Hourglass

“Yes.” That was never going to get easier to admit, I thought.

“Balthazar showed up, and he and Lucas buried you in the backyard.”

“Right.”

“So there’s a dead body in my backyard, which I have to explain to my parents somehow.”

“I don’t think they’ll find it—it’s behind the grounds, kind of—and, anyway, isn’t that kind of beside the point?”

“Not really,” Vic said. “Don’t get me wrong. Compared to the rest of what’s going on, it’s not that big a deal. I understand that you’re having a way, way worse week than I am. Okay? But that doesn’t make it any easier for me to explain to my parents about the dead body in the backyard.”

I sighed. “True.”

“I suggest pulling some greenery over the location,” Ranulf said.

“That’s your total contribution to this discussion?” I asked.

“Yes.” Ranulf appeared unruffled. “I will say what is useful. That is the only useful suggestion I have at this point.”

Vic pointed at him, two finger-guns of approval. “I like a man who knows the value of words, doesn’t spend ’em too cheap.”

Ranulf nodded. “That is the manner in which I roll.”

With that, Vic turned back to me. His expression seemed odd until I realized that I’d never seen him this serious before. “Bianca, I hate that this happened to you. If I couldn’t look you in the eye and say that—if you weren’t just dead but, you know, dead dead—I don’t even want to think about it. Maybe things can’t be like they were before, but—if there’s a way—we can still be friends, right?”

I felt like I’d never smiled before, at least not for real. “We’re friends no matter what,” I said. “And you’re the best person I ever met.”

Vic ducked his head, surprisingly bashful. “So, how did you figure all this stuff out?”

“Your ghost helped me,” I explained. “Her name is Maxie.”

“What? My ghost has a name?”

“Why wouldn’t she?” It seemed offensive to assume that ghosts wouldn’t have names. We’d all been people once, hadn’t we? Then I realized I was thinking of ghosts as “we” already.

“If she can appear, how come she never appeared to me?” It was Vic’s turn to be offended. Clearly, he thought of Maxie as his ghost.

“She didn’t want to scare you. Maxie?” I called to her, though I knew she’d probably been eavesdropping on our every word. “Hey, Vic wants to meet you. Come say hello!”

“I am socializing with wraiths,” Ranulf muttered. “This is not a thing that is done.”

To Ranulf, Vic said, “Remember what I said about social conformity being the prison of the mind?” Vic’s sandy hair stuck out from the brim of his trucker cap, so unruly it made him look a little wild in his eagerness as he spoke again, this time to Maxie. “We’re all nonconformists here, so, you know, drop on by.”

Why did you tell him my name? I could see Maxie without seeing her—as a vision in my mind, the same way she’d briefly appeared to me in the attic. He doesn’t need to know who I am!

“She’s talking to me,” I said to Vic and Ranulf. “Not aloud. I think she’s shy.”

“Aw, man.” Vic looked around the wine cellar avidly. Maybe he thought he might glimpse Maxie hiding between the bottles.

“Seriously, Maxie, it’s okay. Come say hi.”

I’m not coming out there.

So far as I could tell from the tone of her “voice,” Maxie felt genuinely terrified at the thought of finally seeing Vic face-to-face. Apparently his opinion meant a lot to her.

I realized I could use that to my advantage. Was that playing fair? I decided it was at least as fair as the wraith trying to freeze me to death. My best chance of getting good information from her was to ask now, while he was a witness. “She’s agreeing to help me out,” I said loudly. “Can you explain more about how the bracelet works, Maxie? I just want to understand.”

Maxie’s consternation felt obvious, at least to me. Ranulf and Vic were both staring at the ceiling, as if wraiths were dangling from above like a chandelier. Vic muttered, “I have got to get a Ouija board.”

Well? I thought to her. You don’t want to let Vic down, do you?

Like you even need my help, she snapped. You can already walk around and hug people. I never could get solid like that, and look at you now. Bet you could walk around the whole day.

“I can pretty much act naturally while I’ve got the bracelet,” I said to Vic and Ranulf. I couldn’t wait to surprise Lucas. He’d be so happy. Well, first he’d probably be scared out of his wits. But after that, he would see that there could still be some kind of future for us. We had a lot to mourn for; my lost life killed so many possibilities. Already I dreaded the long stretch of centuries that would follow after Lucas was gone. Nevertheless, it was more than I’d had before. “Does the same thing apply to the jet brooch? The one he took with him?”

Lucas took it along? Maxie relaxed a little; she still sounded sullen, but not as angry. Then you’re in luck, kiddo. Like I said, all the stuff we imprinted on in life, we can use in death. Not just to become corporeal—like you are now. You can also use them to travel.

“Travel? What are you talking about?” At this point, I was talking to the ceiling, too. From the corner of my eye, I could see Vic and Ranulf gaping in total confusion.