“No. I believe this is the first time we’ve met,” I said.

“Sorry,” Gigi responded, brushing her fingers through her braided hair. “I guess that was a weird question to ask. Your voice reminded me of someone I met before.”

“It’s fine. I mean, I’ve been mixed up with Bryson since the start of freshman year.”

“Who?”

“Nevermind.”

“Anyhow, ” Gigi said, reaching into her folder and pulling out the calculus syllabus for the year. “What areas of the class are you particularly struggling in?”

“Is it bad if I say everything?”

“That is pretty bad,” she said, twirling the pen with her thin fingers. “I guess we’ve got a lot to cover then.”

The start of the study session was rather productive. Gigi excelled at teaching. She explained complicated concepts in such an easy-to-understand way that even a baby could understand. She broke down the problems on the previous quizzes into such simple steps that I felt like a moron for missing so many of them before. For once, I finally understood how to do some of the previous quiz and homework questions. I also grew more comfortable talking to Gigi. The searing sensation of her eyes smoldered off over time, turning into a more moderate campfire.

The more recent content was less intuitive. My brain turned into wet play-doh whenever Gigi tried to explain partial integration. Gigi noticed my struggle.

“I think we’ve covered enough for today,” she said, glancing at the clock at the front of the room. I looked too. 4:56 pm. Tutoring time was nearing its end. I looked around the room. There were only three other students in the room: one tutor and two nearly asleep students.

“Thanks for the help. I feel a little less like an idiot now.”

“Good to hear.,” Gigi said, clasping her palms together above her head and stretching upward. “I’m available for tutoring every Tuesday and Thursday so if you need any help I’ll be there. You can also try to work with the other Calculus tutors if they’re free; it’s not protocol, but they’ll definitely be willing to help.” She reached into her pockets and pulled out a blue rectangular object. “And if you need any homework-specific homework, text me and I’ll give my 110% to answer it. She pushed her phone towards me. It was an Android phone wrapped in a blue case. The screen was set on entering contact information.

My heart rate jumped. I knew it was only for school, but the idea of having such a cute girl’s phone number; I wondered if this was some sort of hint. Shut up brain. Stop taking any act of kindness from girls as a sign of interest. I entered my contact info and returned the phone to her.

“Well I’ll be off,” Gigi said, her hair whipping behind her neck as she rose from the chair. She went to the back to pick up her bookbag: a pink daypack. For some reason, I noticed an orange hue around the bag.. Before leaving the room, she turned back to look at me. “Good luck, Xavier.” Before I could respond, she left.

I left the room around 4:15, after looking over some of the practice problems I worked on with Gigi. Traffic was much worse than it was this morning. Still, the number of ghosts I usually saw was much lower. Before returning home, I had to go to Walmart to grab some ingredients for Dad’s Scrambled Egg Quesadilla and some apple slices for Apple. While searching the dairy aisle, a little boy came up to me.

“Hey, mister. Can you help me?” I lowered my head so that I could see him. He looked around thirteen with brown hair shaped into a bowl cup. He wore a bomber jacket with Nike shorts.

“Sorry buddy but I’m busy right now,” I whispered. The kid reached out his arm, his hand phasing right through my head.

“Stop that.”

“Please help mister. I’m in danger.” That was a first. Usually, ghosts worried about the things they couldn’t do. I never met one that was actually afraid of their lives given that they were already dead.

“What do you need,” I sighed.

“Please guide me to the Burger King down the street.”

“You mean the Burger King left on St. Avenue Drive?”

“Maybe,” the little boy ghost said. “I’m not good with directions.”

“Why can’t you go by yourself? It's not like its that far off or anything”

“I can't get in by myself. I need your help. Please, it's getting near.”

“It?” I asked. “Who is it?”

“I’m not sure, but I can sense it. It smells really bad, like blood and murder. You’ve got to hurry.”

Blood and murder? I thought back to the conversation I had with Terry. I guess some messed-up stuff is happening in the ghost world. “I’ll consider helping you after I finish getting the groceries.”

