Title: Ouija
Author: La Lune
E-mail: la_lune86@hotmail.com
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Alternate Reality, and a little on the creepy side 

::Standard Disclaimers Apply::

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	'The basis of optimism is sheer terror.'
			-Oscar Wilde

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Chapter 2: A Glimpse 
 

	Serena was surprised when she noticed Darien had kept his at 
times overly large mouth in check upon entering her home, which was 
in her opinion perfect in every way shape or form, but knowing Darien 
he would find something.  The blissful silence lasted for a good minute 
or two, that is until she entered her 'study' and he saw her dog lounging 
on an ivory chaise by the stained glass window facing the plush green 
lawn and rose garden that were situated behind the large town home.  
The heavy chocolate colored drapes were open letting the light stream 
in leaving colored patterns on its back.  She narrowed her eyes angrily 
when she heard his laughter erupt once more.

	"What may I ask is that 'thing'!?"  He pointed towards the lump 
of black fur that was, or more correctly had been sleeping.

	"It's a dog."  She answered dumbly, attempting to make him 
feel like the utter disgrace of molecules and waste of perfectly good 
oxygen he was.  Even though she had to admit it sounded pretty pitiful, 
she had found it quite satisfying every time she was able to make 
Darien feel like a moron.  She wondered briefly if she had some 
inferiority complex, probably something she developed from her 
childhood, she'd look into it later.

	"Yeah I noticed that, I was just surprised that you have a dog, 
not to mention such a...furry one."

	"It's an afghan hound Darien, all afghan's are 'furry'."

	"What's its name?  Please don't say something girly like 
Precious or Duchess."

	"No, actually his name is Oedipus, I call him Eddie for short 
though.  My mom wanted to name him Princess though, I believe.  She 
was literally on the brink of tears when I told her her 'Princess' was 
actually a 'Prince'."  Serena laughed lightly, she could still see the 
dejected look on her mother's face at the news.

	"Knowing your mother, I wouldn't doubt that."  Darien himself 
chuckled, oh yeah, that sounded like Serena's mother all right.  "I 
haven't seen her in a while, is she all right?  Is she sick?"

	"Oh no of course not.  She got a face lift a few weeks ago, and 
then one of those laser peel things.  Believe me for a while there, it 
wasn't a pretty sight.  She's been in 'hibernation', if you will, she always 
stays out of public view for a time while her face heals and the swelling 
goes down after one of her cosmetic surgeries.  She'll make her 'grand 
reentry' soon though, don't worry."  She explained sarcastically, it was 
really the only way she could bear talking of her mother.  

	Serena found the most appropriate term for her mother was 
'blissfully ignorant', for as far as she knew, her mother never fully 
mastered the art of thinking.  Claire Sexton, despite her lack of brain 
power had, thanks to her husband's extensive bank account, discovered 
the fountain of youth - facial surgery.  And boy did she enjoy it, minus 
the pain and swelling.  Sure, maybe a nip there and a tuck here didn't 
hurt, but with her mother it became fanatical.  Serena was surprised that 
her skin of her face hadn't ripped in two from all tugging it had gone 
through.  But then again, that was her mother, the connoisseur of style.

	Serena preferred to wear earth tones, even though her mother 
had told her bright colors were currently 'in'.  Despite Serena's effort to 
go against her mother's tastes she had noticed blouses appearing in her 
closet with the tags describing the colors like 'magenta' and 'aqua', via 
none other than her air-headed mother.  At least her mother 
acknowledged her existence, unlike her father.

	"So how's your dad excepting his retirement?"

	"He doesn't really like to talk to me, unless you count when he 
yells, but he's more than likely taking it like an ass."

	"I thought I was the ass."  Darien slowly began to grin, she was 
right, he couldn't think of one time when he saw them talking together 
that her father hadn't started ripping into her.

	"No, you're the jackass, my dad's just a plain ass."  Serena 
grinned as well, impressed with Darien's astuteness. 

	"If he doesn't want you to take his place, why doesn't he let 
one of your brothers instead?"

	"Aaron started his own company online, and it's doing quite 
well, he doesn't have time for dad's job as well."  Serena's eldest brother 
Aaron was probably her favorite member of the family, he was six years 
older than her, and probably the most sane member of her family.  She 
purposely forgot to mention her other older brother Nicholas, he was 
the middle child and Serena was quite sure that he had inherited her 
mother's mentality, that wasn't a compliment.

	"What about Nick?  Surely he didn't start his own business as 
well, he never seemed like the type to me."

