Page 83 of Ghost of a Chance
Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back and put her hand on the cover of the book.
All of the times when she’d had any contact with the spirit in the book it had been accidental.What would happen if she tried contacting it herself?If she focused her mind?It couldn’t be any worse than their other methods.
“Spirit, I invited you to join me.I mean you no harm and seek only answers,” she said.
Opening one eye a crack, she glanced around but nothing was happening.
Shaking her head hard.No candles.She needed at least the white one to invite the ghost in.
Being as quiet as she could she took the candle and the book out as far away from the bed as she could.
Sitting down again she lit the white candle.Closed her eyes and reached out with her mind.
“I’m not going to harm you.I want to help you move on.”
The deep voice didn’t answer her.She probably needed all the candles and a better incantation.She walked to the dormer window overlooking the street.That big moon illuminated the floor around her.Maybe she should try again over here.
Putting the book on the floor, she took a moment to dig the other partially burned candles out of her bag, along with a lighter, and placed them around the book.
“What are you doing?”
She jumped at the deep rasp of Jasper’s voice.
“Jesus!You scared me.Trying one last time to see if these medium powers can get us any answers,” she said.
“Want me to help?”Climbing out of the bed, he came and sank down next to her on the carpeted floor.
He wore only a pair of gray boxer briefs and his hair stuck straight up on one side like a cartoon character.He rubbed his hand over his chest as he shifted one of the candles into a better position.
He crossed his legs and held his hand out to her.“I’m ready this time.”
Me too.Whatever happened she was going to keep her focus.“I’m going to find out who this ghost really is.”
“Fine.I want to know as well,” he added.“I read in one of your books that having the window open might help.Also that you should have something they can extinguish or a pendulum to direct answers to.”
“You get the window… I can’t reach that one very well,” she said.“I have a letter map I made for my last book.”
Her book’s heroine, Eva, needed to communicate to a spirit that wasn’t able to talk.Her editor had suggested it would be a nice twist since the other ghosts that Eva had encountered had been verbal.The solution was a letter map.
In this case, the map was really two pieces of copy paper she’d taped together and then used some stickers and markers to decorate it.The entire alphabet was spelled out in three arching rows.There was a yes on the left side and a no on the right side for simple questions.
She even had the jade crystal necklace that she’d used as inspiration for a pendulum for the book.Breathing in the combined scents of the candles and the faint smell of rain on the breeze from the newly opened window, she closed her eyes.
“Ready to begin?”Jasper settled next to her.
She wished she was more prepared.
Tonight she didn’t want to force anything.
Jasper squeezed her hand.“You sure you want to do this?”
“Yes.I have to,” she said.Lacing their fingers together, they started chanting to invite friendly spirits to come and help them.The room felt calm around them as a gentle breeze filtered through the window.
After about ten minutes, a sense of relaxation came over her and she let go of Jasper’s hand, lifting the pendulum over the letter map.
“Spirit in the book: Are you named Paul?”
She opened her eyes, but the jade crystal just hung there, completely still.
