Lucas was in that place where the time didn’t move the same way it did in the living world. He was in the middle of the blurriness and he enjoyed it; the silence, the emptiness; he didn’t have to look at anything in particular. Occasionally he popped his head, figuratively speaking, in the living world and checked what was happening in there: Farrah was in the middle of the woods, searching for Ramsey, and Ronald was trying to go to school, even though he was failing all of his classes. Emily was grounded so she only went to school and then straight back to home. Her phone had been taken away, as well as her Ouija board, so neither Lucas nor Ronald could contact her and explain what was going on. Lucas felt lonely. He missed touching other people, and not even in a sexual way but just in general holding hands, high-fives and hugging.
“They will help me to get out of the Spirit world”, Lucas muttered to himself. “Who knows, maybe Ramsey knows how to bring me back since I’m already halfway there, technically speaking.”
And then it hit him. What if Ramsey seriously could find a way to bring Lucas back? He could hug his little sister, high-five Ronald and hold hands…
Yeah, Lucas, with who? His mind asked himself. With Ransley?
Lucas didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t know what to think. Ransley wasn’t necessarily the bad guy. Like, if they would bring Ransley in front a human judge and ran him through the psychiatric assessment then they would say that he wasn’t in control of himself and therefore wouldn’t be responsible of his actions. They would make him go to a psychiatric hospital. At least that’s how Lucas deducted it. It made him feel better. It made him feel like he didn’t have to feel so guilty of still caring about Ransley. Also there was all those things that Ramsey had said, about seeing hope in Ransley and stuff. They confused Lucas and made him feel mixed feelings. Ransley made Lucas feel mixed feelings.
He focused on Farrah, deciding he needed to check her again, and was surprised to find himself in the cottage, standing in the middle of Farrah and Ramsey. Ransley was in the corner on his bed, chained up.
“You are not taking him with you”, Farrah said, nodding towards Ransley. “It would only upset Ronald.”
“If you want me to come to meet Ronald, then you have to accept the fact that Ransley comes with me”, Ramsey said, raising his eyebrows. “Why won’t you tell me why he wants to meet me? How did you even find us?”
“I had some help”, Farrah said vaguely and Lucas wanted to point at himself and say ‘me’, but he knew no one would see him so what was the point. “And Ronald will tell you what’s it about. Please.”
“Ransley comes too”, Ramsey said firmly.
Farrah sighed. “Fine!” She flipped her hair. “But you better keep your dog under control!”
Lucas glanced at Ransley, half expecting him to flip, but he just stared at the ground, looking defeated and too tired to argue back.
“Sure”, Ramsey said.
“I don’t want to come”, Ransley muttered. “I’d rather stay here.”
“Shut up”, Ramsey said. “You’re coming.” He walked to Ransley, and with a snap of his fingers the handcuffs and chain were gone. Lucas stared with his mouth hanging open. He would never get used to seeing Ramsey’s powers in action. Ramsey took a hold of Ransley’s shoulder and reached his other hand to Farrah. “Let’s go, then.”
Lucas watched how Farrah stepped closer, took a hold of Ramsey’s hand and they disappeared. Lucas closed his eyes and when he opened them, he was in Ronald’s bedroom which was now full of people. The Ouija board was on the bed and the room was crowded. Ronald and Farrah backed away and stood near the bed, Ransley stood in the corner, staring at the floor and Ramsey stood in the middle of the room. Lucas stayed near Ransley, examining his facial expressions because he was, with no doubt, curious to see how Ransley would react to the story Ronald was about to tell.
“Thank you for coming”, Ronald said. “I know you probably didn’t want to.” Then Ronald’s eyes flicked quickly in Ransley’s direction before returning to Ramsey. “I see you have kept him alive.”
“Why am I here, Ronald?” Ramsey asked, going straight to the point and ignoring Ronald’s words.
Lucas watched how Ronald took a shaky breath and Lucas knew he was pushing Ransley out of his mind because he had more important things to focus on, and then he said: “Didn’t you wonder how Farrah was able to find you?” When Ramsey didn’t answer, Ronald pointed at the Ouija board. “Lucas told us where you are.”
