Gabriel disliked the negative connotation that the occult and witchcraft often got. There was nothing inherently wrong about the spiritual world. It was Western Judeo-Christian prejudices about the spiritual world that caused people to fear and condemn witchcraft. That, and the legacy of demonic horror movies that began in the 1970s.
In reality, witchcraft was usually perfectly innocent. There was nothing demonic about it. It was about being connected to the natural world and the spirit world. You didn’t even need to believe in the supernatural, in the sense of gods and the like, to be a witch. Your practice could be entirely based on the natural world. Gabriel believed there was something supernatural and spiritual in the world, and he believed that if there was a god, then god was more a force than a being. The idea of a conscious being didn’t add up to him. He couldn’t make peace with the idea of a moral and all-powerful god allowing for cruelty to exist in the world. The explanation that it was a paradox you had to live with didn’t make sense to him either. If this all-powerful god had created humans with rational brains, why should those brains be turned off to accept the god’s existence?
In spirituality, mysticism, and the occult, he found peace because these practices didn’t force answers on him. In his practice, he was allowed to be uncertain and to ask questions. There was nuance, and there was balance.
Irma had taught him that, and she was much better at accepting it than he was. He was still learning, but he considered her almost a master of her craft.
In the living room, she had set everything up for the séance. She had cleansed the air by burning lavender and incense. She had moved the couches and chairs to form a loose circle, and within that she had placed her ouija board and four candles. Crystals were set up for protection—the occult wasn’t inherently evil, but it also wasn’t inherently good, and it was better to be proactive than reactive—and Irma’s Tarot deck kept watch above the board.
Evan and Aubrey sat beside each other on one of the couches, looking mildly intrigued. From next to Gabriel, Drew watched with interest, a mug of coffee in his hands.
“Some pretty cool witchy fuckery,” he murmured to Gabriel, and Gabriel pinched his arm.
“Okay,” Irma said. She didn’t hear Drew’s commentary, or didn’t care. “Everything is ready.”
They sat gathered around the Ouija board. Irma went about everything with a practical, businesslike manner. She was calm and efficient. First, she picked up her Tarot deck.
“I want to set an intention for this séance,” she said. “Something to keep us focused and help guide us.”
Everyone nodded—it seemed practical.
Irma shuffled her cards. Two popped out.
“Okay,” she said. “Interesting.”
She set the two cards below the Ouija board. Gabriel looked at them with interest and decided to wait for her interpretation. He could make his own, but he wanted to know what she would say.
“We have two cards here,” Irma said. “The first is the Page of Swords. I don’t get this card often. It represents going into a situation with an open mind, or looking for and finding new ideas. I think that applies well right now. This card can mean that as you approach a challenge, or a new idea, you’re going in with positive energy and an open mind. Considering our current circumstance and purpose, I believe it suggests that we need to be open to wherever tonight could take us. Be curious and nonjudgmental.”
“Fitting,” Drew whispered to Gabriel, bumping his shoulder. “I’m still amazed by these cards.”
“Right?” Gabriel said. “As long as you keep your intentions open, it works, doesn’t it?”
“What’s the next card?” Evan said, leaning in close.
Irma grinned. “This card? It’s the Lovers.”
Gabriel had noticed that card immediately. He had his own interpretation, and he wanted to know what Irma’s was. He had gone into the Tarot reading thinking about what they could learn about any spirits in the area, but also thinking about what he could learn personally. He found that the spiritual and mystical world often provided insights into the physical world beyond what he knew. He hoped for some clarity, specifically about Drew.
His personal reading of the cards, related to his situation, was that the Page of Swords was telling him to be open when it came to the new romantic connection he was exploring with Drew. The Lovers card in the Major Arcana did not necessarily mean romantic love. It could mean anything related to a deep and intense connection. It emphasized the importance of communication, and sometimes signaled the need for an important sacrifice, in order to pursue something of greater worth.
He and Drew had formed an undeniable connection. It was special and not like anything he had experienced before. He didn’t want to lose it. The cards guided his thoughts, telling him that he needed to be open to what the future held. He knew that all choices required sacrifice. Nothing in life was free, even if that cost wasn’t monetary. He hadn’t even considered that he and Drew could be together long term. Maybe they could be, though that would require a sacrifice.
He was getting distracted by his own thoughts, and he needed to listen to Irma. She was about to give her interpretation of the cards and how they applied to their séance.
She explained to the others what Gabriel had just thought about the Lovers—how the card didn’t just signal romance, but could signal other connections.
“I’ll admit I’m not entirely sure what this means,” Irma said. “It encourages choosing a path, so maybe that is something to keep in mind.” She looked around at the gathered people. “Are we ready to call the spirits?”
Aubrey shivered, and Gabriel felt excited. “Ready,” he said, and the others agreed.
Irma closed her eyes. “Spirits,” she said. “We welcome you here. We welcome specifically those who know what is going on at the Orion’s Belt Hockey Camp. You are safe here if you do not harm us.”
She opened her eyes and looked at everyone. “Now let’s join hands.” They all joined hands, and Gabriel squeezed Drew’s hand. “And in unison, we’ll repeat, ‘You are welcome here.’”
They chanted the phrase in unison, their voices a low chorus. It was dark in the living room except for the candles. Gabriel suppressed a shiver. The moment felt sacred and important.
There was a noise, or maybe it was in Gabriel’s mind. It sounded like the wind.