I can’t begin to describe how strange it is to check out of the grocery line with an annoying little ghost boy sticking his intangible finger through you, asking if you can't hurry it up. The boy’s name was Barry. He knew of me from other ghosts in the area and learned of my ability to talk to ghosts from watching my conversation with Sarah in the park. According to him, as of this morning, a strange presence appeared in the Atlanta region, causing ghosts from all over the city to disappear. This unknown entity radiated a malicious aura sensed only by ghosts. I asked Barry if the entity posed a threat to the living to which he replied, “I don’t think so. From what I have heard, regular people seem unaffected.

I tossed my groceries into the trunk. Barry stood beside me tapping his foot through the pavement. I knew ghosts to be impatient at times, but Barry was on another level. I sat in the front seat. Barry phased through me to get into the passenger seat.

“Does driving even do anything for you since you phase through anything.?”

“Not really, but it's still fun. It’s not like I can fly or anything.”

“Can you keep up?”

“We’re quite fast when we want to be. We’re weightless after all.” A question formed in my mind.

“What happens if you phase your entire body through the ground? Are you just stuck there?”

“That’s a patented ghost secret.”

“Then it’s settled I won’t help you.”

“No, I’m sorry. I’ll tell you once we get there.”

“Good ghost.”

The drive was short. I parked the car and Barry and I exited my car. It was one of those unique Burger Kings, which looked more like a convenience store from the outside than a fast-food restaurant. This Burger King was special in a different way as well; from all around the restaurants a goldish tint emanated like the entire area was put under a filter. As I approached the building, I noticed the gold coloring thickening, forming an almost solid construct around the restaurant. A barrier? Barry put his hand through my shoulder.

“You see that thing covering the building?” Barry asked. I nodded. “Is it some type of spiritual barrier?”

“Yes. I don’t know who made it, but it's certainly strong.”

“So how am I supposed to get you through there.”

“Like this,” Barry responded. He stepped inside of me so that his entire body fit inside of mine like I was his own personal flesh suit.

“That’s disgusting,” I uttered. “Get out.”

“Sorry Xavier, but it’s the only way. Your physical body is the perfect meatshield to get me through.”

“Meatshield? Is this going to hurt? Barry shook his head. It can only hurt me, pretty badly if I may add, but you'll feel nothing since you're one of those special types.”

“Special types?”

“I’ll explain it to you later. The thing’s presence is growing stronger now. Quickly, Xavier.”

We walked through the golden barrier. Barry uttered a few grunts, but we managed to make it to the front door.

“Good job Xavier. Let’s go in.” I opened the door. The building was vacant: no customers in seats, no cashier at the register, no people in the back. The restaurant was empty except for one person sitting at the very back. As I entered the person turned to me, the woman turned around, her braided hair whipping to the front. Her face opened wide in astonishment when she gazed upon me.

“Xavier, what are you doing here? How are you here?” Gigi looked me up and down with her hazel eyes like a startled animal.

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“I’m just as surprised to see you here.”

“You know her?” Barry asked.

“She’s my Calculus tutor.”

“Who are you talking to?” Gigi asked and then frowned. “That aura I sense around you. Could it be a membrance?”

“Interesting. She can’t see me but remains aware of my presence to a certain extent. So she’s a special type too.”

“A special type? Like me?”. So there are more like me. Makes sense.

“Listen, Xavier. I don’t know how you got in here, but you have to leave now. It’s not safe for you here. And that membrance near you. Step aside and let me handle it.” She reached into the folds of her book bag and pulled out a long, straight sword. The hilt of the sword contained a blackened skull.

“Xavier, help me!” Barry said somehow merging even closer to my body. Gigi approached with her sword outstretched.

“Hey, now Gigi. I don’t know what you have against my friend Barry, but I’m sure it's not worth stabbing him with a sword. From what I know of him, he seems like a good guy.”

