In the mossy hut behind the manor house, Alex leapt into the bright silver circle embedded in the stone floor. Lit by candlelight, their eyes were haunted and eager, their smile manic. They shifted into a fighter’s stance, rolled their shoulders, and announced. “Now, I’m ready.”

The desperation of the move made Celie queasy even as relief flooded her limbs, leaving them cold and pebbled with goosebumps. Leo scowled. Maybe Alex’s lack of self-preservation disturbed him. Nick hunched in the shadows, head bowed, as if he knew what would happen and didn’t like it.

“Come on,” Alex urged. Nick’s eyes met theirs. He nodded and took his place outside the circle. Alex gestured impatiently to Celie, who pulled the script from her jeans pocket and squinted at the spidery handwriting.

The words wavered then sharpened into focus just as the sheet ignited. Startled, Celie dropped the sheet into the circle near Alex’s feet. The meager flame flickered and burned out. The candles followed suit.

“Alex?” Celie whispered.

“I’m ready.” Alex’s words echoed off the stone walls then fell silent.

Leo groaned.

“No!” Nick shouted.

Alex exploded in an eerie green light. Their manic smile grew euphoric before disappearing in a vortex of smoke.

The candles re-lit, but Alex was gone.

“What happened?” Celie asked.

“It took her,” Nick answered.

Leo roared, burst through the door, and ran to the manor house, but Celie knew it was too late.

They hadn’t summoned the spirit of the house. It had summoned them.

Photo by Gandhar Thakur