	"Actually...no...,"  Serena had no idea where to begin with 
Nick, it was classically bizarre.  "He's currently in Tibet cleansing his 
soul in order to become a monk."

	"You're kidding."  Darien's mouth was slightly ajar, and his 
eyes slightly wider than normal, Serena wished she had a camera.  The 
picture would have been perfect for blackmail.

	"Nope, it's true.  Dad looked like he was going to cry when 
Nick broke the news and left, after that he was going to give the rest of 
the company to you until my mom reminded him that the weird girl that 
'talked' to dead people was his daughter.  Now this little trip down 
short-term memory lane is fun and all but I must exhort, lets get this 
show on the road."

	Serena walked by Darien and up to her desk, briefly pausing 
on her way to pat Eddie's black head.  She pulled out a drawer and 
momentarily shuffled through a few things before she came across a 
piece of blank paper that was big enough to use, she placed it on top of 
the desk and picked up a black Sharpie.  Quickly, she began to scribble 
down the words 'Good Bye' and the alphabet along with the numbers 
zero through nine in the general location they would be on the Parker 
Brothers version of the game.  Once finished she held it up for Darien 
to see, "There you go, have fun."

	"Don't you have the 'real' game, or at least something...old?"

	Serena arched a brow amusedly, "What do you want me to do, 
dye it with tea, and burn some holes in it?  Will that make this more 
'convincing' for you?"

	When she received no answer, except for a glare from Darien 
she continued with the task at hand, she needed a pointer.  She was 
quite pleased with herself when she found a small teacup that would 
work quite efficiently, she was not pleased however, when she noticed 
Darien's look of distaste.  "Is there a problem?"

	"Yes as a matter of fact there is.  I would have expected this 
experience to be a little more 'authentic' then you're making it out to 
be."

	"Authentic?  All right then Darien, would you consider using a 
mass-produced game board made by the same people who make Life, 
Sorry, and Monopoly authentic?  You have the guidance of a real-life 
psychic at your disposal and you want this to be more authentic?"  She 
motioned towards her gathered materials exasperatedly, "I don't think 
you can get much more authentic than a home-made Ouija board!"

	"Okay then, don't pop a capillary!"  Darien made a face, one in 
which Serena was unsure of what she was supposed to think of it.  "Are 
you done yet?"   

	"Almost."  Serena placed her materials on the plush oriental 
rug that covered part of the hard wood floor and then suddenly left the 
room.  When she returned moments later carrying a few candles, 
matches, and lugging a contraption of some sort, which Darien 
recognized as a laminator - the one that had been missing from the 
office.

	He watched as she put the contents of her arms on the floor 
with the rest of her things and cautiously sat down in front of the 
accumulation.  He looked down at her as she wordlessly placed the 
candles to one side of the 'board', or as Darien saw it, the piece of paper 
with the alphabet on it.  Suddenly he found his intent gaze being 
returned by Serena's piercing aqua eyes.  She sighed in pure agitation, 
"Are you waiting for an invitation?" she swept a hand out motioning to 
the space across from her on the other side of the board.  Darien hastily 
complied and sat down where indicated.

	"Here," Serena quickly thrust a pack of matches at Darien who 
startled, stared at them dumbly for a moment before taking them from 
her.  "Light the candles."

	"I don't want to seem difficult, even though I most likely 
already have, but...why can't you light them yourself?"  Darien was able 
to detect a slight hesitation from Serena before she decided to speak, for 
her it was probably a first.

	"I just don't want to get burned," She planned on leaving it at 
that until she was met with an upraised brow from Darien, "Fine!," she 
exclaimed exasperatedly, "If you must know, when I was in sixth grade 
science class we were performing an 'experiment'.  I struck a match to 
light the Bunsun burner and burned myself, it wouldn't have been a big 
deal except that that was the first match I had ever lit in my life, and 
since then I've made sure it was the only one."  Serena's voice sounded 
defeated in a way, Darien knew one of her weaknesses, she found 
herself unable to look him in the eye.

	"You're afraid to light a match!?"  Darien had to admit he was 
surprised, a match was a match, nothing he considered to be a big deal.  
But then again, here he was sitting on the floor with a 'psychic' who was 
afraid to light a match about to do something teenage girls did at 
slumber parties.

	"Look buddy, if you want your definition of authenticity, than 
this is it.  I'm not about to subject myself to unnecessary trauma over 
some candles.  If you want them, light them yourself."  Serena watched 
wearily as Darien, who still found Serena's fear of matches quite funny, 
lit the three unscented white candles she had brought in with her.

