Beck was inconsolable, and didn’t say a word after they had taken Kama away. The police were called because it seemed like a suspicious death. They wanted to know exactly what happened, and I started with the chair already being broken. I told them how it happened as Beck sobbed quietly with her hands covering her face. When they looked at the pieces of the chair, I heard them mention seeing the glue where we had repaired it before. They waited for Dee to get home; they had called her and she was on her way. When she got there, Beck leapt up and ran into her arms. Dee comforted her as she spoke to the police. They told her that they had determined that this was a freak accident. There would still be an autopsy, but they expected it would end with the same conclusion that they had drawn. One officer gave her his card in case she had any questions and then they left us alone.
The pieces of the chair were still where they had fallen, with the exception of the spindle that remained in Kama’s chest; they had said that it needed to be in place for the autopsy. Beck had gone to her room once everyone had left, and we could still hear her crying. I started to clean up the chair but Dee waved me off and told me to go be with Beck.
As soon as I went into her room, I could see she was starting to have trouble breathing from all the crying; it had brought on an asthma attack. I grabbed an inhaler from her bathroom and helped her with it. Within a few minutes, she was breathing better. Thank God. I can’t lose her tonight, too.
I laid down on the bed beside her and wrapped my arms around her. I was still holding onto the inhaler, I wanted it close by if she needed it again. She cried herself to sleep as I thought about what I needed to do tomorrow with fear, but also resolve. I would need Beck’s help and I hoped I could convince her to do it.
**/*
I didn’t sleep at all, there was too much on my mind. I watched Beck as she slept, knowing that this may be our last night together. I thought about all the things we had done together, and about how we became friends. She and I were nine, and in different classes so we didn’t know each other. We had both won the Spelling Bee for our classes, and we were in a hallway of the school practicing words that a teacher called out to us. About three words in, she asked one of the boys from another class to spell “alabaster”. I thought she said “alabastard”; I happened to catch Beck’s eye right after the teacher said it, and we both started laughing together. I knew at that moment that we would be friends.
So many memories; Beck helping me cover the bruises Mom had given me, Beck telling me funny stories to make me laugh. Beck, the sister I had picked for myself who was now suffering because of that choice.
When the sun rose, Beck started to stir. She opened her eyes and I could see the split second that everything was normal, then the desolation when she remembered losing Kama. She curled herself into a ball and quietly cried.
I waited until Beck’s tears stopped flowing, and then I told her that we needed to talk.
Beck snapped at me. “I don’t want to talk about anything, I just want to lay here and be left alone.”
“I’m sorry, but we have to talk. It’s important. I believe I can save your life.”
“I don’t want to live without Kama. Leave me alone and let me die, Resa!”
“No. You are NOT going to die. Think of Dee; what would she do without you? What would I do without you?” I was careful not to mention that she would likely be the one who had to live without me if things went according to plan. I had tried to figure out a way to talk her into helping, and only one thing came to mind. I had to tell her everything that Mom had said, and make her blame me as much as I did myself. If she hates me, she may be happy to help. As much as that thought hurt, it was better that she hate me and live, rather than love me and die. I had no choice.
Dee had tried to take the day off, but her boss told her that if she didn’t come in she was fired. I assured her that we would be okay and that I would watch after Beck. Beck was still curled up in a fetal position when Dee came in to tell us that she was leaving. Once I heard the front door shut behind her, I walked around the bed so I could look at Beck’s face as I told her my family’s terrible secret; as I told her about all my lies.
Taking a deep breath, I said,” Beck, I have to tell you something.” She opened her eyes and looked up as I sat cross-legged on the bed next to her.
“Leave me alone, Resa! I said I don’t want to talk.”
“Too bad, because you are going to listen; and then you are going to help me with my plan.”
She jerked away from me. “The fuck I am. I’m staying in this bed, and not getting up.”
I couldn’t keep the sadness out of my voice when I replied. “I think you’ll change your mind after I finish.”
“You’re not going to leave me alone until we talk, are you?”
