Free Truth or Dare . . by P.J. Night

make some sort of energy connection. And then we just think and talk about Sara, and all our memories of her, to channel her spirit.”
    For several minutes the only sound in the room was Abby and Leah’s quiet breathing. Then, with her eyes closed, Abby started speaking. “I remember Sara’s first day at school,” she said in a quiet voice. “Everyone wanted to meet her. Everyone wanted to be her friend.”
    â€œI remember when Sara read a poem that she wrote in English class,” Leah spoke up. “It was about the ocean, and it was amazing.”
    A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance asanother storm approached. Rain started to fall again, harder and harder, the sound of the raindrops hitting the window like a message in a secret code. The wind moaned, low and lonely, as the shadows of quivering tree branches danced around Abby’s room.
    Abby knew that it was time to make contact.
    â€œSara, if you’re there, I hope you can hear me,” she began. “I know you’ve been trying to reach me, and I want you to know something: You will never be forgotten, Sara. Not by your family, not by your friends, not by Jake. And not by me, even though I didn’t get to know you very well. I know why you’re angry. It’s not fair that I’m here and you’re not. It’s not fair that Jake is taking me to the dance and not you. We both know that if you were still alive, he would have asked you.”
    A jagged bolt of lightning illuminated the dark room, followed by an immediate clap of thunder that was so loud it made both girls jump. But Abby, her eyes still closed, pressed on.
    â€œBut you’re not here, Sara. If you cared about Jake, and I know that you did, you would want him to go on with his life. That doesn’t mean he’ll forget you. But don’t torture yourself by clinging to a life that’s over, Sara. Moveon. Move on into the spirit world. Move on.”
    Abby was quiet for a few moments, listening to the storm rage outside. Then, finally, she opened her eyes. To her surprise, Leah’s eyes were tearing up. “Hey,” she said gently. “You okay?”
    â€œYeah,” Leah said with a loud sniff. “I just—I felt so sad for her, all of a sudden. You’re right, Abby. It’s not fair.”
    â€œNo,” Abby said sadly. “It isn’t.”
    â€œDid you feel like Sara’s spirit was here?” Leah asked. “I tried to believe, but I didn’t feel anything that was, like, a ghost or anything.”
    Abby shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “But we did what we could.”
    Ping!
    â€œThat was my computer!” Abby exclaimed as she laughed nervously. “Uh, I guess the séance is over.” She turned on the monitor and clicked on her e-mail. For a moment she didn’t say a word.
    â€œAnything interesting?” Leah asked as she pulled the cloth off Abby’s mirror and started fixing her eye makeup.
    â€œLeah?” Abby asked. Her voice was high and tight. “Can—can you come look at this?”
    â€œSure. What’s up?” Leah asked. She peered overAbby’s shoulder at the computer screen. At the top of the e-mail window, the girls read:
TO
FROM
SUBJECT
AbbyGirl
sarajAmEs
READ IF YOU DARE
    â€œWhoa. What is that?” Leah asked slowly.
    â€œIt’s—it’s Sara’s old e-mail address,” Abby stammered. “But this e-mail was just sent!”
    â€œYou’d better open it, Abby,” Leah said. When Abby hesitated, Leah reached forward and clicked on the e-mail. In an instant, it filled the whole computer screen.
    PRESENT FOR JAKE IN YOUR TOP DRESSER DRAWER.
    â€œOh, no,” Abby whispered. “This séance was a terrible idea.”
    â€œMaybe not,” Leah said hopefully. “I mean, maybe Sara had a message that she needed to give to Jake, and by contacting her you made that