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“I’m trying! It says it’s still on, but it’s not! Why isn’t it working?”
I stand up slowly, feeling a cloaking of spirits filling the room. I breathe them in, and even though I can’t see a soul, I know there are many. Many different ages and strengths surrounding me.
They know what kind of person I am, the kind of blood that runs through me. And I can sense them as well, and none of it’s good.
“This is bad. This is really bad,” I mumble under my breath.
“You guys, we have to get out of here. Right now. Run. Run!” Vera screams as she shoots up the stairs to go up into the school without a second thought. The girls race behind her, and I sprint up last, feeling them all follow behind me, close, too fucking close.
Blaire crashes into Vera at the top of the stairs, her heavy pants chopping her words. “What was that? I definitely felt something.”
I slam into Blaire, turning around and gripping the door with my hands. I see eyes, so many eyes at the bottom of the stairs. With wide eyes, I push the door closed as quickly as I can, swallowing down the horrified scream. “Because there was. But it wasn’t just one. It was… it was a lot of somethings,” I say in a shaky voice.
I glance around, seeing the dark halls, barely lit from the outside moonlight.
“Let’s hurry up and get out of here. I’m getting the creeps more than normal in this place,” Vera whispers, passing a gas can to me.
We all nod as we head across the hall, racing into the girls’ bathroom to gather as much toilet paper and paper towels as possible. I burrow them under my arms as I walk out of the girls’ bathroom and into the boys’, doing the same thing.
Popping open the lid cap on my gas can, I tip it over, listening to the splash of gas as it hits the tiled ground. The strong smell reaches my nose, and I scrunch my face as I walk out of the bathroom and into the halls. The girls do the same, and we each take a section of the hall as we walk through the school, covering the walls, doors, and floors with every drop inside our plastic containers.
Vera stops in front of The Room of Atonement, pouring an extra few splashes across the door. I let her have her moment, walking away from her and toward the front door.
I shake my jug once I reach the door, glancing at Blaire. “I’m out,” I tell her.
“Me too,” Piper says as she walks up to us, shaking her container.
Vera jogs toward us, her empty jug swinging from her fingers. “Start putting the paper everywhere you can. Use every bit.”
We all nod, racing throughout the school, the scent of gasoline so overpowering that a headache begins to form. We drape the paper towels and toilet paper over lockers, across doorknobs, hanging them off lights, making our own teepee across the school as we go. They stick to the walls and the floors and everywhere we can reach.
By the time we’re finished, the only thing that’s running through my veins is relief.
Until I realize… how the fuck are we going to light this? “Shit, no one brought a lighter,” I pant.
Vera laughs, digging into the pocket of her hoodie and pulling out a black lighter. “One step ahead of you.”
I smile as we hopscotch over the soggy paper, heading toward the exit. The last scrap ends at Vera’s feet, dried and ready to engulf into flames.
Flicking the lock, it’s loud and heavy as it unlatches. I shove the door open, letting a gust of cool air enter the stifling church. The fresh air fills my lungs as I take a deep breath. “Ready?” I ask Vera, reaching out and brushing her elbow.
Relief floods me, and Vera nods in my direction.
It’s time.
“Here goes nothing,” she says as she squats down, sparking the lighter and setting the flame underneath the paper. The toilet paper lights instantly, engulfing into flames. It curls around itself, the trail igniting like a blazing string of lights.
Shit.
We race outside, and I slam the door shut, running down the steps until we stand far enough away. Turning around, my eyes widen as I see the yellow glow coming from the other side of the windows.
Smoke billows high above us, and crackling and popping fills the air as the windows explode from the pressure, glass flying out into the yard. My eyes widen, my jaw dropping as I watch the flames curl around the bricks of the building, eating the exterior of the church and completely demolishing the inside. Light bulbs pop and crash inside of the church, and the scent of gasoline mixes with smoke as it fills the air.
“I can’t believe we did this,” Piper whispers after a second.
“Should we go? Someone will come soon, right? If they aren’t already on their way,” Blaire says, glancing over her shoulder.
Vera shrugs, completely uncaring about what happens as her eyes drink in everything in front of her. I don’t blame her, as I feel the same. I can barely peel my eyes away from the fire, completely consuming what should be holy ground, but is consumed by evil.
