Ouija Board
Based on Real Events :
“Deepak, do you really want to
give this a try?” I probed him, having the Ouija board (rather a sheet of white
paper with alphabets and numbers written all over it) in my hand.
“Yes, we shall. I am totally in
for it” he assured.
I called up Shindhu, the self-confessed,
ghost-obsessed mediator and told her our wish.
“Is the Ouija board ready? And do you want to do it now, in bright day light?”
“Why, do your spooky friends prefer only the dark ? I don’t have any board per se, but a sheet with alphabets and numbers written on it, anything else needs to be added?”
“Yes, give the ghost some options. Write “Yes” or “No” in bold, at the center, that’s the most important thing”
“Done madam” I said. “And I have a doubt? How do these local ghosts in Tamil Nadu know English ?”
“You will know when we invite it” she said and cut the call.
Since talking to the ghost needed
four people (rather since the Ouija board had four corners) we also got our
friend Subhashini to join us. We got ready for the task at hand – the all
excited me, our mediator Shindhu, the no-reaction Subhashini and a focused
Deepak. We got into a room and placed the Ouija paper on a table and sat around
it. Shindhu placed a coin in its center and waited.
It was around 3 pm. It was super cold inside the room. I couldn’t control my excitement nor my laughter.
“We all have to hold the coin now, the spirit might not have sufficient energy to move the coin of its own, it would need our energy. So each of you, hold it with one finger” Shindhu started.
“So how do you think this ghost will appear, will it have gory teeth and bleeding face, like they show in the movies? Have you seen it ?” I chuckled.
“If you keep talking like this, nothing will come. You have to be calm. Take a deep breath, keep your silence. Let me try inviting it” Shindhu insisted.
“At your command madam” I obliged.
We waited patiently. All four of
us held the coin tight with our fore fingers. Deepak was too focused.
“Will the coin fly?” I asked.
“Yeah, it will fly, pierce your head and go the other side. Shut up and concentrate” Deepak it was.
Subhashini giggled.
“Giggling! I will have the ghost deal with you once it arrives” I faked an angry smile.
“For God’s sake, shut up” Shindhu was annoyed.
“Shouldn’t you be saying, for Ghost’s sake?”
“Ohh, come on” Deepak gave a stare and I kept mum.
There was dead silence. I could hear everyone’s rhythmic breaths. Five minutes of wait. Shindhu then spoke.
“Is there someone here ? We would like to talk to you. Answer us if you are here?”
There was silence.
“Isnt it eerie?” I whispered.
“Shut up”
“If you are here, let us know by moving the coin to “Yes”” Shindhu continued.
“The coin will move?” I whispered again.
“I don’t think this is going to work with him. Deepak and Subhashini, we will do it some other time and with someone else for company, or send this guy out now” Shindhu was pissed off.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry. I will keep my silence. No more chirping, God prom, I mean, Ghost promise” I pleaded. They seemed to buy my apology.
We again put our fingers on the coin and waited in patience - Ten minutes this time. Shindhu commenced again.
“Is there anyone? We would like to talk to you. Please let us know your presence.” She said in a soft measured tone.
We all concentrated on the coin, hoping for it to move. In a few minutes, the coin started to twerk.
“Its moving” Subhashini said.
“Which one of you is using your finger to push it?” I asked.
“No one is… Someone, rather something is here” Deepak was convinced.
“If you have arrived, please let us know by moving the coin to “Yes”” Shindhu said for the nth time.
We all exchanged glances and looked at each other. None of us dared to talk to the spirit. It was making its presence felt though. I felt a soft wind blowing closer to the back of my neck. I so badly prayed it to be my imagination. A drop of sweat fell from Deepak’s temple, in spite of the freezing cold temperature in the room. Subhashini couldn’t take her eyes off the coin.
“Let us know if you are here” Shindhu continued.
The coin twirled and turned and started to move slowly towards “Yes” and moved back to the center. I had my heart in my mouth.
“This cant, it really cant happen, which one of you moved the coin?” I gasped. No one bothered to respond as they kept staring at the coin.
“Thanks for letting us know. Would you be interested to answer our questions?” it was Shindhu again.
