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The lights were out and the only illumination caht upon them Some were in darkness, their backs to the fire; the rest looked like a series of disembodied worried faces

‘I want you all to clear your minds’ Jeanne’s voice was deep and resonant They couldn’t see her face She had her back to the fire Clara had the impression she’d done it on purpose, but perhaps not

‘You must breathe deeply and let the anxiety and worry flow out of you A spirit can sense energy Any negative energy will only draw the ill-intentioned spirits We want to fill the bistro with positive, loving kindness to attract the good spirits’

‘Fuck,’ whispered Gabri ‘This was a bad idea’

‘Shut up,’ hissed Myrna beside hihts, asshole, and be quick about it’

‘I’m scared,’ he whispered

‘Well, stop it Go to your happy place, Gabri, your happy place,’ Myrna rasped

‘This is my happy place,’ snapped Gabri ‘Please, take her first, please, she’s big and juicy Please, don’t take me’

‘You are a birch,’ said Myrna

‘Quiet please,’ said Jeanne with uessed possible ‘If there’s a sudden loud noise I want you to grab each other’s hands, is that understood?’

‘Why?’ Gabri whispered to Odile on his other side ‘Is she expecting so bad?’

‘Shhh,’ said Jeanne quietly and all whispering stopped All breathing stopped ‘They’re co’

All hearts stopped

Peter stepped into Clara’s studio He’d been in it hundreds of times and knew she kept the door open for a reason She had nothing to hide And yet for so around rapidly he strode directly to the large easel in the center of the room The studio sht undertone of strong coffee Years and years of creation and coffee had i sensations So as Peter terrified?

At the easel he stopped Clara had draped a sheet over the canvas He stood conte hi he saw his right hand reach out Like aas about to happen It seemed pre-ordained

His hand clutched the stained old sheet and yanked