FanStory.com - Who?by gansach

You know how it starts~teenagers getting together on Friday night, good times in mind. We didn't expect the evening to end the way it did!

We were hanging out in our basement, one half done as a rec room. The overhead light was off in favor of colored patio lights shaped like owls strung across the ceiling, giving a softer glow.

The other side was my brother, Lee's, bedroom area with its black light wall of autographs and funny drawings by friends, lit up like a neon sign.

We had chips and popcorn, soda pop, for seven of us. Two couples~Lee and girlfriend, Lynda; myself and my guy, Mark. The others were friends, John, Lori, and Barb. I don't remember how the feistiness began, but the girls and guys ended up ticked at each other. We sat on one side, ignoring them; they on the other, laughing and being jerks.

"That spoils the night," Barb sighed.

"This isn't fun," Lynda agreed.

"It's too late to go anywhere else, too early to go home," Lori complained.

"I wanna make up," said Lynda, "but it's their fault. We shouldn't have to apologize."

"I have an idea," I said.

The ladies followed me into Lee's room. We grabbed a gameboard, dice, and game tokens and began to play. We were making the rules up as we went. The plan was to sound like we were having the time of our lives. Hopefully, the guys would be curious and want to join us; then we could be friends again.

It didn't take long before they were poking their noses into the room, trying to figure out what we were playing.

"You rolled a double. Go back five."

"A three! Skip a turn!"

"I rolled seven, I go twice!"

John asked, "What the heck are you playing?"

"Kreplach!" we shouted. "It's fun!"

Lynda rolled snake eyes. "Kreplach! I win!"

That did the trick. Our game was over, but had succeeded in getting us speaking again.

"Can we play?" asked Mark.

"Nope!" I shook my head. "Too many rules. It won't be fun stopping to explain each turn."

"How about the Ouija Board?" Lori suggested.

"I guess so."

BAD decision!

We sat in a circle. Lee and Lynda placed their fingers on the planchette. I asked questions. The planchette wandered before settling into answering.

"Who's there? Male or female?"

M-A-L-E

"What's your first name?"

R-O-Z-A-R-T

"What's your last name?"

J-I-M-M-S

"What nationality is that?"

G-E-R-M-A-N

"When were you born?"

1-8-9-4

We learned Herr Jimms fought in WWI as a pilot, knew the Red Baron, was shot down and killed. But suddenly, he left us and another spirit took over. This one wasn't pleasant or co-operative.

Lynda pulled her hands off the planchette. "I can't do this anymore. It's giving me the creeps!" She shuddered.

Barb's eyes widened. "We didn't let something evil through, did we?"

We looked at each other. The guys were trying to act tough, but they were just as creeped out as we were.

We trooped to the other side, huddled on the sofas, going over what happened.

Suddenly, Lori screamed. We jumped.

"It moved!" she cried.

"What moved?" asked John.

"The light!" Lori pointed. "The owl second from the end moved!"

Mark shook his head. "Probably a draft."

"No!" she cried. "It turned!"

"Oh, come on!" Lee scoffed.

"I saw it!" Lori insisted. "Look! It's not the same as the others."

We looked. The green owl light was turned to the side.

"But did that just happen?" asked Mark. "Or was it that way before?"

"I saw it!" Lori said.

We sat, watching. Nothing.

"Okay . . . ," Lee began, when another scream made us jump.

"I saw it!" Lynda was shaking. "The white owl moved!"

"See ya!" said John, heading for the stairs.

Lori followed and we stampeded behind them.

"I'm taking everyone home now," I called to my parents. "Be back soon!"

On the ride, we talked over each other~Ouija Boards, evil spirits, owls.

"How are you gonna sleep tonight?" Lynda asked Lee.

"I might use the family room couch tonight," he said.

"Let's hit the library tomorrow," I suggested. "Let's look up Rozart Jimms and see if he's real."

They agreed and we said goodnight.

"Do you think those owl lights turned?" I asked as we headed home.

Lee shrugged. "I don't know if it happened. Everyone was jumpy, like mass hysteria."

"I thought I saw something, but it's hard to be sure."

"I think Lori spooked us; we were ready to believe anything," he said.

"But that white owl was facing us, then it was turned," I insisted. "Wasn't it?"

"I don't know," Lee said.

We drove in silence until nearly home. We lived in the midst of farmland so there were streetlights only at intersections. As we topped a rise and the headlights shone down the dip in the road, I thought I could see a dark spot.

"What's that?" I slowed down.

Lee peered. "Raccoon?"

"It's just sitting there," I said.

"Is it alive?"

The shadow grew larger and rose.

"Omigid! Omigod!" I screamed and slammed the brakes.

Two piercing eyes, lit with eerie yellow, coming straight at us.

It was the biggest owl I'd ever seen; its wingspan enormous.

I covered my face, certain it was coming through the windshield. Then it veered up with a single flap of mighty wings. I was shaking.

"Holy crap!" Lee said. "Want me to drive?"

"Please!"

"I didn't know owls could be so huge," he said once he was behind the wheel.

"It came at us like it was attacking," I said.

"How weird was that? What are the odds this would happen after the owl stuff tonight?" asked Lee.

"I don't think it's a coincidence. It looked like it was waiting for us. Brrr!" I shuddered.

"I'm definitely on the couch tonight," Lee said.

"I'm gonna have nightmares," I predicted.

"Wait 'til the gang hears about this!"

In the distance, we heard a loud, "Who?"