The morning sun filtered through Lisa's blinds, illuminating her room in a hazy, dream-like glow. She blinked groggily, trying to shake off the strange feeling from the night before. But as she sat up and looked over at the necromancy book still lying open on her desk, that unsettling thrill crawled back up her spine.
She swung her legs out of bed, rubbing her eyes, trying to ground herself in reality. "It was just for fun," she mumbled. But the memory of the shadow, of that strange figure lingering in the cemetery, stayed stubbornly vivid in her mind.
Shaking it off, she reached for a notepad and pen, tapping the pen against her lip as an idea started to form. "Okay, so if I was planning a ritual," she said to herself with a smirk, "what would I need?"
It was just an exercise, she told herself. Like making a shopping list for a recipe she'd never actually cook. Still, a thrill shot through her as she scribbled at the top of the page: Necromancy 101: Supplies.
1. Black candles
2. Graveyard soil
3. A personal item (maybe one of Liam's old belongings?)
4. Salt – a protective circle, right?
5. Some kind of offering – blood? No way. Maybe… flowers?
She let out a half-nervous, half-amused laugh at the sight of her list. What was she even doing? She couldn't tell if she was joking or half-serious, but there was something thrillingly subversive about it.
"People spend their weekends at the mall, and here I am, planning a… 'ritual'." She made air quotes with her fingers, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. Lisa couldn't deny that the idea of putting all the pieces together, of actually doing something with this forbidden knowledge, was tempting. It was like a puzzle, something only she could unlock.
Later that day, Lisa met up with Emily at the local coffee shop. They grabbed a corner booth, and while Emily launched into a story about her latest crush, Lisa found herself zoning out, her thoughts drifting back to her "to-do list."
"… and I'm telling you, Lisa, he actually laughed at my joke! A real laugh, not that polite, fake stuff," Emily was saying, her eyes sparkling.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, that's great!" Lisa replied, trying to feign enthusiasm, though her mind was miles away.
Emily narrowed her eyes. "Okay, spill. What's got you so distracted?"
Lisa hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one could overhear. Then, with a mischievous grin, she slid the notepad across the table. Emily's eyebrows shot up as she read, her face shifting from confusion to disbelief.
"Uh, Lisa… what exactly is this?" Emily asked, her tone somewhere between amused and concerned.
Lisa shrugged, trying to keep her voice casual. "It's just a joke, obviously. You know, like… Halloween prep?"
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Halloween's still, like, four months away. And last time I checked, you weren't exactly the 'graveyard soil and necromancy' type."
Lisa laughed, though a part of her still felt the pull toward the list. "It's just… I dunno. Something different. Fun. Aren't you curious about what would happen if, you know… I actually tried it?"
Emily leaned in, her expression skeptical but intrigued. "I mean, you're not seriously going to do this… right?"
Lisa waved her hand dismissively. "Of course not! But… hypothetically… wouldn't it be kind of awesome to see if it worked? Just imagine what Liam would say if he knew I was this dedicated."
Emily gave her a sidelong glance, a small smile quirking her lips. "You are so weird. But hey, if anyone can pull off a ritual, I guess it's you."
Lisa grinned, feeling a little surge of excitement that her friend was even halfway on board with the idea. "Right? And don't worry, if I accidentally summon a demon, I'll make sure it's a friendly one."
Emily rolled her eyes. "Please. You'd probably befriend the demon and end up teaching it the whole cheer routine by the end of the week."
They both laughed, the kind of laughter that made their stomachs hurt and drew a few curious glances from other customers. But even as they joked, Lisa could feel that subtle pull back to her list, a little whisper that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't completely kidding.
The next few days were a blur. After school, she found herself roaming the oddest aisles at the local thrift store, glancing around with a mix of embarrassment and excitement as she filled her basket. She picked up a small, antique-looking locket, thinking it could double as a "personal item" if she couldn't find anything else, and added some wildflowers to her cart, just in case she needed an "offering."
Back in her room that evening, she arranged her "supplies" in a neat little circle on her desk, taking a step back to admire her handiwork. It felt… official, somehow, like she was on the edge of something big.
She pulled out her notebook and crossed off each item as she ticked them off: candles, soil, salt… it was all there. Her heart pounded in her chest, both excited and nervous.
And then, just as she was about to close the notebook, her phone buzzed. A message from Emily.
> Don't forget to invite me to your demon summoning party! ;) I'll bring snacks.
Lisa snorted, replying with a string of ghost emojis. But her fingers lingered over the screen, her heart racing. Maybe she could really try it, just as a joke, just for fun. After all, it wasn't like she was actually expecting anything to happen.
She looked at the assembled items, a small, strange thrill building in her chest. The voice in her mind that had started as a joke was beginning to sound… well, almost convincing.
As she lay in bed that night, she stared up at the ceiling, her mind spinning with possibilities. She thought of Liam, the shadow she'd seen, the strange pull of the necromancy book. A part of her knew it was ridiculous. But another part… another part couldn't help but wonder.
What if?