Hall of Mirrors by Charles Ashe

Author:Charles Ashe [Charles Ashe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Headstone Books
Published: 2022-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

15

Séance

Although the midway was still lit up, it was mostly deserted. Staff members in blue sweatshirts locked and secured the hulking metal amusements and shuttered the concessions and games for the night.

Eleven o’clock was closing time, and Danny and Angela had arrived on the dot. They swept past the empty ticketing booths and headed to the back of the sprawl where Madam Maggie’s tent was located.

“Here’s your last chance,” said Angela. “We can turn around now and still save your dignity.”

“No,” Danny answered firmly. “And if you’re going to be here, please be open to the experience.”

Aside from firming up the plans for the séance, Danny had talked little to Angela in the past week. He was sure that, somehow, her phone call and her “yes” was a sign from Tommy that he needed to go to the séance. He appreciated her change of heart, but he still sensed some bad blood. They only exchanged a few tentative words about superficial things when crossing paths in school. He could tell she was holding out, waiting to see how things went with Madame Maggie.

Maybe Angela was hoping things would go poorly enough that Danny would admit she was right. But that would not happen. Madam Maggie knew things, and he was expecting Angela to change her mind about that too.

The other explanation for Angela’s stand-offishness was that she now saw Danny as a bad guy. Someone else in school certainly thought he was. If anyone else had seen the message in the boys’ bathroom about being Tommy’s killer, then it was possible Angela heard about it and knew what it said. Did she believe it?

As they finished threading their way through the carnival, Maggie’s tent appeared before them, with Kevin hovering near the entrance, hands in his pockets.

Looking at the dark Hall of Mirrors next door, Danny shuddered.

“Heyyyy.” Kevin beamed as they approached.

Angela fake smiled as Danny hugged him.

Kevin had been pretty cool about going to the séance. They met on the north lawn almost every day for lunch, wondering together what it might be like to open a door to the other side. He never made Danny feel dumb for it, and even said that given the chance, he’d have a séance to contact his dead sister.

The curtain swung open, and Madam Maggie appeared.

“Thought I heard some talking. You’re here! Good, you brought some friends. Come in, come in,” she said, waving them inside.

The setup inside the tent was much the same as before, except there were three stools at the table this time. She must have known.

“Madame Maggie, these are my friends, Angela and Kevin.”

Maggie smiled. “Have a seat, my dears.”

She ambled her way to the chair with the carved wood frame, her garments and bangles swishing and clinking. Settling in, she opened a drawstring pouch and placed a small bell, an L-shaped rod, and a thin wood block on the table. Danny took the stool opposite her. Angela and Kevin filled in on either side.

“First things first. Have you got the money?”

“Yes,” Danny said, dipping into his pocket for cash.

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