We appeared in my tiny apartment. Only it wasn’t the same. The furniture was different. Additionally, the terrified family sitting on the couch wasn’t mine.

A woman clutched her two children to her bosom and screamed. “Ay Dios Mio!”

After we fled, I took out the M-Phone, which thankfully had service again, and called Mrs. Hodgins. She picked up on the first ring. “Melvin? Is that you? Where is Kalli? Is she okay? Did you get her out of that stupid contract?”

While I did want to fill her in, there were more pressing matters. “Mrs. Hodgins. Where is my mom? I just came back to an empty house. Did she move in with you?”

There was a pause. Pauses were never good. “Melvin. Your mother is fine. She isn’t hurt or anything. She left about a month ago. She left a letter for you. It’s sealed, so I don’t know what it says.”

The letter wasn’t helpful.

My Dearest Son,

First, I want to tell you not to worry about me. I didn’t go off searching for you even though you forgot to check in with me when you left Earth. (I will talk to you about that later!)

There is something that I have to do. You might not hear from me for a while but please understand that I will miss you every single day. Don’t worry about me.

I have left some money for you with the guild. Consider it your inheritance. I can’t put a timetable on my return, so just keep living your best life until we see each other again.

Love always,

Mom

I read the last of it through bleary eyes as tears rained down on the letter.

Why didn’t I call her before I left? I was so stupid.

Kalli attempted to cheer me up from across the dimensions. It’s not your fault Melvin. You were distracted.

What do I do now? Mom’s gone. Should I just go back to Gaia? Back to you?

I wanted her to say yes. She didn’t. You have to stay. What will happen if she comes back and you’re not there? Then she really will worry.

After a lengthy conversation, Kalli convinced me to stay on Earth, so I was already depressed when I made my next stop. Standing at the door of a tract home in Anaheim, I held my breath while saying a prayer that nobody would be home.

I shuddered as the door creaked open. A very large man appeared and looked down at me. “Can I help you? You better not be selling something. This is not a good time.”

“Hi. My name is Melvin Murph…wargh!” The end of my name got cut off as I got pulled into the house.

I was terrified as I got marched into a sitting room filled with surprised people. The man announced me to the room at large. “This here is Melvin. You know. The one that sent the gift.”

A woman who looked remarkably like Stefanie may as well have been an Olympian as she vaulted a couch to get to me. “Please, sir. Tell me everything. What happened to my baby?”

I dropped to the floor as my legs gave out from under me. That didn’t dissuade the mother. She sat right down next to me and waited for an answer. “Well, it’s all my fault. We went to Gaia to rescue Kalli but we ended up in a land where people were sick with the plague. She helped us as we went from village to village curing everyone. Then we found out the source of the plague and went to deal with it. This shadow monster came out and took her by surprise. I couldn’t fight it off in time to save her. I’m…so…I’m so sorry. I failed and she died. I got her killed.”

We were both crying when I finished my story. Stefanie’s mom placed her hands on my shoulders with a manic look in her eyes. “Were you the one that sent her back?”

Words failed me. I nodded and sobbed, looking down at the rug through bleary eyes. Stefanie’s mom pulled me into a hug. “Thank you so much. I can’t tell you what it means to me that you didn’t leave her there. This way she won’t be alone.”

Next to me, a ghost cried quietly as she hovered next to her mother. When the conversation ended she whispered, “Melvin, ask if you can go to my room. I want you to get something and give it to my mom.”

Sighing, I pried myself from her mother’s grasp and said, “Ma’am. Stefanie asked me to get something for you from her room. Do you mind if I go?”

The large man standing behind me growled. “Why would she do that? Did she know she was going to die?”

I shook my head. “No. Nothing like that. She asked me right now.”

The room suddenly erupted, everyone yelling and screaming so loud that I couldn’t make out half of it. Stefanie’s mother held up a hand for silence and asked, “She’s with you, right now? Her spirit? Can I talk to her?”

“She can hear you,” I replied, hoping I didn’t make a mistake telling them about her.

Stefanie’s mom bawled, “I love you, honey. We all miss you so much.”

