Silverbrook was a decently sized town tucked into the west side of the Canadian Shield. We were large enough to have our own university, but small enough that we weren’t littered with large high rises. This early in the morning there weren’t too many people about: the odd jogger, dog walker, and early commuter, but that was about it—though I did notice the fast food drive-throughs had already started to fill up.

I kept pace with the strange girl but held back about seven to eight feet. I had no idea what she’d done to me or how I’d hurt her, but I had to find out. She was the only person who could see me and possibly the only one who could help me. I needed her to tell my parents… to tell them that I was okay. Well, mostly okay.

I ducked behind a garbage can, slid up beside a building, and even tucked and rolled, just like in a spy movie. Not that anyone could see me stalking a young woman, but I didn’t want her to see me. She finally slowed down and let her grey hoodie fall, revealing her curly pink hair. It was vibrant against her black jacket and swept across a large stitched white rat on the back.

I dug it, I mean, I was still a young man and when I was alive, she would have been my type. Weird rat jacket and pink hair... I wondered if she was a gamer, but before I could make any guesses, she took a quick turn, and I lost her.

I sped up and marveled at my ability to go fast or slow without effort. I just had to think about running and away I went, no huffing or puffing, no feeling of resistance. It was bizarre and amazing. Once I turned the corner, I stopped and jumped behind a bush. I watched her make her way onto the university campus and followed her in the light of early morning.

Unlike town, the campus had a lot of activity. Students were making their way to classes, waiting for buses, and loitering in groups, holding coffee cups and talking. As I looked around, I realized I’d never be a part of something like this. I’d never get to go to university or get a job out of school or start a family. I shook my head and shoved all of that aside. First things first, follow the pink-haired girl.

She entered a building and quickly made her way into the open doors of an auditorium. Having never been on a campus this size, I gazed in awe at the number of students. While she seated herself in the front, I decided to sit in the back row to inconspicuously keep an eye on her.

I realized quickly I should have remained standing; a guy that smelled like day-old beer and ham sandwiches sat in me. Disgusted, I stood up. I waited for the last couple of students to enter and sat down once the professor came in and shut the door.

It took me a minute to realize I was able to sit down. While the professor began to drone on about musical theory, I began repeatedly pressing my finger into the armrest. It kept passing through. I stood up and sat back down three times, each test resulting with the same outcome. I was somehow able to sit, but still unable to physically touch anything with my hands. A guy had literally just sat IN me, but I had no problem sitting?

I should clarify here that while I could sit, I couldn’t feel it. There was no soft cushion against my bony butt and no sense of weight from my body pressing into the seat. Realizing that, I started to feel nauseated again, so I tried to listen to the lecture instead, which was debatably worse.