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“There you are.” I growl.

Lunging forward my hand wraps around the soul's flabby neck. I feel him as I would if he were alive. The only difference is the cold. It seeps into me, my joints, my gut, my chest. The evil ones always feel like this.

He claws at my hands and my fingers reflexively tighten. I drag him out of the room, letting my sister and Dima through, the poor girl’s whimpers growing louder and more frantic now that she knows help has arrived. The sound of her hope fuels something inside me. Something that I hate is there.

“There’s darkness in you.” Matthew chokes out. “I can feel it. I bet that’s why you see us, huh? Good people aren’t cursed with seeing death everywhere they look.” His mouth twists into a smirk. “I can help you, you know.” He struggles, pushing his face into mine. “Lean into the darkness.”

I stare into his dark, empty eyes. “Never” I whisper before closing my eyes, breathing in, “What you chose in life, will be judged in death.”

I loosen my fingers and Matthew Baker's soul slips through them as he’s pulled toward hell.

“Well, I’m not looking forward to you sending me on, now.” Grammy says from somewhere behind me.

I don't bother turning to look at her. I need a moment. A moment to stop feeling filthy. To shake off the darkness.

“I know this is your job and all, but are you OK?” Grammy asks, her voice closer than before.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Says nobody ever.” She rolls her eyes as she comes to stand in front of me. “Gabe, you’re soft on the inside. Gooey like a marshmallow. This world, it chose you for that reason. Don’t be ashamed to admit that this job is hard sometimes.”

“Try all the time, Grammy,” I answer, finally holding her gaze. “I just, I’d like to know what it’s like to be alone. Not seeing people like you, all the time. No offense.”

“None taken,” she smirks, holding her hands up.

“Is it done?” Vito’s voice drifts through the room.

“Yeah. It’s done.”

Brenna

You know this is ridiculous, right?

“You’re ridiculous,” I mutter under my breath as I cream the butter, sugar and eggs.

Yes I know that was a juvenile comeback, but I’m sick of hearing myself. My inner voice has been going crazy since this morning. All because Percy said some pretty odd things.

Pretty odd? Brenna, he spouted some weird shit. Can you not feel that weird vibe he puts out?

“Of course I can!” I growl into my mixing bowl.

I know I should buy a Kitchen Aid but Grammy always told me that doing things the old fashioned way was a great stress reliever. Although she also told me to never bake a cake when you’re angry so you don’t put bad juju into it, and I fear these cupcakes are getting one hell of a lot of bad juju.

Placing the bowl on the kitchen counter I decide to take a little break. Wander around my apartment and think good thoughts. Which would be easy if Percy didn't say weird stuff.

I stare at Percy from behind the coffee machine and think that he’s not really that bad. I mean, sure he’s kinda weird, but I don’t see why people give him such a wide berth. Even Starla, my coworker who is the gothiest goth I’ve ever met and she wants nothing to do with serving him. “You used to talk to yourself when you were little too,” Percy says on the other side of the counter. How the heck he managed to get there without me noticing takes me by surprise.

I open my mouth to ask what he means but the look on his face has me snapping my mouth shut. He looks like he’s away with the fairies as Grammy would say, so I shrug off his odd comment even though my inner voice is screaming at me.

“It’s been a pleasure spending time with you, Brenna. Thank you for seeing me.”

Before I can tell him the same he’s gone. Poof just like that.

“He’s an odd little man,” I concede. Because, I mean, he is.

It’s more than odd. I get a bad vibe from him.

I don’t have to say out loud that I agree. I mean, my inner voice is my voice. We know the same stuff I’m pretty certain.