	Serena had run a plain sheet of paper through the laminator 
and placed it under the lit candles, in order to catch the melted wax.  
Darien knew if any harm were to come to her nice hardwood floor 
heads would roll, or more accurately his head would roll.

	"Did you steal that from the office?  Molly's been looking for 
that thing for ages."  Molly had been a friend of Serena's back in junior 
high and now apparently she usually worked as Darien's secretary, but 
as of lately mostly worked for Serena's father.  

	It was funny though, Serena remembered being a bridesmaid at 
her wedding, right after they finished high school.  The dress she had 
been forced to wear was mint green, and was probably the ugliest thing 
she had ever seen, fashion wise at least.  After the wedding Serena had 
proceeded with her own dress-burning ceremony, her brother Aaron had 
been present and still would send a bouquet every year that day in 
honor of the now dearly departed dress.

	After the wedding though they grew rather apart, Molly 
matured and grew up, and Serena...well Serena stayed pretty much the 
same.  Serena saw Molly every once in a while, she had to admit she 
hadn't recognized her at first, she had gained some weight and pretty 
much looked tired and slightly haggard, she looked older than Serena 
despite the fact they were born only a few months apart.  She assumed 
that's what happens when you have five kids, a husband, and worked for 
Darien.  Serena figured by the time she got her father's spot and didn't 
have to be Darien's 'secretary' she would look like she was forty.

	"No actually I didn't," Serena didn't really know why she 
would want to steal the laminator... what would she do with it, make 
place mats?  "My father has dubbed me his unofficial laminator, I find 
it easier to do here, I didn't know there was such a demand to laminate 
stuff."    

	Darien watched as Serena then laminated the Ouija board 
itself, "And you're doing that because...?"

	"Because this way there won't be any or not as much friction 
when the 'pointer' - in this instance a teacup moves across the surface, if 
it moves at all.  Just so you know, I make no promises."  She then held 
up the newly covered piece of paper, "Is it to your liking?"

	Darien noticed that along with the complete alphabet and the 
numbers zero through nine she had also somewhere along the line 
added the words 'Yes', 'No', 'Maybe', an ampersand, and a few 
punctuation marks.  She had been quite thorough.  He nodded his 
approval.

	"Okey dokey, lets get down to buisness," She stood up 
abruptly and walked towards the door and shut it, and then drew the 
curtains together in order to make the room as dark as she was able to.  
Before Darien was able to say anything she held up a hand for silence 
and said simply, "You said you wanted this to be 'authentic'."  She 
walked back and once more carefully sat down across from Darien, "All 
right Mr. Authenticity, lets get this show on the road.  Any questions?"

	"Yeah, is there a 'right' way to do all this?  You seem to be 
making it up as you go along."  Darien had a feeling Serena didn't know 
a thing about what she was doing, of course neither did Darien.

	"Not necessarily, a key phrase associated with the Ouija board 
is 'trial and error'. They suggest that the participants sit in two chairs 
facing each other with their knees touching and with the board resting 
on their knees.  I don't exactly know who 'they' are so who cares what 
they say."  Serena had a feeling 'they' didn't really know what they were 
talking about, and if 'they' did Serena hoped her way would dissuade 
any 'connections' from taking place.  Both participants gently touched 
the teacup with a few fingers,  Serena closed her eyes momentarily and 
drew in a deep breath, when she opened them once more the room felt 
darker than it had previously, when she spoke her voice sounded small 
and foreign.  "Is there anyone there?"

	Darien watched in amazement as the teacup moved over the 
word 'Yes'.  It actually moved!  Serena watched as well, she was sure it 
was not from any unconscious movements from her or Darien, she felt 
something, but she had the uncanny feeling that that something was not 
good.

	Serena paused briefly and stared at the cup thoughtfully before 
asking another question, "What's your name?"  Serena's eyes slowly 
trailed behind the cup as it moved across the letters, pausing briefly 
here and there, eventually it spelled the name 'Elise Crowley'.  That was 
Darien's mother's name.  She saw the look on Darien's face and thought 
it best to keep him quiet while she confirmed her suspicions.  

