The Girl Who Played With The Ouija Board Read online

  “She was probably in the bathroom puking,” Martin whispered.

  Penny gave him a puzzled look and then quickly turned her attention back to Mr. Foster, who was saying that when he called out their names he wanted them to stand and give a brief introduction to the class.

  Oh God, Penny said to herself, panic beginning.

  She hated drawing attention to herself. Especially in a classroom setting. Just raising her hand with an answer was often too much for her. Standing up and introducing herself…that was even worse.

  Adding to the horror, her last name started with a W and thus would be one of the final names called. If she made a fool of herself, everyone would remember it because they would be relieved about having already gone and not be worried about making a fool of themselves.

  One by one, students stood as their names were called, some speaking right away, some composing themselves first. Some spoke loud enough for everyone to hear; others needed to be encouraged to speak up.

  Martin was bold. Joey was shy.

  Any moment now…

  Anxiety grew.

  And grew.

  And grew.

  The girl next to her stood, smoothed out her skirt, and talked about a mission trip she had gone on that summer.

  Penny knew she was next, though she wasn’t sure how. It was simply known.

  On and on the girl went, Mr. Foster nodding in the way people do when they’re too polite to cut someone off in mid-sentence but at the same time want to keep things moving.

  Maybe she’ll run out the clock.

  Just as the thought arrived, the girl ended her introduction about spreading God’s message and sat back down.

  Nothing followed for several seconds, almost as if Mr. Foster was making sure that she truly was finished.

  When he finally did speak, it was Penny’s name that left his lips.

  Heart racing, Penny tried to stand, but the room spun.

  No!

  She grabbed the desk to steady herself, her eyes attempting to blink away the nightmare that was unfolding. It didn’t work.

  Darkness slithered through the doorway and spun into the air, her name echoing as something called to her.

  Faces changed, their round shapes elongating into wretched monstrosities.

  And then hands were grabbing her, ripping at her clothes, trying to disrobe her.

  No! No! No!

  “Penny!” a voice said. “Penny!”

  She blinked.

  Martin was kneeling over her, along with Joey and Mr. Foster. Behind them, dozens of startled faces stared.

  “You okay?” one of them asked.

  “I-I- ” she mumbled, nothing making sense.

  “Stood up too fast?” another suggested.

  “Y-yes,” Penny mumbled.

  “This has happened to her before,” Martin advised.

  “Honey, do you need to see the nurse?” Mr. Foster asked.

  Penny shook her head.

  “I think she’s okay,” Martin said. He turned to look at her. “Right?”

  She nodded and then asked, “Bathroom?”

  Mr. Foster seemed puzzled for a second and then understanding arrived. “Yes, of course. Um…Cheryl, can you escort her to the ladies’ room?”

  Penny didn’t hear the reply, but it must have been a yes because the next thing she knew, Cheryl was walking down the quiet hallway with her toward the bathrooms.

  Neither spoke, Cheryl seeming somewhat wary of her.

  Penny stepped into the bathroom.

  Cheryl waited outside.

  It was a nice bathroom, one that looked far cleaner than any of the bathrooms she would have found in her old school. Whether this was due to students being more respectful or the staff being more thorough, she didn’t know. And it didn’t really matter.

  She had made a fool of herself.

  Again.

  Only this time was worse.

  Not in the physical impact, since she was already able to walk around, but in the audience that had witnessed it.

  This would stick.

  Cheryl was probably already texting everyone she knew about it.

  Facebook probably had a page dedicated to it.

  A hashtag would be going viral on Twitter.

  And on Instagram…

  Something would happen.

  Something always did.

  Why?

  I don’t know!

  She looked at herself in the mirror, questions flying all over the place.

  And then a shadow grew behind her.

  No!

  Cheryl appeared.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  Penny blinked.

  “Yes,” she said and forced a smile.

  Am I? Really?

  The answer she gave herself differed from the one she gave Cheryl.

  It also brought about a question, one that gave her a chill.

  Was this linked to her having played with the Ouija board?

  A week ago, she would have laughed at such a suggestion, but now, after what had happened that night…

  She shivered.

  Three

  Olivia greeted Martin with a kiss, one that grew in intensity once they were in his car, tongues circling each other while Martin palmed her right breast, fingers attempting to tease her nipple to attention through her blouse and bra.

  He failed.

  Olivia had better luck with him, her hand toying with his manhood through his pants, the two layers of fabric failing to mask the bulge that quickly appeared.

  Thunk! Thunk!

  Olivia pulled away as Joey opened the rear passenger door of the car, a comment about how foggy the windows were getting leaving his lips.

  No fog was present.

  Penny opened the other door, silently slipping into the rear passenger seat.

  For a moment, all was silent.

  “What’s wrong?” Olivia asked.

  Penny looked at her and shook her head.

  Olivia frowned but decided to let it go for the moment.

  “So…” Martin said.

  “So…” Olivia replied.

