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After school

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Evelyn goes back to her seat as school ends to pack her stuff when she sees Lela approaching but ignores her.

Hey come on, why the silent treatment? All I did was screw you over a bit. Lela says, earning a short slight glare from me.

On, fine chill, it was my fault.

Why are you even here? Don't you usually go home or whatever it is you do after school?

I usually go back to the ghost council after school, but thanks to bringing Jake in, I got something similar to a promotion, so less work hours for me.

Oh, so go bother someone else.

Nope, you're my only friend.

Bye. Evelyn says picking up her stuff and starts walking out of the class, with Lela following behind.

Leave me alone.

No.

You have to go back to the ghost council later, yes?

Yea, why?

I'll just sit here and wait while ignoring you.

Hey! Come on, don't ignore me. Lela says trying to get Evelyn's attention, but failing miserably.

Fine, how about this? Lela says holding up some money.

Evelyn almost immediately agrees but realizes something.

Isn't that the money you promised me yesterday?

What money? Lela says, feigning an innocent smile once again.

Stop it with that smile, it's so obviously fake.

I know, but it gives me the most satisfaction and seems to be able to annoy you somewhat.

Fine, give me the money, I'll stop ignoring you.

Lela hands the bag over and follows Evelyn as she starts walking home.

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Halfway to Evelyn's home

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Hmm, I think I've got to return back to the council now.

Why?

Because I need to sort out information.

What information?

Information provided by Jake.

Oh, but how do you know he's done providing the info?

Because… nevermind, I think you'll see soon.

Huh? Evelyn tilts her head slightly confused as she suddenly feels something weird, oddly light and oddly familiar jump onto her back.

Who? She asks and turns back to see Jake on her before turning back to Lela.

Oh, I think I got it now.

Yea, so I'm gonna go now. Lela says going back after pulling Jake off Evelyn onto the floor and leaving him there.

So… was it fun? Evelyn asks, looking down at Jake.

The interrogation? Well, it was about as fun as an interrogation could get.

Nice, I guess? Evelyn says as he starts to fake sob loudly.

Shut it, you're being noisy.

Sure. Jake says going back to his usual playful demeanor with a mischievous smirk.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Right… . Evelyn keeps entertaining Jake till she reaches home.

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Evelyn's home

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Alright, Now let me just set my stuff down, without you pestering me for a moment.

Come on, let's go play a game or something.

What game would I even play with you?

I have a card game if you want it?

A card game?

Yea, made by ghosts.

Unexpected, but sure I guess?

Jake pulls out a set of cards looking awfully similar to poker with slightly different rules as they start playing it for a couple of hours.

Hey bear boy(Jake).

Yea? And are you ever gonna stop calling me that?

No, and also do you mind if Lela joins us?

No, why? Jake answers looking somewhat nervous, making Evelyn suspicious of him.

Cus I texted her to join.

Huh? Why would you do that? Jake asks Evelyn, panicking while grabbing her arms.

Why are you so nervous?

Well, truth be told, this game is illegal for ghosts.

Huh? What?

Well, it's a gambling game, and ghosts use soul energy as payment, but we are made of soul energy, so some of the weaker ghosts who lost this game and had to pay up actually vanished.

Vanished? As in like dying again? But for real?

Yea.

Oh… well, if it makes you feel better, I lied about telling Lela about this.

Oh, thank god, that woman is strict about the rules.

Really?

Ghost rules I mean.

Oh, say what would happen if they found us playing this?

Well, for a normal ghost not much, just receive a warning, but you're human, so you may be uh…

Huh?

Jailed for questioning and study purposes unless Lela or something other important person vouchers for you.

So I would be kidnapped and experimented on?

Yea.

What makes you so sure Lela wouldn't help me?

She's really strict about the rules, so break them and you'll lose her support not by too much, but enough that she wouldn't go that far to support you.

What makes you think so?

She's done it before that's why.

Huh?

