“Are all the dead just chilling or walking around?” I ask Leo as we hold hands and walk downtown. His hand feels equal parts hot and cold, like an icy hot. Leo is the grim reaper. I didn’t even know that the grim reaper was a legit thing two days ago.

But my thoughts are going crazy on why there are so many dead people just looking around and walking slowly. And Leo is incredibly hot, but I shouldn’t think about him in that way since we are just friends. I don’t think grim reapers date. And all of this magical craziness is happening. But if all dead people are walking around, maybe it would be possible to find someone specific who died..

“The dead wander till they are ready to rest. Some wander to find others that might also be wandering or to linger with past loved ones. And when the time is right, they move on.” His voice sounds like aged red wine, rough tannins but smooth at the same time.

Disappointment courses through me. I’ll have no way of knowing if my sister is wandering or has moved on. I notice a dead older woman walk by us.

The white glow around her body is the only giveaway to her being a ghost. She still has her wrinkles of age from when she was alive, the shuffle as she walks from a bad knee, and the pajamas she wore when she died. Her glance is almost searching as she walks slowly near us.

Maybe if you want peace in death, you have to find it yourself. Luckily, I’m still alive. And I’ve got a grim reaper as my new best friend.