The coin moved again towards “Yes”. The movement of the coin was pretty slow, as if someone was pushing it against its will towards its destiny. It behaved like a child who didn’t want to go to school, but was forced by its parents to attend. If only it had eyes, it might have cried. I pulled my finger all of a sudden and it stopped its motion abruptly. Everyone turned towards me.
“You guys are sure, none of you are moving it? Pinky promise” I had to get a confirmation.
“Just put your finger on it” Subhashini, who had garnered a sudden interest in the project, ordered me.
“Alright” I obliged.
The coin moved towards “Yes”.
“So, someone is here. And is ready to answer our questions. Ask sensible questions. Don’t ask any personal question about the spirit. Don’t ask whether it’s a good or a bad spirit. Do not provoke it. No hypothetical questions. Go ahead” Shindhu set the guidelines.
“Will I get promoted ?” I asked my first question.
The coin, which had returned to its original position towards center, moved towards “Yes”, but within minutes changed its mind and took a U-turn towards “No”
“Bloody hell” I uttered under my breath.
“Will I have an arranged or love marriage?” Subhashini asked.
The coin moved towards the alphabet L.
“Its indicating Love” Shindhu deduced.
“What profession would suit me best?” it was Shindhu’s turn to ask.
The coin moved to the letters H and R, meaning HR and went back to its original position.
I couldnt believe any of it, but it was all happening right in front of my eyes. Someone or something was really there. I didn’t want to turn around and see. My only saving grace was that it was day time.
“Will I get married ?” it was Deepak this time.
The coin moved towards “NO”.
“Correct answer” he replied as if it were a participant in KBC.
We then asked a flurry of questions for about 40 minutes. Thankfully, the light in the room didn’t get switched off, the door didn’t get locked of its own, neither did the tube lights fall on any of us. But I felt a heavy pain at the back of my neck. “Its nothing, its nothing” I convinced myself. The coin started to respond at a breakneck pace, like a first ranker who would rush to school.
“So, now lets think of something in our mind rather than asking, just to be sure that no malpractice is involved” Deepak said. It sounded like a good idea.
“Okay, I thought of a question” I said and the coin travelled swiftly towards “NO”
“What did you think?” they asked.
“Will I be promoted?” I said in a dejected tone.
“Its being consistent with its answers” Deepak apprised.
“Yeah I can see that and looks like there is no scope for me to get promoted.” I sighed.
“If I don’t get promoted, which company should I shift to?” I asked, frustrated.
“TCS or Infosys” it spelt out.
“Holy mother of Christ. How did this ghost spell it all correctly? Guess it worked in an IT industry? Didn’t someone commit suicide at our office a few years ago” I had a flurry of questions to be answered.
“No personal questions” Shindhu reminded.
I decided to take my finger off and started to note down its responses for the questions we asked. Most made sense, some were utter non-sense, but what happened was all real. We were holding the coin, but it was being moved by some external force. Ghosts do exist. It was my first such attempt and I never expected it to be a success. I felt like I had enough. I rotated my neck, just to be sure no ghost was sitting on it. There was no sensation of soft wind blowing on my neck. This should end here. We shouldn’t risk further.
We had interacted for about 1 hour with the spirit and we didn’t even know if it were a good or a bad spirit. No personal questions. I got reminded.
“I think this is enough, I cant take it anymore” I gave up.
“You sure?” Shindhu asked.
“Yes”
“Lets ask its name” Deepak was still curious.
“If it doesn’t have one, are you going to name it ? Chuck it already. Its enough. And didn’t she say no personal questions ?” I lost my cool as I saw the coin moving on the board to spell,
“Daniel”
“What in the World, why is it typing out my name ?” I was scared and confused at the same time.
Everyone looked at me.
“I have no tie ups with any ghost. Its just that its name is that.” I swore and added “Lets ask for it to go away. Shoo it away. Go Mr.Ghost. Just go away. Why did you ask a personal question Deepak”
There was silence.
“Have you left Mr.Ghost ? Are you there ? Please Daniel, go away.”
There was no response. I was restless and nervous.
“Are you still around?” Shindhu asked and waited.
The coin started to move slowly like it moved at the beginning. And it went and stood near “No”.
“Thank heavens. Its gone” I was relieved.
“Yes” Subhashini let a sigh of relief. I looked at Deepak whose face was pale as a ghost.
“Wait, if itsnt here, how the hell did that coin move?” Deepak uttered as his eyes kept gazing at my neck.
