Back to Black [ Ariamella & Erinye ]

"Shit!" Rosemarie Garcia winced in pain as she entered her apartment, frowning down at her caught foot. She was wearing shoes, but the door had just barely managed to clip the tip of her pointed-toe high heels. And while it wouldn't have hurt any other day, her feet were already sore from dancing at the club and walking around downtown. It was a good kind of sore though, the kind that reminded her the only reason she was able to go out was because she was officially done with college. She was done with homework and exams, and she had a shiny new degree to prove it. And, like her friends who had somehow convinced her it was a good idea to get trashed, she was more than eager to celebrate the occasion. Partying and getting wasted wasn't exactly her thing, but she was perfectly happy getting strung along as long as she was with her friends.

It was only until after she'd done it that staying out until 2 AM presented itself as a horrible idea; her entire body felt exhausted, her cheeks were warm and tinged with pink from the alcohol, and the back of her head still throbbed from the loud music and heavy flashing lights of the club. Gingerly, she made her way to the couch and kicked off the five-inch stiletto heels, almost sighing as relief flooded the arches of her feet. As she lay down, she heard her four friends follow in from behind, giggling their way to the kitchen in their inebriated states. A few minutes later she heard the sounds of a bottle being popped open, and some squealing as liquid dripped out onto the floor.

"Drinking again? You guys have been at it since this afternoon," the Latina young woman called out to them, stretching her petite frame and twisting her body on the couch so that she was now laying on her stomach with her head raised to look at them. She cocked a well-groomed eyebrow at her friends, a small grin turning up the sides of her lips as she saw them pour an extra glass of the bubbly liquid. "And I bet you guys think I'm just going to take that because you poured it?"

"It is a special day after all," one of them answered, the voice getting steadily louder as she strutted in her high heels towards the living room. Kylie was a blue-eyed blonde with legs up to her ears and a voice that seemed to be just about as bubbly as the drink. She set the champagne flute down on the table next to the couch before lifting her own glass to her lips to take a long sip. "And because we're all so smart and graduated, I think that's a perfectly valid excuse to keep on drinking. Now hurry up with that... we've got tequila shots waiting for us."

"You know how much tequila fucks me up though," Rose pouted but reached for the champagne anyway. It was chilled, crisp and semi-sweet just how she liked it. She was already tipsy, but a couple more drinks couldn't hurt, could it? Besides, it wasn't like they were out anymore. As long as the drinking was kept to the apartment, she figured it would be fine.

"Ooooh, look at that! Rose is drunk enough to be using all the big girl words tonight," another young woman piped up. Bryn. Her voice was more punchy and sarcastic, matching the bright pink hair on her head. "Didn't know you actually liked those words that much. Damn, girl."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Rose muttered lamely, though she flashed her friend a wide, silly grin. There was a no-swearing policy she kept for herself, partially because she had never experienced a situation in which swearing was absolutely necessary, but mostly is was due to her being religious. The use of swear words and vulgar language was not only frowned upon in society, but also in the Christian faith in which she was raised. Obviously she wasn't perfect, but she did try to adhere to her faith as closely as possible. Tonight was just a night that seemed to be the exception to all her rules. Revealing clothing wasn't something she wore often, but she had gone out in a tight, form fitting dress that showed all kinds of skin. She hardly ever drank, but here she was getting wasted and popping one glass right after another. And she never swore, but tonight she'd had the mouth of a sailor. "I'm never letting you guys take me out again," she joked lightly, knowing her friends only wanted to celebrate their college graduation and have a good time.

"Well if you guys don't want to just drink and watch bullshit romance movies all night, I can think of something else we can do," Bryn said after some time, a mischievous smirk lighting up her features.

"If this like the time you bought weed, I'm gonna have to give that a pass," a Vietnamese girl, Ashley, rolled her eyes and poured herself a small amount of tequila, downing it in a single gulp before speaking again. "A really hard pass."

"Not that, this is complete different. Super fun. Just come on!" Bryn picked up her bag and headed to the long dining table in the room adjacent to the kitchen, motioning for all the girls to follow. And when they were all gathered around, she slid the bag to the center and pulled out two items: a long, flat board with numbers and letters written in some western looking font, and a narrow heart-shaped piece of wood with a small glass circular lens embedded within. At the top of the board, the word "O U I J A" was stamped in the same dark ink and font. "Let's play a game," Bryn murmured, the same signature smirk playing on her lips as the rest of the girls stared in a mixture of wonder, curiosity and disbelief.

"No!" Rose hissed, eyes wide with fear, "I don't care how fun you think it is. No."

Dara, the youngest of them who had graduated impressively only at 21, shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and grabbed the board, running her fingers over the smooth, polished wood. "Don't tell me you actually believe that stuff, Rose. I did one of these in high school and nothing happened. It's not a big deal."

"Yeah, Rose," Bryn echoed in a sarcastic tone, "there's absolutely nothing to worry about. I know you're some like, good Christian girl and all, but it'll only be for a little bit. Besides, you heard Dara. If nothing's going to happen, then there's no need to be scared, right? So... how 'bout some shots to loosen up?"

It didn't take long for the girls to agree to just a quick session with the Ouija board. One of them had done it already and claimed nothing happened, and if she walked away free, wouldn't they all? And while Rose still wasn't entirely comfortable with it all, a bud of curiosity sat unfulfilled at the back of her mind. Perhaps it was just how exhausted she was, or maybe it was the alcohol that was letting her feel so free. Maybe it was both. But whatever it was, even she found herself with a rush of excitement and adrenaline as candles were lit and the a few of the apartment lights were turned off. Soon enough they were gathered around the table again, the board in the middle of the five women, and the planchette placed on the word that said, 'GOODBYE.' Tentatively each girl placed a finger on the planchette as Bryn opened the session.

"If there are any spirits here, we ask them to come forth now," the pink-haired girl started, looking up and letting her eyes skim each of her friends. "Is there someone with us?" The wood piece stayed still.

"If anyone is here, move the planchette." Still, everything remained unmoving.

"Maybe you have to say something totally crazy and weird," Ashley suggested, a light snicker escaping her mouth, "like there was this one thing I read somewhere about people using it to invite ghosts for sex."

Rose looked just about mortified. "Why? Just why?"

"Super kinky," Dara commented, which made an entire round of nervous giggles go around the table.

Bryn just rolled her eyes and continued. "Okay... are there any spirits here that would like to communicate at all? Let us know? Maybe?"

Then, to the surprise of the five young women present, the planchette began to move across the board.

Deleted.