In a film riddled with doubt and second guesses, it's worth noting the only certainties "Talk to Me" has — its rules. Before Mia gives the grim game a go, Hayley (Zoe Terakes) explicitly states, "Light the candle to open the door. Blow it out to close it." The problem is, as we later learn following Riley's brutal and bloody go, did the door ever really get closed at all? It's certainly something to consider, but it's a mistake that perhaps was made earlier than even Mia suspects.
During Mia's initial encounter with the spirits, it's clear that whoever has taken over the group's newest soul isn't giving up without a fight. It takes both Hayley and Joss (Chris Alosio) to break the connection from the hand, and among the panic, those around Mia are fearful it might not happen.
When she finally does let go, we're shown a split second of the candle's flame dying out, but it's hard to determine whether it was one of the actual guests who blew it out or whether it was the breeze from the group's hustle and bustle that did it instead. If it was the latter, the spirits had their grip on Mia from the start. They knew her secrets and, more importantly, what she wanted to hear when she believed it was her mother speaking to her through Riley and not someone else who, as Hayley warned, wanted to stay.
