by Karen Binnie
Chapter 2
Kate led the way into Sam’s kitchen past the heaving bodies swaying and jumping to the ghostly wail of the synthesised beat, the thump, thump, thump of the Ministry of Sound, the floor vibrating as if raised from its foundations.
“Have you been here before? this house is huge.”
Kate shouted back, “only once when I was about six, I remember a big family argument and mum had a black eye but that‘s all I can remember, got a good memory of the layout though can find my way around pretty much, what you want to drink?”
She opened the huge silver double-door American style fridge, packed with bottles.
“I told you before, no alcohol for me.”
“You’re crazy girl, here you'd better just drink water, there ain’t no soft drinks here, I think the glasses are, yep right here, at least you know the water from the tap is safe, well maybe not if they’ve mixed it with bore water!”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” I took the glass from Kate’s hand and began running the cold tap.
“I‘m not sure I get it but by the end of the night you‘ll be a changed woman, I‘m counting on it” Kate laughed adding, “I'm off to find the punch, I hear its pretty good, I‘ll be back in a sec, I’ll check out the talent on the way” she had a wicked glint in her eye as she disappeared through the doorway.
I sipped the cool water, I had been offered numerous types of alcohol in the past and strange smelling cigarettes and party pills in the UK but cider had been my downfall, since that fateful night a year ago I had vowed not to touch a drop, maybe coming to this party was not such a good idea after all. I continued to sip the water when the door suddenly burst open and a bunch of kids I recognised from College piled in, pushing each other in the rush to get to the fridge. One of the boys unsteady on his feet stopped and swerved to face me almost falling over, “Was sup babe? ruun oout o beer, gonna join us?”
I didn’t know what to say, I tried to think of a way out of the invitation when his pal slapped him on the back, “come on Tai, back oout te the pooole.”
They left, punching their way through the door in the same rowdy way they had arrived with several cases of beer from the fridge. Tai managed a wink at me before he disappeared with the throng. My heart lurched, not at the attention but fear of what the wink could mean, where the hell was Kate?
Peeking through the kitchen door I caught sight of Kate guzzling punch like there’s no tomorrow with Gregor Jones’s arm draped around her, I managed to catch her eye and shot her a warning look, ‘Be careful’, Kate gave me the thumbs up, she had fancied Gregor for months.
I glanced around the room at the party, wanted to join in the fun but I’m actually quite shy so my fear stopped me. I took my hand from the door to let it close, then grabbed it just in time to see a tall boy wander through from the hall, he was moving away from me in the direction of the garden but for a split second before he turned and the door was about to close, I caught a glimpse of his face. Geez he was hot, I’ve not seen him before! must be from the other College. He was not incredibly handsome, almost feminine features but there was something eye catching about him, something which had others caught in his trap as he moved through the throng.
I stared after him at his shoulder length wavy hair, kind of a strawberry blonde, not my usual type but his movements were strong, almost elegant. He wore cut off denim shorts, an orange check shirt open to reveal the black vest hugging his lean yet well toned body, I let the door close on the vision, I mean what chance did I have? This quiet English girl hiding out in the kitchen had no chance, not with the way he had caught everyone else’s attention, getting close to another boy was not an option right now anyway, not until I overcame the power of my emotions.
‘Great now I'm stuck on my own and hiding in the kitchen with a glass of water for company.’
The party was in full swing, the thump of the music shuddering through the house and the noise of partygoers having a great time. The place seemed to be full of kids, everywhere I look there are bodies, dancing, kissing, fumbling, stumbling, they hadn’t been there for long and already everyone else looked pretty munted. I should find somewhere else to hide, perhaps the kitchen wasn’t the best place to be after what just happened with Tai. He was in my biology class, seemed a nice enough boy but he was drunk and might just come back for a second go if he is still able to walk.
This night had supposed to keep my mind off things, Kate didn’t understand when I tried to explain that a party was probably not the best idea but Kate wouldn’t listen and she was hard to say no to.
