Prologue

Ezra’s POV

1 month after the fire

“What are you doing here?” The little human had appeared again, and was looking straight at Kevin. 

“It is time.” Then he was gone. It took us a second before he realized what he meant. Kevin was going to die.

“Not on my watch. Let’s go!” I grabbed Kevin’s hand, and we raced back to the hospital. We had grown close this past year or so. We knew each other better than we knew our selves. We spent months hunting down the ghosts in this city and the few towns surrounding it. We even got rid of the ghost that was helping out the old lady. We even gained a few privileges—I can now hold on to solid objects, and Kevin can manifest things out of thin air, but they are still about a solid as us. I wasn’t about to let him die.

When we got there, doctors were crowding Kevin with the defibrillator, and his sister was crying in the corner. “Go!” Kevin either didn’t hear me, or refused to move. When I turned to him to yell at him again, he was just standing there, staring. It wasn’t until I shouted his name that he snapped out of it. “GO!”

“But I can’t just leave you.”

I shook my head. “Go on without me. You can’t die.” I saw the fear in his eyes. The fear that he might forget me. That he might forget our time together. I was scared too, but he was right here. If he could go get back in his body, I could always watch over him when I passed by. I nodded at him, and he ran into his body.

His heart came back. I could hear the doctor sigh a relief, putting the machine back. “He’s okay.” One of them told the woman. She sniffed and continued to wipe her tears.

All was well for a moment, until the little human game back, and he looked pissed. “What?”

“You did wrong. Come with me.” Before I could object I was back in front of the “angels” that put me in this situation in the first place. 

“Why did you help him?” The one of the far left said.

“Because I had to. He’s my friend.” They all looked noticeably disappointed. At this point, I was still confused. “Why don’t you want me to help him?” The one on the right sighed.

“Because, it was his time to go.” The right handed the little human a folder, which he gave to me. “You are now on probation, and tour time as a “spirit messenger,” as you two call yourselves, has been extended. There has recently been a fire one of our angels have started. Go clear the ones that still linger.”

I blinked and I was standing in front of a dull apartment building. The scorch marks were still evident from the fire, and whatever window that hadn’t been open was broken or melted. I didn’t recognize this city, and it definitely wasn’t any of the surrounding areas. In fact it seemed much more noisy, and bright. Like the entire city was a tourist attraction.

I made my way through each floor, checking every nick and cranny I found. It wasn’t until I got to the fourth floor that I heard soft crying. “Hello?”

Either the poor thing didn’t hear me, or refused to stop crying. I had to wipe my palms on my hands. We had encountered a few cases like these. A ghost would lure us in by crying or wailing, or acting innocent. Then when we got close enough, they’d attack. I checked every door, but nothing. Soon I was nearing the end of the hallway, with no sign of the ghost either. It wasn’t in any of the doors I checked, so I headed back downstairs.

That’s when it started again, so I ran back up the stairs. There was a new door now, straight at the end of the hall. That’s where I found the crying ghost. “Hello?”

This time he stopped crying. The ghost looked up, but he didn’t look like he was going to attack me, so I allowed myself to get closer. The closer I got, the more I realized how horrible he looked. He still had some color to himself, but what color showed was how dry and dirty he looked. I couched in front of him as he wiped his face.

“I could’ve had him. I wanted to. I could’ve. But this damn fire. Damn, stupid fire.” He looked like he was about to cry again, but he just buried his face in his knees.

“Who? Could’ve had who?”

“Jason.” I waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. So we just sat there until sunset.

“You should tell him.” I know it was a horrible suggestion, since no one can actually hear us, but the other seemed to agree. So he guided me to Jason’s apartment. Dishes piled up to the cabinets, clothes thrown everywhere, bed unmade, and crumbs on every surface.

We found Jason lying on his bed, looking about as dead the ghost I was with. It was also obvious the guy had been crying, with tear streaks running down his cheeks. I’m glad I can’t smell, because I’m sure that room stunk. The ghost seemed to know what to do though. First, he drifted his fingers across the dresser, passing through a polar bear statue. It rattled, causing Jason to jump up in fright. “Hello? Kevin?” So that’s his name.

Kevin walked up to the moved it, like he had done this many times before. Jason seemed to recognize it, because he smiled briefly before frowning and going back to lying on his bed. “I miss you.” The look on Kevin’s face tore my heart apart. I couldn’t even look at the two anymore, but I had to. I had to make sure the ghost wasn’t going to suddenly attack any of us.

Kevin sat himself by Jason, and pressed his hand against where Jason’s heart would be. Jason shivered, before placing a hand above his heard. “I know. I’m sorry.” He kissed his first two fingers, then pressed them on Jason’s lips. He left when Jason realized what was going on, and started crying again.