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This one is more like an eternal twilight, filled with mysterious paths that lead to—well, everywhere and nowhere," Ben began. His voice was soft, like a spectral guru.
And that's where the deals happen?"
"Exactly. Imagine the Crossroads as a spiritual stock market. Spirits come with what they've got—years of experience, energy—and look for opportunities. It's kind of like a dating app, except when you connect, you get to exist, at least for a while.”
My eyebrows shot up. "Sounds intense."
"Oh, it is. And the thing is, you never know what you're gonna get. It's all a gamble. Like, you could invest your energy into a day on Earth, only to realize that day is during a blizzard and no one can see you."
I chuckled softly. "That sounds like a bad investment."
Ben smirked. "Well, it's not all Wall Street gloom and doom. Some spirits hit the jackpot—like one particular couple I knew."
"Do tell."
"They were two spirits who had been in love in their previous lives. Tragically, they died young, the whole star-crossed lovers deal. But they found each other in the afterlife, and they decided to invest their energies together to get one day back on Earth."
My attention rose a notch. "And?"
"They got it. A single day in Paris. City of Love, right? They couldn't touch anything, but they could see, hear, and feel emotions. They spent that day reliving their favorite spots, dancing along the Seine River, watching the sunset from Montmartre."
The room seemed to grow quieter, filled only by Ben's voice and the unspoken emotion between us.
"Sounds incredible," I finally managed to say.
"It was. The gamble paid off. For 24 hours, they got to be in love in the world they once knew. But remember, it's a double-edged sword. When midnight came, they had to return, and they were back to square one, energy-wise. Took them decades to accumulate that kind of spiritual capital again."
I absorbed the weight of the story. "So, was it worth it?"
Ben's eyes met mine. "For love? Always."
The way he looked at me sent a shiver down my spine, more potent than any spectral chill. He was a ghost, a being from the astral plane, teaching me about the risks and rewards of love. And somehow, in a twisted, beautiful logic we shared, it made perfect sense.
"Your turn, Logan," Ben's voice broke the silence. "Would you gamble like that if you had the chance?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat. For the first time in a long while, I didn't have an answer.
And that scared me more than any ghost story ever could.
After a quiet, comfortable silence, Ben had another question to ask. “Do you believe in ghostly romance?"
“Maybe. Are you gonna show me a rom-com starring Casper?"
"Ooh, a tough crowd,” Ben's eyes shone. "How about some evidence that strange things can happen?”
Before I could react, I felt a sudden chill creep up my hand, moving up the mug. I stared as my steaming coffee turned icy in seconds.
My mouth opened and closed like a fish. "Did you just—"
"Cool down your coffee?" Ben grinned, eyes sparkling. "Consider it my signature move."
"Very chilling," I teased back, putting the mug aside. Despite my quip, my heart hammered in my chest. The supernatural feats were really happening.
“That’s enough of my little stories. It’s your turn,” Ben's voice softened. "Tell me about your past relationships. What's a catch like you doing single?"
The direct question caught me off guard, but somehow it felt right to share with Ben. "Trust issues," I finally said. "People aren't what they seem, you know?"
He nodded, his expression turning more solemn. "I get that. Before all this"—he gestured to his ghostly form—"I wasn't exactly a paragon of virtue. I had my share of mistakes and heartbreaks."
