Part III: The Ritual

Subject: Where I’ve Been

Students,

If you are reading this, I have figured out how to communicate from the other side. I need you to understand—what you’ve been told, what you might think, is not the whole truth. My name is Kae, and I was once a heartbeat, a whisper within these walls. But now? Now I'm threads woven into the past, lost in the tapestry of your lives.

It’s ironic, isn’t it? A girl is found, and the world feels it has closure. They call it a horrible accident, a mistake. Wrap it up with a neat little bow of misunderstanding. They’ll say I was overwhelmed, that I saw no way out. My grief was too much to bare.

But that’s not how it was—not entirely. There is more to this story, under the bridge.

You should know that sometimes, when the curtain falls, the truth is still in the room, whispering softly but fiercely. Look around you. We are more than what happens to us; we are what we choose to see, to remember, to fight for. So, if my story becomes a cautionary tale, let it be more than simply a mark of my absence. Let it unite you, urge you to be seekers of the truth beyond headlines and whispers.

If you see the evidence and you are convinced of something more at play., please speak out. From this place, I am limited in what I can say, but you…

You have a voice. Use it.

With all the heart I had left,

Kae.
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I sat back for a moment, not quite sure what to say. We arrived at Emily’s dorm somewhat uneventfully, previous events not withstanding. I had made my way straight to her laptop, where the email was still open. She must have rushed down to the common area to see if anyone else had received it when she ran into me.

Tim, on the other hand, was sniffling in the doorway dripping on the Sherpa rug.

“That’s not mine but my roommate would be very displeased if she came home and her welcome rug had become a wet poodle. Let me get you some clothes,” Emily explained as she moved to her wardrobe to rummage for a few things.

Tim reflexively scoffed. Nearly as quickly he then gave a nervous chuckle. Emily looked up from the drawer of clothes, quizzically.

”Well, um… That is nice, but you are like…” Tim meandered around the point.

“What? A girl?” Emily retorted.

“Uh. Actually I was going to say that you are short, but yea. That too.” Tim had just about got this out, when he was met by a stare that had me turning around in my chair.

“Would you rather be naked?” Emily scolded “Or maybe you would like to go back to Beavis and the Buttheads!”

Tim fixed his stare to the floor and began to mumble his way through what sounded like an apology.

“Here.” She through a pair of sweats that said “PINK” on the side, along with an oversized hoodie. “You can wear my roommates warm ups. Yes, she is a girl, but at least see isn’t short.” With that Emily wagged her tongue and pointed Tim to the bathroom. “You can hang your things up in the shower. Any more lip and I will make you wear the leotard and tights.”

Tim took the dry clothes and headed for the bathroom. Emily’s room was an interesting mix of Victorian and Gothic. The space was an interwoven color adventure of pink and black. Each of their personalities were on distinct display, but they complimented eachother nicely. I imagine they would not have been friends in high school, but their living situation had brought them together nicely.

Athleisure sparkled her roommates side of the living space. Sports bras, bodysuits and leggings were hung up and strewn about. She had hung up posters of dancers, and had awards and various ballet shoes surrounding her living space. It did a bit to dispel the myth of the fairytale dancer, but I imagined her to be a working girl. A real dancer. Toned, flexible and fiery. It was also very clear she loved coffee. There were bags of it, and thermal cups dotted about.

Juxtaposed, we had the gothic, brooding teen we were coming to love. Or fear? Pagan symbols, preserved animal skulls, and an assortment of dark crystals. And black. A lot of black. Everything in the room seemed to have distinct purpose though, regardless of side. While their accessories varied wildly, you could imagine their function and how each arrived where it sat. I hadn’t met Emily’s roommate, hell I knew nothing about her, but it was clear both girls were independent and took command of their experiences.

“What do you think?” Emily asked eyeing the open email in front of me.

“I don’t know. It is kind of weird right? The way it is written…”

“…doesn’t seem like a prank. It reads authentically.” Maybe when Emily had smacked into me in the lounge we had exchanged brainwaves. She had a knack of knowing what I was going to say. Was she in my head?

She was right though. It was impossible to believe that this was written by a dead girl. That she had found some way to send an email, after everything had happened. There were minor details that made it seem as if it were not written before and scheduled to come out as some sort of ‘dead man switch.’ Could Kae really be communicating from the other side?

Emily saged the room and then lit a cosmic themed incense. She placed the holder and monkey paw box on a small table adjacent to the girls lofted beds.

“Jesus, what is that smell?” Tim said, wheezing marking his return.. He tiptoed out from the bathroom, like a kid school clothes shopping with his mom. Before he had been wearing baggy clothing, but the roommates ‘fit was highlighting his naturally thin, lanky frame. Even damp his hair was a frizzy, unkempt mass. He had a boyish face, pale skin and heavy freckles.

Emily turned around and responded in laughter. Almost giddy. “Oh yea, with a little work you would make a cute girl.”

Tim readjusted himself in the clothes, trying to appear wide and masculine. Between the unique shade of red he was turning, and standing awkwardly as a fawn Emily was nearly in tears. It was hard not to laugh but I choked it back, giving a subtle shrug.

Emily turned back to the table and removed the monkey paw from the box. She set it atop a black cloth, which she ironed out with her hands. Tim approached us, but backed off the moment he saw the box. He gave a wide berth to the table, and positioned himself on the more friendly side of the room. Emily read the email again out loud.

