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Cora shimmered into existence, a vision in flowing skirts and a perpetual headscarf adorned with daisies. She’d been a flower child in her time; a soul lost too early during Woodstock.
"Cora, there you are."
She looked up, her eyes twinkling like stardust. "Ben, dearest, what brings you out of your love nest?"
"Trouble in paradise, you could say. Logan's neighbor almost caught on. She's worried about him and thinks he's talking to himself. What if someone tries to intervene?"
Cora floated closer. "That's a tricky one, love. Humans will try to fix what they don't understand."
"And then there’s my selfish wish,” I went on, feeling the weight of my own desires. "I want to become human again, even if temporarily. But is that fair to Logan? What if trying to pull it off puts him in danger? Am I selfish for wanting more with him?”
Cora’s spectral form pondered my question. "Ben, listen, wanting a chance at life again, wanting to touch and be touched—that's not selfish. It's human, and we were all that once upon a time.”
"But is it worth the risk? To him, I mean.”
She sighed, her spiritual energy fluctuating with shades of indigo. "There's always a risk, dear, in everything. But you and Logan, you're something special. If anyone can navigate the twists and turns of this spectral vs. mortal tightrope, it's the two of you.”
"But should we?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
She looked deep into my eyes. "That's a question only you can answer. But remember, love is the closest thing to magic that exists in both our realms. Don't underestimate it."
"Thanks, Cora," I said, feeling lighter somehow.
I floated back to the apartment, her words echoing around me.
I hovered in a space that was neither here nor there. Caught in a limbo, I teetered between two worlds. One thing was certain: I wanted to be with Logan, whether in spirit or flesh. It was a clear vision that shone brighter than any doubt.
Logan
I pushed open the door to my apartment, relishing the familiar scent of home—clean with a hint of the sandalwood candle I'd burned the night before, my favorite. Work had been a whirlwind, and I cluttered my mind with to-do lists and deadlines. But seeing Ben's spectral form brighten as I stepped inside? Yeah, that made everything better.
"Hey, you're back," Ben's voice called, edged with relief. "How was work?"
"Ugh, don't ask," I groaned, tossing my keys on the counter. "I'm just glad it's over."
"Judging by the murder scene that is your hair, it must've been a real thriller," Ben quipped, his translucent eyes twinkling.
I ran a hand through my disheveled locks. "Yeah, well, my hair's expressive like that. It responds to my inner turmoil."
“Then your hair's a drama queen, just like its owner," Ben teased.
“Are you saying you fell in love with a drama queen?" I asked, heading to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
"I'm a ghost. Drama's a prerequisite to enter my social circle," Ben chuckled. "By the way, I had a chat with Cora today."
"Oh? That’s right, you said you were going to try to track her down as I was leaving this morning. Ben had previously explained that Cora was like the spectral version of the building's concierge, if your concierge was a ghost who knew everything about everyone.
"Yeah," he continued, his form quivering slightly. "She told me if I'm serious about becoming human again, I'd better be dead certain. No pun intended."
“And are you?”
“Yes, but it sounds complicated,” Ben frowned. “We don’t have a lot of time. Halloween is just around the corner.”
I chuckled. "Well, I might be one step ahead of you there."
Ben's translucent eyes widened. "You are?"
"Yeah, I visited my friend Holly earlier this week. She sent me on a rollicking caper,” I started. "First, it was a specific bookstore. The owner sold me an ancient book with instructions. Then, I had to collect all sorts of bizarre ingredients, like a crow feather and a moonstone."
