Bloody Mary

            “Are you sure you want to do this?” Leon asked.

            I wiped down the mirror carefully making sure to leave no streaks. If there was one thing the bitch hated, it was streaks on the glass. Not good to go upsetting her if they were going to get any information out of her. The queens always made things difficult.

            “I don’t see as we have any real choice now do we?” was my only reply.

            I put out my hand for the lantern. Reluctantly he gave it to me as I put out the bathroom light. It wasn’t the most complicated spell ever. All I had to do was talk at a damn mirror. That didn’t mean it was easy, nor that it was safe. I set the lamp on the edge of the sink facing the mirror. The light bounced and wavered all across the walls casting ghostly shadows everywhere.

            “Should I stay?” he asked as I leaned against the porcelain surface. He was already backing away.

            “Close the door Leon.”

            He hesitated for only a moment before I heard the click of the latch. I stood alone in front of the mirror, the lamp light flickering wildly off the glass. Slowly I closed the little door on the side and cut off what little illumination managed to escape. In the complete darkness I watched where I knew the mirror to be.

            I spoke the words, “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary.”

            At first there was nothing, but I remained still. You can’t rush the dead, they come on their own time.

            Suddenly the mirror lit up with the gruesome image of a blood soaked women in period dress. She had the whole bit going; blood pouring out of the mouth, glowing eyes, shinny knife, the whole nine yards. That is until she saw who was on the earth bound side.

            “Oh bollix. What do you want?” was the first thing she said.

            It wasn’t the sort of thing you'd expected royalty to say, but one too many summoning can sour a ghost to you. It had been a long time since I’d last talked to Mary, though, and I hadn’t requested too much the last time.

            “Mary, I need your help.”

            “Want, want, want, need, need, need that’s all I ever hear you say,” she chided with her hands on her hips.

            “Something’s been causing a lot of havoc on our side. Do you know anything about it?”

            “Unlike some people, I don’t poke my nose into everyone else’s business.”

            “Please, Mary, you know I wouldn’t ask unless it was important.”

            I don’t know if it was the pitiful look in my eye, or if maybe Mary knew how persistently annoying I could be. Whatever the reason the ghost gave a great sigh, before saying, ‘wait a minute.’

            I was left staring into a dark mirror for a while, waiting. Eventually there was the shimmer of red that of told Mary’s return along with a rumbling chuckle. Humor was never a good sign. The chuckle quickly grew into a wild and deafening laughter.

            “My dear, you have gotten yourself in way over your head this time,” the specter said as she solidified.

            “What do you mean?”

            The laughter continued to get louder and more menacing. The blood effects got more vivid as the mirror began to run with blood. I could tell I was beginning to lose control of the situation. I placed my hand on the lamp.

            “Mary, what do you know?”

            The laughter had become manic as a bloodied hand shot out of the mirror. I ducked out of the way and threw open the lamp before the grasping fist had a chance to catch hold. The flickering light showed only my reflection in the glass. Blood Mary was gone. I hate royalty.