"Ghosts?" Simon took a step back, his heart racing.
'It's not enough to just avoid them? Do I really have to walk into a place crawling with them? This is too much,' he thought, feeling the ground beneath his feet turn unsteady.
"You're asking me to waltz into a club full of… dead people?"
Clara laughed, a soft sound with an edge that made him shiver.
"Not exactly dead," she said, stepping closer again. This time, her hand brushed his, light but deliberate, though she pulled back quickly, as if afraid she'd crossed a line. "More like… echoes. Trapped souls, energies the system channels. And that club is one of many places where they gather. Only someone like you, lucky enough to meet me, can walk in and see it for what it is without keeling over first."
'This can't be real,' Simon thought, his mind torn between disbelief and the weight of her words.
"Why me? What does the system want with me?"
Clara smiled, this time with more confidence, though there was still a hint of awkwardness in her expression.
"Because you're different," she said, her voice softer now. "The system sees you, Simon. And so do I. For years…"
She paused, as if she wanted to say more, but instead she stepped closer and gave him a playful nudge on the arm.
"Come on, don't look so spooked. It's an adventure! And I'll be with you… if you let me, of course." Her smile was warm, but there was a spark of uncertainty in her eyes, like she wasn't sure how he'd react.
A red flash lit up the club, and the voice of the Ghost system echoed in his head:
[NEW OBJECTIVE: Infiltrate the club and free a soul]
— Reward: Clara will teach you how to use the Ghost system to your advantage.
Clara looked at him, as if she knew what he'd just heard.
"You have to go, Simon, I'm begging you," she said, her tone now more serious, though still laced with warmth. "But be careful. Not all ghosts are… friendly."
Simon swallowed hard, the echo of the Ghost system's voice still ringing in his head. 'Infiltrate the club and free a soul.'
The words felt like a weight in his mind, but Clara's gaze, that mix of pleading and trust, kept him grounded in the moment.
"What if I say no?" he asked, his voice shakier than he wanted to admit.
'This is insane. The last time I ran into one of those things, it nearly ate me alive… what am I getting myself into?'
Clara tilted her head, and for a moment, her expression softened, as if she could see the storm in his head.
"I'm not asking you to be a hero, Simon. Just to trust me. Just this once. If it doesn't work, if you don't want to keep going, I swear I won't push you."
She paused, then added with a playful smirk:
"Besides, don't tell me you're not a little curious. A place where souls hang out? That's not something you see every day."
Simon let out a sigh, half resignation, half surrender.
'One time. Just one time. If this goes south, at least I'll know I tried.'
The truth was, even though every part of him screamed to run, there was something about the way Clara looked at him—like she genuinely believed in him—that made him hesitate.
"Fine," he muttered finally. "One time. But if this goes wrong, you're getting me out of there, got it?"
She grinned, that spark of warmth returning to her eyes. "Deal. You won't regret it, Simon."
<><><>
That night, the city was wrapped in an eerie silence, broken only by the distant hum of neon lights and the murmur of the wind.
Simon slipped out of the guest room, his heart pounding.
'I can't let Katherine get mixed up in this. It's too dangerous.'
He'd decided not to tell her anything. He didn't want to drag her into this mess, not when he barely understood what was going on.
Pulling his hoodie tighter, he stepped out of the apartment and moved through the dark streets, the echo of the Ghost system's message still buzzing in his mind.
But he hadn't taken two steps outside the building when a voice stopped him cold.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Simon spun around, startled. Katherine was there, arms crossed, her hair loose and a jacket slung over her shoulders. Her eyes gleamed with a mix of worry and frustration.
"I… was just going for a walk," Simon lied, but his voice betrayed him, trembling slightly.
"At two in the morning? Without telling me?" Katherine stepped closer, her expression hardening. "I'm not dumb, Simon. Something's up, and you're not leaving me out of it this time."
Simon opened his mouth to protest, but the words caught in his throat.
'I don't want anything to happen to you, Kat.' The thought of putting her in danger twisted his stomach.
"Katherine, please, go back inside. This… it's not something you should get involved in."
She raised an eyebrow, defiant.
"If it's dangerous enough for you to sneak out without telling me, then I'm definitely coming with you." Before he could respond, she was already walking beside him, her stride determined. "Come on, Simon. Don't make me tail you like some kind of private eye."
Simon sighed, knowing he wouldn't win this one.
"Fine," he said finally. "But if I tell you to run, you run and don't look back, got it?"
<><><>
The club was at the end of a narrow street, lit by a flickering red neon sign.
A light, cold rain began to fall, soaking their clothes as they approached. Simon stopped in front of the building, his gaze fixed on the entrance that seemed to hum with an energy he couldn't explain.
'This place… it's not normal.' The Ghost system seemed desperate to warn him:
[MULTIPLE HOSTILE ENTITIES DETECTED]
Katherine stopped beside him, frowning.
"What's so special about this place? It's just that same rundown building we saw when…" But then her eyes softened, and a small smile crept onto her face. "You know, this is where… well, you know."
Simon felt a knot in his chest. He remembered that night, days ago, when the rain had caught them outside the club.
They'd ended up huddled together, shivering from the cold but even so it was like nothing else mattered.
'That was the first time I felt like I could tell you everything.'
"Kat," he started, his voice low, almost drowned out by the sound of the rain. "I don't know what's going to happen tonight, but… you mean a lot to me. More than I probably should."
The words came out clumsy, a half-confession that didn't quite say everything he felt.
'I'm no good at this stuff, and this is probably the worst time to try, but I have to keep her safe.'
Katherine looked at him, her eyes shining under the neon light. For a second, it seemed like she might say something, but she just nodded.
"Me too, Simon. That's why I'm not letting you do this alone."
He shook his head, feeling the weight of the Ghost system in his mind.
"You can't come in, Kat. This place… it's not for you. You can't see the entrance like I can." He pointed to the door, which glowed with a silvery outline for him, invisible to her. "Please, wait here. I promise I'll come back."
Katherine pressed her lips together, clearly annoyed, but finally nodded. "You better, Simon. If you're not out in an hour, I'm coming in after you, magic door or not."
Simon let out a small chuckle, knowing that without someone to guide her, she couldn't get in.
But before he could respond, a sharp voice cut through his thoughts, just for him.
'Wow, how touching. Did you really stop for a rom-com moment in the middle of this? You're such a walking cliché, Simon.' It was Clara, her tone dripping with sarcasm and a hint of… jealousy? 'Focus. The club's waiting, and so am I.'
Simon tensed, glancing around, but Clara was nowhere in sight.
'Where'd that come from? Is she here?' He shook his head, trying to brush off the comment.
"Stay here, Kat," he repeated, more to himself than to her. Then, with his heart pounding, he pushed open the club's door and stepped across the threshold.
The air inside was thick, charged with an electric hum that made his skin prickle. The Ghost system flashed in his mind:
[WELCOME TO THE SPECTRAL NEXUS. OBJECTIVE: FREE A SOUL.]
Simon swallowed hard, feeling the real world fade behind him. 'Here we go.'