Spirit Board

You find yourself on the stairs. Where will you go? [[The kitchen.|1K]] [[The hall.|1H]] [[The parlor.|1P]]

There is one room left. You've been avoiding it. [[The bedroom.|bedroom]]

The bed you built is gone. So is the pallet she brought from home, and the stack of her beautiful quilts. It had started with one, and grown by one quilt a year until they were twelve in all. Upon starting the thirteenth, you laughed at her and said //This house is drowning in quilts. Nobody needs thirteen quilts,// you said. She set her jaw and stubbornly sewed the quilt, but when it was finished, she gave it to Mrs. Parkinson down the road. You said she mustn't give them away. You said //The only body I want wrapped in your quilts is mine.// You feel a sharp [[tug|tug]] in the place where your heart used to be.

You move toward the sounds. There are two of them. They huddle like shadows on the floor. You cannot make out their shapes. You are not of their world, not anymore. There is something between them. A flat board, with writing on it. You drift closer. A block-letter alphabet and a row of numbers. The words "yes" and "no." A crescent moon in one corner, and stars in the others. A [[voice|voice]] comes out of one of the huddling shadows, clear as a bell.

The kitchen is much changed. Nothing is as it was. There is a large white box and a silver rack, and some other confusing things. Where is the fireplace? Doesn't it get cold? You wonder if it's cold. You can't tell, of course. You miss her. [[The hall.|2KH]] [[The parlor.|2KP]]

The hall seems longer than it used to be. It is deserted. Her pictures are all gone. Her embroidery is all gone. She is the only reason you stayed. [[The parlor.|3P]]

The parlor is unrecognizable. Her walnut chair is gone, of course. You would have liked to see it again. It seems impossible, but you can still remember how she looked sitting in that chair, her sewing in her lap, the lamplight turning her copper hair to dim gold. She is the only reason you stayed. [[The hall.|3H]]

You sigh insubstantially, a sound like the barest breeze. The parlor is unrecognizable. Her walnut chair is gone, of course. You would have liked to see it again. It seems impossible, but you can still remember how she looked sitting in that chair, her sewing in her lap, the lamplight turning her copper hair to dim gold. [[Where is she?|whereisshe]]

You sigh insubstantially, a sound like the barest breeze. The hall seems longer than it used to be. It is deserted. Her pictures are all gone. Her embroidery is all gone. [[Where is she?|whereisshe]]

The hall seems longer than it used to be. It is deserted. Her pictures are all gone. Her embroidery is all gone. You miss her. [[The kitchen.|2HK]] [[The parlor.|2HP]]

The kitchen is much changed. Nothing is as it was. There is a large white box and a silver rack, and some other confusing things. Where is the fireplace? Doesn't it get cold? You wonder if it's cold. You can't tell, of course. She is the only reason you stayed. [[The parlor.|3P]]

You sigh insubstantially, a sound like the barest breeze. The kitchen is much changed. Nothing is as it was. There is a large white box and a silver rack, and some other confusing things. Where is the fireplace? Doesn't it get cold? You wonder if it's cold. You can't tell, of course. [[Where is she?|whereisshe]]

The parlor is unrecognizable. Her walnut chair is gone, of course. You would have liked to see it again. It seems impossible, but you can still remember how she looked sitting in that chair, her sewing in her lap, the lamplight turning her copper hair to dim gold. You miss her. [[The kitchen.|2PK]] [[The hall.|2PH]]

The kitchen is much changed. Nothing is as it was. There is a large white box and a silver rack, and some other confusing things. Where is the fireplace? Doesn't it get cold? You wonder if it's cold. You can't tell, of course. She is the only reason you stayed. [[The hall.|3H]]

The hall seems longer than it used to be. It is deserted. Her pictures are all gone. Her embroidery is all gone. She is the only reason you stayed. [[The kitchen.|3K]]

There is a rustling downstairs. There is someone in [[the parlor|parloragain]].

**Spirit Board** <span style='font-size:18px'>by Sibyl Moss</span> [[About|about]] [[Start|start]]

The moon is full. The time is ripe. [[You have grown restless.|wheretogo]]

"Spirit Board" is loosely based on Alma Routsong's 1969 novel //Patience & Sarah,// but it is not strictly necessary to have read it to enjoy this story. [[Back|title]]

It is a woman's voice. She says, "Are there any spirits here?" //I'm here,// you think, but it is not enough. Your voice is long gone. You bend over the board. There is a funny little glass arrow on it. The other shadow speaks: "Nothing is happening." "Be patient," says the first, "and try not to move it. When a spirit comes, we'll feel it moving." She must mean the arrow. [[You begin to understand.|moveit]]

You stretch out your arm. You put your hand on the arrow. Of course it doesn't move. You are silvery nothingness. The only motion you can effect in their world is a sigh, a thin exhalation of what little is left. And you can only sigh when you're filled with longing. [[The shadows are speaking again.|speak]]

"Let's do this right," the first one says. Her voice grows louder, and you think she must be addressing you again. "Any lesbians in here?" she asks. "Any sapphists? Any lady-loving ladies?" The other shadow laughs: "Get real." If you could laugh, you would. Now you know they are talking to you. [[You sigh with longing for that laugh.|laugh]]

"It moved!" the first one shrieks. You glance down at the arrow. Indeed, it is askew. "You moved it," says the second. But she sounds unsure. Emboldened, the first shadow speaks again. "We know you're with us," she says. "Please tell us your name." //Sarah,// you cry out with your whole self, knowing they cannot hear. And you sigh, and blow out what little is left onto the glass arrow. [[S]]

[[A]]

[[R]]

[[A|A2]]

[[H]]

"Sarah!" the first shadow reads out. "Welcome, Sarah. My name is Nicole. I'm here with my girlfriend, Jill." Jill is becoming excited now, too. "Ask if she's really a lesbian." "Sarah, are you a lesbian?" Nicole asks. [[Respond.|001]]

DONT KNOW "She doesn't know?" "Sarah, did you ever love a woman?" [[Respond.|002]]

VERY MUCH "Yeah, she's a dyke," says Nicole with a laugh. "Sarah, tell us about this woman." [[Respond.|003]]

RED HAIR "Oh my god, she was a redhead," says Nicole. Jill's mind is elsewhere. "Sarah, are you a ghost? Are you dead?" "Jill, you can't just ask someone if they're dead." [[Respond.|004]]

YES Jill says smugly, "Apparently I can." They ask [[many questions.|questions]]

(link-reveal: '"When were you alive?"')[<br>1823] (link-reveal: '"Where did you live?"')[<br>HERE]