Robin Talley - As I Descended

He tiptoed over the glass shards and pulled on the knob of the main door. It was unlocked, but now it seemed to be jammed. He had to throw his shoulder into the door to crack it open.

On the other side, a group of pajama-clad freshmen were gathered in the hallway. Felicia was at the very front. She was his friend Austin’s kid sister, but lately Brandon had realized he liked Felicia a lot better than he liked her brother. Felicia brushed her tangled hair back from her face and smiled at Brandon, but she looked worried. That crash must’ve echoed through the whole building.

“Jeez, are you okay?” Felicia asked.

“Just an accident, guys,” Brandon told her and the others. “Ross is here. He said for you all to go back to bed.”

Felicia pouted. Brandon shrugged and whispered, “Sorry, Fee,” trying to make sure she knew it wasn’t personal. She gave him another small smile and left, pulling her friends with her. Brandon closed the door again—it moved easily this time—and turned back to the room. Maria was standing up, still blinking slowly.

“All right,” Ross said. “It’s a miracle none of you got hurt with all that glass flying, but since nobody needs to go to the health center you should just go back to your rooms. I’ll call maintenance and write up the incident report tomorrow, and the dean will call your parents. How the heck did you pull the chandelier down, anyway?”

“We didn’t pull it,” Brandon said. “It fell.”

“Uh-huh.” Ross ran a hand through his thick brown hair and sighed. “Just go. Watch out for the broken glass. Lily, do you need help getting back?”

“Like I said, I’m fine ,” Lily snapped.

* * *

Maria could hear the others talking, but they were far away. It felt like she was alone at the bottom of a cave, listening to the faint echo of distant voices on the surface. By the end of the session, that was all she’d wanted. She’d pleaded silently, over and over, for the board, for everything, to go away, to leave her alone.

Now she’d gotten her wish. The thing in the corner was gone. The room was empty.

But the shards of the Ouija board on the table—something was nagging at her. Something important.

It wouldn’t be until hours later, when she was struggling to fall asleep, that Maria would remember what it was.

The board had been destroyed before she could tell it goodbye.

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