Ken, are you one of us? Would you like to meet others who have your gift?
Madame was always saying there were other people who knew about them. Bad people. But maybe they weren’t all bad. And maybe, just maybe, there really were other people out there who had this ability to communicate with the dead.
He had to wonder — did it bother them as much as it bothered him? How did they deal with it? Could they offer any advice on how to control it? He was pretty sure by now that he’d never be able to get rid of it, but maybe there was a way to turn it on and off.
He wouldn’t have any problem getting out of the house tonight. It was a Friday, and it wasn’t unusual for him to go out, joining some friends who went to the bowling alley practically every Friday night. He glanced at the address on the announcement. This place wasn’t far from the bowling alley. He wouldn’t even have to lie to his parents really — he could stop by the alley on his way back from the seance.
His mobile phone rang. ‘Hello?’
‘Hi Ken, this is Amanda.’
For reasons of safety, in case they got into trouble, Madame had insisted that all members of the gifted class exchange phone numbers. But he’d never had a call from Amanda before.
‘Ken, are you there?’
‘Oh sure. I’m sorry, I guess I was daydreaming.’
‘The voices?’ Amanda asked sympathetically.
‘You know how it is,’ he mumbled. She really did too, because of that brief period when she’d taken over his body. He still felt a little embarrassed when he thought about it.
‘What’s up?’
‘I was just wondering. are you going to that seance tonight?’
‘I’m kind of thinking about it,’ Ken admitted.
‘Would you like some company?’
He was surprised. ‘You?’
‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘And you’d be doing me a favour. I’m a little nervous about going into the hospital on Sunday. I ’m trying to keep busy so I won’t think about it.’
Ken considered it. He’d actually been feeling a little warmer towards Amanda lately. She seemed less snobby than she used to be, more interesting. And earlier today, when they’d talked about their gifts, he almost felt like they understood each other.
Hey man, what’s going on?
It was Jack. Hang on a sec, Ken told him, and spoke into the phone.
‘OK. I’ll come to your house and collect you at seven thirty.’
After he hung up, he wondered if maybe he should have told her to meet him somewhere. Picking her up at her house made this seem almost like a date.
You’ve got a date? Who with?
He’d forgotten Jack was there.
Amanda Beeson, he replied. Only it’s not really a date. We’re just going to the same place.
But I heard you — you said you’d pick her up at home. That makes it a date.
Ken grinned.
Well, maybe that’s not so terrible.
I had a feeling you guys would hook up eventually. Where are ya going?
To a seance. Where people try to make contact with the dead.
He could hear Jack chortle. You’re kidding. You believe in that garbage?
I just thought it might be interesting.
Yeah, OK. Hey, you seen Lucy lately?
Yes, today. In the gym.
Even from beyond the grave, he could hear the wistfulness in Jack’s tone.
Is she hanging out with anyone?
I’m not sure. I think maybe Simon Dowell is into her.
Simon Dowell? That scumbag?
Why do you call him a scumbag?
Don’t you know his reputation? I used to think he was making up the stories he used to tell about all the girls he’s been with, but maybe it’s true. Anyway, I don’t want him messing around Lucy — he’s bad news.
There’s not much you can do about it, Ken pointed out.
Yeah, I know. But you could.
Ken’s heart sank. What do you mean?
Could you keep an eye on her? Distract her?
And how am I supposed to do that? Jack, you don’t want me to hook up with Lucy?
No, no, nothing like that. Be kind of a big brother to her. Just — just hang out with her a little. Let her know what a jerk Dowell is. C’mon, Ken, do this for me. Please?
OK, OK.
And don’t let her know I put you up to this! She’ll think I’m jealous and it’ll just make her more conceited.
Yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen, I’ve got to go — we’ll talk later.
Jack ‘hung up’, or whatever it was he did to cut the communication. Ken flopped down in a chair. Now what? Would he really have to hang out with Lucy? He supposed it wouldn’t be the end of the world, to get together with her once or twice and warn her off Simon Dowell. But what if Amanda saw him with Lucy?
He had to smile. Amanda wouldn’t care, would she? It wasn’t like they had a relationship.
Not yet.
The address for the seance turned out to be an apartment building. Examining the announcement again, Ken saw that there was a number next to the address — forty-six.
‘I guess this must be the apartment number,’ he told Amanda.
Amanda was looking at the list of names next to buttons outside the front entrance. ‘There’s no name next to forty-six.’
Ken pressed the button. He expected to hear a voice asking him to identify himself. Instead, a buzzer indicated that the door had been unlocked.
Silently, they went inside. To the left of the entranceway, there was a lift. Inside, buttons were labelled one to five. Ken pressed four.
The lift doors opened on a hallway. They didn’t have to look at the numbers on the doors to find number forty-six — one of them opened immediately.
The figure inside the door spoke sweetly. ‘Welcome. You may enter.’
Ken felt Amanda take his hand, and he couldn’t blame her. The woman looked very unusual. She wore a long, flowing robe, dark green with little golden sparkly things all over it. Over her head was some kind of veil — layers of silky stuff — and it completely covered her face. Tiny slits gave her the ability to see them, but they couldn’t make out her face at all.
They went inside the apartment. The interior wasn’t as spooky as its inhabitant. There was a living-room area, with a sofa and a couple of armchairs. Just off the living room was the dining area with a round table, but it wasn’t being used for dining at the moment. Three people were sitting there — two women and a boy. Ken didn’t recognize any of them.
‘Join us,’ the veiled woman said as she went over to the table. There were three empty chairs. Ken took the seat next to the boy and Amanda sat beside one of the women. Then the veiled woman sat down.
‘I am Cassandra,’ she said. ‘I am your medium. You will talk to me, and I will attempt to reach the spirits you wish to contact. But I must warn you, your first attempt at contact may not be successful. It takes effort and practice to communicate with the spirit world. You must be determined and you must be patient. Much depends on the need and willingness of your loved one in the spirit world to speak to you. They may need to be convinced, and I will try to convince them. But there are no guarantees.’
Amanda spoke. ‘Will we get our money back if we can’t make contact?’
The woman turned towards her. ‘Have I asked you for any money? I do not charge for my work. That would be wrong. I have a gift, and it is my responsibility and obligation to share this gift freely.’