Page 13 of Malice

“What about the souls in the room with Farnsworth? The beings in black and the others who look like they’re filing paperwork.”

“Ah. It’s complicated, but the black figures, they’re the Strays. Those are the souls that don’t really fit anywhere so they help keep things in the Afterlife organized. The others? They don’t have a name but most of us call them the Rejects. Those are former Soul Chasers who didn’t make it.”

“Didn’t make it?”

Crash scrunches his nose. “They were killed, spiritually speaking, by a Horror. Missionnotaccomplished.”

The explanation hits my stomach like a rock. “Oh.”

“But don’t you worry, dude. You’ll do fine.”

“If you say so.”

Crash nods, gesturing to the folder I’m still holding. “Let’s see who you’ve got.”

I flip it open to find a picture of a handsome man smiling back at me. It looks like a candid picture, taken at a wedding or another festive event given the black tux he’s wearing. He’s got sandy brown hair, styled in that way where it flips up in the front, but it’s shorter on the sides. His eyes are brown and inquisitive, framed by enviably long eyelashes. He’s happy in the photo, or at least appears to be, with a bright smile and a sprinkling of light freckles across his pale cheeks.

“Hudson Davis,” I read out loud. “Thirty-one. Single. Lives alone.”

“Who’s after him?” Crash asks, perching on my table.

I scan the rest of the paper. “Horror: origin unknown.” I look up. “What does that mean?”

“Hmm. Keep reading.”

Returning my attention to the paper, I continue down the rest of it, stopping on the suspected spirits list.

“Oh. Four spirits escaped at the same time, two are classified as Horrors. The two benign spirits are already attempting to attach themselves to humans. The two Horrors seem to be lost. One is particularly hostile.”

“Ah. That happens sometimes. It should give you some suggestions on who it could be.”

I nod, finding it just as he finishes speaking. “Celine Bradley or Chester Dillon. So the society knows which souls escaped, but not where they are exactly? Farnsworth seemed to know about the Horror’s demeanor.”

“He gets a highlight reel. This is why Soul Chasers exist. There’s a general sense of where the spirits are at all times, but it’s not like a…” He snaps his fingers. “What are those newfangled things called that direct you to places and stuff?”

“GPS?”

Crash nods, smiling. “GPS. It’s not that precise.”

“I see.” I lean back in my chair. “I asked Farnsworth if there was some kind of training or direction, but all of a sudden I blinked and I was here again.”

Crash nods with a disapproving twist to his lips, slipping off the table and floating in the air next to me before settling in a chair beside me.

“From what I’ve seen, it’s hard to do that. Everyone has their own skills and talents that will show up as you get deeper into this.”

“Like what?”

“Like some Chasers are good at talking to the spirits. Others trick them into compliance. Some others enjoy gadgets, trapping them in spirit boxes. You’ll find what works for you.”

I blow out a breath. “So I’m just supposed to…” I shrug.

“I’d start with a visit to Hudson Davis. One of the Horrors is headed his way.”

Crash disappears right before my eyes, but his voice tickles my ear.

“Hurry, newbie. He needs you.”

Chapter 6

---