*****

Eileen flopped back on her couch and pulled out her phone. She mindlessly scrolled through her messages. Each text conversation between her and her contacts was sparse. She found the perfect person to chat with, started typing hh viv, got some big news!, but backspaced the entire thing and threw the phone back in her pocket. She grabbed her notebook and coat and set out in the opposite direction.

On the peak of the tallest hill in Plainwood, at the edge of Heath Street Drive, stood the Doctor Saint Heath medical center. Three years had passed since it was built. There was a calming serenity about the emptiness of the inside and the white background noise of the spiritist protesters on the outside. In fact, had it not been for the anti-spiritist perceptists who badgered town hall to consider modern science in the first place, there still would have been an empty balding peak in its place. For a superstitious state like Plainwood, a decent medical center was a step towards progress—much like how ordering salad in a steakhouse is a step towards veganism. Still, it was the most out-the-way facility, and something as small as touching the front door was a political statement. If anything, the hospital ranked as the ultimate symbol of what you believed in and whether you cared what others thought of you because of it. Eileen neither believed in anything nor gave one half of a honkytonk about what others thought of her because of it.

“Possession, huh?” Vivian Fay said to her patient, as she played with various medical equipment to pretend this walk-in appointment was more dire than it actually was to her. “Have you been shivering a lot?”

“Yes, I’ve been very cold. No other symptoms.”

“Alrighty,” she clicked her pen closed. “I think it’s safe to assume you just have the chills. Drink up, get plenty of rest, and you’ll feel normal again in no time!”

“Oh thank you so much! So it has nothing to do with my soul?”

“Nope, I’m sure Matt Kennett would say you’re fine too.” Vivian forged a smile from her molten hatred. As much as it contradicted everything she believed in, recommending her patients to Matt Kennett whenever they asked a question even remotely related to spirits was the best way to save her own reputation in the long run. “Take care, Randall! Try to let that wooden stake wound heal and don’t forget to tell all your friends to stop by!”

As soon as the patient closed the door, Vivian collapsed on the paper-wrapped bed. Slam! the door flew back open, and Vivian peeked up. “Hey hey, Eileen.”

“Hey hey, Vivi!” Eileen wore a distinctive grin. “How’s business?”

Vivian puffed like a jaded horse, “Terrific, I read a three-hundred-page Anon Denouement book all before noon.” She pushed up her glasses and laid back down. “I am ready to humor you with whatever reason you came to see me.”

Eileen’s expression turned grave. “I had an encounter last night.”

“God, this ought to be good.” Vivian leaned forward.

“It was the middle of the night. A girl all wrapped up in dirt and junk. She was staring directly at me—no emotion—and then poof! she disappeared, in like a cloud of smoke or light.”

She took out a clipboard and pretended to write on it. “Sounds to me like a psychotic hallucination, typically caused by lack of sleep and hanging out with Matt way too much.”

“You are an absolute buzzkill.”

Vivian shrugged. “And yet you came to see me anyway. That’s so sweet!”

Eileen hopped and plopped herself on the crinkly bed. “So I finally have something interesting to talk about, and you still just shrug it off like that. I could have been possessed, you know.” Even when talking about such a dire possibility, Eileen kept a steady, unchanging flow of feeling in her voice.

“I’m sure you could have.” Vivian rolled her eyes in all disdain while putting her equipment back. “So, what’s actually going on in your life? Anything interesting? Meet anyone new?” She smirked, tongue in her cheek.

Eileen was quick to drop the subject. “I mean, other than the mentally scarring experience, nope, nothing comes to mind. Has anything ever happened on Riverside?” The two flinched as chanting from outside burst from the crowd. “Don’t answer that.” She turned back to Vivian and then grimaced. “And speaking of, Kyle and his UnderLings are outside again. The least you could do is save face and put your gloves on.”

“Not gonna happen.” Vivian rubbed her ears and stretched. “Wow, can’t believe I tuned them out for this long.” She looked at the clock, opened the window, and yelled, “Yo Kyle! You spelled my name wrong!” while smugly and spitefully waving her bare left hand at them and making a face. The crowd jumped in shock at the crude gesture and charged even closer to the window, at which point Vivian lowered the shade.

