They drifted back toward the sacred grove, where the ghost convention was still in full swing with socializing and fireside storytelling.Most of the other spirits seemed not to have noticed their absence, and the three friends settled back into the gathering as if they'd never left.
They found a quiet spot near the edge of the grove and collapsed in a drunken heap, still giddy from their adventure.
Chapter 8
Tent Drama and Tantrums
In the glow of the glamping area beyond the sacred grove, Cornelius Lennox adjusted his tie with the precision of someone accustomed to making impressions.His accommodations were, naturally, the finest available—a spacious pavilion that managed to look both elegant and otherworldly in the moonlight.
The tent itself was a masterpiece of architecture, its walls glittering with luxury that spoke to Cornelius's sense of his own importance.Furniture had been arranged with impeccable taste, each piece chosen to project an image of refinement and success that he'd cultivated throughout his literary career.
“Thank your lucky stars I got rid of that nosey-nelly ghost.”Cornelius looked himself over.
Across the sitting area, Evelyn hunched over a laptop, her fingers moving with quiet desperation across keys that glowed with pale light.Pencils were still tucked haphazardly in her wispy hair, and her wire-rimmed spectacles reflected the screen's glow as she worked.
"I still need more time," she said without looking up from her work."The transitions between chapters feel rushed, and the character development needs—"
The contrast between them was stark—Cornelius, immaculate and commanding even in death, versus Evelyn, disheveled and anxious, her entire being focused on the words flowing across her screen with the intensity of someone whose existence depended on getting every sentence just right.
"It's fine as it is," Cornelius interrupted, checking his reflection in a mirror that materialized at his gesture."Remember, it doesn't need to be perfect."
He waved her concerns away, like so many times before.His attention was fixed on his hair.
Evelyn's fingers paused over the keyboard."This is supposed to be your comeback work.Don't you want it to be your best?"
Cornelius turned from the mirror, his face sharpened, losing all warmth."My dear Evelyn, after the disaster that was the last publication, anything will be an improvement.The important thing is having something ready for tomorrow's presentation.I want to tease them with a passage.Then I want the whole book to be ready—on demand.”
His tone carried the weight of bitter experience, the knowledge that his reputation had been tarnished by that final book in his series, but not completely destroyed.
"But the emotional depth, the character arcs—"
"Will be fine," he said firmly."You always worry too much about the details.Just finish the editing and make sure everything flows properly.I have more pressing concerns."
Cornelius moved to the pavilion's entrance, gazing out at the other spirits scattered throughout the glamping area.Most were settling in for whatever passed for rest among the dead, but a few were still socializing, their translucent forms creating an otherworldly garden party atmosphere.
The view pleased him—other successful spirits all gathered for an event where he would be the star.This wasn’t quite the audience he deserved, but it would suffice for now.Soon enough, he’s get the recognition he'd been denied since his demise.
"Do you know what the most infuriating thing about being dead is?"he asked, his voice carrying a bitterness that made Evelyn flinch.
"I...what?"
"The absolute irrelevance of it all," Cornelius continued, his composure cracking slightly."Here I am, brilliant, talented, still capable of greatness, and yet I'm reduced to entertaining other ghosts at a bizarre convention.Do you have any idea how limiting that is?"
The words came out with the force of suppressed frustration.Death had not dimmed his ambition or his sense of entitlement, only redirected them toward increasingly impossible goals.
Evelyn lowered her laptop, studying his profile with growing unease."But surely there's value in connecting with other spirits, sharing experiences—"
"Other ghosts can't put me on the bestseller charts, Evelyn," Cornelius hissed."They can't attend literary events or write reviews in prestigious publications.They can't make careers or create legacies.They're just...remnants."
"Like us," Evelyn said quietly.
"No," Cornelius said snapping back to face her."Not like us.We still have something to offer the living world.This convention, this book reading—it's all just a steppingstone."
"To what?"Evelyn squinted at the question.
A corner of Cornelius's lip lifted, a thick brow followed suit, as the words slithered out with a sneer."There are living people in that town, Evelyn.Real people with real influence and real connections to the real literary world.I’m going to find a way to make contact, to remind them of who Cornelius Lennox really is...and will continue to be even in eternity."
A flash rolled through his dark eyes, and Evelyn shivered.
