Parker woke early the next morning; his bones ached from the bashing he had given his furniture the day before. Fortunately, he was able to convince Daisy that his saddened family were mourning about his uncle's dog that had passed away. He couldn't bring himself to tell her what had really happened. She had seemed sceptical at first but she soon dropped the topic, knowing that she wasn't going to get any more information from him.
Parker rolled onto his stomach and used his arms to raise his torso. However, lethargy soon took over, and he dropped himself, groaning as his face hit the pillow. He tried again, this time lifting himself up so he could sit securely on his heels. He swung his legs out of the bed, feeling the cold morning air press against his feet. He stood at a snails pace and swayed back and forth uncertainly, colour dancing before his eyes and his mind whirling. Eventually, his vision cleared and he was able to walk safely. His eyes were drawn to the Ouija Board, sitting innocently beside the doorway.
He knelt at the board, and nervously pressed his fingers to the still planchette.
"Are there any spirits available?" He whispered, careful not to wake the slumbering Daisy. Immediately, the pointer moved to YES, and Parker's heart beat sped faster. He could hear the rhythmic thud-thud in his ears and feel the blood pulsing quickly through his fingertips.
"What is your name?"
The planchette moved quickly from letter to letter, spelling out a message.
P-A-R-I
"Are you a friendly spirit, Pari?"
D-E-P-E-N-D-S O-N W-H-O I-S A-S-K-I-N-G
Parker paused and thought carefully before asking another question. This spirit seemed reluctant to answer his questions properly.
"Are you very powerful?"
D-E-P-E-N-D-S O-N W-H-O I A-M
What could that mean? Daisy stirred behind him and he spun around, but she was still asleep. When he turned back, the planchette was moving again.
I N-E-E-D Y-O-U-R H-E-L-P
Parker froze; he had heard many stories regarding this kind of request. Not many of them had a happily ever after.
W-H-E-R-E I-S C-H-A-I-S-E
Parker's heart skipped a beat. How did it know about Chaise? Was this the same spirit that had attempted to open the portal? If so, had she and Chaise had conversation before? Parker knew the spirit could very easily be demonic, but he was, by this time, engrossed in the board and he ignored his gut feeling.
"I don't know who you are talking about."
Y-O-U A-R-E L-Y-I-N-G
Damn, why does she want Chaise?
T-A-K-E T-H-E B-O-A-R-D T-O H-I-M
"Why can't you just talk to me instead?"
T-A-K-E T-H-E B-O-A-R-D T-O H-I-M
"Fine!"
Parker crawled over to Daisy's side, and gently shook her shoulder.
"Get up. We're going over to Chaise's place. I'll explain on the way." He said as Daisy opened her eyes sleepily and blinked several times to clear her vision. Five minutes later they were out of the house and walking down the road. Daisy frequently shuddered from the cold and Parker never ceased talking, adding every detail from when he woke up to when he shook her awake.
He had only just finished as they entered Chaise's street. Melaleuca trees lined the road, shading them from the warmth of the rising sun. Birds soared past swiftly, on their way back to their nest where their young were undoubtedly waiting for breakfast. A kookaburra laughed gleefully at them from high in tree, and Daisy stuck her tongue out at it.
The house was quiet. Chaise and his family were most likely still sleeping, but only Chaise would wake when they called him. His parents could sleep through a hurricane, it seemed. They knocked on the door and heard the sound echo around the house. Sure enough, moments later they heard Chaise plod down the stairs to the door. He opened it with a snarl. It better be important, Chaise thought.
He frowned when he saw Parker and Daisy standing before him.
"What are you doing here so early?" he asked, running his hands tiredly through his bed-ruffled hair. "And why have you brought that insufferable board?"
"Hello to you too" Parker replied, sarcastic. Chaise stepped aside, allowing them to enter the house while Parker began the story over again. Daisy groaned and put her hands over her ears, annoyed.
"You don't have to listen again if you don't want to!" Parker said defensively.
Half-an-hour later, Parker finally closed his mouth and gave Chaise the opportunity to speak.
"So she's still waiting for me?" Chaise asked; worry spreading over his face as quickly as wildfire.
"Yeah, are you sure you don't know her?" Parker was still suspicious.
"As sure as my hair is brown," Chaise replied with a cheery façade. Parker raised his eyebrows.
"We shouldn't keep her waiting any longer, then. I don't know how patient spirits can be," Parker said, spitting out a laugh. Truth be told, he was terrified, but he couldn't tell the others. What would they think of him?
Chaise took the board from Parker and laid it out flat on the floor. He called in Daisy from the kitchen where she had evidently helped herself to breakfast, as she was still holding a half-eaten piece of toast in her hand. She sat opposite Chaise, on the same side of the board as Parker.
Chaise took a deep breath, looking at his friends individually. Both Daisy and Parker nodded, they were ready. They simultaneously pressed their fingers to the planchette which was resting in the centre of the board. Chaise's finger joined theirs and he felt a nervous tingle up his spine. It took almost three minutes, but eventually the pointer began to move again in the same circle. Chaise felt his fingers tense, along with his friends'.
None of them moved, none of them spoke, but they could see the fear in each others eyes.
Suddenly, Chaise's vision began to flicker; or was it the room around him? The room grew gradually brighter, almost blinding him. Just as he thought he would pass out from the light, it stopped. The room regained its colour and Chaise was left feeling slightly foolish, kneeling on the ground, tensed up with his fingers pressed to the wooden pointer that now lay still. Then he saw nothing, like a candle had suddenly been snuffed out. He saw nothing but a black expanse, stretching out in front of his open eyes. Chaise choked up with surprise and a high-pitched squeak rang in his ears which he assumed had come from Daisy.
His head throbbed. He felt cut off from his surroundings as if a thick blanket had been placed over him. Chaise tried to speak but his throat was dry. He managed a raspy cough. It took him a moment to realise he wasn't alone and muttered swearing on his right told him Daisy and Parker were with him. "Daisy? Parker?" Chaise attempted speech once more, and though he sounded audible, his voice was faint and shaky. The swearing stopped and Daisy's voice rang out from the darkness. It echoed off the invisible walls, "Chaise? Is that you?"
Chaise began jogging towards the source of the sound, but only took a few steps before he keeled over, out of breath. Small arms wrapped around his waist and lowered him to the ground. He heard an unfamiliar female voice call out to his friends; "Hey! Come help me carry him!" The last thing he felt was three pairs of hands lifting him from the cold, hard ground and carrying him away through the darkness.
