Living Dead

Chapter 3

"Tell me, what was it that inspired you to study laws?" Billie started the conversation, placing a cup of chamomile tea in front of me.

It was a great question.

"The system." I replied, that summed it up. "You know? I have been offered millions to defend disgustingly unfair people, privileged people who did something wrong and want to get away with it. No, I stand on the other side, I prefer to defend the people on the other side." And she smiled again, I knew she would agree with me...

"You are on the right side." She answered me. "I know you left a great legacy and I have no doubt that you have influenced many people to follow in your footsteps."

And I remembered... I was dead. I was not going to go back to court, I was not going to go back to sleepless hours trying to investigate and solve a case with my clients.

I felt Billie's thumbs caress my cheek and I could tell that I was crying, I felt completely frustrated, I had a whole life to dedicate to my work, probably at that moment I would be preparing my clothes for the next day and I would be trying to sleep due to to emotion. I screwed up, all for buying a house that was clearly haunted or some shit.

"I was young, I really wanted to continue working until I retired at seventy years old, I wanted to travel and... I never fell in love, I left it for later but, I wanted to fall in love with someone along the way and share all this with someone." I related to her. I never said this to anyone, not even Violet, although we only talked about music with her. Billie gave me confidence, I felt that I could open up to her.

"Awww, sweetheart, if I could do something about it, I would, you seem like a passionate girl and this is what the world needs." She comforted me. "I don't know if it makes you feel better, but in a week it will be Halloween, and the spirits can come out of here all day. If you want I can show you around."

Why didn't anyone mention that little detail to me?! I could go out on Halloween! Damn! And I couldn't miss the opportunity to date the woman I loved so much!

"It makes me feel so much better, I think in fact, I won't waste a second, I'll be out as soon as midnight and maybe at noon we can meet up." I proposed.

"No, I'm going to accompany you from midnight too, don't worry."

There was nothing I wanted more than to spend a full day with Billie Dean Howard, but she needed to sleep. I slept for pleasure, but did not have the need as such.

"I really appreciate you, but in no way will I allow you to go twenty-four hours without sleep." I declined. "How about you just go to sleep early and wake up early?"

Billie sighed.

"You don't know me, I've traveled and spent more time without sleeping. I'll pick you up at midnight, period." She established, and I knew there was no point in contradicting her.

"Fine, thanks, Billie." I resigned myself. "What will we do that day?"

I was too excited, I hadn't despaired from being inside the house so much, that was a long way off, since I was never a sociable person who enjoyed going out. What excited me was getting to know the town together with Billie.

"Leave it to me, darling."

I loved those nicknames she was giving me, but I was more than sure that she would never notice me, for a thousand reasons. The first was obvious, I was dead and trapped in that house, but the second was the age difference, she could perfectly be my mother. I had to mentalize myself and feel nothing but attraction for her, I couldn't fall in love, I definitely couldn't.

"Now tell me something about yourself, I want to meet Billie Dean Howard, the kind woman who came to visit this house, and not the famous world-renowned medium." I said.

The smile she gave me afterwards was priceless.

"Well, in my spare time I like to draw, get drunk, and watch classic movies." She answered. "Sorry, I'm not as interesting as everyone thinks I am, I could only tell you that I'm a huge fan of cinema, horror and art."

I definitely had to spend a full day with Billie, wow, she lived her life to the fullest and had impeccable tastes.

"You are completely interesting." I countered.

"You are so kind." She flattered me.

"No, I am honest." I contradicted. "In fact, on Halloween you should spend your day as you normally do and I will accompany you, you can bet all you want that it will be amazing."

Billie sipped the remainder of her teacup and lit another cigarette, she offered me one, and I accepted. I could seriously smoke all I wanted without fear of contracting a respiratory disease, I could get used to being dead.

"No, no, we can do that another day." She declined. I was extremely curious, what was she planning to do with me that it was so out of the ordinary? It would probably be the best day of my afterlife.

Billie left at 8 p.m., apparently, what was going to be a frequent and short visit, ended up turning into a completely long visit in which we talked about our interests, and we had a lot in common.

When I closed the door of the house to make sure that Billie had left, I was about to go to Violet's room but I ran into Vivien.

"Wow, easy, if you keep smiling like that, your cheeks will hurt." She laughed.

It was an innocent joke, very different from Constance's acid sarcasm.

I immediately stopped smiling, but something I couldn't hide was the way I blushed.

"Oh, uhm... she and I found a lot to talk about, that's all." I justified myself.

"You know? Before it happened... what happened, Violet used to have that same smile when she started dating Tate." She returned with a sad smile, and I saw in her eyes how much she wanted to go back in time.

"I do not know what you're talking about." I quickly denied.

Vivien just nodded.

"Just so you know, she was smiling the same way."