Mostly reactions/filler. Skip to purple dialogue for responses.
Willow was more than prepared to use the ouija board to contact spirits. She knew there were consequences, even deadly ones, but she needed to know the reason two people met their end, one after another. A part of her just wanted to solve the case and keep it hidden from her parents for good. But another part wanted to see Alissa and Mr. Albert again. To let them know that there’s a group of people who will do anything to solve the case. Sure, their motives were a bit selfish, but it was better than leaving them to be forgotten as the rumors faded away.
Willow sighed quietly at Jacob and Jenny’s questions. She knew they’d be sleptical of her idea. After all, she wasn’t known to bring the most logical or realistic solutions. But she had hope that it would work, maybe by some magic. The entire sequence of events following detention were unbelievable, so why wouldn’t something impossible happen again? Willow took a deep breath as she prepared herself to explain how to use the ouija board. She recalled everything she remembered reading, everything she’d researched the previous day. Before she began her demonstration, she took out candles from her bag and placed them on her desk. She put down a lighter, along with a folded piece of paper of possible things they could say. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, she was suddenly cut off by Jenny’s observation.
“I know we’re all here because of detention, but think about it. Why are we all in detention on the very day Mr. Albert was found dead? You guys know I don’t really even want to be part of your little investigation or whatever, but Callava is a pain in my •ss."
When Willow heard that, she felt her blood go cold. How could she possibly miss that?
Jenny then turned to Jacob, leaning in. “You know, Jacob, it’s weird how your sister mysteriously overdosed the very next day after all this happened.” She said so bluntly, as if she hadn’t even considered how her words would affect Jacob. Willow sighed and leaned back against the wall, her hand on her forehead. She wasn’t about to deal with this again. Jenny then continued, asking a sudden, unexpected question. “Did you know she had a drug problem? Or was she just really upset about what went down that night in detention?”
Willow slowly turned her head up, her eyes wide as she stared at Jenny in disbelief. She wanted to say Stop. Don’t you think he’s been through enough? That’s not the right approach. But she stood there in silence, anticipating his reply. Willow wanted to speak, but her voice betrayed her. Jenny wasn’t entirely wrong to ask, it was an important part of the investigation. But there had to be a better, gentler way to go by it.
Holding her breath in anticipation, Willow’s eyes darted between Jacob and Jenny, ready for what was about to come.
And there it was. First came Jacob’s answer. “My sister did not have a drug problem, she was a very fcking healthy girl and had numerous people like her unlike you. She never had a reason to resort to drugs."
And what followed after was a jab at Jenny coming from Jacob, who was likely rightfully hurt by her question. Willow was aware which direction the conversation was about to turn to, so without a second thought, she sat back down on her desk. She pulled her notebook out, prepared to once again tune out her chaotic surroundings through writing. She held her pen firmly, as the two’s voices loudly echoed off inside her head. The argument seemed to drag on for hours, even if it had been a single minute at most. The more they went on, the louder their voices became even if it wasn’t that heated in reality. Willow could barely focus, the noise sounding as if two simultaneous explosions went off at once. She tried to listen, even if it was only keywords like “Alissa”. But she wanted so desperately to stop hearing another argument. Willow hated how she sat there helplessly, wanting to stop them but being unable to speak. And the need to note down more information was overwhelming, but she couldn’t tell her thoughts apart well enough to write anything coherent.
But in the middle of it all, Hazel’s calm and smooth voice stood out. It was like a pause in the tension. Willow picked up one thing, and it was ”Alissa wouldn’t be on any drugs… It had to have been someone else who did this to her.” That single statement was everything Willow needed to know. She swiftly moved her pen on the blank line in her notebook and noted down the information. But there was something so ominous about a sentence so direct. Though it was a relief Alissa wasn’t on drugs, there was the chilling truth that she was, in fact, murdered. Willow’s blood went even colder, feeling her hands go slightly numb. The truth wasn’t going to be that easy to find and the realization was slowly sinking in.
“Is it that you’re scared of ghosts? Come on Boyd, you know ghosts do not exist,” Jacob’s words snapped Willow back to the present. The atmosphere seemed to be slowly calming down and Willow’s thoughts began to clear up. Scared of ghosts? She had been so preoccupied with her plan, she’d never even considered how the others might react or feel. Disoriented and overwhelmed from everything happening at once, she could barely stop and breathe. Much less read their feelings, expressions and body language, to decipher their motivation behind their words and actions. She had become so inattentive. So stuck in her own mind. He continued, “Sorry Willow- it’s just um that, I’m not you know yeah I’ll just stop talking.”
Willow could only respond with a deep sigh, looking into his eyes. “I know you don’t believe in the existence of ghosts. Yet as I’ve told you, I’m willing to try anything. But I am thankful you voiced your thoughts, especially you Jenny,” she said, turning her tired eyes towards her. Willow had to put aside the heated conversation from earlier, burying it in the back of her mind. It was the only way to continue forward. “I wouldn’t dare do something that would cause harm to the rest of you. So I apologize, deeply, for not considering your thoughts. We could try a different idea, I am open to anything.”
But then she listened as they all gave their ideas. First Jacob’s suggestion about contacting Dior, who was well known as Alissa’s best friend. It made so much sense, much more than Willow’s plan. And he’d thought of it in the moment. And then Reece chimed in, with the suggestion that Jacob talks to her instead of the whole group. If only Willow could’ve contributed to something instead of wasting their time, she thought. She sighed, trying to think. She couldn’t lag behind.
Dior was sure to have some answers, a testimony. She had to know a lot about Alissa, maybe even about her cause of death, her addiction, where she was the day before, or why she was in detention to begin with. But Willow was certain of one thing, and it was that she’d likely be in a very fragile state of mind following the events. She nodded to the idea, adding “I agree. But you should be very gentle with her, Jacob. After all, she…” Willow trailed off with a frown, hoping the group would understand what she was implying. She continued softly, “She needs support above all, so if she refuses to answer we should be understanding. I’m sorry, but her wellbeing is more important than this mystery.” A short pause followed. Could she really leave the investigation up to him alone? It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but one person could easily miss important clues. Willow looked down at her notebook in front of her. She had been the one taking notes the entire time. The one who specifically focused on reading body language, signs and emotions. And she considered herself good at it, at that. So, although she thought it unlikely, she asked, “Can I come with you?” I won’t interfere. But I think two witnesses would be better than one."
And finally, Reece suggested he get the report from the morgue so they have more information at their hands. Willow nodded to that as well, approving of his idea. “I hope that works in our favor. It would be of great help.”
Willow desperately wanted to contribute, aside from commenting on their plans. So she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to think. What could possibly be another way to get a clue? What would help their investigation, and didn’t rely on baseless myths and pure optimism? The only thing she had at her disposal was her writing in her notebook…
Writing.
That’s right. Alissa had left a note.
“And… We need to find Alissa’s note,” Willow strained her voice to be heard by everyone. “We could analyze what it says, what it was written on and with…” she paused, trying to add ideas. "If it was written in a hurry or unfinished, if it’s her usual handwriting… And not potentially someone else’s.
After she’d said that, Willow sighed, preparing for the worst. At least she knew this time her idea made slightly more sense, and it was more attainable in reality. If she couldn’t talk to Alissa’s spirit, then the words she left behind would do.