  “Want to chill at my place for a while?”

  “Your parents home?”

  “Not until six. My mom’s showing a house this afternoon.”

  “Cool with me then.” She turned toward Penny. “That cool?”

  “Sure,” Penny mumbled.

  Olivia felt her frown returning. Something was really bothering Penny.

  “Hey now, don’t I get a say?” Joey asked.

  “Nope,” Martin said while starting his car.

  Olivia chuckled.

  Martin’s house wasn’t very far. In fact, they could have probably walked to it in the same amount of time it took to drive, given how long it took to get out of the crowded school parking lot, but being able to drive to school was a status symbol, one that had to be maintained at all costs.

  “Okay, what happened?” Olivia asked after pulling Penny aside while the guys headed down into the basement lair.

  “It’s nothing,” Penny said.

  “It’s obviously something,” Olivia said.

  Penny hesitated.

  “Was it another student?” she pressed. “Did someone say something?”

  “Yeah, but that’s only part of it.”

  “Okay…” Olivia said and waited.

  “I had another moment,” she said. “During a class.”

  “A moment?”

  “Like the other night with the Ouija board.”

  “Oh fuck.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Right in the middle of class?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Jeez. I’m sorry.” She shook her head. “I can’t even imagine.”

  “And then someone muttered ‘demon girl’ at me during lunch.”

  “Do you know who?” Olivia asked, anger appearing.

  “No. I just heard it. And then some giggles from the table.”

  “Guy or
girl?”

  “Girl.”

  Olivia considered that, but of course had no idea who it could be, and since they didn’t share the same lunch period, she couldn’t even have Penny point out the table to her.

  “Some first day, huh?” Penny muttered.

  “Don’t worry,” Olivia said, putting her arms out for a hug. “It’ll get better.”

  “Maybe,” Penny said.

  “And if it doesn’t, I’ll just have to cunt-kick some bitches.”

  This brought about a grin. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Oh, by the way.” She looked around and then in a somewhat hushed voice said, “I have it on good authority that Joey totally has the hots for you.”

  “What?” Penny gasped. “Really?”

  “Yep. He apparently told Martin that you’re totally babelicious.”

  “Babelicious?” Penny questioned.

  “They’re guys,” Olivia said, which she felt summed up the word choice. “So, anyway, don’t be surprised if he acts all fidgety for a bit once we’re down there. And if he asks for a moment alone with you, it’s most likely because he has finally worked up the courage to ask you out.”

  “Great, now I’m going to be all fidgety too waiting for him to get over his fidgetiness and pop the question.”

  “See, this is why you two will be perfect together.” She took her hand. “Come on.”

  “Wait, wait,” Penny said, resisting the pull. “Does he know about…” She motioned to her head and then her torso.

  “Of course. Everyone does. Not the grisly details or anything, but about the accident and stuff.”

  “Hmm.”

  “It was in the news,” Olivia added.

  “All the way out here?”

  “Well no, not so much out here. But it’s all online. You can Google it.”

  Penny considered that and then nodded.

  Olivia waited.

  “Have they asked you about it?” Penny asked.

  “A bit,” she admitted.

  “And?”

  “And what?”

  “What kind of questions?”

  Olivia shrugged. “Just typical questions.”

  Penny frowned while gently touching the area of her head where the scar was.

  Olivia had seen her do this many times and wondered if it was a conscious act or something her hand just did—like twisting a strand of hair.

  Footsteps echoed on the stairway, Martin quickly appearing.

  “You two get lost?” he asked.

  “We’re coming,” Olivia said, taking Penny’s hand.

  Penny didn’t resist.

  Martin was obviously eager to get upstairs and finish what they had started in the car, but Olivia didn’t want to simply deposit Penny with Joey and head up—not after the horrible first day the poor girl had had. So instead, they all chilled on the old ratty sofa and chairs, drinking sodas and talking about random topics that sprang up. Some were about school and their new classes, others about various shows they were watching or games they were playing. It was very relaxed, though several times during the discussions, Olivia felt Martin’s fingers creeping up into her more sensitive regions, the position they were in on the sofa allowing for stealthy sneak attacks that the other two could not see—sneak attacks that were more annoying than pleasurable, given his lack of understanding in how things worked down there.

  God bless him though for trying.

  Such attempts meant he had listened to some of the things she had pointed out during their more intimate moments together that summer, and though he still had a long way to go based on what he was doing now, his current actions did alert her to the fact that he had the basic idea of what he should be doing when trying to tease her.

  In the end, it was Penny that gave Martin what he wanted—indirectly.

  She mentioned that she had some stupid first-day homework assignments that she wanted to get a jump on and suggested that maybe Joey would like to walk her home.

  “Oh…um…yeah, sure… I’d love to.”

  Penny smiled, Joey smiled, and then Martin and Olivia both smiled, all knowing but not voicing the real reason behind Penny’s suggestion.