“Kae, what are you trying to tell us?” Emily asked.

Tim started to fidget, feeding off my nervous energy.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I think we should try a Séance,” Emily replied.

“What the heck is that?” Tim asked, immediately sending his gaze to the floor.

“It is a ritual that will allow us to talk to Kae. We can ask her what happened, how she died or what we are supposed to do with the paw.”

“This is insane right?” Tim looked to me for support, but was met with another shrug. “Are you like a witch or something?” Tim asked. All fair questions but better he ask them and take the heat. He had already built a fairly strong case toward being scolded again.

“Tim! Shut. Up. Do you want to be part of this, or not?” This time Emily borderline growled in his direction. I backed away slightly in case any extremities started flying.

“Yea…” Tim replied, his tail between his legs. “Yes I do,” this time finding a bit more spine. “This is just kinda’ weird, ok? Can you walk us through it?

Emily explained how the ceremony would work. Tim and I looked at each other, uncertain, but neither of us really had anywhere to go back to. Somehow we found ourselves in the dark room of a ballerina and a witch, about to practice magic for the first time, ever, and summon the spirit of a dead girl who had emailed us just a few hours ago. As insane as it all sounds, there was something about Emily that felt right. We both sensed it. We wanted to be near her and we wanted to see what would happen next.

Emily drew a circle through the air, with a crystal wand. She cleansed the space with sage and smoke before placing salt cubes in the ‘corners’ of the ‘circle.’

“I cleanse this sacred space. We allow only Kae. No other entities, energies or intentions may occupy this circle of protection. Kae, we give you this as an offering. This ritual space is for you to express yourself. To tell your story, free from malevolence.

Emily placed the crystal on the table before lighting a candle that was inscribed with Kae’s name. She then kneeled before it and summoned us over to hold hands with her. The orange glow of the candle, now, the only source of light illuminating us. Emily looked determined and concerned. She was cute in a smite the nonbelievers kind of way.

We held hands and Emily counted us back from 100, giving Kae time to occupy the space.

“Kae. We are here to listen. We give you this space and combined energy so that you might manifest to communicate with us. Is there anything you wish to say? Emily closed her eyes and the room fell into complete silence. She was now to be our medium. Her body left vacant for Kae to broadcast through. It was up to Tim and I to ask the questions.

“Uh, Kae? Are you there?” Tim began. I could feel Emily’s psychic energy reach out and smack him, though physically she remained unstirring. Emily was no in a deep trance. Tim tried a few more times, but nothing happened.

Repeated pressure on my hand indicated it was my turn to try. Emily’s hands were soft, but transferred strength and energy. In that moment I felt nothing but support and determination. The signals I was receiving were warm and reassuring. A hug from your mother after a bad day.

“Kae, are you here with us?” I asked. Another squeeze from Emily, this time with more purpose.

“Look behind you.” The words, from Emily’s lips, though not her own.

Notifications began pinging through Emily’s laptop. She let go of my hand so I could move to investigate. There was a message notification. I clicked to open it, a conversation with ‘Kendra Gustafson.’ Before I was able to inspect the profile, another questions was asked.

“Kae, why are you here?” Emily’s voice had returned to her.

“I had nothing better to do ;)”

“What happened to you,” Emily continued.

“Something bad :’(“

“How did you die?”

“Well for that you will need what I left under the bridge. Why not give it a crack?”

“Zach, come to me please,” Emily asked. The ‘other’ voice returning. I approached slowly and knelt down next to her. She moved the monkey paw between us.

Another message popped up, this time unprompted. “It says break a finger, make a wish,” Tim instructed.

Emily placed a hand on my shoulder, and with a final squeeze she whispered “It has to be you.”

I resolved myself, rooted by the energy she was sending directly through me. My hands were shaking, straining against self preservation. ‘Walk away, you have to walk away,’ I thought. Something was holding me there. It wasn’t just plain curiosity. Someone, something had a hold of me now and wanted to move forward. Every grain inside me was telling me not to do it. I raised the paw, like a chalice.

My muscles twisted and seized. My nerves caught fire. I tried to hold back the words, but they came too naturally. “Kae I wish to know how you died.”

Crack

“Silly boy, any wish but that!” These words, shot forth from Emily. This voice, a third, more sinister. Much more sinister. She belted the line and lurched. Her neck craned. A cackle. And then, silence.

Emily was left breathless on the floor. I leant my ear above her face, to see if she was breathing. She jerked awake and grabbed my neck. I struggled to get away, her strength was that, many times her size. She whispered to me, near enough her tongue was in my ear. “Another soon will die,” she said in raspy dehydration. With that final line, she shot straight up, throwing me out of the way. I turned to see her dazed, sitting there, eyes wide.

Another notification came, read by Tim. Fear permeating his voice.

“haha. see you soon XD”

The screen on the laptop went blue before sputtering to sleep, smoke leaking from it’s vents.

“Wha-what happened?” Emily asked in the same raspy voice from before.

I picked Emily up, and helped her into a chair. Tim filled a glass of water from the sink and brought it over to us. The three of us sat there for a moment, not certain how to express what we had just witnessed. Finally Tim broke the silence.

“Well. Now what?” he asked.