Chapter 5
The call ended abruptly. Right before the line went dead, I could almost hear Yvonne laughing on the other end, calling for James, her voice bright and carefree. All the excitement I’d felt just moments before vanished, swallowed up by a heavy, stifling silence.
I sat back down at the dining table, stiff and numb, replaying old memories in my head–how I used to catch glimpses of them looking at Yvonne, the warmth in their voices when they spoke to her. I couldn’t help but mumble to myself, caught up in a scene I’d invented, half–laughing at the absurdity of it all.
The laughter grew louder, spiraling out of control until it caught in my throat, turning rough and shaky, almost like I was about to cry.
Time dragged on. Minute by minute, I waited. No one came back.
I waited until well past midnight, watching the clock tick down to the final three minutes of the day.
My whole life flashed before my eyes, but honestly, there wasn’t much to see. My life was so simple, so empty–it almost felt like there was nothing worth remembering. From the very beginning, it had all felt like a tragedy.
When the countdown started, I just lay my head on the table, next to my own urn and the framed photo I’d set out for myself.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
And then–nothing. The silence was absolute. Even the air felt still, like the whole world had stopped breathing.
Just as the quiet was about to swallow me whole, I heard the front door unlock. Someone was home.
My soul floated up before I even realized what was happening. I could see everything in the room, perfectly clear. And then I saw myself–my own body, slumped over the table.
So I was dead.
Anoise at the door caught my attention. I turned and saw the housekeeper coming in
That last tiny bit of hope I’d been holding on to disappeared. It wasn’t them. They hadn’t come back.
She spatted me–well, my body–at the table, with my urn and photo right beside me. She froze, her face turning pale. After a second, she crept closer, hand shaking as she reached out to check for breath under my nose. When she realized I was gone, she jerked back, eyes wide, and let out a sharp scream.3
Her hands fumbled for her phone. Voice trembling, she called someone, trying to keep herself together as she explained what had happened. “Hello? Yes, I–There’s been a death here… that’s right, the address is…”
Once she finished, she pressed a hand to her chest, stealing another terrified glance at me before turning away. Suddenly, as if she’d remembered something, her face twisted with hesitation. After a moment, she picked up her phone again and dialed another number.
“Master James…”
She wandered out of the room, her voice trailing off. I didn’t bother following.
I don’t know how much time passed before she came back, hands clasped together, quietly muttering prayers for me.
Soon after, I heard heavy footsteps outside. A group of people in uniforms showed up, led by the housekeeper. They set up caution tape, searching every corner, but there was really nothing to find. I’d just died–nothing more, nothing less.
“What’s going on here?”
James walked in, looking more annoyed than anything as he took in the mess. Once he got the full story, he dismissed everyone and stayed behind.
From where I hovered, I could see the shift in his eyes, something complicated flickering across his face.
He walked over slowly, pressing two fingers to my neck, like he needed to make sure I was really gone.
I wondered if he’d go ahead with the cremation. The um was right there–it couldn’t be more obvious what I wanted. But if they ignored it, well, there wasn’t much I
could do now.
I drifted above, absentmindedly picking at my ghostly fingernails, when I suddenly noticed something–his eyes were shining. I stared, barely daring to believe it. Was James actually crying? Was he really crying for me?%
I turned to get a better look at his face. His eyes were rimmed with red, a shimmer of tears gathering in them.&
The surprise faded, leaving only emptiness behind
Was he just putting on a show for the dead? Or did those tears actually mean something?
