Finding out about an affair through the Ouija Board

Characters:

Linda: A 16-year-old girl wearing rose-printed pajamas.

Samantha: A 36-year-old ghost.

Scene:

Linda’s bedroom, 11:00 PM. A full moon glows through the window, casting silver shadows across the room. Linda sits cross-legged on the floor, a flashlight shining over the Ouija board.

Linda: (In whispers, trembling with excitement) Is anyone here in this room?

(The planchette moves slowly across the board. It spells: YES. Linda gasps and pulls the blanket closer to her shoulders.)

Linda: (nervously) What’s your name?

(The planchette drags again, letter by letter: S-A-M-A-N-T-H-A.)

Linda: Hi… Samantha. Is there anything you want to share with me? Anything that doesn’t bother you to talk about? (giggling nervously) Oh my gosh, I can’t believe this is actually happening.

(A faint, echoing voice fills the room.)

Samantha (voiceover): Yes. I’m here because I want you to know something.

Linda: (clutching the flashlight tighter) Ummm… me? Do you happen to know me? Are we related? What do you want me to know?

Samantha (voiceover): I never got to meet you. But I knew your father very well. He is still quite handsome, though still a little clumsy.

(Linda’s eyes widen. Her heart pounds as she leans closer to the board.)

Linda: (her voice rising) What about my father? How do you know him? Were you an old friend of his?

(The planchette jerks suddenly, spelling: WE WERE MORE THAN FRIENDS. Then it spells slowly: YOUR DAD AND I SLEPT TOGETHER.)

(Linda’s face flushes with shock. She drops the flashlight; it rolls, throwing wild shadows on the walls.)

Linda: (shouting) EXCUSE ME? You and my dad? That’s impossible! My dad would never betray my mom. He’s never even mentioned your name!

Samantha (voiceover): (mocking) Believe what you want. But your father still thinks about me. Your mom? She was always the most annoying person. He still keeps a picture of me, me in a red dress. Your mom wore the same one once, but he wasn’t impressed. With me, though, he kissed me like I was his everything. It’s a shame I died and that he is now stuck with your mom.

Linda: (furious, tears in her eyes) What the hell do you have against my mom? She’s not some basic woman! She has respect, she has honor, and she loves my dad! My dad loves her too!! I know he loves her!!

(The planchette scrapes harshly across the board: YOUR DAD WISHES HE COULD MARRY ME. YOUR MOM CAN’T COOK. SHE IS PATHETIC.)

(Linda’s face turns strawberry red. Her hands shake as she slams the flashlight off. She shoves the Ouija board away, her breath uneven.)

Linda: (yelling at the board) ENOUGH! You don’t know my parents! You’re just some bitter ghost! I want you to go bother someone else now, do you hear me??!!

(A cold gust of wind blows through the room, rustling papers and making the curtains whip. The Ouija board rattles, the planchette sliding one last time: IN YOUR DAD'S HEART I WIN.)

(Linda lets out a frustrated scream. She grabs the Ouija board, throws it across the room, and storms out. The hallway creaks under her hurried footsteps. She stops outside her parents’ bedroom, her chest heaving.)

Linda: (screaming, voice cracking) DAD!!! Who the hell is this freaking slut named Samantha?!

(Her parents’ door opens. A light spills out. Her dad, looking pale and startled, stands there in his robe.)

Dad: (stammering) Linda… where did you hear that name?

Mom: (calm and then looks at Dad) I guess Samantha was never going to stay hidden.

(The sound of Samantha’s laughter echoes faintly, lingering in the room as the lights flicker. Curtain falls.)