The Sleepover

Beth was eagerly preparing for her first all-night sleepover party. Even though she was in 6^th grade, her parents had never let her have a sleepover before this point. Beth was so excited. She sat in front of her mirror, carefully applying makeup to her pale face and curling her messy blonde hair into perfect spirals. She rummaged through her closet, trying to decide what to wear, before finally settling on a dark red dress with maroon ruffles. The dress was very pretty and brought a smile to Beth's face. Beth looked through her vanity, attempting to find a suitable nail polish. She painted her nails slowly, taking extra care to not smudge the polish. Finally, with all ten nails painted to perfection, Beth leaned back in her chair and waited patiently for the polish to dry. She watched as the colors deepened and solidified, the glitter catching the light and casting dancing shadows across the room. After a few minutes, she tentatively touched one of her nails to see if the polish was dry. Satisfied, she smiled to herself, admiring the way the red and gold glitter complemented her skin tone.

           With her appearance sorted, Beth headed downstairs to get everything ready. She rummaged through the cabinet, finding an assortment of snacks, and carefully setting them out where they were easily accessible to her guests. Feeling that something was missing, Beth went down to her basement, ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine. The basement was dark and musty, with so many boxes that it was hard to locate what she was looking for. But after about 10 minutes of searching, Beth finally found it. She grabbed an old, dusty wooden board, feeling a sense of excitement and apprehension as she did so. The board had been passed down from her great-grandmother and was rumored to be a tool for communicating with the dead. Despite feeling watched and a little scared, Beth set the board in a corner where no one would see it, determined to try it out later. She knew that it would give here friends a true fright, and she couldn’t wait to see their reactions.

           With everything ready, Beth went back up to her room to await the arrival of her guests, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness for the night ahead. As the guests began arriving, Beth could barely contain her excitement. Soon, everyone was enjoying snacks and talking together. Beth was having the time of her life at her birthday party. She had planned everything to perfection, and all her friends were having a great time. Even Sara, who was usually reserved, was laughing, and making jokes with the rest of the group.  Beth had a special surprise planned for her friends in the basement. She had spent days preparing for this moment, and she couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. As they made their way down the stairs, Sara gasped at the sight of the many boxes that filled the room. Curiosity got the best of her, and she asked, "What's in all of these boxes, Beth?" Beth grinned mischievously and replied, "This used to be a newspaper shop, run by a family who sold newspapers. But one day, their daughter disappeared without a trace." Sara shivered but didn't say anything more. One of Beth's other friends picked up a random newspaper from a box. The headline read, "Ouija Boards: Is it Safe?" Beth couldn't help but smile. Her plan was already working. She was going to scare her friends like never before.

           But soon, the girls forgot all about the foreboding news article. They began to share stories about whatever came to their minds. The sleepover was in full swing, with the girls enjoying themselves. Suddenly, Beth pulled out an Ouija Board, and Sara felt uneasy, especially after hearing about the girl who had disappeared. Despite her hesitation, the girls decided to give it a try, placing their fingers on the board and following the guide's instructions. The stone moved and landed on 'yes' when they asked if there was anyone with them. Sara asked for the spirit's name, and the stone spelled out 'Cindy.' The girls looked at each other, perplexed, and asked why Cindy was there. The stone spelled out 'I died here,' sending a chill down the girls' spines. Perhaps the story about the newspaper family that had once lived here was true.

Suddenly, the room grew cold, and Beth felt a cold hand on her shoulder. The girls sensed that they were being watched, and they quickly hurried back to Beth's room, trying to pretend that nothing had happened. It was just an innocent game, after all. However, at midnight, they heard soft laughter. Footsteps seemed to be approaching the door, and a small child appeared at the door, glowing bright silver. The girls were terrified, watching as the child walked closer.  The ghost of Cindy spoke in a chilling, giggling voice, and said, “Oh no, have you had a fright? That’s why you don’t use my board at night.” The doll-like figure flew towards them, screaming madly.

The girls were terrified and tried to flee, but it was too late. They were trapped, and the spirit had them in its grasp. The next day, Beth's parents found no sign of the girls, except for the Ouija Board on 'Goodbye' and a note that read, "It wasn’t so innocent after all.” Beth’s parents looked everywhere, but they couldn’t find a trace. They did, however, find a small news article in the basement. The headline read, young girl disappears, body still not found. The mysterious disappearance of the girls who participated in the sleepover remains unsolved to this day. However, the events of that night taught us a valuable lesson that we should never forget. No matter how harmless a game may appear at first glance, it can always have a dark and dangerous side to it. And never, never, use an Ouija Board at night, as it can potentially invite malevolent spirits into our world.