Yea, she's been alive for a really long time, shorter than the ghost on the council, but long enough to make a couple friends and screw them all the second they found out about ghosts and broke their rules.

Oh, what a joy… but how am I supposed to hide from ghosts?

You could pretend to be one.

Huh? How?

It's easy, just pretend to be a weak ghost.

How?

Use soul energy to contain the warmth in your body, making your skin cold, then scattering it around on the outside to make it seem like you're made of it.

But don't I look like a normal person instead of a ruined corpse?

Most ghosts look more normal than you'd expect.

How?

Health conditions, like heart problems which you can't use from the outside.

Oh, I think I got the hang of it. Evelyn says before losing control.

Making a layer of soul energy around the outside of my body is harder than inside.

Yea, I know.

That's not exactly helpful.

I know.

Neither is that

I know.

…

But don't worry, this game was only a problem like 20 years back, so it's low priority now, meaning they don't keep surveillance on the game as much anymore, as I took it secretly, leaving a fake behind.

Does it look similar?

The box does.

Huh?

I left a rock in the box.

So if they open it, I'm screwed?

When you put it like that, yea.

Whatever, I'm bored and it's low priority anyways, let's just keep playing.

Sure. Jake says concentrate on the game.

Evelyn sighs while playing. This is gonna be a bad idea ain't it? She thinks while focusing back on the game.

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After school the next day

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Hey Evelyn. Lela says approaching her.

You're gonna do this every day now?

Exactly, caught on early ey? Good job!

Should I be happy or something?

Nope, but I am.

Great, go be happy but yourself.

Hmm, you have a weird soul energy on you, it reminds me of that illegal card game from that time.

What card game? Evelyn lies with the usual mostly expressionless face and monotonous tone.

You wouldn't know it, it was made before you were born.

Oh.

Anyways, it's probably just Jake's naturally emitting miniscule amounts of soul energy since he can't even control it, and during interrogation was in a place filled with contrabands.

Ghosts have illegal stuff too?

Yea.

Like what?

Drugs.

I thought drugs don't work on ghosts?

Ones made with soul energy do.

What do the drugs do?

It's for a specific group of ghosts usually.

What group?

Well, usually the ones who died so terribly that they can't even feel anything as ghosts, like having their bodies burnt alive, but surviving long enough for most senses to be burnt so bad their non existence.

How does the drug help?

It causes pain.

Pain?

Yea, those ghosts with no senses especially touch usually get desperate where even pain would be better than nothing for them.

Oh, seems like a terrible fate.

Yea, it's actual hell on earth seeing as even you agree it's bad.

What's that supposed to mean?

Well, you usually don't care for violence or horsey stuff, or even being sympathetic, and mostly empathetic with others.

Not true.

Is true.

When have I even been empathetic?

Hmm, car accident, the most recent one near school.

Oh, Jake told you?

No, we read his memories.

You can read memories?

Only ghosts.

How?

I don't know the details, but the memories of ghosts are stored in specialized soul energy.

If you run out of soul energy?

You won't, it takes so less energy than even the energy from the surroundings is sufficient.

If it's not enough?

It will be, and even if it isn't, the soul energy from the body of the ghost will be converted to sustain their memories instead.

Won't they die?

They'll be risking their lives, but losing too many memories could risk turning into a vengeful spirit.

Could?

Theorized as nobody has lost any memories yet unwillingly.

So there's willingly?

Yea, if you have high enough control, you can destroy some of your memories.

Why would you want to do so?

If you lived as long as some of the strongest ghosts, you have to do so to avoid going crazy.

Oh.

Welp I gotta go now, how about this, I'll give you a lecture on anything you want when I have enough free time.

I don't want one though.

Either you choose a topic, or I choose.

Fine… . Evelyn says as she goes home.

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Evelyn's home

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Evelyn goes back to her room as she sees Jake with multiple decks of cards with him.

… Are all of those possibly…

Possibly what?

Illegal?

Maybe? Jake says feigning an innocent smile like Lela.

Oh god, not another one…