Chapter One: Mischief

I crept along the moonlit path in the rain, wet leaves sticking to my shoes, eventually blowing off in the biting breeze. I dreaded autumn. It's the season of gloomy days and finger numbing chill. Most people are happy when it arrives; they get to cozy up next to their loved ones and sip on hot tea, watching some sappy movie in front of the heat of glowing embers in the fireplace. Not me. Not since the accident exactly one year ago that tore apart my heart and my sanity.

She was my home, my once-in-a-lifetime love. Her glossy auburn hair complemented the changing leaves perfectly. Her face radiated joy, emerald eyes alight with excitement at all the possibilities life had to offer. She smelled of cinnamon and warm vanilla, my favorite scents. Penelope was the light calling me back to shore in the raging sea that was my mind. She died last Halloween, killed by a car full of drunk teenagers. They weren't punished by the judge, ruling that "one little accident shouldn't destroy their lives." Instead, they had to send me apology letters. How cute.

It would have been better to send them to jail. At least they were protected behind all the gates, guards, and bars. It was time for their "little accident," and trust me, it would ruin their lives.

I had followed them to the old house that stood in the forest clearing, trailing them as silent as a shadow. The boys carried candles and a Ouija board, and the two girls with them clutched brown paper sacks. There was no doubt in my mind that the sacks held more liquor; my chest blazed with the white hot fires of hatred. I decided to let them have their fun. They would be nice and frightened when I exacted my revenge.

"Xander, what are we doing here?" one of the girls whispered. "This house doesn't look structurally sound." Hah! That would be the least of their worries in the end.

"Shut up, Tonya, everything is going to be fine. Some of the guys came here last year, remember? We'll be fine. Just relax," he replied. Yes, please do relax. Everything will be juuust fine... for now.

I watched from the broken window as they lit the candles in the dusty, abandoned den. For a while, they just talked and drank. After about an hour, Xander unpacked the Ouija board from its box and the foursome placed two fingers each on the planchette.

"Spirits of the night, we call to you! Speak to us, commune with us this night!" they called, slurring their words a little. A little dramatic, but I had to appreciate their dedication.

Nothing happened for ten minutes. Just as they were about to give up, the little planchette slowly started moving.

H-E-L-L-O

Tonya gasped and almost took her fingers away before thinking better of it.

"Who sits among us?" She asked. A pause, and then...

M-U-R-D-E-R-E-R

The other girl started trembling a little, and I chuckled. Good; serves her right. The two boys were grinning and asking the others which one of them was moving it. Both asserted firmly that it wasn't a prank. They asked more stupid questions, wondering if the spirit was a murderer or was murdered. Tonya offered to help it "cross over." There were no more replies, so they gave up. None of them remembered to say goodbye. Pfft, amateurs.

Xander stooped down to pick up the board when a strong breeze blew the candles out and plunged them all into darkness. A strange energy swirled, making me shudder. What was that?

Just then, a female voice floated up from the portal of green light breaming from the floorboards.

"Why did you kill me?" she moaned, and a sorrowful sob followed.

My breath caught in my throat, and my legs threatened to buckle underneath me.

Penelope?