“Proud as I am for you flipping them off, I feel like that was a bit excessive,” Eileen commented.

“Felt good though! And now I get to sneak out and take a half day. We can talk more at the Everoak. Cover for me, please! Bisous!” Vivian blew a kiss as she bolted for the back exit.

*****

The lobby of the Everoak Café and Inn was the number one meeting place for all of Plainwood, and not just because the food was decent and the sofas were comfortable, but also because Dawn Fay, the owner, was very decent and comfortable as well. They would always be behind their counter, chatting up whoever would come in, listening in on the fun stories and conversations throughout the hall, and shifting from table to couch to sofa to check in on everyone. When it came to comfort, whether physical or emotional, Dawn made sure it was their hotel’s top priority.

Vivian slid up to the bar and greeted her spouse with a hug as warm as the coffee the rest of the patrons were throwing at her. “Hey hey! Glad to see the clientele still hasn’t changed.”

“Need a paper towel?”

“I’m good, I didn’t have my morning decaf today. How’s business on your end?”

“Weellll,” Dawn swung their hips and arms, “I just met someone new for the first time! Did Eileen already tell you the news?”

“Evidently not,” she said, unsurprised that Eileen had neglected to mention something to her.

“Someone moved into town!”

Vivian’s eyes flashed, and a rush of energy replenished her spirit.

“And they live on Riverside!”

The lobby erupted into chatter: “What?” “Someone moved here?” “That’s awful!” “We should save them!” “Riverside Road?” “Do they have a death wish?” “Who would want to live next to the statue?” “Who would want to live next to Eileen?” “Tell us more, Dawn!”

Vivian energy returned to it dormant state. “Yo! Butt out! If you don’t live on Riverside, you’re not part of the conversation!” She turned back to Dawn. “So what do you want to do? We gotta do something special!”

Dingle-ding! Eileen pushed herself through the double doors, eager to slide back over and continue the conversation. But she lost all courage and intent once she saw Vivian with her own spouse instead, and a crushing memory of guilt and regret from the end of Eileen’s mind bubbled up. Eileen shoved her eyes closed and plopped herself onto a sofa with her other friends. They all sat in the back, away from the chaos and action that would rile up in the lobby on any given day.

“Hey hey, ‘Leen!” said Morgan Bailey, a young, energetic woman with just the right amount of optimism and extroversion to keep it from becoming unhealthy. She dragged Eileen onto the couch. “We saved a cannoli for you.”

Eileen sat back up and wiped off her shirt. “Not a fan of cannoli.”

“Told you,” Patrick Wells muttered to Morgan. He reached for the snack, but Eileen had grabbed it anyway. He sighed, straightened the papers in his hand, bit down on his pen cap, and ran his fingers through his well-combed red hair. “Ah, so what’s on your mind today, Leeno?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m getting haunted, not to braaaag.” She gave herself a thumbs-up and crashed next to Patrick. “What’s new with you, Wellso? Grading papers? How’s that going?”

Patrick paused, as if about to say something else, but gave up. “Well, logarithms, you know how they are: the red pen’s inevitable.”

“Do you think teaching may help?”

“Hm, that’s a good idea,” he deadpanned along. “You should try that sometime and let me know how it goes.”

Dawn came strolling over to the group with Vivian and leaned their elbows on the table. “How’s everything? Need anything else?” They put on a huge, dimpled smile. “Hey hey, Eileen! Sorry I didn’t greet you, I didn’t see you come in!”

“It’s all good, Dawn,” said Eileen. “What’s up with you and Vivi?”

“Oh, so much! Actually, Morgan and I have got some big news for you all.”

Morgan woke up from spacing out and gasped, “Oh that’s right! Dawn and I met the sweetest person earlier today! Completely new to Plainwood. Nicest person you’ll ever meet!”

Patrick sat up straight. “Really now? That’s cool! Always nice to know this place is more inviting than it seems—you know, despite it all.”

“You wanna come to dinner tonight, Eileen?” Vivian said.

Of course Dawn already introduced themself. Eileen lifted her head from her notebook. “Are you asking me out, Vivi? I’m so flattered.”