“Nope. You know me too well, my friend.”
I suddenly thought of something, and told her I’d be right back. I ran to the kitchen and looked in the fridge, and sure enough Dee had a six pack of beer in there. Her alcohol had always been off limits, but today I didn’t care about that in the least. I grabbed an ashtray and a pack of Dee’s smokes and brought them along with the beer back to Beck’s room.
She saw me as I came in and said, ”What are you doing? Is that Mom’s beer? We’ll get caught if we drink that!”
“Beck, on a day like today I think your Mom will forgive us. Hopefully she also forgives the smokes I liberated from her carton,” I joked, and loved that it put a small smile on her face. I knew that her smile would soon disappear and that this may be the last one I ever see, and I tucked it away with all the other memories in my heart.
Beck sat up suddenly. “Resa, you’re right. Give me a beer, and we can drink to Kama.” Her voice broke as she finished, and I quickly handed her a beer and lit a cigarette for her. She took a deep drag and blew out only a small bit of smoke. “Why is my mother the only person in the world who smokes Vantage cigarettes? Ugh!”
That made us both grin, we always made fun of Dee about her cigarettes with the hole in the filter. I tucked this away as well, and hoped that I could take all these memories with me.
Beck said,” So what do you need to tell me that’s so important?”
Here we go. I need to sell this like her life depends on it; which it does, one way or another.
“Okay Beck, the first thing I need to do is tell you that I lied about a couple of things.”
She looked confused. “You lied to who? Not me, we always tell each other everything.”
“I lied to everyone, including you. I didn’t feel like I had a choice.”
“But why to me, Resa? Why would you do that? What did you lie about?”
I lit myself a cigarette. “Beck, this will be easier if you let me finish before you ask me any questions. Is that okay?”
Beck shrugged. “Okay, I’ll be quiet until you finish.”
I took another long drink of my beer and lit a cigarette and then moved her desk chair over by the bed so I could sit. “I first lied the night that the Board offered us the bargains. I accepted mine.” Her green eyes grew big as I continued. “The Board asked for my first born child, if she ever sought the Spirits out. I wouldn’t be able to warn her to never use a Board; if I did, she would die.”
She looked shocked and started to speak, but I held my hand up to stop her. “Remember, questions at the end, okay?”
She nodded and sat up cross-legged on the bed in front of me.
“Beck, I also didn’t ask for a clue to save my life. I asked for a clue to know who the traitor was. I was hoping that if I could find that out, then we could do something to stop all this.”
Beck couldn’t keep herself from breaking in again. “Did you find out who the traitor is? Or was, I guess, since only you and I are left.” She paused as she put it together. “Wait, if the traitor is dead, then we are safe from the curse, right? And they have to be dead because I know it isn’t either of us.”
“Beck, please let me finish before we talk about that. I need to tell you all of this first.”
Beck looked worried now but nodded for me to continue.
“When I asked who the traitor was, all the Board told me was “Ask your mother.” While she was processing this, I kept going. “That led to my second lie. I was not out riding around with Billy yesterday; I was at my house demanding answers from Mom.”
I told her everything, and watched all the emotions that crossed her face; compassion, anger, confusion and finally sadness. She reached out toward me and I steeled myself for a slap. Instead, she grabbed my hand with both of hers with tears streaming down her face.
“I’m so sorry that you had to hear all of this alone, Resa. I wish you had trusted me enough to at least tell me after you found out.” She looked into my eyes. “Did you think I would blame you for this? I could never blame you, you are as much of a victim as anyone in this shit storm.”
I looked down, I couldn’t face her. I did not deserve her compassion, and it was the last thing I had prepared myself for.
She reached up and placed her hands on my face, and slowly raised it so that we were eye to eye. “I love you, Resa. This is not your fault.”
Through my tears I said, “I love you too, Beck. You have no idea how much. You and Dee have been there for me so many times, and I am going to fix this. I hope I’m going to end it once and for all; but I’m going to need your help to do that.”
She squeezed my hands tighter. “Of course I’ll help you. What’s your plan?”