  “Do you think he’ll pop the question?” Martin asked once Penny and Joey had stepped out the front door and started down the sidewalk.

  Olivia watched them through the window for several seconds before turning and saying, “He better. She needs something like this in her life right now.”

  Martin seemed unsure what to say in reply to that.

  “Speaking of needs…” Olivia said and took his hand to lead him from the window and over to the nice family couch where she sat down and spread her legs. “You have some work to do after all that fumbling about down there.”

  “Me?” he questioned, mounting a fake protest. “What about what you started in the car?”

  “As soon as you finish with me, I’ll finish with you…if we have time once you’re done.”

  Martin needed no further encouragement and quickly got down onto his knees so that he could get his lips and tongue where they needed to be, Olivia leaning back while he did this, her mind knowing things stood at about fifty-fifty on whether she would actually be taking him in her mouth this afternoon.

  Four

  They walked for quite some time without really speaking, the silence getting to the point where Penny started to wonder if Olivia had misled her about the interest Joey held.

  Or been misled herself?

  Maybe it had been a simple misunderstanding.

  After all, guys talked about girls all the time, and just because he had said she was hot—or whatever that word was he had used—it didn’t necessarily mean he was interested.

  When he finally did speak, it wasn’t the question she had been anticipating.

  “Do you miss your old school?” he asked.

  “My old school?” She considered the question and then shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess. As much as you can miss a place you never really wanted to be at. I was comfortable there. Knew the ups and downs. Now…” She shrugged again “It’s like I’m starting all over.”

  “Technically you are.”

  “True.”

  Silence.

  “Was it a lot different?” he asked.

  “Not really. Well, I don’t know. Hard to say after one day. The biggest difference so far is having to wear a uniform. I feel ridiculous. Oh, and all the religious stuff. But other than that, it just seems like a typical high school with teachers and teenagers.”

  “My parents think public schools are full of drugs and sex. Temptation around every corner, blowjobs in the bathrooms, and occult rituals in the basement.”

  “It’s actually blowjobs in the basement and occult rituals in the bathrooms.”

  Joey laughed.

  “Seriously though, they really think that?” she asked.

  “Well, maybe not to that extreme, but yeah. They feel public school has led the country on a sinful path of moral decline, one that will soon lead to the total collapse of our society.”

  “Sounds like my aunt,” Penny said.

  “I’ve heard she’s pretty extreme,” he noted.

  “Let’s put it this way. She totally lost her shit when I was unpacking my stuff and pulled out one of my old Harry Potter books.”

  “That might not actually be considered extreme in this area. Lots of us had to read Harry Potter in secret.”

  “Really?” she asked, her disbelief hard to mask.

  “Yeah. I read the first one at the library one summer. The public one. I actually still remember how nervous I was when I started reading it. It was like…I don’t know…finding a dirty magazine or something, only worse because I started to fear for my soul. I eventually brought it up during confession.”

  “Wow.”

  “It all seems kind of silly now, but back then, I got so worried about having read it that I could almost feel the heat as Satan’s minions stoked the fires of hell in a
nticipation of my arrival.”

  “Jesus Christ.”

  Nothing followed for several seconds, the only sound that of their shoes clapping on the sidewalk.

  “My aunt wants me to go to confession,” Penny said, breaking the silence. “I keep trying to tell her I’m not Catholic, but she doesn’t want to hear it. Says I was baptized a Catholic when I was little, and since I’ve never been excommunicated, I’m still Catholic…a very, very lapsed one, but still.”

  “Do you think you’ll do it?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Olivia thinks I should. Just to keep the peace.”

  “Hmm.”

  “You don’t think so?” she asked, sensing something in his tone.

  “I think you should only do it if you personally feel the need.”

  Penny thought about that, nodded, and then said, “Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about you.”

  “Me?” he asked. “Um…what do you want to know?”

  “I don’t know. Anything.”

  He hesitated and then let out a stunted chuckle. “You’ve totally caught me off guard. I’m drawing a blank.”

  “Okay then. Um…let’s see.” She considered some questions and then asked, “What’s your favorite band?”

  “What’s yours?” he countered.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” she said.

  “Honestly, I don’t have one. I just scan until I find something I like and then listen to it.”

  Penny stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out if this was true or if he was just trying to be vague so she didn’t think his actual favorite was ridiculous. In the end, she decided it was true.

  “Favorite show?”

  “That’s currently on, or favorite show of all time?”

  “Um…of all time.”

  “Breaking Bad.”

  “Harry Potter is forbidden, but you can watch Breaking Bad?”

  “They’ve eased up a bit now that I’m almost eighteen. I’m even allowed to stay up till nine now.”

  She laughed and then asked, “Current favorite?”

  “Stranger Things.”

  “Mine too!”

  “Really?”

  “Totally. I can’t wait for season four.”

  “Me either.”

  “Maybe we can watch it together when it finally comes out.”

  He didn’t reply to that, which was a bit awkward.