...8 hours until dawn...
a message from the dead
Katy sat around the table with Chris, Ashley, and Josh. Chris looked at the three of them "So it says here: "to communicate with the spirit world you must free your mind of all preconceptions, drop all inhibitions, and generally give yourself over entirely to the will of others, sublimating your every desire to the whims of the Spirit-master," which is me--" he explained.
"It doesn't say that." Ashley interrupted.
Chris ignored her "And all present will remove their garments at my sole discretion," Chris continued.
Josh sighed, leaning back into his chair "Chris, come on, this is serious." Josh said.
Katy looked at Chris "Oh I'm deadly serious." Chris said in a mocking voice.
"Shush." Katy demanded, "Let's uh try it."
Chris nodded, the four of them placed their hands on the counter. "Okay then, let's see what happens. Ashley, you're a recent convert you give it a try."
Ashley looked up at Chris "Okay um. Is anyone there? Will you show yourselves if you are there?" Ashley asked.
Katy watched the counter move "The hell?" She questioned.
"Woah!" Chris exclaimed.
"Did you do that?" Josh asked.
"No, I didn't do anything!" Ashley defended. "Help?"
"How're we supposed to help?" Chris asked.
"I don't know? What does it mean." Ashley inquired.
Chris looked over at the two siblings "We need to know who if we're supposed to help them." He suggested.
"Yeah. Ash ask who it is." Katy told her.
Ashley sighed nervously. "Okay. Who are you?" She clarified.
Katy again watched the counter move "It's moving again!" Chris said excitedly.
"Woah," Josh mumbled.
"Sis?" Chris questioned, but it kept moving.
"Sister." Josh finished.
"Oh my god," Ashley said, slightly frightened in her voice.
"Shit." Josh cursed.
"What the hell?" Katy questioned.
"Whose sister?" Josh asked.
"Oh come on is this for real?" Chris asked.
"Josh..." Katy started.
"Josh it has to be." Ashley finished.
"Yeah? Okay? Ask if what sister then." Josh demanded.
"Ashley ask which one," Katy told her.
"Who are we speaking to? Hannah? Is that you?" Ashley asked. The counter moved to yes. "Oh god."
"This is messed up," Chris said.
"Are you?" Ashley started to ask Josh and Katy.
Katy nodded, staring at the board "I'm fine." Josh said blankly. Katy had gripped her brother's hand tightly.
"Are you sure? Because we can stop." Ashley informed them.
"We're fine," Josh said. "Keep going. We wanna hear what it says.
Chris gave Ashley a doubtful look "I mean think about it. If this is actually Hannah I mean we can find out what happened that night." Chris suggested.
Ashley nodded "Okay. Um. Hannah, we miss you but we wanna know what happened to you?" Ashley asked. "B-E-T-R"
"Oh my god," Chris said.
"I don't like this!" Ashley exclaimed.
"Betrayed," Chris informed. "Shit."
"Wait sh! It's still going!" Katy hissed and watched the counter keep moving.
"Oh god! Killed? No no, we didn't kill them!" Ashley cried, "It was just a prank!"
"Ashley calm down." Chris comforted.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ashley said quickly.
"Guys? What do they mean?" Josh asked.
Katy glanced over at her brother "Ash ask! Ask it what it means." Katy demanded.
Ashley nodded quickly "How did you die?" Ashley asked.
The counter spelled out L-I-B "Library! Maybe there's something in there!" Chris announced.
"Proof?" Ashley questioned, "There's proof in the library?"
The spirit board shakes and the counter flies off, hitting Katy in the forehead "Shit."
"Watch out!" Josh yelled.
"Woah," Chris shouted.
Katy lifted her hand to her forehead to figure she was bleeding. Josh had let go of her hand "You know what- this is bullshit." He said, standing to his feet.
"Josh I don't know what's going on!" Ashley cried.
"Listen I don't know if you guys think messing with me is somehow gonna help me, I mean us deal with our grief or whatever. But this is so uncool." Josh fumed, his voice trembling.
"Josh Cmon it's not their fault," Katy said.
"Yeah, it's not Ash's fault!" Chris exclaimed
"No you guys are full of it!" Josh shouted and stormed off.
"Shit. Josh!" Katy yelled and rushed after him. While running she ran into another totem laying on the lodge's floor "What the hell? In here?" She picked it up.
GUIDANCE TOTEM
found by Katy inside the lodge
Katy ran out of the lodge quickly, collapsing into the cold, hard snow. Only Sam and Mike were left in the lodge. She watched intently for Sam and Mike to run out. "Oh god please." She begged.
Mike ran out, but Sam was still not in sight. Mike as well turned to watch the lodge. Sam appeared running outdoor, she flipped a switch. Which made the lodge blow up. But she made it out; alive.
But Katy may have made it out alive, but now was time for recovery. As Katy stared at the lodge blankly, she was the only Washington sibling left.
Katy sighed and tossed it back. Josh had gone to his room so that's where she went. "Josh?" She questioned as she approached his opened door.
"Come in Katy," Josh said and she crept the door open wider.
She took a seat next to Josh "I don't think they meant to hurt you, Josh. Or if it was even their fault." She reassured.
"I know I'm sorry for storming off. I miss them a lot y'know?" He admitted.
"I know Josh." She smiled, "But you don't have to apologize, you got upset and that's okay. It's a part of grieving."
Josh nodded "Thanks. But I kinda wanna be alone right now." He admitted.
Katy just nodded and exited his room. She looked at the door one last time before making her way to the bathroom and knocking. "Um hello?" Sam questioned.
"It's uh me...Katy." She said sheepishly.
"Oh uh come in..." Sam said. Katy opened the door and saw Sam sitting in the bathtub. Bubbles covering her completely. She covered her eyes. "It's fine."
Katy nodded slowly removing her hands "I just need to find uh the bathroom stuff I left here." She said, digging through drawers.
"Is something wrong?" Sam asked.
"Uh yeah sorta." She stammered, "Pretty sure either Ashley and Chris pulled a sick prank or I talked to my sisters at that stupid seance thing."
"What? What the hell?" Sam questioned quietly.
"I don't know but it's just a little well..." Katy couldn't quite describe it, but neither could Sam. "I don't know."
Sam sighed "Katy... can we talk?" She asked.
Katy turned to face her "Uh sure." She mumbled, "What's up?" As if she didn't know.
"Why did you actually break up with me?" Sam asked, "I know it had something to do with your sisters, you can't deny that."
Katy sighed "I knew that question would come sooner or later. Preferably later. But uh yeah I guess you're right, I was so focused on figuring out what happened with my sisters, I didn't really want a relationship." Katy explained, "I'm sorry for doing that to you."
"I understand Katy," Sam smiled slightly "I just wish it didn't have to end as it did."
Katy nodded "Me too... I uh I never stopped y'know." She admitted.
"Stopped what?" Sam asked, Sam knew damn well what but she wanted to hear Katy admit it.
"Loving you..." Katy whispered quietly. Turning towards the mirror, staring at herself. There were some loud noises downstairs "Guess Josh got them back." She chuckled to herself, Sam smiling at her.