I hoped that she would be this willing to help once I explained it.
“Okay, remember when I told you that Mom said that none of the Scribes ever died?”
She nodded.
“It finally dawned on me that if I died, that it may save you…and Kama.” I choked back a sob. “So when I got to the woods and found out what was going on, I thought that if I climbed the tree and fell just as Kama’s curse had predicted that my death would save his life. I could take his place, and without me, the game wouldn’t continue.”
Beck was crying now, but she was also angry. “Why would you think that you dying could ever be a good thing? Did you think that I cared more about Kama than I do you? “I love Kama, but you are my best friend. I could never live without you!”
“Beck, your life is what is most important to me. I would have gladly died to save you then - and I will gladly die to save you now.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Resa? Does this have to do with what I’m supposed to help you with? If so, I won’t do it.”
“Just hear me out, okay?”
Beck got off the bed and started pacing, and I was reminded of Travis doing the same just a few days ago; before my family’s curse killed him. Before I could go any further down the self-pity hole I was digging, she sat back down beside me. ”Okay. I’ll listen, but I’m not going to help you kill yourself.”
“The thing is, I may not have to die to put an end to this for good. So please keep that in mind while I explain, deal?”
She perked up. “Okay, you living and being able to stop this sounds like a winner. Go on.”
“Okay, I think I know why I couldn’t save Kama; I couldn’t take on his curse. I believe that we all have to die by our own curses, and we can’t take another’s place.”
“Okay, I think I’m following. But I’m not sure I like where you’re going with this.”
“Do you remember what my curse was, Beck?”
She shook her head. “Not exactly. Can you read it to me again?”
I reached over and grabbed the notebook from the bedside table, and flipped through until I found it.
“SHE IS LOCKED IN A BOX”
“SHE IS BEING BURIED”
“SHE IS SUFFOCATING”
“SHE IS DYING”
“SHE IS DEAD”
Beck shuddered. “That is the worst one of all. It sounds like you would be buried alive.”
“That’s what it sounds like to me as well. It’s also the only one that would require someone to actually do that to me. None of the other curses require another person for it to come true; that has to mean something.”
Beck looked intrigued. “But what could that mean?”
“I believe that the final curse for the Scribe is never supposed to come true. Everyone else can’t escape their curse, so the Scribe never dies because they are the last one standing.”
Beck said,” I still don’t understand how this helps us. What’s your actual plan?”
“My plan is for us to make my curse come true.”
Beck looked like she was about to say something, but thankfully just waited for me to continue.
“Okay. So we can use that old trunk your Mom has in the hall closet, I’ll definitely fit in there and it isn’t too big to dig a hole for. We dig a big enough hole in the woods, away from the paths so we won’t get caught. We are going to need a bell for the next part. We get a bell and tie a string to it. We have to be able to rig up some sticks or something to hold the bell so it dangles to make sure it will ring. The end of the string tied to the bell will be given to me to tie around my wrist; then we take the trunk out there and lower it into the hole, and then I get in.” I paused. “Then you close the trunk and bury me.”
Beck was furiously shaking her head no. “No way I’m burying you alive. And what is the bell supposed to do?”
“I will ring the bell when I am close to taking my last breath. You then dig me up and perform CPR and bring me back.”
Beck and I had both learned CPR the summer before in hopes of someday becoming a lifeguard.
I could see that Beck was now considering the plan, at least a little.” How do you know the bell thing will work? Where did you come up with that?”
“I read it in a book a while back; they used to do that in graveyards a long time ago because people were scared they would accidentally be buried alive. The bell was supposed to alert the night watchman that someone was alive.”
“Did it ever work?” Beck looked horrified. “Were they burying people alive back then?”
“I don’t think it ever worked, probably because the people were actually dead. I won’t be, though, and can ring it to let you know when to bring me up.”
“That’s true; but I still don’t see how it will stop anything because you won’t die. Why do you think this will work?”
