Page 45 of The Little Shop of Curiosities Cursed Object 1, The Music Box

“I-I had to work,” I mutter.

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m here,” a loud, familiar voice rings out. “What did I miss?”

“Oh good, Dusty’s here too.” Tristan rolls his eyes, but I can hear the affection in his voice.

“Sorry I’m late.” Dusty straightens the short, skin-tight Union Jack dress she’s wearing, which has replaced the pink latex she wore earlier, and I find myself wondering how often she changes her outfits. I suppose when you’re dead, the options are limitless. “Bruce was feeling frisky.”

Sam snorts loudly.

“I knew it!” Tristan bursts out triumphantly, and points at Sam. “You can see her!”

“See who?” Danny replies.

“Dusty,” Tristan answers, staring at Sam, who just looks amused.

“Sam can see ghosts?” Danny exclaims in surprise.

“I’m so sorry, Sam.” Tristans winces. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I know you can see them, and I’m guessing that now Danny knows you can too, so I might as well lay my cards on the table.” Sam shrugs. “Yes, I see the dead.”

“How?” Tristan asks.

“Near death experience.” His tone is casual. “You?”

“Choked to death on an ice cube,” Tristan admits. “Don’t ask.”

Fortunately, I don’t have to appear surprised at this information given that nobody is currently looking at me. Or so I thought.

“You seem awfully calm about all this,” Chan says suspiciously, and I realise she’s staring at me.

I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. “I can see them too.”

“Did you have a near death experience too?” Danny’s question is laced with confusion.

“No…” I frown. “I’m a witch.”

“A…witch?” Danny repeats slowly. “I think I need something stronger than coffee.”

“Not with the pain relief you’re on, you don’t,” Tristan says firmly.

“A witch,” Sam muses, his eyes lighting with interest as that intense dark gaze once again drifts to me. “So that’s it. I knew there was something about you, but I couldn’t quite place it.”

My back stiffens. “I suppose you’re going to tell me magic isn’t real?”

“Not at all,” Sam says quietly as he studies my face. “I’ve seen too many things in the last couple of years not to believe there’s something out there bigger than all of us. Just because we don’t understand something doesn’t make it any less real.”

“This is so unfair,” Chan interrupts, and her tone is the vocal equivalent of a foot stamp. “Am I the only one here who can’t see Dusty?”

“I can’t.” Danny raises his hand.

“Finally, someone on my team.” She high-fives his raised palm.

“Well,” Danny adds as a caveat, “not without being on some heavy-duty drugs anyway.”

“What do you mean?” Chan says curiously.