SS Halloween Special Ch 10

Elsa finds herself kneeling on the floor with the others as Apple positions the planchette on the board. She admires the symbols on the ground. “You got all this online?”

“Do we chant? I want to chant,” Colby says. She takes off her mask and tosses it away. “Hail Satan. Hail.”

“Will you take this seriously?” Apple says, annoyed.

“Why?” Elsa replies.

“Look, these things work. Look.” Apple hops up and leaves the circle. “I tested it.” She whips a cloth off a big, glass jar. Everyone blanches together.

“Ew!” Elsa is part of the chorus.

The jar is full of flies. Apple pats the lid. “This is done with a spell. There’s a fly in the jar for every person in the house,” she says.

“Oh my gosh, is it like voodoo? If you squish my fly, do I die?” Colby asks excitedly.

Apple’s mouth drops open. “What? No. Why would I want to do that? It just tells us how many people are here, is all. You thought I’d try to do a big ritual without trying a little one first to make sure it was legitimate? I’m not an idiot.”

Elsa clears her throat and exercises some self-control. Ying smiles hesitantly.

“But how do you know it works? That’s just a bunch of flies,” Colby says.

“I have to count them meself here, but I’ve done up a script,” Apple says, taking a laptop out of her satchel. She opens it and turns it around, steadying it with her chin. “I’m connected to the Ring camera, and it keeps track of people coming and goin’. I just have to know that this number matches the flies.” She points at the screen, then at the jar. “And it matches. There are 45 people here. And if you took the time to count them, 45 flies.”

Elsa and Ying exchange a look.

“Look, it’s a margarita now,” Kylie whispers to Elsa as she pinches some salt onto the rim of her Solo cup.

Elsa glances down at the circle of salt, which is messed up beside Kylie. “That was on the floor,” she whispers.

“Mmmm,” Kylie replies, gulping.

“OK, sweetie,” Elsa says to Apple, beckoning. “We believe you,” she lies. “Let’s do this thing so we can go watch the movie.”

“All right.” Apple puts the laptop down and returns to the circle. “Now, I’ve already done all the things. All the prep. All we’ve left to do is commune.”

“Like in church?” Kylie asks.

“Well, no. Put your hand on it.”

Everyone does.

“Now what?” Elsa asks. She has to admit, the candlelight is at least a little spooky. The muffled notes of Bad Blood from upstairs sort of work against that, though.

“Now we can speak to whoever might be here.” Apple takes a deep breath. “Hello? Is there anyone here?”