Jenny spent the next day, New Year's Eve, in her room. She couldn't be with Carol because the Astreys were visiting relatives. And she didn't feel like hanging around her family. So she tried to convince herself she liked being alone. She buried her father's shattered portrait in the trash by her desk and covered her ears with a headset playing the heavy metal music she had bought at the mall. She felt too gloomy to celebrate the approach of the new year.
When school finally started again, two days later, Jenny told Carol, "This is weird. I'm actually glad to get back to my classes. It's the only thing left in my life that's normal."
At lunch, Carol spotted Phoenix across the room and left Jenny to make plans with her. Upon returning, she said, "Phoenix is coming over to my house after school. She's going to teach us more about the Ouija board's powers."
"I've been thinking about that," Jenny said, toying with the apple her mother had packed. "It seems as if the Ouija board has made my problem worse instead of better."
"How could my Ouija board make things worse?" Carol popped a few corn chips into her mouth. "If you give it another chance, you'll see it can really help you. Phoenix says so."
"Maybe."
By the time the three girls had gathered in Carol's kitchen, Jenny had come to a decision. She would test the Ouija board the way Alan had suggested. While Carol and Phoenix rummaged through the cabinets for a snack, Jenny whispered a prayer: "Dear Jesus, please show me the truth about the Ouija board. If I shouldn't be playing with it, please let me know."
"How about these chocolate cookies?" Carol asked.
"Great," Phoenix said from inside the refrigerator. "You got any diet soda?"
"Bottom shelf," Carol answered. She took some cookies to Jenny. "Do you think the Ouija board could help Jenny and her problem with her father?"
"Of course," Phoenix said. She popped open an aluminum can and placed it on the table. As she opened the Ouija board, she added, "That's just the beginning of what it can do." She grinned at Jenny. "You want to talk to your father, Jen, and ask him if he really loved you?"
"You think it would be him answering me?"
"Who else would it be?" Phoenix answered. "Carol, get paper and pen to write down what it spells, in case it works fast."
Carol obeyed with growing excitement. Then she seated herself opposite Jenny and poised her pen over the pad. "Let's get started," she said.
Phoenix put her fingers on the planchette and told Jenny to do the same. With her eyes closed, she said, "O powers of the Ouija, come to us and help us. Jenny wishes to speak to her father. O powers of the Ouija, bring him to us."
The pointer began to move. It spelled, I am here.
"See that?" Carol whispered, leaning across the table. Jenny frowned back at her. "If you are Jenny's father," Phoenix continued, "tell us something about yourself."
The Ouija spelled, Drunk killer."
That's nothing new, Jenny thought, disgusted. Phoenix eyed Jenny and quickly added, "But you loved your family, didn't you?"
It answered, Jenny stop praying.
"What does that mean?" Phoenix asked Jenny, sitting back in her chair. "Are you praying for this not to work?"
Jenny's heart thumped loudly. What would Phoenix think about her now? "I asked Jesus to show me where the Ouija board's answers come from. You have a problem with that?"
Phoenix shrugged. "Why should I? I don't believe there's a Jesus who can answer you."
"And I don't believe it's my father who's making this pointer move," Jenny said. "He taught me that it's important to pray. He would never tell me to stop praying."
"Maybe not, unless he's discovered in the spiritual plane that prayers don't work," Phoenix said.
"No," Jenny said. "Prayers do work. I'm sure my dad wouldn't tell me to stop praying."
"Then who did?" Carol asked. "It wasn't Phoenix. She didn't even know you were praying."
"And it sure wasn't me, so who or what is speaking to us?" Jenny insisted. "I want to find out. Put your fingers back on the planchette, Phoenix. It's my turn to ask a question."
"Be my guest."
With their fingers positioned on the planchette, Jenny said, "Ouija board, tell me the truth. Where do your answers come from?"
It quickly spelled, I killed. I kill again. I kill Jenny.
Jenny jumped out of the chair. "No more! I won't have anything more to do with this. The Ouija is evil. Carol, I wish you'd never gotten me involved in this."
Carol's mouth fell open. She glanced at Phoenix, who sat glumly stroking the planchette. "It is not evil!"
"You tell her, Carol," Phoenix goaded.
"I'm your best friend. I would never get you involved in something that's evil."
Jenny wondered why Carol couldn't see the truth. "If it's not evil, why does it want to kill me?"
"Phoenix doesn't think it's evil, and she has a lot more experience with it," Carol insisted. "It's helped you, Phoenix, hasn't it?"
Phoenix smiled and rose from her chair. She leaned close to Jenny. "Yes, the Ouija has helped me. Lots of times. I've never seen it threaten to kill someone before. It must be you that's causing these answers. You, Jenny."
"That's right," Carol said, folding her arms across her chest. "The answers came from you. They're from your own mind."
"I'm the only one willing to face the truth," Jenny said, backing away. "I asked Jesus to show me where the answers come from, and that's why the Ouija says it wants to kill me. Can't you see that, Carol? Are you blinded by your fascination with—with—" she waved an arm toward Phoenix "—Phoenix's promise of friendship and supernatural power?"
"You're blinded by your hate for your father," Carol said, unable to meet Jenny's piercing gaze. "I see now we tried doing this too soon after you learned how your father died."
"Aren't you worried about it's threat to kill me?"
Carol flipped her hair over her shoulders. "How is it going to kill you? Really, Jen. It's just a board."
Jenny realized Carol wouldn't listen. That had never happened in all their years of friendship. "It's evil, I tell you. And I'll find a way to prove it."
"And I'll prove it's good!" Carol shot back.
"Well I'm not going to hang around watching you try." Jenny reached for her purse and jacket and headed for the front door. It felt wrong leaving her best friend like this. Would Carol try to stop her from leaving?
No. Jenny heard the door close behind her as she walked slowly away.
After she had gone, Carol looked at Phoenix and smiled sheepishly. "She really is an okay person. She's just upset from finding out about her father."
Phoenix sat down and laid the palms of her hands on the Ouija board. "It's her belief in that Jesus fantasy that's messed things up."
Carol said nothing, staring off toward the front door.
Phoenix cleared her throat. "So, do you want to find out more about the Ouija's powers?" she asked.
"Nah. I'm not in the mood right now." Carol pulled her attention back to her new friend. "But would you help me redo my hair? Your hair style looks great on you. No one's ever shown me how to make mine look that good."
Phoenix pushed the planchette to the word yes. "Sure, why not."