Gigi paused, her hazel eyes staring into my eyes. “I knew you were different. From back then, but I couldn’t exactly prove it. But now it's clear. You can see membranes. You talk to them and supposedly befriend them. You’re special.”

“I wouldn’t say all that..”

“But that thing,” Gigi said, pointing her sword blade in the direction of Barry. “It's not wise to try to befriend these creatures. They may seem innocent at first, but if left alone they’ll turn.”

“Turn,” I asked. “Like when they ascend.” Gigi still held the blade at an arms distance away from Barry. “And can you please put that thing down? Barry looks like he’s about to faint, and I don’t think ghosts can faint.” Gigi sheathed her sword. She let out a sigh and shook her head.

“I can’t believe you know its name. I can’t believe you let that thing in. Do you know how hard it was for me to create that binding seal?”

“So you were the one who made that. For what reason?”

“Not to attract a weak little membrance like him, that’s for sure. I know it's not your thought that you're here; that thing deceived you. However, Xavier, you need to get out of here before the lich arrives.”

“You're trying to lead that thing here,” Barry said. “Are you insane? It’s going to destroy us all

“Again with the pronoun game,” I said. “It seems that both you and Barry are talking about the same creature. Gigi, is that barrier supposed to attract or repel it?”

“Both,” Gigi said. “The binding seal stops both the living and dead from entering, but it also attracts those stronger spirits towards it due to its high-level magic. I expect the beast will arrive soon. Please Xavier, if you value your life you must leave now.

“Fair enough.” I turned to Barry. “Goodbye kid. You owe me one.”

“For sure. Thanks, Barry.” I noticed Gigi’s glaring at me.

“And goodbye Gigi. Best of luck!”

“Stay safe, Xavier,” she responded. “Tomorrow after school, we’ll have to…” A loud, bestial roar blasted through the building causes a tremor that nearly knocked me to the floor. Alex yelped and Gigi started to reach for her sword.

“The lich is here,” Gigi said. “I’m sorry Xavier, but it's too late now. If you leave now, that thing is going to tear you apart.”

Tear me apart. “Wait, but Barry. I thought you said that thing wouldn’t harm people.”

“Normally yes,” Barry responded. “But with that weapon the scary girl has, it's likely to lose any restraints when it comes to casualties.

“So we’ll have to fight back?” I asked.

“You're joking,” Gigi responded. “I don’t know your relationship with this Barry person, but I’ll leave it alone for now. You two just stand behind me and I’ll deal with this.”

“Thank you, kind lady,” Barry said. “Please don’t die before it does.”

“Are you sure you can handle it?” I asked. She smiled back.

“Don’t worry about me, Xavier. The presence is strong, but it's nothing I haven’t faced before.” Her face became sterner. “After this, we’re having a long conversation about all this.”

“I guess that’s fitting since you're my tutor.”

“Seriously, how can you be so carefree in a moment like this. You're so peculiar.”.

Suddenly I felt a sense of impending dread rush over me. The building began to shake, lights flickered, tables turned, and the glass cracked. The front door rumbled and creaked.

“It’s coming,” Barry said.

“Stay back guys,” Gigi said, once again drawing her sword.

The front door opened. A gaseous vapor thicker than normal smoke rose above us covering the ceiling of the restaurant. An enormous, scaly hand emerged from the gas, green and white in complexion with dagger-like nails. The hand swatted at Gigi who sidestepped the attack and countered with a sword strike to the palm. I heard an otherworldly roar that sent shivers down my spine. The hand retreated back into the smoke. Gigi backed away.

