FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL

FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL…

         “It’ll work, you’ll see!”

         She shrugged. “If you say so. I doubt it, though.”

         “Trust me,” Candy told Sue. “Nothing can go wrong.”

         “I hate when people say ‘trust me’,” Sue said. “I always regret doing it.”

         Candy laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ve done this before.”

         They sat at the table, and Candy took out the Ouija board. She carefully set it up, and invited Sue to put her fingers on the planchette. Sue did so, but with trepidation.

         “Okay, clear your mind. Think of nothing.”

         “Nothing is something to think about.”

         Candy laughed. “Okay, okay, think of a blank sheet of white paper.”

         She nodded, and did so. “All right, what do I do now?”

         “Concentrate. Just concentrate.”

         Suddenly the planchette began to move to the letters around the top of the board. The letters spelt out ‘hello’.

         Candy looked amazed. “Hello! Who are you?”

         ‘A friend’, it spelled out.

         “What is your name, friend?”

         ‘Beely’, it indicated.

         “Hello, Beely, I am Candy, and this is Sue.”

         ‘Hello ladies’ it signaled. ’Do you want to have fun?’

         “Yes,” Candy said, and moved the planchette to the word yes.

         Sue let her mind wander. She noticed the kitchen they were in had shiny chrome furniture; a nice stove and refrigerator. The table they were seated at was made of oaken wood, polished to a wonderful sheen. She returned her concentration back to the game.

         ‘Do you like sex?’ it asked.

         Sue looked shocked. “Sure!” Candy said out loud. “I’m only fifteen, though,” she added.

         ‘See pictures,’ it moved, and suddenly pictures of well-endowed young men appeared in both of their minds.

         “STOP IT!” Sue yelled, blushing furiously.

         The planchette moved. ‘Yes’, and the pictures stopped.

         “Why did you do that?” Candy demanded. “I liked it!”

         “Well, I didn’t,” Sue said firmly. “I thought this was just a game, not porn pictures.”

         Candy looked angry for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, it’s all in fun.”

         “What should we ask now?” Sue asked.

         “How about our futures?”

         Sue nodded. “Okay.”

         “Beely, am I going to be happy in my future?”

         No answer. They waited. 

         ‘Maybe’ it finally answered. 

         “Oh. How about Sue?”

         ‘Yes’ it indicated.

         Sue smiled. “Good!”

         “Will I be rich?” Candy asked.

         ‘Yes’, it showed.

         Candy smiled warmly. 

         “Will I live in a big mansion?”

         ‘Yes’.

         “Good”! How about Sue?”

         ‘No’.

         Candy looked up. “Don’t worry, Sue, you’re my best friend. You can come and live with me!”

         Sue nodded, but remained silent.

         “So, are you a magical being?”

         ‘Yes’.

         “What kind?”

         Silence. ‘Cannot say.’

         “Why not?”

         ‘Secret’ it indicated.

         “Okay, we can play that game, too!” Candy said in glee. 

         Sue, however, was getting more and more worried. She didn’t like this at all. It was time to end it. She wasn’t sure how, though.

         “Can you show us some more bad pictures,’ Candy said with a giggle.

         ‘Certainly, if Sue doesn’t mind.”

         Sue took her fingers off the planchette. “I’ve had enough of this sick game! I’m going home!”

         Candy looked stricken. “You can’t! We’re not finished yet!”

         “Well, I’m finished. I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” she said, and left. Candy heard the front door slam, and looked down at the Ouija board. The planchette was still moving, even though there was no one touching it! She sat down and enjoyed the pictures running through her head. She enjoyed them for a long, long time before her parents came home, and even after.

         They met up at school the next day.  Candy said hi, then Sue said hi. “How’s the hobby going?” Sue asked softly.

         Candy smiled. “Wonderful! I had a huge amount of fun, even after you left!”

         Sue looked at her, aghast. “You mean it was still working with only one person using it?”

         “Sure! It worked fine for me!”

         “Listen, Candy, I know you think that is just a hobby; a game, but it’s dangerous! I’ve heard stories…”

         Candy sneered. “Are you going to let children’s tales keep you from having fun?”

         Sue looked her in the eye. “Yes. That board is dangerous!”

         Candy laughed. “Don’t be silly!”

         The bell rang for class. “See you after school!” Candy exclaimed, and ran off to class. Sue went to class, too, wondering about her friend.

         After school they walked home together, and Sue promised she’d come back after dinner to do homework. Candy, however, had other ideas.

         Sue arrived at seven, and they got down to doing homework. They were soon finished, and Candy took out the Ouija board. Sue shook her head. “Not again,” she complained.

         “It’ll be different this time. I want you to ask the questions.”

         “No, I won’t!” 

         “Okay, then, just play along! It’s more fun with two!”

         She slowly nodded, and sat at the board. She put her fingers on the planchette, and sighed. She really didn’t want to do this. 

         “Beely, are you there?”

         ‘Yes’.

         “Can you speak to the dead?”

         ‘Yes.’

         “I wish to speak to my dead grandmother.”

         ‘Ask.’

         “Grandma, where did you leave the money in your house?”

         ‘Mattress.’

         “But, we looked there!”

         ‘Inside.’

         “Oh.”

         ‘See more pictures?’

         “NO!”

         ‘Play game?’

         “What game?” asked, Candy, startled.

         ‘Guessing game!’

         Candy looked at Sue. She shook her head. “I have to go, anyway,” Sue said, getting up from the table.

         “SIT DOWN!” Candy roared, and her eyes lit up in red. Sue was shaken to her core, and grabbing her books, raced out the bedroom door, then out the front door.

         The next day Candy hardly spoke to Sue at all. Candy was different, somehow - belligerent, caustic and sarcastic.  Sue hardly knew her as the friend she once was. She knew there was something seriously wrong, but she wasn’t sure what she could do about it. 

         Sue was hoping she had heard the end of it. She hadn’t; not by a long shot. Two nights later Candy showed up at Sue’s house. The Ouija board was under her arm. 

         “Beely wants to talk to you,” she hissed. “And you’d better listen. This is no longer a game.”

         They went into Sue’s room, and Candy set up the board. They sat at it, ands placed their fingers on the planchette.  It began to move.

         ‘Hello, Sue,’ it said, moving quickly across the board.

         “What do you want with me?”

         ‘Your death,’ it indicated.

         Candy laughed, and her eyes turned red. Sue refused to be afraid. From beneath the table she lifted a hammer, and brought it smashing down on the board, shattering it into pieces. 

         “That’s for your ‘Beely’, and damn him to hell!” Sue shouted.

         The red faded from Candy’s eyes, and she buried her head in her hands.

         “I’m sorry, Sue, I’m so sorry! It was just a game, just a hobby! I had no idea it would be so evil!”

         “I know, Candy. It was taking control of you, though, and I had to stop it. There was no other way.”

         Candy lifted her head. “There’s still time to make it to the library.”

         Sue smiled. “Yes, yes there is!”

         Together they walked to the library, the best of friends. Beely was right about one thing, eventually. Candy did live in a huge mansion. Sue joined a convent, and became a nun. They did remain friends for the rest of their lives.

         And somewhere, a demon screamed in rage. He had them, and he knew it. Well, there were other times, and other Ouija boards. 

THE END