“I think it will work because I will have run out of air while you’re bringing me up; I won’t be breathing, which is dead, and then you can bring me back using CPR. I think as long as I die the way the Board said I would that it will end the cycle. Permanently.”
Beck jumped up from the bed and left the room, and I was afraid that meant she wasn’t going to agree. She came back into her room holding a bell that had a handle on it. “Will this work?”
I smiled and nodded. “That’s perfect! We can attach the string to the hole in the handle!”
“That’s what I was thinking”, she said. “I’m still not sure about this, but it does sound like your plan might work.”
I got up and gave her a hug, thanked her for believing in me, and told her how much I loved her.
We then started putting my plan into motion. We cut a long section of heavy string from a roll Dee had laying around and tied it to the handle of the bell using several knots. Next, we changed into clothes more appropriate for digging and headed to the maintenance shed for the complex. It was always unlocked during the day so it was easy to swipe a couple of shovels.
As we entered the woods, Beck was worried that we would run into that group of seniors who had picked on her and Kama, but the woods were quiet. I mean, really quiet. We couldn’t even hear birds chirping. We walked halfway down the path and then veered off into a densely treed area. We walked for a few minutes until we found a small clearing. We couldn’t see the path from there and no one should be able to see us.
Beck caught my eye as I used my shovel to push away pine needles, leaves and branches to clear a space to dig. “Resa, are you sure you want to do this? What if something goes wrong?”
I waited until I had cleared a space I thought was big enough before replying. “Beck, everything is going to be okay. I promise.” She hesitated, then we started digging.
After a couple of hours, we thought that the hole may be deep enough for the trunk. We didn’t want to drag it down here and still have to dig deeper, so Beck ran back home to measure it, just to make sure.
She measured the hole when she got back, and it needed to be a little wider but was deep enough to be covered with a couple of feet of dirt. We dug more, both of us exhausted by this point. The ground was hard and it took all our weight standing on our shovels to get anywhere. After another hour of digging out the sides, we measured and it would now fit; a tight fit, but it should work.
We both went to get the trunk, and we were worried that someone would see us taking it into the woods. Luckily, we didn’t see anyone as we carried it; it wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be and we made good time getting it to the hole.
We sat on our knees and we held onto the handles at each end and slowly lowered it into the hole, being careful to keep it straight so that we could open the lid. We dug deeper than I thought, and Beck needed to hold onto my ankles as I laid down and reached into the hole to open the trunk. I finally got it open and Beck pulled me back so I could get out.
We then set up the bell, and Beck had come up with an excellent idea. She brought along the long fork like you use for a roast and we buried the handle in the ground at an angle after digging a small hole for it. We tied the bell to one of the tines so that it would be able to swing.
I had brought two beers and the pack of smokes in my purse, and we sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us staring at the hole.
When we finished, we stood up and I turned toward her, holding her hands tightly. “Beck, I know you’re scared, I am too; but we have to do this. And no matter what happens, you need to know that I am okay with it. Whatever happens is meant to be.”
Beck started to cry, and asked,” What do you mean whatever happens?”
“I mean that we don’t know how this is going to turn out. And no matter what, you cannot blame yourself. This is all on me.” I wiped a tear from her cheek, and said,” I think we should get started.”
She wrapped her arms around me, and I hugged her back tightly, and hoped she could feel the love I had for her.
She was still crying as she sat down and held onto my hands as I lowered myself into the trunk.
As soon as I sat down in it, I fought back panic as I realized exactly how small it was. I was really going to have to contort myself for the lid to close. I looked up at Beck. “I love you, Beck. I’ll see you in a little while.” I smiled at her and prayed that she would forgive me for this last lie.
She forced a smile through her tears and said,” I love you too, Resa. See you soon. Wait! Do you have the string?”
I showed her that I had it and quickly tied it around my wrist. I had to lay on my side in almost a fetal position in order to squeeze into the trunk, and it took a few changes of position before I could close the lid.
Beck loudly said, “Wait! I want to go over it again.”
I just wanted to get it over with, but agreed.
“So I just wait until I hear the bell and then I dig you up and give CPR, right?”