Silence filled the room. Ramsey showed no emotion and Ransley… Lucas saw how he lifted his head up when he heard Lucas’ name and stared at the Ouija board with wide eyes.
“Are you implying that Lucas hasn’t moved on to the light?” Ramsey asked finally after the silence had continued far too long.
“Yes”, Ronald said. “He said it himself. He is stuck. And there’s another thing. When I asked where you are, he started spelling the answer but I don’t think he managed to finish it. I don’t even know if he is okay or not, I haven’t got connection with him in a while.” Ronald tilted his head and looked at Ramsey. “Is there anything that could harm Lucas in the place he is stuck in?”
Lucas, too, turned to look at Ramsey, even though he knew there wasn’t anything dangerous in the Spirit world: he was completely alone in there.
“No”, Ramsey said, shaking his head. “There’s no dangers. But now I want us to play that stupid game.”
“Why?” asked Ronald.
Ramsey glared at him and Lucas half expected Ronald to apologise for asking but his best friend just glared back. Lucas was proud.
“Because”, Ramsey said, “I need to talk with Lucas to be sure he is in the place I think he is.”
They all gathered around the Ouija board, pressed their fingers on the planchette and then Ramsey was the one who talked.
“Lucas, are you here?”
“I am”, Lucas said, “but I really don’t want to move the planchette. It’s so hard.”
“Lucas, are you here?” Ramsey repeated.
“Please, Lucas”, Ronald begged.
“Don’t make us worry, Lucas”, Farrah said.
Ransley was the only one who didn’t say a word and stayed quiet. Sure, Ramsey had had to force him to participate in the game, but still. Lucas sighed and placed his fingers on the planchette and was surprised to see how easily he managed to move it to ‘Yes’.
“What the fuck?” Lucas asked to no one in particular. “Why was it so easy?”
The board had resisted but only a little.
“Are you stuck?” Ramsey asked.
Lucas’ did a circle and ended it on ‘Yes’.
“What does the place you are look like?” Ramsey asked. Lucas concentrated on spelling and stuck his tongue out without even noticing it himself.
S-A-M-E-B-U-T-B-L-U-R-R-Y.
“Same, but blurry”, Farrah said. “Does that mean it looks the same as our world but… blurry?”
Ramsey nodded. “Are you alone?”
Lucas pushed the planchette on ‘Yes’ once again.
“Do you see us?”
Lucas grinned. This was the perfect opportunity to let them know that Lucas saw everything.
A-L-L-T-H-E-T-I-M-E.
Ronald’s eyes widened, Farrah furrowed his eyebrows, Ramsey’s facial expression didn’t change and Ransley looked horrified, running his free hand’s fingers through his messy hair. Lucas wanted to laugh at them but he knew now was not the time.
“Wait, wait, wait”, Ronald said, shaking his head. “Hold on. Are you saying… that from the moment you… died, you have been able to see us?”
Lucas pushed the planchette to ‘Yes’ and felt now the first signs of getting tired but he ignored it since it wasn’t that bad.
“Wow”, said Farrah.
“Well that’s embarrassing”, said Ronald.
“I think we should end this here”, Ramsey said. “I assume you want to know everything I can tell you right now.”
“Yes”, Farrah and Lucas said in unison.
“Lucas, is there anything you would like to say before we end this game?” Ramsey asked, sounding bored. Lucas wasn’t surprised of that. Ramsey sounded always either bored or angry. But was there something he wanted to say? He glanced at Ransley and wondered why he was being so quiet, but decided not to ask that because there were others around and he wanted to talk with Ransley in private, not in front of everyone.
He was about to move the planchette to ‘No’ when he remembered what he had been thinking earlier. He bit his lip and started moving the planchette on the letters.
C-A-N-I-C-O-M-E-B-A-C-K.
He felt slightly tired, but nothing serious. He felt a little bit empty too, like as if he had given everything. But he knew he hadn’t. He waited for Ramsey’s answer nervously.
“Can he?” Ronald asked hopefully. “Since he’s stuck. Is there a way to bring him back?”
Ramsey shook his head and both Lucas and Ronald’s shoulders slumped down.