By that point, Stefanie was sobbing. “Tell her I love her too and go to my room so I can get what I need. It’s still there. I checked.”

After relaying a few more messages, I convinced the family to let me into Stefanie’s room by myself. The room was pretty plain with just a bed and a bedside table with a pair of drawers. On top of the table was a picture of Stefanie.

She ignored the room and guided me to the closet. “Up there, in the ceiling. Yes, move that tile. Do you feel the box? That’s my treasure. Open it up. Take the diary out. Hide it in your fanny pack. I want you to burn that. Whatever you do, don’t you dare read it! I’d die. Err, well, I mean I’d be so embarrassed. As you said, you got me killed so you aren’t allowed to read it. Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. You know what I mean. Just don’t read it.”

By the time she was done rambling, we were both laughing. I did as instructed and stashed the diary in my bag before heading back downstairs with the box. When I presented it to her mother, the big guy said, “Where did you find that? We cleaned the room out completely.”

“She hid it.” Her mom replied. “My baby always was the clever one.”

I kind of wanted to watch as they went through the box, but everyone wanted me to leave, so I was quickly ushered out the door.

The next step was to find a way to send her and Raverly to the other side. Since I didn’t personally know any death gods on Earth, I summoned the next best thing, Byakko.

The white tiger cub appeared with a loud chuff. “It’s about time! Did you rescue your mate?”

I nodded silently. Byakko looked around as if expecting Kalli to jump out and surprise him. Seeing Stefanie’s ghost, he growled. “What is this? This isn’t your mate? She isn’t even alive? What did you do, mortal?”

I sighed and explained the story. When I finished, I asked, “So, do you know anyone I can summon to help her and Raverly pass on?”

Byakko sat on his haunches and looked me in the eyes. “Those who guide that dead, where I come from, are known as death gods. Some call them shinigami. You should be skilled enough to summon one.”

Armed with that knowledge, I set to the task of summoning. I expected a dark creature with a robe and scythe to appear but what I got set Stefanie into a fit of giggles.

A young girl armed with cat gloves and a beanie with cat ears appeared in front of her. She swished her tail as she announced, “My name is Sayaka. I’ll be your guide today.”

“Are you sure you’re a death god?” I asked, looking at Byakko for confirmation.

Stefanie swung her hand through my head as punishment. The feeling was like being doused with ice water. “Be nice to the poor death goddess. I am sure she’s trying her best.”

“I am!” Sayaka chirped. “It’s my job to deliver you safely to the promised land. I only look this way because modern anime depicts us like this and now the majority of my believers see me this way.”

“I see.” Stefanie giggled. “Is there anything I have to do to get to the other side?”

Sayaka beamed at the ghost. “Nope! Just leave everything to me. It’s a short trip. By the way, where is your friend? I was told there would be two of you?”

The tattoo of the scythe on my arm burned as the shinigami forced Raverly to come out. He appeared with a scowl and said, “Who says I want to go to this stupid heaven anyway? Just leave me alone. All of you.”

The shinigami tilted her head to the side as she appraised the new ghost. “Well, suit yourself. I can’t force you to go. Just remember that as a wandering spirit there are rules. If you break them, you will be at the mercy of any number of things. I can’t say for certain what will happen to you because it depends on who you offend. Good luck though.”

Raverly looked back and forth between Stefanie and me in a panic. “Fine! I’ll go. Whatever.”

Stefanie tugged on his arm as she started after Sayaka. “Come on, you big baby. You even suck at dying. Let’s get going. I have a grandma that I want to see.”

When the ghosts had all gone, I found myself alone with Byakko. He turned to look at me and asked, “So, what next, mortal?”

I scritched the tiger behind the ears as I considered the question. For the first time since coming back, I had to decide what I wanted to do. To make matters worse, I was on my own. “You know what, Byakko. I think it’s time I focus on leveling up. I keep running into powerful people who want to take advantage of me. It’s only been through sheer luck that I’ve managed to survive so far. That and my friends.”

Suddenly, the M-Phone rang from an unknown number. I picked it up and said, “Hello?”

Lavender’s voice greeted me. “I am so glad you just said that. I have the perfect way for the two of you to get some experience!”