Dying Is The Easy Part

Chapter Seven: January 7th

There was something decidedly disconcerting about seeing Vincent outside the classroom. In the early afternoon light that made it through the thick blanket of clouds perpetually draped over the town, he looked even more translucent than he did in the night. His feet left no imprints in the snow that covered the sidewalks; the snow that tumbled from the sky fell straight through him.

Still, even though he looked out of place, his eyes were shining as he took in the storefronts and family houses. Quinn couldn't stop watching him, a smile tugging at their lips when they noticed the way he dutifully stepped aside whenever he was in danger of colliding with someone on the sidewalk.

Quinn debated whether the question was offensive for a few seconds before they quietly inquired, "What does it feel like when someone runs into you?"

"I don't feel anything," Vincent said, huddling closer to them as the sidewalk got narrower, "But I think it's not very pleasant for the other person."

"Can I...?"

Understanding what Quinn was indicating, he gamely held out an arm. Slowly, Quinn reached out to touch his sleeve, only for their hand to pass right through him, their fingers tingling with pins and needles.

Shivering, Quinn pulled their hand back and stuffed it into the pocket of their coat. "How much farther is it?"

"It's just behind the town square," Vincent said.

Quinn nodded. They were glad that there was barely anyone around to see them talking to the air; even though it was a Friday afternoon, the weather kept most people inside. The only place that seemed to be as bustling as always was the Sugar & Spice. As it came into view, Quinn could see a slow-moving line of people waiting in front of the door, cheeks flushed from the cold as they waited for a seat inside the café.

"I wish we would've had something like this back then," Vincent said as they neared it. "The cakes smell heavenly."

Before Quinn got the chance to think about how the hell it was possible to smell things when you were a ghost, the door of the Sugar & Spice flew open, and out stepped none other than Luis.

Immediately, Quinn's flight or fight instinct kicked in, but before they could decide on either, he had already caught up with them.

"Hey, you," he said, easily falling into step with them like this was just a thing they did, like they'd been going on walks around town together for months and months. "Pretty chilly today, huh?"

Quinn exchanged a quick glance with Vincent, who still trailed next to them, head tilted to the side as he curiously studied Luis. Like the day before, Luis was wearing high-waisted pants and black boots, this time with a dark turtleneck peeking out from underneath a brown coat. Over his shoulder, he was confidently carrying a tote bag that said Vampires, Please Interact.

"Uh, yeah," Quinn said. "What... what are you doing here?"

"I was just picking up a book." Luis pointed over his shoulder at the café. "Whoever curates their paranormal section deserves a raise and a kiss on the mouth."

Suppressing a smile at the idea of Rhia hearing that, Quinn asked, "What did you get?"

Luis stopped in his tracks to rummage around in his tote bag. Quinn felt like they had a pretty good grasp on who he was as a person at this point, but they still weren't prepared for the book he proudly presented to them. It was called From Mothman to the Grafton Monster: An Exploration Of The Hidden and The Mystical In West Virginia.

Quinn looked up from the cover with a frown. "We're not in West Virginia."

"An astute observation," Luis agreed.