“No. What is dead, is dead”, Ramsey said. “I’m sorry. Now we will end the game.”
They did exactly that: they ended the game and left the board on the bed. Ransley went back to the corner, but now Lucas noticed that he was eyeing around him. Like as if he was expecting to see Lucas at any second.
Now that they were not playing, an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Farrah was looking at Ronald, Ronald was looking at Ransley and Ramsey was eyeing everyone suspiciously.
Lucas knew that Ronald felt awkward seeing Ransley again after everything, he knew Ronald that well, but he was also very proud of Ronald for not lashing out. He was calm, collected.
Farrah was first one to speak.
“Where is he? How can we help him?” she asked.
Ramsey shrugged. “He is stuck.”
“We know that”, Ronald said impatiently. “But where exactly?”
“It has many names”, Ramsey said. “The Spirit world, limbo, place between the other side and the living world, you name it.” Ramsey looked at Ransley and then at Ronald. “There is, however, one thing you should know about the place where he is and the risks of contacting him.”
Ronald and Farrah were silent as they waited for Ramsey to continue, Ransley didn’t say a word and Lucas was jumping up and down, yelling at Ramsey to spit it out already. Lucas felt anxious; what risks were Ramsey talking about? He immediately thought about how he had got tired when communicating through the Ouija board. Could it have something to do with the risks that Ramsey mentioned?
“When talking with a spirit through an Ouija board, the unknown fact is that the more there are players, the easier it is for the spirit to communicate because all the players weaken the wall between the living world and the Spirit world”, Ramsey explained slowly with his deep voice. He eyed Ronald sternly.
“And the risks?” Ronald asked, and Lucas could hear the shakiness in his voice.
Ramsey shrugged nonchalantly. “The less players there are, the more it takes from the spirit to move the planchette. The board tries to resist, and it can consume him. Sort of like eat him up, if you will.”
Lucas’ furrowed his eyebrows.
Say what now? He thought.
“What does that mean?” Ronald asked, but it was not Ramsey who answered him, it was Farrah.
“Ron, it means that if we keep contacting Lucas through the Ouija board, eventually it will consume him… turn him into an evil spirit, stuck in our world, who can never find peace. The only things he is capable of feeling are anger and pain.”
Lucas’ mouth dropped open at the same time as Ronald’s, and Lucas was sure he would pee himself right there and then, but luckily he couldn’t do that kind of things as a spirit.
“Oh, fuck”, Lucas groaned.
“They will help me to get out of the Spirit world”, Lucas muttered to himself. “Who knows, maybe Ramsey knows how to bring me back since I’m already halfway there, technically speaking.”
And then it hit him. What if Ramsey seriously could find a way to bring Lucas back? He could hug his little sister, high-five Ronald and hold hands…
Yeah, Lucas, with who? His mind asked himself. With Ransley?
Lucas didn’t know how to feel. He didn’t know what to think. Ransley wasn’t necessarily the bad guy. Like, if they would bring Ransley in front a human judge and ran him through the psychiatric assessment then they would say that he wasn’t in control of himself and therefore wouldn’t be responsible of his actions. They would make him go to a psychiatric hospital. At least that’s how Lucas deducted it. It made him feel better. It made him feel like he didn’t have to feel so guilty of still caring about Ransley. Also there was all those things that Ramsey had said, about seeing hope in Ransley and stuff. They confused Lucas and made him feel mixed feelings. Ransley made Lucas feel mixed feelings.
He focused on Farrah, deciding he needed to check her again, and was surprised to find himself in the cottage, standing in the middle of Farrah and Ramsey. Ransley was in the corner on his bed, chained up.
“You are not taking him with you”, Farrah said, nodding towards Ransley. “It would only upset Ronald.”
“If you want me to come to meet Ronald, then you have to accept the fact that Ransley comes with me”, Ramsey said, raising his eyebrows. “Why won’t you tell me why he wants to meet me? How did you even find us?”
“I had some help”, Farrah said vaguely and Lucas wanted to point at himself and say ‘me’, but he knew no one would see him so what was the point. “And Ronald will tell you what’s it about. Please.”
“Ransley comes too”, Ramsey said firmly.
