𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 | 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬

𝟒𝟔 | 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫

"Well done, Ruth. What a show!"

I wiped away my tears and saw Caleb standing behind me. I knew what he knew and he knew that I knew what he knew.

"What do you want, Caleb?"

"Well, we have about two minutes," Caleb said, checking his watch. "And you're not gone yet. Would you like to accept my offer?"

"Well, my business will be complete in about two minutes, so it won't really make a difference, will it?"

"On the contrary, Ruth, it will," Caleb countered as he took a seat. "Like I said, you're not gone yet."

I sat down across from him. I couldn't believe I was spending my last moments on earth with the devil himself.

"But, tell me," Caleb said, leaning forward. "How did you know that playing the Orpheum was not the boys' unfinished business?"

"I didn't trust your tone," I shrugged. "The things you were saying, the way you said them, it all just made sense - they want the connection with everyone, not just the people in the Orpheum."

"So why didn't you tell them this?"

"I had to let them go," I teared up. "So, they wouldn't have to see me go."

Caleb smirked. "How can you be so sure that playing the Orpheum is your unfinished business?"

"I think we both know it's not," I met his evil gaze. "Well, not exactly. I'm not supposed to be here, am I?"

"This is news to me," Caleb admitted, although I was not sure I could trust this mask of his. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"What difference does it make to you?" I scoffed. "I'll be gone soon, anyway."

"Exactly," Caleb shrugged. "Why not tell me?"

"Well, in that case," I sat back in my seat. "I was young when I died. There was so much I wanted to do - sound engineering in the Orpheum being the main thing. So, maybe it was my unfinished business ... at one point. But when we died, we all went to this dark place that I assumed was some kind of purgatory. The guys started experiencing this weird sensation that led to them disappearing, but it didn't happen to me. Luke dragged me into whatever was taking them and I somehow ended up in this weird state of dead but not quite dead."

"And that connects to your unfinished business how?" Caleb asked, speeding me along.

"I don't think I have any unfinished business," I concluded. "I'm not supposed to even be here. Once the guys go, I'm just gonna disappear with them."

"Hmm," Caleb mused. "Interesting theory but that doesn't quite add up with my information."

"Your information," I scoffed. "And how would you know?"

Caleb spread out his arms. "I'm Caleb Covington."

"Cool," I said as I stood up. "Well, I'm gonna go now."

"How can you be so sure you'll make it out the door?"

"I won't know unless I try," I sighed.

"Every ghost has unfinished business, Ruth," Caleb continued as if I was not actively leaving the room. "If you're going to cease to exist one way or the other, wouldn't you rather know why?"

I turned around to face him. "Go on, tell me then."

"I will," Caleb said. "If you accept my offer."