Page 8 of Ghosted

Just then, Esme appeared from behind a curtain, her long, flowing green sequined dress swishing as she moved. She looked at Casper, completely unperturbed by his ghostly presence, and smiled warmly. “Welcome toMoonlit Mystics, where we serve everyone and don’t discriminate based on things like race, gender, or aliveness.”

He blinked in surprise. “You can see me too?”

“Of course,” Esme said, her tone as calm as ever. “In this shop, the veil between the living and the dead is thinner. Spirits like yourself are practically regulars here.”

Daphne chuckled. “Yeah, we’ve had more than a few ghost customers before. You’re just the first one who’s come in with Tabitha. Is there something we can help you with?”

I glanced at Casper and then back to Daphne and her aunt. “Do you think we could talk somewhere in private?”

Esme nodded, gesturing for us to follow her to the back of the shop, where she and Daphne conducted their private readings and seances. The room was cozy, lit by candlelight, with shelves of ancient books and herbs lining the walls. I took a seat across from Esme, while Casper remained beside me, his form flickering faintly.

“We need your help,” I began, my voice a little more urgent than I intended. “We’re trying to find Morticia Bellamy, Casper’s ex. She’s made him what he is now—a ghost—and he has until midnight on Halloween to figure out how to undo her curse. Unless we find a way to break it, he’ll be…” I gulped as unbidden tears pricked the backs of my eyes.

Esme nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful. “I understand what you’re saying. Hm…let me think. Morticia Bellamy, the lawyer, right?”

“Yes,” Casper affirmed. “Ah-ha. Yes, she’s part of the Western Witches coven.”

I blinked. “You know her?”

“Not personally, but I’ve heard of her,” Esme replied. “The Western Witches are a rather...exclusive group. Very cliquey. They’re like the mean girls of the witch world.”

Daphne snorted from the doorway. “And we’re the proud nerds of the Eastern Enchantresses.”

Esme smiled fondly at her niece. “Exactly. We may not be as loud or popular, but we have our own special strengths.”

“Do you know where they might meet?” I asked, leaning forward slightly. “Someplace they’d gather?”

Esme tapped her chin, thinking for a moment. “Yes, actually. They hold their monthly Moon Meetings in the corn maze out on Farm Road 666.”

I groaned. Casper let out a resigned sigh. “Of course. Because why wouldn’t their meeting place be in a creepy corn maze?”

“Thank you,” I said, standing up to give Esme a hug and getting a nose-full of patchouli.

“Of course, sweetie,” she replied, patting me on the back.

“Here,” said Daphne, shoving a small shiny black crystal into my hand as we passed her on our way out of the shop. “This is black obsidian. It’s said to absorb and free you from negative energy. You’ll probably need this when you find Morticia.”

“I’ll take all the help we can get right now,” I said, giving my friend a small smile as I shoved the crystal into my pocket.

“After you,” said Casper at the front door.

The sky had darkened by the time we reached Farm Road 666, and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. The corn maze stretched out before us, tall stalks swaying in the wind, casting long, eerie shadows across the ground. A chill crept up my spine as I stared at the entrance, the air thick with the promise of rain and something else—something darker.

“This place gives me the creeps,” I muttered, pulling my jacket tighter around me.

Casper’s presence, while faint, was still an oddly comforting contrast to the thick, humid air. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

I gave him a side-eye. “Really wish you were a bit more solid right now, if I’m being honest.”

He laid a ghostly arm across my shoulders and brushed his lips against my cheek. “I do, too.”

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, the corn stalks rustling as we entered the maze. The path twisted and turned, the darkness closing in around us with every step. The wind howled through the corn, carrying with it the distant rumble of thunder, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were walking into something far more dangerous than we realized.

“Do you really think she could be here?” I asked, frowning.

“I don’t know,” Casper sighed.

Somewhere in the distance, I thought I heard the faint echo of laughter—high-pitched, and eerie.

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