	She continued to slowly and thoughtfully ask the 'contact' 
questions, all about Darien of course.  Unsurprisingly the contact didn't 
miss a beat and answered correctly time and time again.  Serena in the 
meantime remained unimpressed, unlike Darien, who appeared 
completely enthralled with every movement the teacup made across the 
board.  Something was not right, she knew it.  Her uneasiness increased 
until a feeling of nausea overtook her violently, she found herself 
desperately attempting not to retch.  The only thing she could do was 
swiftly, and almost violently pull her hands away from the teacup.  She 
hastily stood up and placed it on top of some papers littering the top of 
her desk. 
	
	"Serena what the hell are you doing?  That was my mother!"  
Darien stood up as well and followed Serena to were she stood by the 
chaise stroking her dog's head.

	"No it wasn't.  That wasn't your mother Darien."  Serena met 
Darien's gaze and firmly stood her ground, he might not have been able 
to feel what she could, but that didn't mean she could ignore it.

	"What do you mean it wasn't my mother, it knew her name and 
everything else you asked her for, I think that's evidence enough."  
Darien couldn't believe Serena would act so brashly, she seemed almost 
angry at the 'spirit' that had contacted them.

	"Spirits can lie too Darien.  Just because they know things 
about you doesn't mean they are who they say they are.  Just because 
they're dead doesn't mean they can't lie, believe me they do."  Serena in 
fact was very angry with the spirit, or entity, she wasn't sure which it 
was, and frankly didn't care.  She was worried about what it's motives 
were for contacting them, very worried.

	"Serena what are you talking about it knew - !" 

	"Darien, I don't care if it knows your shoe size...Look, if the 
spirit of a dead family member or friend were to come through they 
would reach on a level easiest for them, the dream level.  Or they would 
come through as a visitation apparition, or as a crisis apparition.  
Basically they show up once or twice and never ever again.  With Ouija 
you're conjuring spirits, and non-human spirits with a malicious nature 
tend to respond, not human spirits.  Human spirits have no need to wait 
around for an opportunity to come through on an Ouija board even 
though you are trying to connect with them, so they don't.  That wasn't 
your mother..."  Serena felt stupidly like a textbook, or even worse - an 
overly religious priest preaching about how everyone had a one way 
ticket straight to hell.

	"Serena do you have any idea how trivial that dribble you just 
recited is to me?"  Serena suddenly noticed that he was slowly backing 
her into a corner where two bookshelves met, the numerous volumes 
beginning to poke her in the back.  "You have no idea whatsoever what 
it is like to lose not only one, but both of your parents.  Not only are 
your mother and father still here and supporting you you have big 
brother Aaron to help pay the bills as well!"  Darien's voice had a 
murderous edge to it, in all the time Serena had known him she had 
never seen him so angry.  But still Serena found herself infuriated as 
well at his heartless accusations.

	"How dare you!" She pointed a finely manicured nail in 
between his eyes for emphasis, "Do you have ANY idea what it's like to 
know that your father HATES you and that your mother is too dumb to 
care!  I should have 'MISTAKE' tattooed on my forehead!  Aaron is the 
only person in my family that acknowledges my existence and isn't 
bothered by it.  Nick is too caught up with 'purifying' his goddamned 
soul, and most likely wants to stay as far away as possible from us.  
You are the lucky one Darien, your parents loved you and still do, mine 
never have and never will."  Serena voiced the painful truth carefully, 
she could feel herself beginning to lose control on the tears that 
threatened to spill from her eyes.  Never in all her life had she spoken 
the sad truth she had none for so long, not even to herself. 

	"Don't try to pretend you know what my parents were like, you 
have no idea..."  Darien's voice had become low and threatening, Serena 
wouldn't have been surprised if he cause her some sort of bodily harm 
before he left and involuntarily flinched at the thought

	"You seem to forget Darien, I know exactly what your parents 
were like, and if I must, I'll tell you.  Don't worry I won't leave anything 
out,"  Serena could feel the books to her back once more and tried to 
move away, it didn't work.  She continued in a quiet voice, overlaying a 
steely mocking tone, "Your father was the strong silent type, he kept his 
emotions to himself, didn't he Darien?"  Serena didn't wait for an 
answer, "You were convinced he didn't like you and went to your 
mother with all of your emotional needs, there was only one problem 
though, she was sick...very, very sick.  The only way you could see her 
was before you went to bed, you would sneak into her room, 
unbeknownst to your father of course.  You would tell her about your 
day and she would listen, you loved to listen to her talk though, the 
sound of her voice.  It was always so warm and caring, no matter how 
ill she felt.  That's what you miss the most, isn't it?  The sound of her 
voice, and the way she would say she loved you.  Well anyway, one 
night your father found out about your nightly visits to your mother and 
forbade you to go in one night, she was too sick.  It turned out she died 
that night, you never got to see her that one last time because of your 
father and never forgave him for it.  