“Yep, that’s the plan. I’ll wait to ring it until I know I’m really low on air.”
“Will you ring it as soon as you’re buried so that we know it works? Please?”
“Okay, that’s a good idea. I’ll ring it once as soon as I’m down and then again when I need to come up.”
Beck breathed a sigh of relief.
I could tell she was terrified; hell, I would be if I was about to bury her alive. I just hoped she would understand and forgive me when this was all over.
She looked as if she may change her mind, and I said, “Beck, this is our only chance to save us and end this nightmare that my family started. You know it, and I know it.” I smiled. “So let’s get ‘er done.” She smiled sadly at that; we had gotten it from an old western we once watched and we had said it for laughs ever since.
As I closed the lid, I heard her say tearfully, “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s get ‘er done.”
**/*
As soon as I closed the lid, I cursed myself for not thinking of bringing a flashlight; it was dark in the trunk, but I could see a little light where the lid and trunk met. I gasped as I heard the first dirt hit the top, it was much louder than I thought it would be and it caused an echo. I braced myself for the next shovelful and it came quickly.
After just a few minutes I could barely hear the dirt anymore, and somehow the near silence was worse than the sound of the dirt hitting what would be my coffin. The trunk started to heat up as more dirt covered it, and I wondered how long it would take me to suffocate; I hoped it would be fast.
I used my left hand to untie the bell from my right wrist. I rang it once, then I took out the small pair of scissors and a letter I had written for Beck that was hidden in my bra. I felt along the string until I found where it entered the trunk and used the scissors to cut through it, short enough so that I couldn’t pull on it if I panicked and changed my mind. I knew how this had to end; the Scribe needed to finally die; not die and come back, but die for good. I prayed Beck would forgive me; the last thing I wanted was for her to blame herself. And if she hated me for my deception – at least she would be alive. I placed the letter on my side so that she would see it when she opened the trunk.
I closed my eyes and thought of everyone who had died because of me. Robin. Lycia. John. Travis. Kama. I couldn’t bring them back, but I could make sure that no one else had to die because of this again. If I’m not alive to have a daughter, then the curse will have to die. I just prayed that this would also save Beck.
I lost track of time; it was pitch black and hot, and it felt like I had been buried for hours. I was soaked in sweat, and soon I had trouble drawing a full breath. I breathed as deeply as I could, hoping to hurry the process along. My entire body was aching from the position I was in, and I couldn’t move enough to relieve it. Suddenly I heard whispers echoing around the trunk; it distorted them so that I couldn’t understand what they were saying. I realized that it was the same whispers I heard when I touched the planchette, but this time they sounded angry, and I suddenly felt triumphant. I’m going to beat you, assholes. How do you like that shit?
The whispers grew louder, and I hoped that hearing them meant I was right; that my life would be the last one they would take. It bolstered my courage and I tried to ignore the pain and fear, and instead think of happy memories; memories of Dee and Beck having me stay over for Christmas every year because Mom refused to celebrate. Beck and I singing to records we loved, over and over again. I thought of John; his smile, his sense of humor, his empathy for others. Travis, with his love of reptiles and kind heart; and Kama, who was so important to Beck. I thought of Lycia and Robin who didn’t deserve to die because of something they did as children.
I realized I was getting tired, and I was glad. Sleep would be perfect; I wouldn’t think about all the dirt covering me, or the fact that I probably had only minutes left to live. I closed my eyes and tried to take my mind off the terrible pain of not having enough air. I finally felt nothing at all.
**/*
I woke up in the hospital three days later, with Beck curled up in a chair beside me reading a book. She glanced up and saw I was awake, and fell out of the chair when she tried to get up.
I tried to laugh but my throat was sore so it was more of a croak ,and she laughed even harder from her new seat on the floor. Suddenly she jumped up and sat on the side of my bed, giving me such a strong hug that it hurt my ribs.
“Resa, they didn’t think you were going to make it, you’ve been in a coma for three days!”