My fears began to close in around me like a shadow of doom, ok so maybe I’m exaggerating but that’s how I feel right now as the blanket of fear closes in around me, suffocating my senses. This same night only a year ago flooding my brain, bringing with it the pain as I turned to face the wall, fighting the tears welling behind my eyes, gripping the edge of the sink, my fingers bent taut like on a white knuckle ride. The memory so fresh it burned beneath my skull, I was desperate to escape as it replayed the events that changed my life.
I was back in Salisbury, heading off to a party with my then best friend Yasmin who just lived down the street, it was the Friday night before my 16th birthday, mum had finally agreed to let me stay at Yasmin’s house when I should have gone to the airport to wave her off on yet another business trip, Chris had been the one that had persuaded mum to let me stay behind. Yasmin’s mum thought we were across town staying at Jades, when really we had been sneaking out to gatecrash a party at Ben Cowser's. The word had gone around by text, the place to be was Bens house, his parents out of town.
It was exciting, an adrenaline rush meeting up with our friends at the bus stop on the Kings road and heading off to our first party without parents. It didn’t take long to hook up with some older kids from school and get hold of some booze. I took a liking for the cider which quickly made me feel warm and fuzzy, things only took a turn for the worst when some older kids wanted others to join in the Ouija board séance, Yasmin was keen but the very thought scared me.
I took off outside the back door for some fresh air, a bad move, it had made me feel worse, struggling to focus I remember a hand grabbed my elbow and swung me around to face its owner. He was gorgeous, his eyes bore into mine and I just melted like an ice cream on a hot day, his strong arms held me steady and asked if I was ok as he leaned forward, his eyes boring into mine, then his lips were all over my mouth and the ice cream was now just a watery mess.
The excitement of that kiss shuddered through my body as I began to respond flattered by the attention, I had never been kissed like that before and it was everything I had imagined. If only that had been all he was after but his hand began to wander probing under my skirt, I was excited and frightened all at the same time and that’s when it happened.
I found out later he was Dave Jinson from sixth form.
I felt the anger burning my eyes as I stared at the tiled wall in front of me, the cream and red pattern merging into one when the door banged behind me jolting me back to reality, I froze, scared that Tai had come back for me.
“Hey Jol, wassup?” it was Kate, she came up behind me and put her hand on my shoulder, I couldn’t help but flinch at the sudden contact, “what’s wrong you look like crap? I wanted to let you know I’ve hooked up with Gregor.”
I attempt to smile, “Yes I saw, I’m fine you go and have fun.”
“But you sure, you don’t look good.”
Wiping the grimace from my face, I turn to look Kate in the eye, “Dodgy tum, I’ll find somewhere to sit quiet and meet you out front at 12.” Suddenly concerned for Kate, I touch her on the arm “you do know what you’re doing? please be careful Kate, I want to help you through college next year not end up as your babysitter!”
Kate laughed, “You’re so serious, I’m just having a bit of fun and I mean Gregor, the lucky stone must be working after all eh! Oh come on this could be my only chance!” She
pecked me on the cheek, “see ya later, better go before he changes his mind.”
Kate skipped through the door with the biggest grin I had ever seen on her face as the door swung on its hinges. An even shorter pale faced blonde haired girl appeared in the doorway, she cocked her head as she looked at me and asked, “You drunk?”
“No!” I reply indignantly.
“Oh good, I’m looking for a couple more for the séance.”
“What!”
“A séance, s’alright I’ll find someone else, not forcing you like.”
The thought struck me then, was this time to face my fears? This night was not going to end up like a year ago, I had stayed off the grog, this night seemed so like the last, maybe it’s not just a coincidence, by joining in the séance then history would not be repeating itself.
“No, no, count me in.”
“Sweet as, follow me” the girl beckoned as she went back down the hall. At least I will be away from the bloody kitchen and these haunting memories, keep an open mind I thought, let’s do this.
