In crowds, I’ve mastered the art of invisibility. With my downcast eyes and movements as quick as an expensive sports car I’m imperceptible to the average passerbyer. Yet, today, for some reason, I walk like I’m a part of their world. In doing so, I notice someone who seems so familiar to me. It takes a moment for my mind to stray to a memory.

“My nǎinai once said our family was sensitive to spiritual stuff,” Linda Chen, my childhood best friend said while in the middle of lunch.

She was eating a lunch she brought in from home, tenderly made by her mother who was a lawyer. Linda aspired to be a lawyer too but an environmental one rather than corporate. Linda was the type of person who cared about everything. Maybe that’s why her supportive tone didn’t make me feel less wrong, like my power was a thing that needed to be fixed rather than a gift.

“Have you ever seen a ghost?” I wondered.

“No…not yet but who knows, maybe the Chen family's spiritual powers take a while to activate.”

They never activated. Or at least I don’t think they ever did. I wouldn’t know either way as we had drifted apart our final year of high school. Even after all these years, I still couldn’t pinpoint where our friendship fell apart. I turn back, just for another glance at the person who once was like a sister to me and when I do I see a look of shock in greeting.

I stumble over my feet, knocking into someone. I apologize then try to duck into the crowd but I feel a hand on my arm. Don’t turn back, I say, scolding myself. Yet, my head turns and I see Linda’s shocked brown eyes staring back.

“Lana? Lana Freeman? Is that you?”

“Hey, Linda,” I say with a small smile.

There was something about Linda that oozed infectious joy. It was one of my favorite things about her.

“We need to do coffee now,” Linda says, moving her hand to grab mine.

Her touch is frigid. I shiver but I don’t remove her hand. She pulls me along much like she did when we were kids and I was much too afraid to do something. Like, when we went to the water park together and her older brother, Michael told us that we’d be too scared to go down the slide. I was terrified and agreed with him but Linda took it as a challenge. So she grabbed my hand, pulled me forward and we waited on line. When we went down the slide we had to go solo and I had no intention of going down but Linda gave me a look then said.

“Be brave, Lana. Together, we can do anything.”

Next thing, I remembered was going down that slide and hitting the water. When I came up from the water, I swam out as my heart beated in tune with my fear. That was probably the only time in my life I felt alive. Well, until, I looked out at the water and saw a ghost deep inside the pool.

We arrive at the coffee shop and I take a seat across from Linda. I’m tucked into my coat even though it’s spring with overall cool weather. Linda’s without a jacket, wearing a medium-sleeved shirt. Linda talks and I half-listen as I check around for any terrifying sights. There are three ghosts here. A woman who sits by a table with a gunshot wound to her chest. A man wearing dated clothing with a gunshot wound to his head stands in the corner speaking to himself. The last ghost is a child who is crying.

I try to ignore them all as I fully immerse myself in conversation with Linda. As I pay more attention to Linda I notice a few oddities that I wave away with logic. Earlier, her touch felt cold and now I’m concerned to see her shivering. I almost want to give her my jacket but there’s a voice in my head saying she doesn’t need it. There’s also a gash on the skin of her arm. It’s deep. Her neck also is bruised and I find it odd that she hasn’t noticed it yet.

I look away from her then ask her what type of coffee she wants. She tells me, and it’s the same as when we were younger. I remembered the day her mom let us drink coffee. My mom was so upset because I was jumping off the walls with energy that night.

Standing up, I mumble how I’m going to order our coffee then go and order two. It might seem a waste but it was always bad to let a ghost know they were one before they gained awareness of their deaths. I wait for our orders to be made and once they're done go back to our table. Linda appears antsy now as she grabs her cup of coffee but her hands go right through.

A strange look passes on her face as she stares at me with shock once again.

“No…” she murmurs, shaking her head. “Am I….”

“Yes,” I say, taking my seat across from her. “You are.”

“There were so many things I was supposed to do. I just took on the biggest case of my career and…”

“What case?” I wonder with a frown.

“Someone killed me, Lana, and I need you to figure out who.”

“No, I—I can’t do that. I’m not a detective.”

“No, but my brother is. Find Michael and together we can figure this out.”

“Michael’s a detective?” I say, surprised then shake my head. “Linda, no, I can’t…”

“I know you always hated your powers and that’s why you pushed me away but Lana, please, I need you. I need justice.”

I ready myself to counter back but instead, I’m full of grief.

“Okay, Linda, I’ll get you justice.”