"But the rules—"
"The rules say ghosts can only enter the town with an invitation," Cornelius interrupted."They don't say anything about encouraging such invitations to be offered."
Evelyn stared at him, blinking."You're planning to use the convention to network you way back into the living world."
"I prefer to think of it as maximizing opportunities," Cornelius tugged on the cuffs of his jacket, straightened his tie, and gave her a smile and a wink."After all, what's the point of literary resurrection if it only reaches an audience of the already deceased?"
"And what about the other spirits here?The workshops, the community—"
"What about them?"Cornelius said with a shrug."Pleasant enough, but hardly the main event.The real prize is in that town, among the breathing population who can actually do something meaningful with their admiration."
Evelyn shivered again, and hunched her shoulders lower, trying her very best to shrink even more."So, everything here—the lectures, the reading, the celebration—it's all just...?"
"A means to an end," Cornelius stated."A way to remind the living world that Cornelius Lennox still has something valuable to contribute."
He radiated with confidence as he moved toward the exit with the same grace he’d exuded in life.Pausing for one last jab.
"Now, finish up those edits.I want everything polished and ready for tomorrow's presentation.Make sure the romance is over the top—you know how my audience loves their emotional manipulation."
"Where… are you going?"Evelyn asked, biting at her fingernails.A hold over habit from life, that no longer really gave her any true pleasure, since it had lost all sensation.
"To press the flesh, as they say," Cornelius replied with a chuckle."Or in this case, to press whatever passes for flesh among our fellow convention attendees.You never know who I might stumble upon in these woods.Like that Evangelina.Too “bad she only wanted to spy on us.
Evelyn swallowed a silent wish that she too could go out and find Evangelina, or anyone interested in helping her out of this nightmare.
He paused once more, his eyes almost gentle."Don't work too late, my dear.Tomorrow is going to be a very important day for both of us."
And with that, he glided out into the night, leaving Evelyn alone with her glowing laptop and a phantom growing pain in her stomach.
She looked down at the screen, where her words—words that would be presented to the world as Cornelius Lennox's triumphant return—glowed with a pale truth.Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, trembling.
The irony of her afterlife was not lost on her.In death, she was more trapped than ever, her talent nothing more than a tool.The convention that could have been about finding her new place in the world, had become just another stage she’d never take.
She gazed outside.She could hear Cornelius's voice carrying across the glamping area, sharp and smart.His laughter rang out, charismatic and musical.
Evelyn turned back to her work, but for the first time in longer than she could remember, the words wouldn't come.Instead, she found herself staring at the screen, wondering when exactly she had become complicit in her own erasure.Even her laptop seemed to dim as she stared into the void of her work.
Chapter 9
Bragging Rights and Wrong Turns
The pranksters found a quiet spot near the edge of the grove and collapsed in a drunken heap, still giddy from their adventure.The euphoria of their corporeal experience was fading, but the memories remained vivid and intoxicating.
"Well, that was magnificent," Finn declared, floating slightly sideways.
A nearby ghost in a very appealing floral dress looked over curiously."Oh, hello there!I don't think we've met.I'm Prudence Whitmore.Have you just arrived?I don't remember you from Madame Grimm's proper introduction role plays."
The trio exchanged glances, suddenly worried they'd been caught playing hooky.Their absence during the formal proceedings might have been more noticeable than they'd hoped.
"Oh, we've been...around," Chet said carefully.
"Having adventures!"Beau added, then immediately looked like he regretted saying anything.
"What kind of adventures?"Prudence asked with growing interest.
Her curiosity was infectious, and despite their better judgment, the three friends found themselves eager to share their remarkable experience.
"Well," Finn began, then hiccupped, "there were these light circles, you see..."
