The Spirit Board

©  Gerry Tancreda

Strange things happen to other people, not to me. That has all changed now. My doctor tells me that there is a fine line between sane and insane. I think they are both the same. What do you think?

My story begins in the autumn of 2008. My beloved Grandmother passed way, and I inherited her wonderful, old, Victorian house. I used my college fund to make a few renovations and now I am ready to move in.

Growing up, I spent every school vacation with my Granny. We would shop, plant flowers and vegetables. I remember the aroma of the kitchen as she baked apple pies in her worn oven. The house is huge, with many secret hiding places that I loved to find.

Granny allowed me to play with anything in the house, except her old spirit board.

When I asked her about the board she would just laugh and say, “Maggie, this is just an old woman's toy. It's not for children to play with.”

Every day I would pass that board sitting on the shiny old coffee table in the living room. I wanted to put my hands on it and see what information it held for me.

One night I awoke to voices in the living room. Interested to see what company had come at this late hour, I crawled to the top of the stairs and carefully maneuvered each step until I could see.

The living room was dark with only a small candle flickering next to the spirit board. I could hear Granny talking, “Please tell me, I have to know the date of my death. I have to arrange for my grandchild. Please spirits, you gave me the month, please give me the year!”

Abruptly, I saw her hand move around and around on the board. First slowly then faster and faster. “That's it spirits, tell me, tell me,” she sang out.

As fast as it started the board stopped moving, and Granny fell back on the couch. She did not move for a very long time.

At last, she got up and blew out the candle. I ran back to my room and put the covers over my head.

Trembling I began talking to myself, I heard two voices, but there was only Granny there. The second voice sounded like a loud echo, yet it sounded close and very deep.

“You are right my dear."

Stunned and shaking I removed the covers from my head and quickly reached for the lamp. With the room flooded with light, I look carefully around.

Great, I thought, now I am hearing voices.

“No, you are not hearing voices, I am here. You can't see me for I am downstairs sitting on the coffee table.”

Sitting up, I ran my hand through my hair, "There is nothing on the coffee table but that old board Granny uses. I know I am dreaming and I want to wake up now!” The deep voice began to laugh. Fear overtook me I felt paralyzed. “You are not real go away!”

“I am real, very real. Many people know me, just as you will.”

Not wanting Granny to hear me, for fear that she would think I played with the board, I whispered, “Please stop, you are scaring me.”

Now the voice sounded closer, “I don't want to scare you, you will be my new owner and I want us to be friends. You can tell me anything.”

Even as I trembled, I found myself curious, “Who are you? How can I be friends with someone I don't know?”

"Maggie, I am the spirit that lives in the board. We will be friends because I will become your heart and soul. Now go to sleep and we will talk again.”

Sleep did not come easily. Even with the light on, I felt apprehensive. The voice told me to get some sleep. Does that mean this isn't a dream?

The next morning I awoke to the singing of birds and the aroma of fresh baked bread. After taking my shower, I went downstairs to tell Granny of my silly dream and to eat her delicious bread.

As we sat at the table, I began recanting my dream. I stopped talking almost as soon as I began. Granny's face went pale; her breathing seemed labored.

“Granny are you ill? What's wrong, you look terrible?" With a trembling hand, I touched her face; it felt hotter than the stove. I rushed to the phone to call an ambulance, but the phone was dead.

Reaching for my hand, I could barely hear her words. “Maggie, I have to send you back home now. I am going away, but we will see each other again.”

I spent the next hour trying to persuade Granny to let me stay and nurse her back to health, but her heart was set on my leaving. Without anyone calling, a taxi pulled up outside. I looked with disbelief at Granny. Smiling, she said, “Its okay, you go now.”

As I entered the cab, I asked the driver who ordered it. He just shrugged and said, “I just drive, the office tells me where to go, and they are closed for lunch, so where do you want to go?”

I cried for the entire hour's drive. I just kept thinking the same thing; I must have done something wrong; Granny would never send me away like this.

As soon as I reached my parents house, they told me that a man called and told them Granny died. When I asked Mom the man's name, she replied, “You know, I asked twice and he never told me. I was so upset about the news, I just let it go.”

I was in a daze for the entire funeral. Granny was buried next to my Grandfather; just a few miles from her home.

So, here I am in the home Granny left me. I'm looking forward to replanting and learning to cook just like Granny.

First, I must retrieve my friend from the attic. He has been up there such a long time. I am so glad that he watched over Granny and called my parents when she died.

Right after the funeral, he came into my mind. Whenever I was alone, we talked for hours. I learned so much from him.

I kept the old coffee table and shined it perfectly. He told me that he loved sitting on that table so he could keep a close watch over the entire house.

I did ask him his name, he seemed reluctant to answer, finally he said, "You may call me any name you like. I am here to please you.” After giving it a lot of thought, I chose the name Eli.

Once I asked Eli why Granny was always asking him when she was going to die.

"Oh Maggie, I felt so bad when she died. I told her a long time ago that she could not die, until I found someone suitable to care for me and love me. You are that special person."

Eli told me that he is not the only spirit that lives in the board. “Maggie, I want you to know that many spirits live here. I am the leader, but there will be times when others come to meet you. We all want you Maggie, you must keep us alive”

I had a dream; at least I think it was a dream, that Granny told me to burn the house and run far away. I could not wait to tell Eli. “Maggie you don't have to tell me of this dream, I already know. She is just jealous because you are the mistress of the board. You have taken her place."

Now that Eli is in his rightful place, I am going to make a delicious dinner for the two of us. Tonight is going to be exceptional; we will meet face to face for the first time.

“You don't think that they will all come out at once, do you?”