Who are they, my would-be rescuers?

I have names: Kasey, Aiden, and Jamie. Kasey I am coming to know well, as she returns to Benton Street for our ‘talks’, but I know little of the two men also trying to help me. In life, I kept a small notebook on my person. Writing things out often helped me organize my thoughts. As I was one of a handful of literate men in my line of work, the privacy of my scribbles was all but ensured.

I did not have the book on my person when I died. Of course, that hardly matters - I wouldn’t be able to read it now, any more than I could see the color of my boots. Still, I wish I had it, to list out what I know and what I don’t about this little group that has come from nowhere to draw me out.

For years, I’d dreamt that human technology would progress to the point where I could be found. Certainly, an invention that would reveal ghosts sounds impossible to the point of absurdity now, but I know better than to think that means it's out of the question. The telephone wasn’t invented for fifty years after my death. A usable automobile, almost ten years after that - and I could go on forever. Burglar alarms, potato chips, electric fans. The gramophone, the LP, the cassette tape, the CD player, the iPod, and now no device necessary - it’s all built into your phone. I’ve watched creations we could never have imagined in my time become obsolete.

What I’ve learned is that nothing is beyond the bounds of doability. Human beings don’t often give themselves enough credit for what they’ve created, or think too long about the mountain of innovation comprising the foundations they build on. It seems possible, at the very least, that someday someone would create something and find me. But I was prepared to wait for a long, long time.

I certainly didn’t expect three people - two living, one dead - to simply start looking for me one day.

First, there is Aiden. I have to think this is the man who showed up at Kasey’s grave. He apologized to her for not having been there. What does that mean? Kasey called him Jamie’s boyfriend, is that so? Jamie responded as if she had been joking, but he'd also turned an almost alarming shade of red.

Jamie, Kasey’s red-haired best friend. She’s told me some about him in the course of our talks. They’ve known each other since they were children and been close from day one. They love each other. I’ll admit that there was some amount of ridiculously unfair jealousy I harbored for him at first. He’s a handsome man, with an architectural face and vaulted cheekbones and a mouth that seems designed to smile. I don’t even remember what I look like, though it hardly matters when I’m invisible to everyone, myself included.

Now I’m more jealous that he’s had so much time to spend with Kasey, jealous that she can see him and talk to him and hear him when he answers. Things I could never have or do. But maybe, if this strange little team can identify me, locate places where I spend a lot of time, even feel my warmth… maybe.

I’ve decided to spend my nights with Kasey, but my days trying to track down the other two, Jamie and Aiden. From what I can tell, they’re all trying to help me, and if there’s a way that I can help them do that, well. I’m certainly not going to try and make it harder for them. Unfortunately, I don’t know where to start. I’ve only seen Aiden once, and at the time I didn’t know to follow him. I’ve seen Jamie more than that, but when he’s with Kasey they usually leave in a car, which I don’t have the speed to follow.

For once, however, luck is on my side. Without an idea of what to do first, I fall back into my regular routine. I head back to the cart outside of City Hall with the newspapers and magazines and candy, so that I can read today’s headlines. I like to start with the papers that cover national news and end with the ones specific to Ketterbridge.

As I lean over the first newspaper, a hand reaches out and takes it. This happens every time, so I’m not unused to it. I’ll just continue reading from the copy behind the first. But the man who took the paper folds it beneath his arm, looks up at the cart, and speaks.

“Can I get a Danish? Warmed up, please.”

I recognize the voice. Stop and turn. He’s in very different clothing than the first time I saw him, but I recognize him right away. Dark brown hair. Blue eyes that grow almost cyan around the pupil. What looks like a long day’s worth of stubble on his face, though it’s early in the morning. His expression is drowsy, his hair a little rumpled.

Aiden.

“Hullo,” I say, as he counts out a few dollars to give to the man who works the cart. “Aiden? We haven’t met yet. I met your… boyfriend, I think? Jamie. And your friend Kasey. I think you're looking for me.”

He scoops the change back and puts it in his pocket. Takes a sip of his coffee and unrolls the paper, waiting as the cart operator pops the pastry in a little toaster. A buzzing sound draws his attention downward; he tucks the paper under his arm again and extracts a phone from the pocket of his pants. There’s a text notification - from Jamie. A warm smile spreads across Aiden's face as he opens it up.

A City Hall name badge is attached to his belt. Just as I try to duck around him to read it, the man behind the cart offers him a brown paper bag with steam drifting from the top. Aiden turns and sets off up the path up to City Hall, typing away on his phone. I hurry after him, jogging until I catch up. Whatever Jamie sent him, he seems happy about it. He’s chewing on his lip. He reads the message more than a few times. Starts typing a response, deletes it, starts again.

“Aiden!” someone calls, and both of us look up. A short woman in an expensive-looking dress joins him at the door. Aiden hits send on the message he’d been typing.

“Morning, Gabby.”

“Good morning. Can you help me out with a few quick things? I’ve got a lot of meetings today.”

“Of course.”

City Hall has shiny floors and high ceilings. Muted morning chatter floats from every open door and rises up from the crowds in the halls. Aiden’s phone lights up in his hand with another text from Jamie; I see him covertly try to read the message without Gabby noticing.

“How’s Kent?” she asks, and he quickly slips his phone into his pocket.

“Oh, having a busy week.” Aiden takes an on-the-go bite of the pastry in his hand. “I’m helping him out with a few things. Mainly out of gratitude that he kept all the Premier League games recorded even though the season is over. I have some catching up to do.”

I add it to the list of things I need to find out about: Premier League.

“I’m actually glad he’s so busy, that makes me feel less bad about having to postpone our dinner so many times. I hope he knows it’s because I have a full schedule, not because I’m avoiding him.”

“I’m sure he knows. He’s looking forward to it, though. We’ll have to arrange it soon.”

“Good, I’m - looking forward to it, too.” She sounds a little hesitant, however. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

“Yep, and Ellen, too.”

“Good.” I detect a note of relief in her answer. “Maybe we should invite Jamie, too. Make it a full house."

"Sure." But Aiden looks a little surprised.

"Excellent. Now give me a bite of whatever that is, I didn’t even have a minute to grab something for myself.”

“You’re the boss,” he says, handing over the Danish.

Gabby’s stride is even quicker than Aiden’s, and he’s got long legs. I forgot how many people are always populating City Hall, even this early in the morning. I rarely come inside. I struggle to keep up with them; they turn a corner, and by the time I catch up, I’ve lost them in the crowd.

But City Hall is only one building, and I have nothing but time on my hands. I’ll find him again. Which means I know to find Kasey on Benton Street, and Aiden at City Hall.

Now I just need to track down Jamie.