Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Suspense/Mystery

James woke up feeling fresher than he ever had in 32 years. The feeling was almost foreign. The satisfaction of an uninterrupted sleep, the clarity of a fresh mind and the softness of the bed. For once, he didn't want to get up, didn't want to do anything but lay there and bask in the newfound serendity.

He got up nevertheless at the sound of his alarm. Freshened up, made his bed, made himself a slice of toast and powered up his laptop. He checked his inbox and found no new messages. Slightly bummed because no messages means no income. The world must not need him today.

Whatever, James thought. Refusing to let his good mood dampen.

And so his day went on as uneventful as he can remember. He checked his phone, trying to occupy himself with the news, constantly refreshing the page, but he can't help but glance at the front door every five minutes.

Adrienne told him that she would come back but they didn't set a time. And James was growing anxious by the minute. It was growing close to noon now. 

What if he had just imagined everything up? It wasn't completely impossible. His mind isn't the most tamed. Tired of staring at the door any longer he made to go back into his room and sink into his bed, but no sooner did he stand up from his chair did he see her, walking through the door, literally.

Their eyes met and James's face must have reflected one of confusion as she stopped in place. 

"I would have knocked if I could." She stated.

James thanked god that while she could walk through things, she can't read minds. He couldn't possibly tell her that her knocking was the least of his concerns and that he was more relief than confused at her arrival. At least he can say for sure that yesterday wasn't a hallucination. 

"You can come by anytime you want, just don't go into my room."

She hastily agreed. Walking up to him she went straight to business. "What about this medium thing you were talking about yesterday?"

"I'll need to make a phone call first."

James pulled out his phone and went through his contacts, searching for that one number.

Adrienne merely looked at him in amusement. Usually, he hated people staring at him, he guesses his principle must not apply to ghosts.

He found the number in no time but hesitated to press the call button. It's been so long, what would he say? 

He looked up at Adrienne and they held each other's gaze. Adrienne's expression turned from one of initial amusement to one of confusion to one of realisation.

"Who is this person?" She asked. 

"What?"

"Who is this person you're wanting to call?" She repeated her question.

"He is someone that has connections to those in the supernatural business."

"Are you afraid?" She asked.

James felt no judgment, her eyes were nothing but sincere. Maybe that's why he answered her truthfully, "... Yes."

"Afraid of him?" She asked.

"We used to be... Know each other, but i haven't contacted him in years." James released a breath of exasperation.

It's just a phone call, it's just a call, you can do it, just press the call button. James berated himself. 

"Do we have to call him?" Adrienne asked. And James was surprised that she gave him a choice to not go through with the call, even though she clearly wants to. 

"We do. He is someone I know we can trust, he would be able to recommend us to a legit source. Not some scam artist the Internet would provide."

Adrienne leaned on the wall, her arms crossed, "Call him when you're ready to." 

"You're not going to make me?" James wondered out loud. Surprised that she wasn't the least bit pushy on her demands. 

She frowned at his question. "I can't make you do anything you don't want to."

And James was hurt, hurt by the implications of her words because that was so far from the truth. The thing is, he wants to help, wants to help her regain her memories. He had the whole night and morning to think about his future actions and as much as how crazy it sounds to be helping a ghost, a part of him looks forward to and yearned for the excitement. And he was letting his cowardness get in the way. 

James laughed dryly, how immature of him. Even though they are years apart, it feels like she was the more mature one. 

James pressed the call button and pressed the phone to his ear. Adrienne visibly brightened at his action, detached herself from the wall and walked up to him. 

"Put it on speaker, I want to hear what he says." She asked. 

James did just that. Placing the phone between their bodies so that she could hear as well. 

A few rings later and the call went through. The anxiety bubbling in his chest dies away the moment the familiar voice echoed through the room. 

"I don't want to take up any of your goddamn loans!!! " James flinched, almost dropping his phone when Adrienne barely even blinked. 

James faked a cough before speaking, "No one in their right mind would try to offer you a loan if they knew you once scammed a client out of his."

One could visibly hear the loud gasp from the other line and James had to fight the growing smirk on his face. 

There was a few moments of silence before the person chose to speak up again, seemingly having composed himself and understood that he had insulted a wrong party. 

"James, is that you?" The person on the other line asked cautiously, his tone surprised and apprehensive. 

James's heart slightly dropped at his tone, knowing fully well that the person's hesitation was due to him. He was the one that let it get to this point. James tried his best to bay the negativity and be bright. "Unless you've told someone else that story, yes, I'm James."

"Oh. My.God, you called... "

"If now is not a good time, I can call back."

"I have the time!" The person shouted. Seemingly afraid that James would cut the line. 

Now or never, "Phil, I know that we have things to talk about so I, I I understand if you don't want to. I was just wondering you know, if, you would like, want to...."

"We can meet up James." Phil finished for him. James could feel the burden lift off his shoulders. 

"Thank you. When can we..." 

"My break is in an hour, we can meet up then." 

James momentarily looked up at the excitement practically oozing out of  Adrienne's eyes before he off the speaker and brought the phone back to his ear. 

"Is an hour too much of a rush?" James asked. 

"It isn't. I want to see you as soon as possible , god knows you change your mind and I don't get the chance to anymore." 

"... I'm sorry." 

The line went quiet for a while before Phil spoke up, his tone friendly and clam, "Hey James, thanks so much for calling." 


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