A Spiritual Mystery

Someone I Could Rely On - 4

In a rush, I raced to a nearby store, using the only advantage I had—my invisibility. I snatched a phone, set it up with a SIM card, and hurried back to the hospital. We exchanged numbers, and I felt a small glimmer of hope. Maybe this wasn't the end after all.

As she left the hospital, I heard the doctor call her name—Veronica. I hadn't even known her name until now. It suited her.

Days later, we met at the park. I had been waiting for her, the weight of my secret pressing on me with every passing moment. When she arrived, her face was set in a hard frown, her steps quick and purposeful. I could see the confusion, frustration, and doubt bubbling just beneath the surface. She didn't waste time with pleasantries.

"What the hell is going on, Alex?" she demanded, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. Her eyes searched mine, not for answers, but for truth. "I need an explanation. Now."

My heart—or whatever was left of it—sank. I had been avoiding this conversation, but I knew I couldn't run from it anymore. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath, though I wasn't sure why I still bothered to breathe at all.

"I'm sorry, Veronica," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know how to tell you before, and I was afraid you'd think I was crazy. But the truth is... only people with a curse can see me."

Her brows furrowed, but she didn't interrupt. I continued, my words shaky and uncertain. "I don't know much about this curse, but it's the reason why the doctor couldn't see me, why your best friend couldn't see me. I guess... you're cursed, too."

I watched her closely, waiting for her reaction. For a moment, I was sure she'd call me out, say I was lying, or maybe just walk away and leave me in the park, alone again. But instead, she stared at me with a mixture of disbelief and wonder. Slowly, her frown softened, and the anger in her eyes faded, replaced by something I hadn't expected—understanding.

"So... I'm cursed?" she asked, her voice softer now, as if testing the words.

I nodded, though guilt gnawed at me. It wasn't the whole truth, and I knew it. But I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I was actually a spirit, a ghost clinging to the last threads of my existence. That would have sounded insane, and I couldn't risk losing the one person who could actually see me.

Veronica seemed to take it all in stride. After a long pause, her expression shifted again, and to my surprise, a spark of excitement lit up her face. "Well, if I'm cursed, then I guess there's only one thing to do."

I blinked, confused. "What's that?"

She grinned, the kind of grin that promised adventure and mischief. "We're going to solve this mystery, right? I mean, you're clearly stuck here for a reason. And I love solving mysteries. Will we go on adventures? I've always wanted to go on a real-life adventure!" Her voice bubbled with excitement as she clasped her hands together, as if already imagining the two of us navigating dangerous, unknown territories.

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and despite everything, I found myself smiling. "Adventures?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah! Adventures. I mean, you're clearly in some kind of trouble, right? And if solving your mystery can lift the curse, then we'll be helping you and maybe even saving me from whatever this curse is." She looked at me with such determination, like nothing could stop her from diving headfirst into this wild journey with me.

My heart—if I could still call it that—warmed at her words. She had accepted me, curse and all, and she was willing to help me, to join me in solving the mystery of my own death. It was more than I could have ever hoped for. For the first time in a long while, I didn't feel so lost. I wasn't alone anymore.

I smiled, the first real smile I'd felt since becoming this ghostly version of myself. "I guess you're right," I said. "We're in this together now. I think we'll have more than a few adventures along the way."

Veronica beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Good! I'd do anything for my best friend, Alex. We're going to figure this out, I promise."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. Best friend. It had been so long since I'd thought of anyone that way, or since anyone had thought of me like that. And yet here she was, this girl I barely knew, offering me her friendship without hesitation.

I nodded, a swell of emotion rising in my chest. "Thank you, Veronica. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She grinned even wider, her excitement palpable. "Let's get started then! We've got a mystery to solve, and I'm not going to rest until we do."

As we stood there in the park, a sense of hope filled me for the first time since I had died. Maybe, just maybe, with her help, I could finally find peace. And maybe, we'd find more than just answers—maybe we'd find adventure, friendship, and a way to break free from the darkness that had held me for so long.