The girl in the photo on her wall blinked. She tried to pretend she didn’t see it, but she did. “Come on, Joy”, she muttered to herself. “You’re going crazy. It’s just a photo.” Joy paced in her living room, shaky hand on her glass full of scotch, and swallows a gulp. Her black cat, Cheshire, perched on its cat tree, staring at her in fascination.


Joy took a deep breath. “Ok,”, she said. “I can do this”. She steeled her nerves by downing the rest of her drink, and she set it on the coffee table—but she missed the edge and it fell off, clattering on the hardwood floor. Joy flinched at the sound, but refused to look at it, worried that she’d lose her nerve.

She turned to the photo and walked up to it in trepidation. The photo was a picture of a girl in a cemetery, staring mournfully over a headstone and looking directly at the viewer. She was pretty, auburn hair, maybe mid 20’s, wearing a long black peacoat over what appeared to be slacks and a cream-colored blouse. Joy leaned in a bit, eyeing the woman’s necklace. It was beautiful, on a seemingly silver (or platinum) chain, with a pentacle in stylized metal vines hanging from it, blood red jewels at every point of the star.

Joy took a deep breath, ran her fingers through her raven black bob, and looked into the woman’s green eyes in the photo, and she said “Ok. I’m looking right at you. Do it. NOW. Prove I’m not going crazy! Blink dammit”, Joy screamed in frustration. And as she stared at the photo, tears rising in her eyes, the girl slowly blinked.

Joy gasped and fell backwards, landing on the glass that fell & shattered it, startling Cheshire, who bolted for the safety of the bedroom. But she couldn't look away. She got to her feet, ignoring the cuts on her arm from the broken glass. Despite her best judgement, she approached the painting, trying to ignore the mounting terror in her body that was screaming at her to run, or, at least, burn the damn thing.


Inching up to the painting, Joy searched the other girl’s face. Her expression in the photo hadn’t changed... but then she blinked again. Joy felt a chill run down her spine, but she also felt a bit of triumph. Joy had been a practicing Wiccan for fifteen of her twenty-seven years, but she had never truly experienced anything supernatural or magical... well, that she knew of. “I knew it” Joy whispered. “There IS something else out there!”


“I picked your photo up from an estate sale,” Joy said to the girl in the photo. “I liked the look... it seemed fitting for my little apartment. But I didn’t choose you, did?” she mused. “You... chose me...”. The girl blinked slowly again. Joy let out a little squeal of delight and rushed up right next to the photo.

“You can UNDERSTAND me, can’t you?! If you’re able, blink twice for yes, once for no.” June waited with baited breath as the girl slowly blinked once... and then again, back to back. “Are you alive?” Joy queried. Two slow blinks in response. “Then you must be trapped, right?” Yet again, two blinks. “How were you trapped?!” Joy eagerly said. One blink in response.


Joy pouted a moment, when it struck her. “Oh, that wasn’t a yes or no question! I’m so sorry. Are you... cursed?” Two blinks in response. “Did you influence me to pick you up at the estate sale because you think I can help you?” This time, the girl blinked twice, much faster. Joy looked elated for a second, then doubt crept in. “But... I’ve never successfully cast a spell. At least, not that I know of. You know I don’t know real magic, right?” Two slow blinks this time... odd, Joy thought.


“But there’s still something I can do?” Joy asked. Two rapid blinks. Cheshire yowled in the background, reminding Joy that it was past suppertime. “I’ll be back in a bit!” Joy exclaimed, excited for the mystery. “But don’t worry! I swear I’ll help you, even if it’s the last thing I do!” She rushed off to open a can of cat food for her demanding feline master. After a second or two, the girl in the photo blinked twice again.


*****


Joy rushed into the apartment, arms full of tote bags carrying books. “I’ve got it!” She shouts to the painting, oblivious as to whether or not the girl in the photo can hear her. “I went to the old bookstore down on Main Street and grabbed everything I could find on curses or bindings. The guy owning the shop was SO helpful, but a bit nosy.” she babbled. Joy staggers into the living room and drops her bags next to the coffee table, then turns to the photo triumphantly. “I think I’ll be able to find something to help you!” Joy effuses. Two rapid blinks. “Wow, you’re getting faster at that!” Joy marveled. Two more blinks. Joy pulls a dusty grimoire out of one of her totes and says “Better get started! Who knows how long this will take.” Joy immediately buries her nose in the book and doesn’t notice the girl blink twice.


*****


One Week Later


“AHA!” Joy screeches, scaring Cheshire, who once again scampers off to the safety of the bedroom. “I found an incantation that is supposed to work on curses! I’ve got all the stuff here to try it,” Joy said eagerly. She ran around the apartment, gathering her wiccan supplies, and set up a makeshift altar on her living room table. “Sorry, Cheshire,” Joy says regretfully, “But I don’t know what's going to happen, and I don’t want you getting hurt.” Joy thinks for a second and sends a text to her best friend, asking her that if she doesn’t hear from her in a day, to come over, let herself in, and feel Cheshire. The friend texted back immediately, worried, but Joy was too eager to respond; her friend was a worrywart, after all.

Having lit all the candles, Joy picks up the grimoire and recites the simple spell:


“One above all

This person has been defiled

Please release her from these bonds

And right the wrong once wreaked.”


Ok, Joy thought, now I just have to touch the photo as the final step. Joy reaches forward and lays her right hand on the painting, smiling at the girl. Suddenly, there’s a flash of light, then darkness.


After a few seconds, Joy can see the auburn-haired woman in front of her. Joy tried to smile and greet her, but finds herself curiously unable to move. She realizes that the woman is in her apartment, but where is she...? She looks down, and sees a gravestone that reads:


Joy Schwartz

July 18th 1998-October 31st, 2025


‘But... that’s today’s date,’ Joy thinks. She looks back up to see the auburn-haired woman smile cruelly at her and walk out of view.


The girl in the photo on the wall blinked.