	"You probably don't care but did you know the dying wait 
until they're alone until they leave?  Dying is a very private ordeal, one 
which should be experienced alone.  Think of it this way, she was 
waiting for the day when you didn't visit to leave, it would have 
happened sooner or later.  It was her time.  

	"Now back to your father, you hated him.  About five months 
after your mother's death your father suddenly had a heart attack on the 
way home from work and was in a terrible car accident.  You went to 
the hospital with your grandfather, and although he was barely clinging 
to life - you still hated him.  He asked to see you so you went in his 
room, and were amazed.  There he was, your tyrant of a father lying on 
a bed connected to all kinds of machines, looking as frail and small as 
your mother had...right before she died.  As you approached you saw 
the unnatural pallor to his skin and the dark circles under his eyes, but 
you didn't care - you hated him.  And for one minute as you stared 
down at his corpse-like form oblivious to your presence you didn't care, 
you honestly didn't care if he lived or died, in fact you would have 
preferred if he had.  You touched his hand lightly, it felt like ice and 
forced the words 'I love you dad' out of your mouth.  And as you turned 
and headed for the door you heard the faint words 'I love you too 
Darien' in reply, but you kept walking - because you hated him.  Shortly 
after the door clicked closed behind you you could hear the frantic 
beeping of the heart monitor announcing what you had wanted and you 
hated yourself - because you really didn't hate him.  Too bad you 
realized it too -" 

	"Don't you even Serena!"  Darien roared, barely able to keep 
his rage in check, as far as he was concerned, Serena had crossed the 
line, "Don't you dare try to make me relive those memories, you spoiled 
little brat!"  His eyes flashed dangerously, Serena felt like the clichéd 
deer caught in the headlights, "If you were somebody else..." Serena 
suddenly noticed his fist hovering a few mere inches away from her 
face shaking violently with repressed anger, she shrank back into the 
bookshelf and closed her eyes in anticipation of a strike.

	After a few moments she noticed a blow hadn't occurred and 
cautiously opened one eye slowly followed by the other.  She registered 
Darien's back approaching the closed door and opening it, as he walked 
through she called to him the last thing she had to say.

	"Your mom and dad are proud of you!"  She heard her front 
door opening and closing before she whispered the ending to herself, 
wishing Darien knew, "And they love you..."  Darien didn't come back, 
but she knew he heard, at least the beginning.  She felt both spirits 
pulling their energies back before they too were gone.

	Serena stood transfixed in the semi-dark room, staring at the 
candles that were still lit on the floor.  She was shaken from her daze by 
the sharp sound of Oedipus barking.  "What is it Eddie?"  She turned 
her head to look at him and remembered the curtains had been closed, 
he couldn't see out the window, he appeared to be looking at something 
in the opposite direction.  She stared at him momentarily perplexed, he 
was staring at her.  The flames from the candles were reflected in his 
dark eyes, giving them an eerie yellow glow.

	Serena felt an involuntary chill run through her, she could feel 
something, something powerful.  Suddenly Serena realized her normally 
quiet dog was not exactly looking at her, he looked more like he was 
looking through her.  A strange sense of fear quickly enveloped her, he 
was staring at something behind her, she no longer felt alone.  She 
inhaled deeply and held the breath momentarily in order to calm her 
tingling nerves, when she had regained some of her composure she 
made a difficult decision.  She needed to turn around, she needed to 
see, the sudden wave of paranoia that assaulted her would not leave 
unless she did.

	Cautiously, as if in slow motion, Serena turned her head to the 
side, following Oedipus' burning stare.  Briefly, in the corner of her eye 
she sensed a figure or shape of some sort, almost as soon as her mind 
processed it's existence - it was gone.  She turned around completely, 
nothing was there.  The uneasiness did not leave though, even as much 
as hours later, Serena felt accompanied by something at all times.  She 
forced herself to think of her overactive imagination and dismissed it as 
nothing.

	Too bad she had no idea how wrong she was.


To be continued...

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Author's Notes: This has taken me a while, sorry!  I should have the 
next chapter out sooner, it's almost done, I make no promises though.  
Thanks for all the nice comments, I appreciate them a lot!  Please 
review and feel free to e-mail me with any 
comments/questions/suggestions you may have!

Until next time...
-La Lune