Page 56 of Ghostly
And yet, there it was, in the same print as the first contract:TheResurrection Contract.
Ida looked away and shook her head. “I’m sure it’s impossible. It’s just like the first one, but worse.”
“Actually, it’s not.” Gabriel’s voice was soft. “Yes, it has a bunch of conditions, and it disturbingly resembles a ritual—”
“Sacrifice? Human sacrifice? Blood for the gods?”
“What? No.” Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “You hauntedTemple of Doomagain, didn’t you? I meant, it’s not about fulfilling conditions one at a time, but rather about getting ingredients together, then doing it all at once.”
That sounded strange enough curiosity got the best of her, and she checked the contract.
To resurrect a spirit, the following shall be needed.Remains of the deceased, either biological, or a personal item owned by thedeceased.
Gabriel shrugged. “I did find your grave.”
“You’re not becoming a grave robber because of me.” She rolled her eyes. “The music box. It was mine. It’ll do.”
An object imbued with the feelings of the deceased at the moment of theirdeath.
A human bond to the Earthly Realm and the current time.
Ida looked up.
“Not worded the best, but it’s not too strange,” Gabriel said. “Read on.”
This should be a person with a strong connection to the deceased.Recommended bonding persons: a parent, a sibling, a child, or anotherdescendant.
Ida sighed. “Well, we can quit now.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because I need someone who feels strongly about me, and even if my family did, they’re all gone by now.”
“But their descendants might still live. Jamie—your nephew. Surely he had a family of his own. I can track them down—”
“They won’t feel a bond with me.”
Gabriel raked his hair. “We can discuss that later. What about the rest?”
The ritual, using the assorted items and persons, must take place at theexact same spot where the deceased died.
Ida let out a breath—that, at least, wasn’t hard.
The conditions in the radius of fifteen feet, centered on the spot of thedeceased’s demise, must be as close to the original conditions as possible,including but not limited to: any organic matter, such as the type of ground andflora in the area, man-made items, such as buildings or altered ground, andweather.
“Obviously, the last one is easy-peasy.” Gabriel grimaced. “I’ll just go grab my weather machine.”
“The night I died… it was mild weather, warm, but cloudy. Not too hard to replicate if we wait for the appropriate day.”
“Nuh-uh.” Gabriel gestured to the contract.
The ritual must be performed on the exact anniversary of the deceased’sdeath. It will commence upon the hour of death, provided the necessaryingredients are available. Once initiated, if it fails, it cannot be performedagain.
“March 11th,” Ida said. “We can only do it then.”
“That’s a good three months from now. Enough time to get it all ready.”
“This year? But—”
