13. Midnight Séance

The crowd gasped.

Charlie froze. “We are not summoning anything.”

Sky ignored him completely.

“We need three candles, a dark room, and someone with a guilty conscience,” she announced.

Charlie rolled his eyes. Was this girl for real?

Half the party immediately pointed at each other. Someone shouted, “TYLER STOLE MY LUNCH MONEY IN SIXTH GRADE, USE HIM!”

Tyler choked on his drink.

Elisa’s face went pale. “Um. No. Absolutely not. Spirits? That’s…creepy.”

Sky smirked. “Oh? So you’re scared?”

Elisa bristled. “I’m NOT scared.”

“Then great,” Sky said cheerfully. “We’ll summon the ghost of your last relationship and ask why he dumped you.”

Charlie groaned. This was getting out of his hand and he did not like it one bit. “Sky, you’re not doing this.”

“She is TOTALLY doing this,” someone yelled.

Charlie tried again, voice low and deadly calm. “Sky. No.”

She didn’t even glance at him.

“I think there are candles in the kitchen. And we can use the spare guestroom,” Elisa said, suddenly interested.

Oh great, Elisa too, Charlie thought ruefully.

Sky was already on the move.

A swarm of teenagers followed her like she was Moses and the hallway was the Red Sea.

Charlie moved with them, jaw clenched, fully prepared to physically drag her away if anything went wrong.

They reached the kitchen.

Three kids immediately dove into drawers. One shouted, “FOUND BIRTHDAY CANDLES!” Another yelled, “FOUND A LIGHTER!”

“Birthday candles?” Charlie said dryly. “Really? So the ghosts can blow them out?”

Sky shrugged. “Might still work.”

Before he could argue more, Elisa popped up with her arms full of candles of every shape and size. Vanilla, pumpkin spice, a skull-shaped Halloween leftover, and one that said ‘Live Laugh Love’.

“Let’s take them to the guest room,” she said breathlessly.

Sky skipped ahead with her guided tour of stupidity.

Charlie followed, not like he had any other choice.

Elisa turned off the overhead light and drew the curtains closed. A full-length mirror leaned ominously against the wall.

“Perfect atmosphere,” Sky said proudly. “Very haunted chic.”

Sky arranged the ridiculous assortment of candles in a sloppy circle on the carpet. She flicked the lighter once and the flame sputtered.

Charlie immediately stepped forward. “Sky, stop. This is a fire hazard.”

Sky didn’t even pause. “Relax, Smokey the Bear. I’ve got this.”

“That is not reassuring,” Charlie said dryly.

Flick.

She lit the third candle, the skull candle, which flickered with ominous enthusiasm.

Charlie grimaced.

Sky glared at him. “Do you mind? You are being a sourpuss, and I’m trying to summon supernatural forces here.”

Charlie gestured at the cluster of candles dangerously close to a sheer curtain. “You’re going to summon the fire department.”

Someone behind Sky gasped. “Guys…this feels legit. Like…witchcraft legit.”

Sky beamed. “Thank you. I pride myself on authenticity.”

Charlie sighed. Loudly. “These candles are eighty percent wax and twenty percent chemical fragrance. The only spirit you’re calling is Bath & Body Works.”

Sky ignored him and crouched beside the candles, lifting her hands like some medium.

“Who wants to join the circle?” she asked.

Half the room practically trampled each other trying to volunteer.

Tyler, the eternally doomed lunch-money thief, was shoved forward first.

“No…no, guys, come on…” he squeaked, but someone already grabbed his shoulders and deposited him next to Sky like an offering.

Two girls plopped down beside him, clutching hands dramatically. One whispered, “If I die, tell my mom she was right about Ouija boards.”

Another guy slid onto the floor cross-legged, swaying like he’d pregamed the séance with three questionable shots. “I’m spiritually open,” he announced.

Sky raised her arms, pleased as hell. “Perfect. Five is a good number for summoning.”

Charlie muttered something under his breath but Sky pretended not to hear him. “Alright, everyone give me your hands.”

The circle of teenagers grabbed each other dramatically, as if preparing for human sacrifice or a group exam.

Sky held her palms out to Charlie.

He didn’t move.

She narrowed her eyes. “Charlie. Sit.”

He blinked. “I’m not a dog.”

She smiled sweetly. “Please?”

That damned smile again. He hated that it made him melt every time. With a muttered curse under his breath, he lowered himself to the carpet beside her.

Sky grinned. “Good boy.”

Charlie’s head snapped toward her so fast Tyler flinched. “Try that again.”

She batted her lashes. “I said good choice.”

Uh-huh.

He reluctantly placed his hand in hers, instantly regretting every life decision that led him here. Her palm was soft. Way too soft. And distractingly warm. He tried not to think about it.

Sky, meanwhile, looked ready to commune with the afterlife.

“Everyone, close your eyes,” she commanded.

One kid immediately opened one eye. “What if I see something?”

“That’s the point,” Sky said solemnly.

Charlie muttered, “No, the point is you don’t see anything because nothing is going to happen.”

Sky squeezed his hand. Hard.

“Shhh.”

He glared at her profile.

She ignored it.

“Spirits,” she declared dramatically, “if you can hear us, give us a sign…”

A distant bang echoed somewhere downstairs.

The entire circle screamed.

Tyler toppled onto his side like a fainting goat.

Charlie didn’t move, but his shoulders tensed. “It’s just the stereo,” he said, voice firm, professional.

Sky gasped. “Oh my God. They’re responding.”

Charlie stared at her flatly. “It’s. The. Stereo.”

Sky waved her free hand. “Spirits, ignore the non-believer. We welcome your presence.”

Another loud thud reverberated from the hallway. Elisa gasped. “Sky, I swear I felt something touch me.”

Tyler whimpered. “I think the spirits are angry.”

Sky nodded wisely. “They are angry at Charlie. He radiates disbelief.”

Charlie stared at her. “I radiate sanity.”

“Same thing,” she said.

The candle flickered.

Then again.

Sky’s eyes went huge. “They’re HERE.”

“That wasn’t a spirit,” Charlie said immediately, voice tight. “It’s airflow. Someone opened a window or something.”

The closet door creaked and slowly opened.

Tyler’s eyes turned wide. “This is it. This is how I die. Tell my cat I loved her.”

The door swung wider and a shadow leaped out. The circle collectively screamed so loud the walls shook.

Charlie instinctively reached for Sky, his arms around her shoulders, dragging her to his lap. Sky squealed and tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he tightened his hold.