The Birdcage

Who's There?

They sat in a circle around the broken-glass planchette- no one daring to touch it. Instead they held hands- Nyx holding Ronnie and Perry's, Perry and Ronnie holding Katherine's in an unbroken loop. Being the most experienced of them, Perry had set up some protections, teaching the others how to do the same.

No one was convinced how well they'd work. The plan was artfully complex- invite one in, keep the other one out.

Ronnie had already decided they were screwed. But still, with a deep breath and a slight waver in her voice, she started. "... Is there anybody there?"

Almost instantaneously, there was a heaviness in the air, like storm creeping in from the far distance. A charge like electricity thrummed through their linked hands, dancing thrillingly like static across their skin.

Encouraged, Ronnie pressed on, voice stronger. "Is there anybody there?"

The planchette trembled. And twitched. And then began to move.

Yes. It slid across the makeshift board, spelling out the word.

And then the whispering began. It started like a soft breeze, then rose and swelled until it crashed around them like a roaring gale; filling their minds and quenching the soul. Ronnie shivered in fright, reflexively shying away, but Nyx beside her held firm, her grasp like iron on Ronnie's hand. Katherine gave both a concerned, side-eyed look. Perry mumbled words under their breath; the same rhythm, over and over again in an effort to ground themself.

In the centre, the planchette shivered with movement.

Swallowing down her fear, Ronnie spoke in a cracking voice. "Who's there?"

The planchette rocked side to side- vibrating at a fast speed. Above the planchette, suspended in the air, a shape began to appear. Ripples in the air, as the atmosphere sculpted around this unseen force, trying to push its way through.

Steeling herself, Ronnie tried again. "Who are you?"

Above, the shape grew more, coming through bolder and more real. And then suddenly the planchette began to spin- slowly at first, but building up speed, until it was going dizzyingly fast, deadly point skimming past each of them in turn.

"What do you want?"

The electricity was stabbing now, tiny pinpricks all over her arms. Ronnie gasped at the sensation, her fingers locked in her friends' hands going numb.

"What's happening?" Katherine asked, her voice lost amongst the cloying noise.

"I don't know!" Perry breathlessly spoke in response.

"Maybe we should stop!" Ronnie yelled, breaking from her role.

"Keep going!" Nyx grated in a low growl.

Panic rising in her throat, Ronnie swallowed and wet her trembling lips; staring down the creature that haunted her stories. "... Are you The Whisperer?"

There was the sound of shattering glass as the planchette cracked.

Suddenly Perry caught Ronnie's eye; gesturing towards Nyx with their head as they spoke. "It's her!"

Ronnie looked. Nyx's eyes were unblinking, burning unholy silver; her hands were locked onto theirs like a vice. Strange magic sparked in her veins. They could feel her; she was drawing power, pulling it from them through their linked hands, channeling into herself. She crackled with energy, building it up all around her in a near-tangible aura.

Ronnie made a panicked sound. "We have to stop!" She tried to pull her hand from Nyx's grasp.

Suddenly Nyx lunged, speaking out in an unearthly voice laden with power. "Is your name Berenice?"

Something broke.

Hands came apart, separating the circle as they were able to for the first time. The build up of energy rolled over them in a tidal wave, creating a sensation of release.

The swirling shape in the centre coalesced, fixing for one moment into a clear shape.

It was the woman from Nyx's vision- the one who had fallen from the window. And she was still falling. Her hair whirled around her, tossed from its near form; her face contorted with horror,  for the rescue that would never come. She was translucent, formed of flickering smoke, that faded in and out of existence.

Wrapped around her was a chain. Thick and black and veined with searing red, it seemed the only thing the vapourous woman could touch; and it bound her, pinning down her limbs and wrapping tight around her mouth.

Ghostly tears bubbled in her eyes as she tried to speak, but all that came out was a whisper.

As if in a trance, Nyx rose to her feet and stepped towards the centre of the circle of her stunned friends. Reaching out to the woman's face, she pressed her fingers to the chain. At her touch, it crumbled to her feet in dust. The woman dissolved into mist.

Silence. The room was so very silent.

Ronnie, the first to recover, blinked at the space in the air where the ethereal figure had been moments before. "What was that?"

Nyx rubbed black dust from the chain between her fingers. "Exactly what I thought."

Alternative idea: One of the gang's demonic parents' hijacks the ouija board and spells out "You're grounded." Then the group falls apart trying to figure out who's in deep trouble. XD

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