The candles were lit, but did little to brighten the dark room, instead adding more gloom and shadow by their faint flickering.  Outside, the glow of the streetlamp continued to pour in, but it did little more than add to the haunted look of the lab.  The only other available light came from the feeble illumination given by the alarm clock, which now read ten-fifty eight.

Isabella sat at the center table, facing the row of windows that looked out toward the desolate courtyard.  Despite the distant presence of the corner lamp, all else was swallowed in darkness.  No cars would be passing by that intersection tonight.  The school was situated in a back corner of a subdivision, behind most of the houses, so the only reason for any car to come through this way would be for picking up or dropping off students.  Nobody was doing that tonight.  Not for Isabella.

Cheryl, Brandon, and Carrie stood in front of her, faces glowing from the light of the small flashlight.  They stared down at her with solemn determination, waiting in silence for Isabella to situate herself in the chair.

“So what happens now?” Isabella asked, “You guys gonna cast a spell on me or something?”

“Not at all.” Brandon answered in a calm, flat tone. “We do nothing else.  All you have to do is sit here, say nothing, and wait for eleven-thirty.”

Isabella leaned to her left, looking at the clock: one minute to eleven.  “Why?  What happens at eleven-thirty?”

“The game will be up.” Carrie’s voice had become as lifeless at Brandon’s.  Isabella didn’t like it. 

“So.. What?  The game’s starting now?”

“Close your eyes, Izzy.” Cheryl said with a slight bob of her head.

“Huh?”

“Do it.  Close your eyes.  We’ll tell you when to open them.”

Isabella’s lips parted in slight apprehension.  “Why do I-?”

“Close your eyes, Izzy.” Brandon said.  His voice remained unchanged.

“Okay, just-just don’t do anything, alright?”

“Close them, Izzy.” Carrie soothed.

Isabella did so.  The dim room gave way to black eyelids.

“Three….” Cheryl whispered-or was it Carrie?

“Guys, I-“

“Hush.  Two…”

Isabella let out a fearful moan.

“One…”

Her hands gripped the sides of the table.

“Open them, Izzy.”

With a sudden gulp of air, Isabella did so.

The other three were gone.