Nine Letters Long Read Online Free Page A

‘We would like to talkto someone from the spirit world.’ This time, Poppy speaks in a zombie-like voice.
    Alex starts giggling.
    â€˜Sshh.’
    â€˜Sorry, Mistress Poppy.’
    Now Evie finds herself giggling. At last her back relaxes into the chair.
    â€˜We have to concentrate,’ Poppy scolds. ‘Please can I call on someone in the spirit world? I’d like to ask a question.’
    â€˜I think I should ask the question,’ Alex interrupts. ‘It’s about me, remember?’
    â€˜All right.’ Poppy rolls her eyes. ‘Go on.’
    â€˜I would like to ask if Zac Arcos likes me – Alex, the one speaking.’
    Slowly, Poppy moves the glass to the word ‘NO’. Alex glares at her. Poppy then moves the glass around the letters to spell, ‘He thinks you stink’.
    â€˜Piss off,’ Alex mouths. Evie is trying so hard not to laugh.
    â€˜Does Zac like me?’ Alex repeats. ‘I will spell his name for you, so you in the spirit world know who I’m talking about.’ The girls push the glass to the letter Z, then to A and C. ‘If someone is there, could they answer my question, please? Does Zac – Zac Arcos – like me?’
    They wait, their fingers resting on the glass. Slowly, it begins to move. It slides to C, then A, then Z.
    â€˜Caz?’ Alex says. ‘Not C-A-Z. Z-A-C.’
    Again, very slowly, C-A-Z is spelt.
    â€˜I think the spirit you’ve called up is dyslexic, Poppy.’
    â€˜Very funny, Alex.’
    The letters C-A-Z are spelt out again, just a little faster this time. Evie shifts her weight in the chair, unsticking the backs of her thighs that seem to be glued to the seat.
    â€˜Poppy?’ Alex snaps.
    The glass keeps moving in the same direction. ‘C-A-Z, C-A-Z, C-A-Z.’
    A bead of sweat slips down Evie’s forehead.
    â€˜Poppy!’
    â€˜It’s not me, Alex! Promise.’ The fear in Poppy’s voice bounces off the living-room walls. ‘It’s not. Look!’ Poppy lifts her finger off, yet the glass continues to slide across the table, scratching the timber as it points to the letters ‘CAZCAZCAZCAZCAZ’, over and over.
    Now Alex’s finger is off the glass, too. ‘Shit!’ she cries.
    Only Evie’s is left.
    Her cheeks burn red as the glass whizzes around the centre of the table, jerking her arm in and out as it hits the letters at a frantic pace. Evie watches her hand in horror, aware of a heat that is descending from the ceiling and settling around her shoulders.
    â€˜What’s … what’s it doing, Evie?’ squeals Alex, her arms wrapped around Poppy. ‘Can’t you make it stop? Tell it to stop! Stop!’
    The glass fishtails around the table, swiping numbers and letters off on its way.
    â€˜Talk to it!’ Alex is shrieking now. ‘Tell, talk, ask who …’
    Evie tries to swallow. Her mouth is so dry. Her skin is burning hot. The heat is almost too much to bear. She must be close now. Very close.
    â€˜Evie! Do something!’
    â€˜Um, um,’ mumbles Evie. A new word is starting to form. Evie can barely hear herself as she calls the letters out. ‘S-H-E. S-H-E.’
    â€˜She,’ whispers Poppy. ‘S-A-Y-S, S-H-E S-A-Y-S. She says .’
    Now the force is so strong that Evie throws herself against the edge of the table to steady herself. ‘She says, she says.’ Her voice is breathless as she spells it out. ‘Y-O-U W-I-L-L, S-H-E S-A-Y-S. She says you will. W-I-L-L W-I-L-L …’
    â€˜Will what?’ Poppy gasps, placing her hand on Evie’s back to support her. ‘Will what, Evie?’
    Evie shakes her head.
    â€˜W-I-L-L W-I-L-L H-E-L-P M-E S-H-E S-A-Y-S. She says you will help me.’
    â€˜Who?’ Alex pants. ‘Who? Ask who she?’ is
    Evie keeps repeating the message, unaware of Alex’s pleading. ‘She says you will help me, she says you