Farrah sighed. “Fine!” She flipped her hair. “But you better keep your dog under control!”
Lucas glanced at Ransley, half expecting him to flip, but he just stared at the ground, looking defeated and too tired to argue back.
“Sure”, Ramsey said.
“I don’t want to come”, Ransley muttered. “I’d rather stay here.”
“Shut up”, Ramsey said. “You’re coming.” He walked to Ransley, and with a snap of his fingers the handcuffs and chain were gone. Lucas stared with his mouth hanging open. He would never get used to seeing Ramsey’s powers in action. Ramsey took a hold of Ransley’s shoulder and reached his other hand to Farrah. “Let’s go, then.”
Lucas watched how Farrah stepped closer, took a hold of Ramsey’s hand and they disappeared. Lucas closed his eyes and when he opened them, he was in Ronald’s bedroom which was now full of people. The Ouija board was on the bed and the room was crowded. Ronald and Farrah backed away and stood near the bed, Ransley stood in the corner, staring at the floor and Ramsey stood in the middle of the room. Lucas stayed near Ransley, examining his facial expressions because he was, with no doubt, curious to see how Ransley would react to the story Ronald was about to tell.
“Thank you for coming”, Ronald said. “I know you probably didn’t want to.” Then Ronald’s eyes flicked quickly in Ransley’s direction before returning to Ramsey. “I see you have kept him alive.”
“Why am I here, Ronald?” Ramsey asked, going straight to the point and ignoring Ronald’s words.
Lucas watched how Ronald took a shaky breath and Lucas knew he was pushing Ransley out of his mind because he had more important things to focus on, and then he said: “Didn’t you wonder how Farrah was able to find you?” When Ramsey didn’t answer, Ronald pointed at the Ouija board. “Lucas told us where you are.”
Silence filled the room. Ramsey showed no emotion and Ransley… Lucas saw how he lifted his head up when he heard Lucas’ name and stared at the Ouija board with wide eyes.
“Are you implying that Lucas hasn’t moved on to the light?” Ramsey asked finally after the silence had continued far too long.
“Yes”, Ronald said. “He said it himself. He is stuck. And there’s another thing. When I asked where you are, he started spelling the answer but I don’t think he managed to finish it. I don’t even know if he is okay or not, I haven’t got connection with him in a while.” Ronald tilted his head and looked at Ramsey. “Is there anything that could harm Lucas in the place he is stuck in?”
Lucas, too, turned to look at Ramsey, even though he knew there wasn’t anything dangerous in the Spirit world: he was completely alone in there.
“No”, Ramsey said, shaking his head. “There’s no dangers. But now I want us to play that stupid game.”
“Why?” asked Ronald.
Ramsey glared at him and Lucas half expected Ronald to apologise for asking but his best friend just glared back. Lucas was proud.
“Because”, Ramsey said, “I need to talk with Lucas to be sure he is in the place I think he is.”
They all gathered around the Ouija board, pressed their fingers on the planchette and then Ramsey was the one who talked.
“Lucas, are you here?”
“I am”, Lucas said, “but I really don’t want to move the planchette. It’s so hard.”
“Lucas, are you here?” Ramsey repeated.
“Please, Lucas”, Ronald begged.
“Don’t make us worry, Lucas”, Farrah said.
Ransley was the only one who didn’t say a word and stayed quiet. Sure, Ramsey had had to force him to participate in the game, but still. Lucas sighed and placed his fingers on the planchette and was surprised to see how easily he managed to move it to ‘Yes’.
“What the fuck?” Lucas asked to no one in particular. “Why was it so easy?”
The board had resisted but only a little.
“Are you stuck?” Ramsey asked.
Lucas’ did a circle and ended it on ‘Yes’.
“What does the place you are look like?” Ramsey asked. Lucas concentrated on spelling and stuck his tongue out without even noticing it himself.
S-A-M-E-B-U-T-B-L-U-R-R-Y.
“Same, but blurry”, Farrah said. “Does that mean it looks the same as our world but… blurry?”
Ramsey nodded. “Are you alone?”
Lucas pushed the planchette on ‘Yes’ once again.
“Do you see us?”
Lucas grinned. This was the perfect opportunity to let them know that Lucas saw everything.