Smoke condensed from both sides Gigi forming into two hands that came together at blinding speeds. Gigi cartwheeled away. She tried to retaliate only for the hands to evaporate into vapor before her sword strike. The smoke swarmed around Gigi separating her from Barry and I. From the roof, smoke emerged to form a long, wormy object covered in a green liquid--a tongue. The tongue sprung at Gigi who focused solely on the smoke around her

“Watch out from above,” I yelled. Gigi looked up to see the tongue seconds away from crushing her. She dodged, avoiding the tongue but landed off-balance. She slipped, falling into the smoke surrounding her. Before I knew it my body flew itself into the smoke. I faintly heard Barry yelling at me, warning me not to go in. The smoke suffocated me. My vision faded. I heard a bone-chilling scream emanating all around me. I felt like I was falling into an endless pit. A raspy voice echoed in my head. “Mary, May why? How could you do this?”

The smoke vanished. I laid prone on a wooden floor. I took a deep breath before observing my surroundings. Instead of the inside of a fast-food restaurant, I found myself surrounded by shelves upon shelves of books. Lines of rustic bookcases formed horizontal corridors, the nearest of which was only a couple of feet away from my head. The smell was musty. A few meters ahead of me laid a circular staircase that led to the upstairs area close to the ceiling On the ceiling, decorated with the painting of angels reminiscent of the Sistine Baptist church hung an iron chandelier that shook to and fro. Next to my feet laid the tattered remains of pages whose letters were etched in a bright crimson red. The pages seemed to give off their own aura, burning to the touch when I stepped on them From somewhere or in the distance I saw a cloud of smoke forming near the ceiling. Was it a fireplace? No, there was too much of it gathered around. The place must be on fire. I rose, wiping the blood that started dripping from my forehead. Where am I?

A few feet in front of me laid Gigi, her eyes barely open. I ran to her.

“Can you stand?” I asked.

“Wh….why did you come in here. Yo..you’ll die.”

“It looked like you were in trouble. Sorry, my body acted on my own right here. It’s just that my Mom always said to help someone when they’re in need and you looked like you needed a helping hand.”

“You're hopeless,” she said. Her eyes closed and her arms fell to her sides.

I shook her, trying to wake her up. She didn’t budge. I checked her pulse around her neck and felt a reassuring thump thump. From five feet above me, a shadowy figure emerged. A withering man dressed in a black suit with a matching tie adorned with a top hat over his frayed silver hair. He opened his mouth, a toothless maul that matched his ghoulish eyes. “Mary,” the ghost uttered. “Why Mary?”

I kept pushing Gigi but she remained motionless. I guess it was up to me now. I turned to face the ghost. I couldn’t fight it; I didn’t even know you could fight ghosts. There was only one thing I knew to do in this situation. Negotiate.

“Why are you here ghost? Why are you attacking us?”

“Mary, where are you?”

“Are you lost? Are you trying to find someone named Mary? I can help. Just calm down so we can resolve this peacefully.”

“Mary,” the ghost said softly. “You know Marry?”

“No, but…”

“You spoke her name. You know where she is?”

“Well not exactly, but I think together we could…”

“You took Mary!” The ghost’s face bulged into a hideous caricature of a human frown, enlarged eyes encapsulating half of his face. “You’ll pay for this. You’ll pay.”

The ghost launched at me. I dove to the side pushing Gigi out of the way. I barely missed the creature's attack. I dove to the right and nearly crashed my head into the nearest bookshelf. The ghost vanished through it.

I ran, leaving Gigi behind me. On one hand, it appeared that the ghost was only after me, so getting the creature away from her was the best move. On the other more realistic hand, I was scared to death. I ran towards and up the staircase, the ghost trailing behind me. I reached the top and made a left before the ghost could pounce on me. I ducked into a library corridor. I looked behind me. The ghost was not anywhere near me. The floor below my feet glowed a faint white. Instinct took in and I jumped back just in time before the ghost’s clawed fingers pierced my waist as it rose through the floor beneath me. My dodge caused me to collide with one of the bookshelves causing a cascade of books to fall on me. I stood up picking up a book that hit me straight in the head. The ghost came at me again, hand outstretched to choke the life out of me. I tried to avoid it, but I tripped over the other books on the floor and fell. The ghost clasped me by my neck, his dagger-like fingernails etching red scars into my neck. He carried me high up in the air.

