The Board Game of Death Chapter ~ 2 ~ continued

Alexus had to walk around the garage to get to the barn. Tall grass grew in the field behind the house. Cows had not grazed here in years. Her grandparents were the last ones to keep cows. The barn was now only used for storage.
Inside the barn, Shawna had set them up in the upper loft. The barn had three stories. The ground level held an antique car, a mustang to be exact and an old tractor. The second level was where things were kept that would not fit in their attic.
There was a set of stairs leading up to the second level. After that there was nothing but an old rickety ladder. Two of the rungs had been replaced about a year ago by her dad.
It was kind of dark in the barn. Some sunlight seeped through the old barn wall boards. Alexus knew her way up to the top loft. She could even make the trip in the dark.
She climbed over the top of the ladder. Shawna was against the far wall. An old blanket was spread on the floor for them to sit on. She had the box open and the board was sitting in front of her.
“Did you figure it out yet?” Alexus asked. “Does it seem hard to play?”
“Um…It’s weird.” Shawna replied. “There’s no dice or anything. Just this weird shaped board piece.”
“Let me see…” Alexus took the box from Shawna. The instructions were written on the inside of the box. “Talk to the dead?” She read out loud. “Yeah…right!” she said in disbelief.
She sat down on the floor across from Shawna and the game board, setting the box top beside her. She picked up the game piece to examine it.
It was made of some sort of wood that was funny shaped. But game pieces tend to be funny shaped. This one was pointy at the top and round at the bottom.
“It says you set that on the game board and hold your hands like and inch above it,” Shawna instructed.
“Then what?” Alexus asked. She picked up the box again.
“Let me see.” Shawna took the box from her.
“Says…with out touching the game piece…ask a question and concentrate on the game piece. It is suppose to move around the board. What? It spells out words? I don’t know….I doubt it works.” Shawna handed back the box.
“Maybe we should wait for Jordan to get here. I called her…she said she would be over in a bit…she was mowing the lawn.” Alexus set the box back down on the floor beside her and began to study the board.
It was covered with the letters of the alphabet and three words were at the bottom. They were yes, no, and maybe.
“Maybe this game is like the eight ball.” Alexus pushed the game piece around on the board. It slid around pretty easily.
Shawna picked up the box again. “It says you use it to hold seances. Cool. Do you think it could really work?”
“No way…really? Let me see…” Alexus looked at the box again. “It says we can talk to dead relatives and friends.”
“Who would we contact first?”
“I don’t know…how ’bout Carley? She hasn’t been dead that long. In fact I miss her.”
Shawna turned her attention to her sandwich and soda. Alexus set the box top back down beside her and decided to eat her lunch too while they waited for Jordan to show up.
After eating in silence for a few minutes, Shawna spoke up. “You know, her brother won’t even talk to me or any one since the accident.”
“I know. I saw him the other day, and when I said hi…he just looked at me and walked away. It’s not like anyone blames him for the accident. An accident is an accident. He did not mean to drive the car into that tree.”
“I heard he swerved to miss some cat.” Shawna ate the last piece of her sandwich.
“Yeah…now mom makes me wear my seat belt even when we are just going two houses down to Mrs. Hamworth’s house.” Alexus complained.
Footsteps sounded, someone was climbing the ladder. It was Jordan. “Hey!” she said as she poked her head above the floor. She pulled herself up the rest of the way and stepped onto the floor.
“Hey Jordan!” Shawna and Alexus chorused.
“What are you guys doing?” Jordan pulled her backpack off her shoulder and set it down off to the side of the room out of the way. “Mom said I can sleep over.” she said with a smile.
“Awesome!” Alexus scooted over making room for Jordan to sit with them.
“What’s that? You guys got a Oujia Board?” Jordan picked up the box top to check out the outside of the box. “Hmm…it’s not made by Milton Bradley? Where did you guys get this? I thought this game was only made by Milton Bradley.”
“Oh we were at a yard sale this morning. That’s where we got it.” Shawna put her hand on the necklace she remembered in her pocket. “It came with this too.” She pulled the necklace out of her pocket and held it up for Jordan to see.
“You have seen these before?” Alexus asked Jordan.
“Yeah…I’ve seen them in the store…but mom would not let me get one. She wouldn’t say why,” Jordan answered. She flipped the box over to read the instructions. “Oh cool, we can contact the dead!”
“Yeah…we were thinking of contacting Carley.” Alexus handed Jordan the extra can of soda she had brought with her.
“It doesn’t say anything about wearing a necklace.” Jordan handed the box to Shawna to reread.
Alexus held out her hand. “Let me see the necklace.” After inspecting it she handed it to Jordan so she could check it out.