Content Warning: Drug Use

“Alright, so we agree that there’s more shit goin’ on than meets the eye on this plane of existence,” Tim said before he took another drag of the joint and passed it over to Declan. The two friends sprawled comfortably on the floor of the old farmhouse shack they’d laid claim to years ago.

The farmhouse sat deep in the forest of dense, tall pine and birch trees behind all their homes.

Tim sucked in a breath before passing the joint back over to Declan again and added to his initial statement.

“And most religious practices worldwide aimed at warding off evil spirits and shit have some type of effectiveness across multiple belief systems and languages.” Declan took the joint between his fingers and laid back to continue on Tim’s train of thought.

“Which begs the question—How do all these religions fit together, inside whatever is in the spirit world?

“Right, man? I mean, we know the Ouija board the other night was tappin’ into something. If any of the hundreds of exorcisms have a grain of truth, possession is for sure a fuckin’ thing. Not even just in Catholicism or “the West” and shit, but all over Asia, too.”

“Tim?” He shook the joint as he turned his head. Tim was no longer there on the floor beside him.

Shivers went through Declan as he wondered how long he’d been alone. How had Tim moved so quietly?

“Tim?!” Declan yelled. He opened the front door on its rusty hinges. Nothing but dense forest as the sun set. If Tim had left, he would have heard him open the door.

Declan would have heard the old stairs creak too, if he’d gone upstairs, so he thought he’d check, anyway. He poked his head up through the crawlspace entrance on the second floor.

Tim stood in the corner of the dark attic mumbling to himself.

“Tim?” Declan shouted, fear in his voice. He got closer.

“The deeper into the shadows you delve, the less the darkness is willing to sell,” Tim muttered, faster and faster. His head jerking in strange angles all the while.

Declan put his hand on Tim’s shoulder, and suddenly, he spun around, now shouting his motto down at a frightened Declan.

“THE DEEPER INTO THE SHADOWS YOU DELVE, THE LESS THE DARKNESS IS WILLING TO SELL!” Tim’s eyes were completely black as Declan scrambled back in terror.

Tim continued to shout from the corner of the room, as Declan jumped, fell, and ran down the stairs to his house.

He informed Tim’s and his parents. When Tim neglected to come home that night, they all went to the farmhouse with flashlights, looking for him.

What had started out as doubtful parents blaming their stoner teenage sons, ended in the unsolved missing case of Tim Laburges.

And Declan stopped delving into shadows.