Bloodline

II

I was staring directly into Luca's freckled face, as he gazed into my eyes. "Hmm.." He hummed. "No unusual colors, they're not unusually big or small, and they're not bloodshot." He backed away from my face. "So she's not possessed?" Hannah asked. "I need to make sure," Luca replied. "Try contorting for me, Payton."

"You know I'm not athletic, or flexible in anyway." I told him. "Yeah, I know, but the demon possessing you will be.  So just try to do something like that." Luca insisted. I rolled my eyes while I got down to the floor and tried bending over backwards like that girl from that horror movie, Ouija. I ended up falling flat on my back before I could even put in some kind of effort. "Like I said," I told Luca as I stood up. "I'm not flexible." "Good!" He replied way more enthusiastic than he should have been.

"Now that we know you're not possessed, we can start the real research." With that, Luca bounced into another room. Hannah and I looked at each other with the same worried expression. We followed Luca into a room with two couches that faced each other, the only thing blocking them from one another was a large coffee table. The room was strung with unlit fairy lights, and oddly placed curtains. Luca was running around the room lighting candles.

"Welcome to the Communication Center!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms out for emphasis. "The communa-what?" Hannah said, dumbfounded. "Are you deaf? I said 'The Communication Center'!" Luca through out his arms again. "What is this for exactly?" I asked. "Oh Payton," Luca chuckled, "Payton Payton, Payton.." He then slammed a flat, rectangular box onto the table. "It's for talking to ghosts!"

I looked down at the box and saw that it was an ouija board. Hannah immediately backed away. "No way, I ain't touchin that." "Wuss." Luca teased as he open the box and set the board on the table. I scooted closer to the table.

"I'll do it, if it means I get an explanation as to whats happening to me." I said. "That's the spirt! Literally!" Luca did finger guns paired with a wink. Hannah rolled her eyes. Luca sat next to me, and pulled the ouija board closer. He put two fingers on the planchette, and told me to do the same. I did as I was told and lightly put my hands on the piece of plastic. A chill went up my spine as I touched it. Luca took notice and laughed before saying "Beginners." He then pressed my hands down on it. "You have to make sure that you don't take your hands off of the planchette."

"What happens if I do?" I ask. "You'd break one of the rules, and you can't ever break the rules." He says in the most serious tone I've ever seen. 'What the heck?' I think. 'I've never seen Luca in such a serious manner. He's usually such a goofball, I didn't think he was so serious about paranormal stuff.' Luca started moving the planchette around the board chanting "Spirts, are you with us tonight?" He then stopped moving the piece. Minutes passed, and nothing happened.

"...well this was a waste'a time." Hannah declared. "Just wait for a second." Luca insisted. "No! This is stupid! Payton probably just had sleep paralysis and doesn't remember falling asleep!" Hannah started walking towards the two of us. "Just wait. We need to be patient." Luca kept protesting. "Hannah please," I pleaded. "I'm not gonna stand around and pretend that there's a ghost hauntin' Payton! Because ghosts don't exist!" She then picked up the planchette and threw it on the ground.

Luca stared at the piece of plastic laying on the floor. "You've screwed us all." He said bluntly. "Uh huh?" Hannah questioned. Luca picked up the board piece and handed it to me. "Look through the clear part in the middle." "Um, okay?" I worriedly agreed. I held the small triangle up to my left eye and looked around. "This does absolutely nothing." I said. "I told ya!" Hannah exclaimed. I looked at Hannah through the planchette and saw some sort of black figure looming over her shoulder. It had no other features other white eyes that were almost glowing. I immediately screamed and through the planchette to the ground.

"What is it?? What did you see??" Luca asked. "I-it, it was a black shadowy figure over Hannah!" I stuttered. "Ugh, really?" Hannah said unimpressed. "I'm not lying!" I exclaimed. Then Luca turned around and pointed at Hannah. "This is what happens when you break the rules, Hannah!" "Oh please! Nothin' even happened!" Hannah grabbed the planchette. "And Payton didn't see anythin' paranormal!" She then put the triangle up to her eye and looked around. After a quick sweep across the room, she threw the piece back onto the board. "Nothin'."

"It's because Payton is the one being haunted you dint!" Luca yelled. "'Dint'?! What does that even mean?!" Hannah yelled back. Luca stood up and threw his arms into the air. "It means you're an idiot!" "And you're a paranoid freak! There are no shadowy figures! There are no hauntings! And there are no ghosts!" Just then, a book from a shelf near the door fell, landing open on a page I couldn't see from the distance between me and the book. Luca walked over and picked it up.

"This page is about sleep paralysis and demons."

My stomach churned. "What does that mean...?" I asked meekly. "It says that a demons can control peoples dreams and make them fantasize about horrible things."

We were all sitting there quietly for a moment. I didn't know what to say. 'Why is happening to me? Did I do something wrong?' I thought. "Maybe you two should go home for now. I'll text you later once I've done some more research." Luca said, breaking the silence. He walked us out of the Communication Center and to the front door. He said goodbye to us as we walked away. Hannah walked with me until we had to part ways, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Though, I only had one,

'Why?'