Pesky Planchette | A Ouija Board Story From Arizona

Lily Parker loved thrift shops. There was something magical about finding hidden treasures among dusty shelves and forgotten corners. Living in a cozy bungalow in Flagstaff, Arizona, she often spent her weekends searching for unique items to craft and restore. One chilly October afternoon, she stumbled upon something that caught her eye—a vintage Ouija board, tucked away in the back of a dimly lit thrift shop.

The board was old. Its wooden surface was worn, and the edges were rough, but it held a certain allure that drew Lily in. The planchette, however, was in terrible shape. The felt on the bottom was nearly gone, making it impossible to use. Still, Lily saw the potential. Her Halloween party was coming up, and this board would make the perfect spooky centerpiece.

Without hesitation, she bought the board and brought it home. That evening, she carefully cleaned it, removing the years of grime that had settled into the wood. She took her time, letting the eerie symbols and letters reveal themselves under the cloth. The planchette needed more work. Lily replaced the worn-out felt with a new, smooth layer, ensuring it would glide effortlessly across the board. Satisfied, she placed the Ouija board on her coffee table, ready for the party at the end of the month.

As the days passed, excitement for the party grew. Lily decorated her home with cobwebs, carved pumpkins, and flickering candles, creating the perfect haunted atmosphere. The Ouija board was the centerpiece of it all, sitting ominously on the coffee table, its presence almost palpable.

On the night before the party, Lily settled into bed, pulling the covers around her as Sheba, her calico cat, curled up beside her. The night was calm, the cool breeze from the open window rustling the curtains softly. It wasn’t long before she drifted into a deep sleep, comforted by the familiar weight of Sheba against her side.

But then, in the dead of night, Sheba stirred. Her ears twitched, and she suddenly bolted upright, her eyes wide and alert. With a hiss, the cat leapt off the bed and dashed out of the room.

Lily woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest. She sat up, confused, and called out, “Sheba? What’s wrong?” Silence. The kind of silence that presses down on you, heavy and unnerving. Sheba didn’t respond. Anxiety gnawed at her as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stepped into the hallway.

The house was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon through the windows. As Lily made her way to the living room, she felt a chill creep up her spine. Something was wrong. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach.

She entered the living room and froze. In the far corner of the room, there was a shadow—a figure, dark and indistinct. It was the shape of a woman, but no features were visible. The shadow loomed there, still and silent, like a dark stain on reality.

Lily’s breath caught in her throat. Fear rooted her to the spot, but she couldn’t look away. Her eyes darted to the Ouija board on the coffee table, and that’s when she saw it—the planchette was moving. Slowly, deliberately, it slid across the board as if guided by an unseen hand.

Lily’s pulse quickened. The board spelled out a word. HELLO.

She swallowed hard. “Who are you?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

The planchette moved again, quicker this time. LEAVE.

Lily’s eyes flicked to the shadowy figure. It hadn’t moved, but its presence seemed to grow darker, more oppressive. “What do you want?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

The planchette jerked to life, spelling out another word: BURN.

Lily’s stomach churned with dread. “Why are you here?” she managed to ask, her voice a shaky whisper.

The planchette paused, then began to move with a purpose that made Lily’s blood run cold. It spelled out: TAKE BACK BURN HOUSE DOWN.

The words hung in the air, thick with menace. Suddenly, a loud whoosh echoed from the kitchen. Lily spun around to see all four burners on the stove flaring to life, flames licking at the air. The fire alarm shrieked, its piercing cry cutting through the silence.

“Stop it!” Lily screamed, running toward the kitchen. “I’ll take it back! I promise! Just stop!”

The flames immediately died down, leaving only the faint smell of gas in the air. The fire alarm went silent. Lily turned back to the living room, and the shadowy figure was gone. The oppressive weight in the room lifted, but the fear lingered.

Lily stood there, shaking, her mind racing. She had brought something evil into her home. She had to get rid of it. But how? And where could she take it that would be safe?

The next morning, the sun rose, casting a warm glow through the windows. But the warmth did nothing to ease Lily’s anxiety. She had a plan now, but it was risky. Sheba was safely locked in the bedroom, away from whatever might still be lurking in the house. Lily poured herself a cup of coffee, the mug warm in her trembling hands. She sipped it, trying to calm her nerves.

Lily sat at the kitchen table, her laptop open in front of her. She scoured the web, searching for a way to contain the spirit. After several tense minutes, she found what she was looking for—a sigil that could trap and block a spirit from escaping its vessel. It was simple but effective. Lily grabbed a black marker and walked over to the Ouija board.

She flipped the board over and drew the sigil on the back, each stroke careful and deliberate. When she was done, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. The sigil was meant to keep the spirit bound to the board, unable to escape.

“There,” she whispered, feeling a slight sense of relief. “That should do it.”

She slipped the board into her backpack, zipping it up securely. With a final glance around her home, Lily knew she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to get rid of the board, and she knew just where to take it.

Lily left the house, her destination clear in her mind: the city dump. She walked briskly to her car, her hands trembling only slightly now. As she started the engine, she muttered under her breath, “Let’s see how you like the trash heap.”

She drove off, the sun climbing higher in the sky, casting long shadows that seemed to reach for her as she sped away. The Ouija board, now sealed and trapped, would find its final resting place far away from her home, where it could do no more harm.

But as Lily drove toward the dump, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching her. She refused to look in the rearview mirror, afraid of what she might see. The road stretched out before her, and she pressed on, determined to be rid of the cursed board once and for all.