“Give me back Mary! Give her back!”

“I don’t have her. She’s not here. She’s gone.”

“Do not lie to me!. Where is she? What have you done to her? What happened to the library” The ghost continued to strangle me. Blood rushed to my head as I desperately gasped for air. I had no idea who this Mary was, but it looked like she would be the reason why I would die today. Mary, Mary. The book that fell on my head was still in my left hand. As I thought of how to escape from the spirit, the book opened of its own accord and was rapidly flipping through its pages. Memories began springing into my head, things I had not personally experienced but the memories of another, much older person. A middle-aged rich man and his wife. An obsession with a private library. A divorce. A murder? I barely managed to choke out the next few words.

“She’s dead.” I didn’t know why I knew this, but I felt confident that the statement was true. “She’s dead and gone off beyond. She’s moved on from you Demitris, and you need to accept that.”

“She’s dead” Demitris murmured, a greenish teardrop falling from his soulless eye, “She’s dead. She left me.” He looked me straight in the eyes. “You killed her, didn’t you?”

“No, I did not.”

“You’ll pay for this.” The ghost kept his stranglehold on me. I tried to swing at him with my right hand, but the attack phased right through him. I then used my left hand that held the book and shoved it right through Demitiris’s head. The ghost screamed in agony. “My books! My books!’ The ghost dropped me and I tumbled to the bottom floor at a terminal velocity. Looks like this was the end.

Before I crashed into the ground, I felt the grasp of hands over my body. A few seconds afterward, I was looking up at the hazel-eye glare of a pretty pissed-off girl. Blood streamed from the gash on the top of her forehead. Gigi slowly placed me down. “You did well, Xavier. I would have died without you.” Her voice was calming but radiated with energy and determination. Her eyes shined with confidence.

“Your arms,” I said. “How did you catch me from such a fall? They should be broken.”

“Don’t worry, Xavier. Corpse parts increase one’s durability when near the target. Right now, I'm as strong as an ox.”

“A corpse..what?”

Gigi unsheathed her sword which gleaned in the dark light of the misty library.

“I’ll explain later. For now, just rest here and stay out of the way.”

Gigi then began to glow, a hazel aura outlining her body. The temperature around us began to rise to the level of a sauna. Gigi outstretched her sword so that the blade faced the bestial ghost. A gush of flame ignited on the tip of the blade, traveling downwards until it reached the hilt. The temperature skyrocketed causing me to be drenched in sweat

“This is the end membrane. There is no place for you in this world any longer.” Gigi began to chant as if casting a magical spell. “Bind the sky and sea. Chain the tormentor and arrest the accuser. With my brimstone body, with my layered heart, I beseech you. Erupt and conquer the darkness. Swing hellish blade of the punisher.” The ghost turned to look at her, its vapory melancholic face transforming into a foaming rage.

“Killer. Defiler. You will pay for killing my beloved.”

The ghost launched at her. Gigi raised her fiery sword above her head and swung down. A torrent of flame emerged from the blade and spread outwards, engulfing any books or furniture in its sight. The flame slash burrowed straight towards the Demitris who due to his initial trajectory made it a prime target for the attack. In a last-ditch effort, the spirit tried to avoid the fiery assault by diving to the side, but the hellish flames extended too far in all directions. The fire eviscerated the monster in seconds leaving nothing but a small cloud of smoke and a horrendous scream that echoed long after the ghost’s destruction. “My library!”

With Demitris’s dissipation, the library room began to disappear evaporating into smoke and dust.. Gigi sheathed her sword, her body covered in sweat. She trudged towards me, her right arm holding onto her hip. She reached out her hand towards me trying to raise me up, I couldn’t move. My entire body felt like I was thrown into an erupting volcano. My vision fogged up similar to the library. The final image I saw before I passed out was those hazel eyes staring at me with such worry that afterward, I chastised myself for thinking how nice it was to have a cute, strong girl with caring eyes be your last image in this world.