“What is this for?” Patrick said.

“The newbie,” said Dawn. “We’re gonna stop by their place and invite them for a big get-together here. On the house, of course.”

Dawn and Vivian grinned as Morgan, Eileen, and Patrick grimaced.

Morgan stood to play good cop. “Dawn, have I ever told you how you always brighten my day?”

And so Patrick was left as the bad cop. “Well-meaning idea, but way too generous of you. If they’re new to Plainwood, they’re probably from the States. So our Plainwoodian closeness and affection is probably gonna be a bit off-putting, don’t you think? Could come off as clingy or desperate or haven’t seen a new human for three years. In the words of our mayor, presentation is everything.”

“That’s oddly shallow of you.” Morgan said.

“Alright, I’ll be less subtle: we’re the most hated group of friends in Plainwood, so I’d rather not force our reputation onto them like that.” Patrick was gradually losing gusto in the conversation. He leaned forward and dropped his papers. “It’s a small place, you’re gonna get to know each other eventually. Maybe just knock on the door and say hi? People like those friendly, homey feels. If they like you, they do; if they don’t, they don’t. Just don’t smother them on their first day.”

“Ah, there’s the practical Patrick I know,” Morgan said, her foot up her mouth.

The rest of the lobby turned back on hearing that infamous nickname. “Did Patrick Wells open his mouth again?” “Thinks he’s all that.” “Can’t stand that guy.” “Screw that guy.” “Yeah, I bet he’s really good at sex.” “What?” “I said I nothing he says makes any sense.” “Got more coffee?” “Yeah.” “Let’s throw it at him too.”

“Alright!” Patrick bolted from his seat. “I’ve still got some Descartes essays to grade, I think; therefore, I am gonna head out. Take care, guys!”

“Sorry, Patrick! I didn’t mean—” Morgan kept turning to face Patrick leaving until she couldn’t owl her head anymore, “—to…” Once he finally left the lobby, she exhaled and leaned closer, careful to whisper. “Eileen, did I hear you say you’re getting haunted?”

“Did I say that? I probably meant by my thoughts,” she responded.

“Aw, cheer up! You of all people have a new neighbor! On Riverside, even! What if she’s a ghosty? That ought to lift your spirits.”

Vivian gave a disgusted scoff while Dawn casually flinched.

Morgan sunk her head in her shoulders. “Just playing around, Viv. I can wait for you to leave too if you want.”

“No no, it’s fine,” sighed Vivian as she left the group anyway.

“Stop joking about that, Morg,” Eileen said. “It’s never gonna land with anyone here.”

“You’re gonna introduce yourself though, right?”

“I mean, if she really wanted to get to know me, she would be the to introduce herself to me. But then again, that’s never my choice, is it?”

Dawn called, “Are you coming with us, Eileen?”

“Yes yes, my love!” Eileen wore a smile fixed like a mannequin, before she turned back to Morgan to relax herself back to exasperation. “I’ll see you whenever, Morg.”

*****

Much to everyone’s dismay, Patrick Wells was right. The smart thing was to start small for now, but it was hard to when you never get to see anyone new in years. In returning from the Everoak, the three stopped in the middle of long, vast Riverside Road and sighed. Who could have envisioned that the only three occupied houses in the largest region of Plainwood would finally meet a new face since the founding of the state itself? Certainly, those who shared the same hive-minded fear of the statue on Eileen’s house never would have imagined that.

They tiptoed onto the stone veranda, carrying a box of Kendell-brand cookies in their hands and anxious smiles on their faces. Eileen twisted her head behind her, realizing she’d have no luck in getting Matt to join them as well. Dawn rang the doorbell and cracked a small shard of glass under their shoe. They pushed it aside, and everyone stood in anticipation, without a word to say.

Rather than coming through the door, a young woman lept from the side onto the veranda with a sincere yet casual grin. She was somewhere between twenty-one and twenty-four—that fresh-out-of-college look of combined optimism and exhaustion. She was caught unprepared, as shown by her sweats, leggings, socks, and a short, dark ponytail. Still, she smiled, and so did the Fays.

But once Eileen got a good full view of her, everything inside her dropped and her heart started racing.

“It’s you!”