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“What’s this?” Asked Newt, holding up a battered box that looked like it might once have held a board game, but was now corroded by time and possibly mice. “I dunno.” Replied Anathema, giving it a good shake. It clunked ominously. “But I don’t think it’s scrabble.” The lid crumbled in her hands as she opened it and peeked inside. “Oh wow, cool!” Enthused Newt; “It’s a Ouija! I’ve always wanted to try one of those.”
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough of meddling dead people and demons, haven’t you?”
“Well…er…” Newt scratched his head. “It’s only for a lark, isn’t it? Besides,” He added as her face started to resemble a certain long-dead relative, “how effective could a thing manufactured by Hasbro be?”
“Fair point, but you’d be surprised, my great aunt Virtue Device…”
And she stopped. Newt was doing that thing with his eyes that made him look like an exasperated, crestfallen toddler.
“Ok, ok, but we’re going to do this properly.”
—- —————————————————————————
A half hour later, surrounded by burning, smelly things and odd symbols, they placed their hands on a planchette. It immediately started to zig all over the place.
“Easy, Newt!” Snapped Anathema.
“Yeah, right, like you’re not the one moving it.” Anathema glared, then removed her hands from the planchette, causing it to knock Newt over backwards, onto the floor. She let out a sound that might’ve been a cackle, then stopped, suddenly. “Newt? You ok?”
Newt didn’t raise up.
“Oh shit. NEWT!”
Anathema leaned down, cradling his head in her hands.
“Newt, WAKE UP.”
He opened his eyes, slowly.
“Anathema?”
She sighed.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to knock you over like that, honestly!”
“Uh… what the bloody he- heav- how did I get here?” He sat up in an uncharacteristically slinky manner, and looked down at himself.
“And WHAT am I wearing?”
“I… think you might be wearing my friend Newt, sir. Or… Ma’am?”
“Anathema, I don’t know what you two get up to in your spare time, and I don’t want to. Next time you’re looking to spice up your evening, leave me out of it.”
Anathema started to interrupt, but was quickly shushed like a child, with two fingers on her lips. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got a date with a literal Angel.”
He arranged himself in a lounging position on the floor, and closed his eyes.
“Hello?” She asked, tentatively.
He opened one eye, said “Ciao” and closed it again. A few seconds later, he scrambled to his feet like a big clumsy dog.
“What did you knock me over for! I wasn’t moving it, I swear!”
“I believe you.” assured Anathema, as she gingerly put the offending items back in their box, and unceremoniously threw it in the fire.
“Let’s burn some sage, shall we?”