“The last one.” Mike was etching the symbol from Tracy’s book on the last mirror of the stack. “My wrist is starting to hurt so thank God.”
“We still need to connect it.”
“Well Grant that’s what you are for.” Mike smiled as he finished his last line and began to rotate his wrist in small circles. “I need to start working out again this is ridiculous.” It had just occurred to him that he hasn’t worked out since before his last game.
Grant took the mirror and attached it to the others. “All done.”
The sun was fading as they began to take their stuff into the house. The lists of supplies had managed to combine themselves into only a handful of items. The biggest being the stack of mirrors that Mike and Grant were now lugging up the steps. After they brought it into the room they stood it up against the wall and began to rearrange the room so they could accordion out the mirrors to make their thirteen sided trap.
“I don’t think we can keep the bed in here.” Grant said.
“I think you are right.” Mike said as he began to stare at the bed in the middle of the room. “This worked out better in my head.”
They began to dismantle the bed and take it into the room with the wardrobe. Since it had the most open space it would be the fastest way to get it out of the room they were in.
“That’s better.” Jen said as they had the mirrors set up in the now empty room.
Inside the trap had begun to brighten from the ceiling light that was shining down and bounced from mirror to mirror and it seemed like it just continued to intensify.
“Kill the light Jen.” Mike said as he started squinting and covering his eyes to keep the intense light out of them.
The room immediately darkened as she turned off the light. There was just enough light coming in through the window that allowed them to finish readying the room. Tracy hurriedly began to scatter candles all around the floor inside the trap. As she finished the sun had all but vanished over the horizon.
The four stood inside the trap in silence, a bead of sweat rolled down Grant’s forehead.
Jen stood biting her nails the events of the last time she was in here still at the forefront of her mind.
They all had their own worries and thoughts; Mike’s being something happening to someone and him not being able to save them.
Tracy was feeling the pressure of everyone and everything relying on her doing things she had never done before, a fear that kept her up all night. The silence was broken when Emily appeared just outside the doorway.
“So this is it?” She asked from the door way as she looked at the many mirrors now making a near perfect tridecagon. “He has been stirring ever since you set it up.”
“Does he know what it is?” Tracy made her way out into the hallway with Emily.
“Not exactly but it’s not hard to know it is something for him to fear.” Emily forcefully turned her head to face Tracy as if she had to struggle to take her eyes off of the marked mirrors inside the room. “It has a very strange feeling about it. It feels like there is a vacuum drawing me in.”
“You should stay away then Em.” Tracy responded. “No point in taking chances especially right now.”
“Does he know Jen is here?” Mike asked as he too joined her in the hall.
Emily shook her head as she had to pull her gaze out of the room once again. “Not that I know of. The last time I could feel him lust after her.” The look of concern that overtook Mike’s face was hard to miss. “I don’t feel anything like that now and it won’t be a surprise this time.”
He forced a grin and nodded then turned to Tracy. “We need to handle my part Trace.”
“Yeah we better start.” She reached into the small cloth bag that previously held her many brown paper wrapped packages and pulled out the vile of liquid she had made last night. “You sure you want to do this?”
“Yeah I’m sure.” He made his way into the room of mirrors and sat down at the very back of it. “What do I do?”
Tracy handed him the vile of liquid with a bit of a smile. “Have to drink all of this when I tell you to. I can’t guarantee it isn’t going to be the most horrible thing ever though.”
“Yum.” He was holding the vile up examining it, glad the light from outside had faded enough so he couldn’t really get a good look at it. “Looks kinda like tea.”
“It might now.” Tracy said as she turned and began to light the candles she had placed earlier.
Jen walked over to Mike and kneeled down in front of him. “Please be careful.” She gave him a kiss on his lips then one on his forehead before she made her way back over by Grant.
The light from the candles was magnified by the mirrors and the center of the room began to glow again. She opened up her book to the pre-marked page then reached back into the bag and pulled out a large piece of white chalk. “I’ll clean this up later Em.” She said with a quick glance out into the hall which was now aglow from the light coming out of the mirrored enclosure. “Ok.” She said turning back to face Mike. “Drink up and then get into a comfortable laying position.”
Mike gulped down the liquid as fast as he could. As he did his eyes clinched and his nose upturned. Afraid of it coming back up he decided to not say anything and just lie down on his back with his hands resting on his stomach. His heart began to race as he began to breath heavy. What the hell am I doing? He asked himself as Tracy approached.
She knelt down beside him and began to draw different symbols near his upper and lower halves. “Body sleep mind awake. Body sleep mind awake.” She opened another vile of liquid she had sitting on her book and dabbed it on her finger then made marks on his forehead. “As your body shall sleep your mind shall awaken.” She dabbed another bit of liquid and retraced the marks on his forehead. “The soul shall become free of the vessel.” She began to drizzle some of the liquid around the top of his head. “You shall be free to roam as you please to explore another realm.” She placed her hand on his forehead and closed her eyes.
His breathing began to slow as his chest began to rise and fall in a much more controlled rate. A second later his hands began to slowly slide off his body till they were resting on the floor at his sides.
Jen stood near the side with her nails in her mouth chewing away. “Oh my God.” She rapidly repeated under her breath.
Grant reached up and placed his hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down.
The candles began to dim as Tracy continued. “With the aide of the guardians I release you. You are released from your vessel.” The candles dimmed almost to the point of being extinguished before coming back to life and burning brightly again. Tracy removed her hand from his forehead.
“Is he ok? Did it work?” Jen asked as she took a step towards the two.
“I don’t know.” Tracy said as she began to examine Mike’s body. His breathing had become so slight that it looked as though he might not have been breathing at all. “I don’t know.” She began to look around but saw nothing. She was unsure if she would anyway so she began hoping for some kind of sign.
“Something happened; did you see how the candles reacted?” Grant was now looking around too.
“Mike?” Jen kneeled down beside his body and began gently rubbing his hand. “Are you ok?” Just then she felt a chill rise up her arm as the candles began to flutter again. She instinctively pulled her hand away. “What was that?” She asked as the candles returned to normal.
Tracy sprung up her mouth agape as she stared off in front of her.