my tears the moment Klara spoke up about something we forgot. But was this the best time? This was more important.

"I agree with Jen!" Well, they say people only hear what they want to hear, and only understand things their way. And for

me, Jen spoke as if she wanted to keep going with the questioning of this spirit we had invited at our table. And I was not just about to give up this opportunity when I missed everything.

"We have to ask more questions!"

"I missed half of the good stuff!" I had to complain.

"Yes..."

Bernadette read out the word, that suddenly came up. I locked concerning looks with her than we turned to the rest. What

question did this even answer? I guess we really asked too many at once. Why would random answers just come and go? As I recall we didn't really ask about the first one that much either.

I gulped.

This was weird.

And it did not stay on that answer for long, it began moving again as soon as it landed on the word. It moved through the whole board crossing the middle and doing another loop on the other side, making the so obvious infinity sign.

I... saw enough.

Nathen's trembling lip like he just wanted to say something but couldn't

Klara's confused furrowed brows as if she was not sure what was going on now.

Jen’s paling face.

And Bernadette who jumped to stop this before it finished the second loop shouting something about evil spirits and turned the whole thing upside down. Good thing she reacted who knows what could have happened, though I kind of still felt a bit dejected that I missed part of it since I had my eyes closed and couldn't see anything out of the ordinary while Klara looked like she had seen something moving.

This was really the strangest experience.

***

I couldn't help but smile.

It's been a long time since we all just sat together and laughed from the nonsense we were talking

about. I mean, they mostly talked and I listened.

A tug.

Everyone seemed to stiffen. “Oops” I hope no one noticed it was me. It was an accident but everyone just ended up on the edge of their seats just from a slip of a finger. As everyone began

questioning each other I think I too looked rather surprised. Just for a completely different reason. Their reactions were priceless. From each tiniest tug. The second and the third until I just traced the planchette across the board.

"I'm barely holding it, it's not me!"

Klara spoke up trying to prove she was not the one doing this.

She was correct.

It was me. And no one seemed to notice.

"Ghosts..."

Nathen just mumbled saying these were ghosts, and I couldn't help but let out a small smile as this whole thing turned serious. Bernadette spelling the letters out loud for Jace who struggled to open his eyes, Klara next to me who was just slowly looking around, shifting uncomfortably.

A chuckle escaped my lips.

And everyone still thought I was laughing at Jace who was still complaining about missing the whole thing after Bette finished reading the last letter. And Nathen continued saying that we really should stop, the poor guy all because of me he will have nightmares.

"I feel like we are forgetting something."

Yes, we were. We had actually forgotten the popcorn that probably already got cold in the microwave, I traced my hand.

"Yes..."

Bernadette read it interrupting Jace’s complaints. It was weird no one really suspected me, not even once. They were talking between themselves while I sat there innocently listening with a smile on my face.

Really one mention of this and I would have burst out into laughter giving myself away. They seemed so scared it was hilarious!

My lips twitched.

The planchette moved underneath my fingertips.

I froze up.

It wasn't me. I wasn't moving it.

The heart-shaped arrow slowly traced a loop across the board all on its own. Making us follow it in unison with our fingertips.

I think I finally understood how they were feeling.

My whole body trembled.

Even when Bernadette interfered and put away the board, I still felt the discomfort as if something was still there.

There were just the five of us here, right?