John Serason came back in from the garden, boy did he feel stupid, tapping a fork against a tin of cat food and calling for Alice. Where had that stupid cat got too? Every night exactly on 6.30 he would arrive home for his dinner and settle in for the night on Julianne’s bed, tonight he seemed to have just disappeared, she was going to be really upset if he didn’t come back. That bloody cat had saved their father daughter relationship, he couldn't bear it if something had happened, he relied on that cat too much.
He looked at his watch 10 past 10 already, well no police, fire engines or ambulances had gone screeching up the hill so far, that had to be a good thing, just under 2 hours to go, could he bear the agony of the wait, he hoped she was having a good time, but not too good!
To all but her closest friends, Sam Mitchell was a total bitch, too much money and she looked great, long legs, blonde hair, blue eyes, and every boys dream. She had been with nearly every boy too, if all the rumours were to be believed, she had it all, except loving parents. Sam took advantage and threw parties whenever her parents were away, her brother always came to supervise. Hah! that was a laugh, he only cared about himself and having a good time, but if he was there, his friends were there and that usually meant older boys always a plus but not on this night.
Sam was besotted, she had tried all the tricks in the book to try and get his attention but it hadn't worked. Why was Jez ignoring her? she never normally had any trouble catching a boy’s eye. But Jez wasn't a boy he was 18 and gorgeous in her eyes, there was something about him, a mystery that needed to be solved. He had been a bad boy at college and all the girls love a bad boy, he always wore that beaten black leather jacket and she had seen him on his motorbike. He had jet black wavy hair and the most piercing blue eyes yet he was mysterious, there was something intriguing about him something you just couldn't put your finger on. Every time she locked eyes with him, someone would distract her and then he'd be gone, now that was weird and increasingly frustrating.
There was a group of eight kids, all seniors I guessed who sat cross legged on the floor waiting for the blonde who had introduced herself as Tracey to return with extra’s.
“This is the only sober one I could find” she announced as we entered what looked like a formal dining room. A contemporary design of cream and beige with a large oval shaped table with ornately carved legs and handsomely styled chairs to match, it looked like polished walnut to me.
The oldest looking boy stood up and shook my hand, “Welcome I’m Stanton, glad you could join us?”
He was so polite, his soft chestnut curls dancing above his kind eyes as the others wait for a response to his question, his hands seem so large and envelope mine in a warm and comforting way putting me instantly at ease in this bizarre situation.
I stumble over my words, “Uh, I, I’m Julianne.”
I’m only known as Jol to my closest friends best to keep it formal with strangers.
The group nodded in response and Stanton agreed that only one more participant was just perfect, five boys and five girls, all even. He guides me to the table and sits me down next to his chair, I can feel my cheeks begin to colour.
I try to focus on the table but each time I try to steal a peek in his direction, he’s just looking at me, I can’t decide if he is fascinated with me or he’s just weird. My cheeks are burning hot now, as he starts to explain what will happen next, his words blur into one as I try to focus on the contents on the table.
There’s a strange smell, what is that? I wonder as I wrinkle my nose, it keeps wafting by, sort of flowery. The walnut wood is so polished I can see the reflection on the underside of the cards. In a circle each card has a single letter of the alphabet written on the upper side, the underside has a pattern very similar to the standard pattern of a normal set of playing cards. I realise it’s not a complete circle, just two lines facing each other which flow with the curve of the oval table, the alphabet is out of order. In the centre are four extra cards with the words No, Yes, Hello and Goodbye, between these cards sit a plain short rounded glass which must have come from the kitchen, the large ornately carved glass fronted cabinet which sits against the far wall and mirrors the design of the table and chairs, only holds expensive looking crystal.
The heavy cream drapes have been pulled against the windows, I can just make out fine beige lines which flow from top to bottom. At my feet my flat shoes are lost in a sea of red, engulfed in the deep piled rich carpet the same colour of the pelmets. At that very moment my mind wanders to the image of a sea of blood, I blink to dismiss it. The houses I have seen in this country all seem much simpler and more, well, beachy. Perhaps I am naïve to think that such opulence would never be found here, it’s like something out of the Homes and Country magazine my mum used to subscribe to but never read.