A-L-L-T-H-E-T-I-M-E.
Ronald’s eyes widened, Farrah furrowed his eyebrows, Ramsey’s facial expression didn’t change and Ransley looked horrified, running his free hand’s fingers through his messy hair. Lucas wanted to laugh at them but he knew now was not the time.
“Wait, wait, wait”, Ronald said, shaking his head. “Hold on. Are you saying… that from the moment you… died, you have been able to see us?”
Lucas pushed the planchette to ‘Yes’ and felt now the first signs of getting tired but he ignored it since it wasn’t that bad.
“Wow”, said Farrah.
“Well that’s embarrassing”, said Ronald.
“I think we should end this here”, Ramsey said. “I assume you want to know everything I can tell you right now.”
“Yes”, Farrah and Lucas said in unison.
“Lucas, is there anything you would like to say before we end this game?” Ramsey asked, sounding bored. Lucas wasn’t surprised of that. Ramsey sounded always either bored or angry. But was there something he wanted to say? He glanced at Ransley and wondered why he was being so quiet, but decided not to ask that because there were others around and he wanted to talk with Ransley in private, not in front of everyone.
He was about to move the planchette to ‘No’ when he remembered what he had been thinking earlier. He bit his lip and started moving the planchette on the letters.
C-A-N-I-C-O-M-E-B-A-C-K.
He felt slightly tired, but nothing serious. He felt a little bit empty too, like as if he had given everything. But he knew he hadn’t. He waited for Ramsey’s answer nervously.
“Can he?” Ronald asked hopefully. “Since he’s stuck. Is there a way to bring him back?”
Ramsey shook his head and both Lucas and Ronald’s shoulders slumped down.
“No. What is dead, is dead”, Ramsey said. “I’m sorry. Now we will end the game.”
They did exactly that: they ended the game and left the board on the bed. Ransley went back to the corner, but now Lucas noticed that he was eyeing around him. Like as if he was expecting to see Lucas at any second.
Now that they were not playing, an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Farrah was looking at Ronald, Ronald was looking at Ransley and Ramsey was eyeing everyone suspiciously.
Lucas knew that Ronald felt awkward seeing Ransley again after everything, he knew Ronald that well, but he was also very proud of Ronald for not lashing out. He was calm, collected.
Farrah was first one to speak.
“Where is he? How can we help him?” she asked.
Ramsey shrugged. “He is stuck.”
“We know that”, Ronald said impatiently. “But where exactly?”
“It has many names”, Ramsey said. “The Spirit world, limbo, place between the other side and the living world, you name it.” Ramsey looked at Ransley and then at Ronald. “There is, however, one thing you should know about the place where he is and the risks of contacting him.”
Ronald and Farrah were silent as they waited for Ramsey to continue, Ransley didn’t say a word and Lucas was jumping up and down, yelling at Ramsey to spit it out already. Lucas felt anxious; what risks were Ramsey talking about? He immediately thought about how he had got tired when communicating through the Ouija board. Could it have something to do with the risks that Ramsey mentioned?
“When talking with a spirit through an Ouija board, the unknown fact is that the more there are players, the easier it is for the spirit to communicate because all the players weaken the wall between the living world and the Spirit world”, Ramsey explained slowly with his deep voice. He eyed Ronald sternly.
“And the risks?” Ronald asked, and Lucas could hear the shakiness in his voice.
Ramsey shrugged nonchalantly. “The less players there are, the more it takes from the spirit to move the planchette. The board tries to resist, and it can consume him. Sort of like eat him up, if you will.”
Lucas’ furrowed his eyebrows.
Say what now? He thought.
“What does that mean?” Ronald asked, but it was not Ramsey who answered him, it was Farrah.
“Ron, it means that if we keep contacting Lucas through the Ouija board, eventually it will consume him… turn him into an evil spirit, stuck in our world, who can never find peace. The only things he is capable of feeling are anger and pain.”
Lucas’ mouth dropped open at the same time as Ronald’s, and Lucas was sure he would pee himself right there and then, but luckily he couldn’t do that kind of things as a spirit.
“Oh, fuck”, Lucas groaned.