A nurse poked her head in the room when she heard Beck’s voice and told us she’d be right back with the Dr. He came in, checked my eyes and asked me some questions; I must have passed his tests because he told me I was doing great and then left to call my mother.
I asked Beck to help me raise my bed so I could sit up. When I was comfortable, she sat at the end of the bed and told me what happened.
I had told her not to dig me up until I pulled on the string. Beck had gotten worried after an hour, and tried pulling on the string in hopes I would answer by pulling back. When she felt no resistance she kept pulling until she had my end at the top. That’s when she panicked and started digging. A couple of the guys in the group who had picked on her and Kama the day before walked by and ended up helping her. It turned out that they felt bad about what their friends had done and were going to get their shoes down when they heard Beck screaming for help as she dug.
Once they got me out she gave me CPR while one of the guys ran home to call an ambulance. She managed to get me breathing before it arrived. Once they stabilized me, they took me to the hospital but wouldn’t let Beck ride with me.
She ran home to call Dee to come take her to the hospital, and as she walked into the apartment she smelled smoke. As she started down the hall she could see the smoke was coming from her bedroom, and when she opened the door she could see her bed was on fire. There were flames licking out from underneath, and as she turned to leave she knocked my notebook off the side table. She quickly reached down to grab it, in case we still needed it; as she did, she glanced under the bed and when the flames shifted, she saw what looked to be the source.
The Ouija Board was on fire. It had flames shooting out from all sides, and the wooden planchette was also on fire and was streaking madly around the Board.
She got up and ran to a neighbor’s apartment and asked them to call the fire department. Beck’s bedroom was the only room affected. Her bed was a total loss, and the carpet would have to be replaced; there was a rectangular area that had burned down to the floorboards, leaving the only evidence that the Board had ever existed.
I healed quickly, and began to heal the relationship with my Mom; as much as I could, anyway. I believe Beck lived through her curse because of my death, no matter how temporary. I also believe that the Board burning meant it took on Beck’s curse. That felt like sweet karmic justice.
**/*
-The Present-
Beck and I have grown old together, what a blessing that has been. I called her once I finished writing this to see if she would read it over to make sure my memory didn’t mislead me. We talked as she read through it, and we remembered those long, gone days together. We said a prayer for those we lost, and one of thanks that the two of us were spared.
Beck has two kids and several grandkids, as do I. My first born was a boy, for the first time in generations. I was still worried because my second child was a girl, but she never played either of the games. The year she turned fifteen I only allowed Alaina to have sleepovers at our house; that way I could make sure she didn’t come into contact with a Board, just in case.
Alaina’s first child was a girl, Jordyn. She desperately wanted to name her after me, but I begged her not to name her Teresa. She finally agreed when she saw how important it was to me, but was determined to at least give her my middle name, Lee. I didn’t find out she had done that until I was holding Jordyn for the first time and she said,” Jordyn Lee, meet your Grams.”
The minute Alaina told me her name, I could hear whispers all around me as I held my beautiful granddaughter; the same whispers I knew from so long ago. They quickly faded and I prayed that it was just my imagination, but knew it was not.
I next heard them when Jordyn turned fifteen two weeks ago, and they are getting louder every day. I can understand them now and I know what they want, but they can’t have her. They will never have one of us again, not as long as I’m alive. I hope I’m strong enough to stop them again, but if not then I need to share all that happened with Jordyn so that she will be prepared if the worst happens. Reddit felt like the best way to do that, at her age everything she reads is online.
I pray that Jordyn never needs to read this, but I know that the curse has returned and is waiting impatiently for her to play. I’m moving in with Alaina and Jordyn, my health hasn’t been good lately and it was the perfect excuse. I need to be close by. I will not allow them to have our precious girl, no matter what it takes.
Beck and I are united in this fight, and I know we can win. Love can defeat hatred, we proved that once and I know it can be done again.
I’ll update if the worst happens. I’ve read your comments and I bet that you could have helped us if we had only had the internet way back then. I hope we never need it, but it’s wonderful to know that y’all are out there, just in case.