I feel a comforting hand take mine, rousing me from my thoughts, I look at Stanton the heat in my cheeks unbearable.
“Are you ready?” he asks.
We all nod in agreement, I don’t know why I did, suddenly daunted at what was about to happen I feel stupid for not listening to what he had been saying, I’ll just have to go with the flow and hope I don’t mess things up.
Stanton already holds my left hand as the others all link their hands around the table, Tracey who has positioned herself on the other side of me takes hold of my right hand in hers. I swallow hard, gulping back the fear welling up inside, as I see the others shut their eyes, I’m sure my hands are shaking as I shut mine too. The silence is deafening, the anticipation an electric current pulsing through the hands of us all.
“Ah! yes, about time too.”
The electric current had sent a message to Clarintor a demonic female who fed on the fear of others. A séance was like a grand feast where only one of the victims would shine above the rest to be taken for her amusement. Many would attempt to contact the souls of the dead, much to the amusement of the underworld but then every now and then when conducted in the correct manner, at the correct time with the use of the ancient method of Ouija, then Clarintor would begin to salivate. A victim would be brought forth, hers for the taking, to toil and play with until the boredom set in.
At 5’6 her penchant for satin dresses fitted her perfectly proportioned womanly curves and belied the evil that lay within. It had been a long time since the last attempt, far too long as she had to keep the last one alive much longer for her amusement. The boy she had grown accustomed to and decided against her better judgement to keep him on, but the hunger, the thrill of the chase was so much more prevalent than in previous times.
The electric pulse that sent the message had an extra element, one that had not materialised before and Clarintor knew this time would be extra special. She would have to act fast and locate the source of her hunger and for that she would need assistance from the boy and her long suffering partner Kroil.
Kroil had been amusing himself amongst the dregs
of society in the seedy part of town in New York when he got the call. He looked at his victim, unaware that she was being followed from behind in the dark alley, it never failed to amaze him how stupid modern humans had become, so often walking on their own in the dead of night, did they not realise what dangers lay in wait for them in the shadows? This one was lucky this time, Kroil was annoyed at the interference of his mistress’s call, Clarintor knew not to bother him when he was on these trips, it had better be good.
He took one last look at his intended victim, sighed and dematerialised, a vapour of dust left in his wake.
As he approached Clarintor’s chamber, he brushed the dirt from his silk designer 3 piece suit, dematerialising made such a mess with the dust, he used magic to keep the shine on his shoes, he just hated looking out of place. He raked his fingers through his closely cropped greying hair before entering, she was talking to another, she did not usually call upon others at the same time, it was the brat. He never understood why she had not disposed of him like the others, then the hunger vibes met his and he realised her urgency, the feel was different this time and it excited him.
The silence is finally broken with the deep voice of Stanton at the head of the table, as he mutters some strange language in poetic form, I become aware of his accent, why had I not noticed it before? He was talking Latin or something weird like that but it was obvious he was an American. I wondered which part of America he had come from and what he was doing here in New Zealand, but then it probably wasn’t really that strange as this place seems to be full of immigrants from around the world, so why so surprised? I realised he’d changed back to English, the others began to chant the same words and I hoped no-one noticed that I didn’t join in:
"Oh divine greatness, protect us from evil,
We only seek the truth and not to offend.
Dark spirits be aware the Supreme protector,
For he shall keep us on the right path."
Strange as they seem, the words spoken feel oddly protective and I no longer fear the Ouija board.
Stanton speaks clear and deliberate, “Are there any spirits here with us now and willing to speak?”
Slowly the glass begins to move, no-one had put their finger on it yet, there is a gasp around the circle as the glass stops at the word,
YES.
I stare at the glass in horror, reflected in the table top there is a faint glow, almost like an orb seen on one of those ghost hunter programmes, it appears to hover inside the glass, I wonder if anyone else can see this phenomenon. A quick glance around the table saw all the faces focus on the glass, still holding hands no-one attempts to touch it, I thought that was what we were meant to do, or maybe I’ve just seen too many movies.
