Page 40 of How to Survive Your Own Death

Geri’s eyes went wide. “Fuck that. I’m not killing an innocent person because of a greedy ghost.”

“Threatening to harm the loved one is often enough to encourage the ghost to let go.”

She shook her head. “The next one is holy water. I don’t think that’s a good option for me. Seems like you have to be a true believer to make it work.”

“Correct. If you doubt, you will merely be dosing the ghost with water.”

“Fourth is cleansing. Sage, candles, or holy relics.” She looked up from the notebook. “Let’s put a question mark next to that one. Five is smudging. Basically burning sage, sweetgrass, and other herbs. Sounds like a nightmare for my asthma.”

“The effects do not last long.”

“Next up is rice. Apparently a spirit has a compulsive need to count rice if it is spilled on the ground.”

“True.”

“Finally, salt. Use it to create a barrier, trapping a ghost or preventing it from entering a space. We can also throw it because it hurts the ghost.”

“Correct.”

“Did I miss anything?”

“No. That is a very succinct review of the methods for dealing with a ghost.”

“I couldn’t find anything specifically for a wraith.”

“You will not. A wraith begins as a ghost but becomes twisted and more powerful.”

Geri folded her arms over her chest, holding the notebook tight. “They may have started as a ghost but that doesn’t mean that ghost rules apply.”

That was unfortunately true. “It is all we have.”

“Can we negotiate? Is there something it wants?”

Bazel knew exactly what Seraphina wanted and he could not give it to her. “Salt and rice will work. We must wait for my strength to return.”

“I really don’t want to roll up to this boss fight with nothing but groceries. Isn't there something else we can do? What about a cleansing?”

“A thorough cleansing is complex and takes time. We sanctify one area, the wraith moves to another. We need to corral the wraith, pin them to one location with salt.”

“We’re not rushing out tomorrow. We can plan, right? Make a map, do that whole thing with diagrams.”

“We will plan,” he agreed. He knew Seraphina’s location. She would not leave her sanctuary.

CHAPTER 12

BAZEL

“So… one question.”

“I am astonished,” Bazel answered, his tone dry. Geri was nothing but questions. “Only one?”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, a few questions.”

“Proceed.” He walked alongside her on the sidewalk. Despite the busy hour and the crowded nature of the area, people avoided his proximity, as if they could sense death. He was alone in the crowd. It was difficult not to take it personally.

“How many of these people are ghosts? I mean, I’ve never seen one, but how do I know that? Do I walk by ghosts all the time?”

It was a good question.