This is the reason

A couple of months ago I told a story about an encounter I had in my parent's home in Alaska. I titled it Past Terrors Infiltrate Present Pleasures. It can be found here http://cosselp.blogspot.com/2011/08/past-terrors-infiltrate-present.html
At the end of that tale I mention that it was my fault that the what ever it was, was in my home. Perhaps it's because Halloween is coming, or perhaps it is because I want to tell this story, either way here it is.

It was dark that winter night as me, my brother Benjamin and our friends Chris Moss and Mike Egan sat in my bedroom. We had just finish playing football and our cheeks were still red from being in the cold. If memory serves it was January and the temperature far below zero. We were between the ages of 14 and 16, with Mike being the oldest and me the youngest.

Our usual routine was to break out the playing cards and play either Poker or Rummy, but for some reason we decided to stray from the norm. Chris had the grand idea of trying to perform a seance. To this day I do not remember why.

Chris told us he knew how to do it and, after some cajoling, convinced Ben to be the vessel for our spirit to use. We closed the door, lit a candle and sat in a circle on the floor. Who do we summon? That was the big question. We each threw out some names before we settled on one. I do not remember who we chose first.

Several seconds of us chanting proved to be fruitless. We decided to try another name. This time we used my suggestion, Aliester Crowley. Thankfully that didn't work either.

Frustrated, but definitely interested in trying more of this occultish type stuff, we asked what we could do next. Again it was Chris with the ideas.

We could try to make a Ouija Board, he says. We all agree. Chris tells us he has a friend who knows how to make one, he just needs to call her. So he does. Thirty minutes later he is off the phone and we are gathering supplies.

Our list consists of pen, sticky notes, candles, and a crystal glass. Now all we need to do is wait for my parents to go to sleep.

Around 11:30 we hear the tell-tale signs of my parents in deep slumber. we sneak out my bedroom and down to the dining room. Chris follows the direction and constructs our board on my parent's hand crafted wooden dining room table.

Finally it is complete. Our crystal glass, to be used as our indicator, is taken from my Mom's crystal collection. These glasses have been known to sing beautifully when the rim is rubbed just right.

Chris tells us all to be seated at the table. He explains that we must all touch the glass at the same time and never let go until we all break together. He says this is very important. Too bad I didn't listen.

Ok, he says, everyone touch the glass. Timidly we all reach for the glass. The three of them gently place their fingers on the bottom of the glass - it has been turned upside down to be used as a view finder - I am about two seconds behind them.

Believe what you want, what happened next is the truth.

When my fingers touched the glass the flames on the candle doubled, if not tripled in size. Outside, my three dogs began barking crazily, scaring us all, forcing us to break contact with the glass. We all pulled away terrified. Everything returned to normal.

We looked at each other, rather they all stared at me. Chris again emphasized the importance of touching at the same time. But fear filled my ears and I didn't pay any attention.

Let's do it again, he says.

And yet again I was late. The results were much more dramatic. Again the dogs started barking/howling outside. The candles shot up to four times their size and the wind began to blow wildly. That was enough for us. We hastily pulled away from the glass. Things took longer to return to normal this time.

I don't remember who said it, but I remember someone saying we need to destroy our creation. The candles were broken in half and, along with the crystal, cast out into the woods surrounding our home.

The sticky notes were ripped from the table and thrown into the trash. The four of us ran upstairs to the couch, fear coursing through our veins.

Mike felt compelled to grab our family Bible and encouraged Chris and Ben to sit with him. I was not asked to join them.

Sleep did not come easy that night. Nor did it come easy for me for several nights. I do not know what happened, or why it happened. But after that incident strange things went on in my parent's home. The climax of which I have already told.

Believe what you want, think what you want. I will never forget this night. I would bet Ben, Mike and Chris wont either.

Happy Halloween.