The excitement prickles up my spine as Stanton asks “With whom do you wish to speak?”
The glass moves again, faster this time in an anticlockwise motion, still no-one dares to touch it as the orb glows brightly within, the glass spells out the word,
S T O P.
Stanton raises an eyebrow as if it doesn’t make any sense, just as he is about to speak the glass moves again, so fast this time it’s difficult to keep up as it spells,
L E A V E H E R A L O N E.
We all look at each other perplexed by this statement, the glass stops as if waiting for something. Stanton takes a deep breath and asks “Who do you wish us to leave alone?”
The anticipation is etched on all our faces, my heart is racing but nothing happens. Stanton looks at each and every one of us as we each steal a quick glance at each other then he re-focuses on the glass for fear of losing contact, the excitement hangs in the air like a thick fog, he tries something else, “Who are you?”
The heavy table begins to shudder violently and the glass tips over.
“Don't break the circle” he tells us, “hold on tight while I just try one more time”, he re-centres the glass and asks again “who are you?”
Once again slowly the glass begins to move, this time in a clockwise motion as it spells out,
J O L.
A gasp escapes from my throat as my head spins so fast chasing the beat of my heart, it shudders against my chest so furiously like it’s trying to burst free. The girl opposite thrusts her head up suddenly and glares at me, I don’t understand as her eyes seem to roll backwards into her head, she begins to shake.
Scared, I try to pull my hands free from the others but they won’t let go, I look at Stanton, he smiles back as if trying to comfort my fear, I can’t speak my mouth is dry, the words won’t come, why won’t they set me free?
The girl opposite stops shaking and begins to speak as if possessed, “The time has come you are needed now, leave this place Jannas Ore Luisenn.”
I’m trapped as they all look at me, my cheeks burning white hot, I feel sick, ‘please let me go, oh no, not now, I need to pee, hold it in, hold it in!’
“Who are you?” Stanton demands as we all watch the glass spell out,
A L I C E.
My eyes flicker, ‘Alice?’ The voices grow distant as I fall into the void, my mind shuts off banishing my fears.
The hairs at the back of his neck began to stand up and prickle his skin, this was not good, over the years Jez had come to recognise this as a sign of danger, like a warning signal, he had never figured out why this happened but he had been grateful of this gift on many occasions, he decided it was time to leave this party, get away from that strange girl that was stalking him, perhaps she was the danger, he headed towards the door on the other side when he stopped in his tracks, he could hear something strange on the other side.
In his mind Jez could see a door before him open to reveal a circle of bodies around an Ouija board, not again, he thought. Jez had witnessed an Ouija board session before and the pain that erupted from it, his heart lurched in his chest at the thought of it. Pete had been, no was his best friend no matter what had happened that night he was still his best friend. Pete had vanished, not just disappeared but completely vanished in front of their eyes, there was a purple haze and he was gone, vaporized. They all witnessed it but only Jez retained the memory, how could he tell anyone the truth, they would all think he was mad, that was a couple of years before now, his best friend had been removed from the milk cartons to be replaced by the many other missing persons since then.
They had both lost parents and at school they had kind of connected, almost inseparable apart from Pete’s obsession with snakes which although he never admitted it they unnerved him. Jez never hung around for too long when Pete had a snake in his hands.
Stirred from his thoughts by the girl with the strange eyes as she muttered the words, “The time has come, you are needed now, Jannes Ore Luisenn”
They stared towards one young girl who looked scared and embarrassed. “Who are you?" a male voice demanded, Jez could not see properly but guessed that the glass had begun to move, when the young girl collapsed.
Jez did not really know what he was doing or why he was doing it, but incensed at the thought it could happen again, an inner force seemed to take hold of him as he rushed through the door toward the young girl’s body. He picked up the glass and flung it with such force it smashed against the wall, he muttered the words “Shentalmen” and scooped up the girl’s young body into his arms as the memory faded.