The Guide of the Dead

Those who hold onto deep attachments cannot cross the Mackinac Bridge.

So, I could only wander in the underworld and became a guide for lost souls.

This job was called "delivering the paper."

My job was to hand the paper to the lost soul and guide them into their next reincarnation.

They said that once I completed a thousand deliveries, I could drink the soup and walk across the Mackinac Bridge just like the souls I guided.

Finally, I received my 1000th soul.

However, on the paper, I saw my ex-boyfriend's name.

Time: April 10th.

Location: Mount Barney.

Cause of Death: Drowning.

Name: Evan Howard.

Birthdate: January 21st, 1999.

...

Was it him?

He was going to die?

My feelings became complicated.

There might be more than one Evan in the world, but not many with the same birthdate and name.

As usual, the paper spontaneously ignited. This time, the flames were different. An eerie pale blue instead of the usual bright red.

The flames grew stronger, and darkness engulfed me. When light returned, I found myself in front of Evan.

It was really him.

After three years, he was still so radiant.

His handsome face, tall figure, and cool, clear demeanor were unchanged.

My heart tightened, and my pulse quickened.

Even after three years, seeing his face again still took my breath away.

It was love at first sight all over again.

He sat in the driver's seat, looking at me in the passenger seat. His face was expressionless.

As always, he was impeccably composed.

Suddenly, a smile appeared on his face, and my heart fluttered. But I quickly realized he wasn't smiling at me.

A long-haired girl in a white dress sat in the passenger seat.

She smiled and greeted Evan, her body passing right through me.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," she said.

"It's fine," he replied.

So, they were together now.

They really looked perfect together.

That girl was my best friend, Esther Torres.

Good for them.

I thought to myself with a smile, but there was sadness.

Esther was still so beautiful.

She had smooth skin, a lovely face, and a curvy figure.

It was flawless.

They were a perfect match.

I sensibly moved to the backseat, watching them laugh and talk. I remembered how Evan once told me, "The passenger seat is always reserved for you."

Now, it seemed that promises were just empty words.

I admit I was sad.

I had been dead for three years. I couldn't expect him to mourn me forever, but I couldn't control my feelings.

If a person's attachment was too deep before they died, the paper would burn instantly, making it impossible for a guide to find the soul. Without the paper, they couldn't cross the Mackinac Bridge.

I looked at Evan with some resentment. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have died with such regret. I wouldn't be in this situation now.

But now, it was useless to blame him. I could only blame myself for loving this man too much, for having such a narrow vision that it ruined everything.

I sighed and looked at Esther, smiling brightly. I was genuinely happy for her. She ended up with the person she loved.

In love, there's no room for too many people. Since I was never meant to be, this ending was for the best.

After all my sighs, I finally remembered the reason I was here.

I looked at the paper in my hand. After burning, it had become transparent, but the words were still visible. When I crossed the Mackinac Bridge and drank the soup, this paper representing this life would turn to ashes.

Those lines of text looked startling now. Thinking about how they were about to be separated by life and death made my emotions even more complicated.

"Are we spending the night outside?" Esther asked.

"Yes, I'm taking you to see the stars," Evan said. His voice was deep and magnetic.

"Am I going to have to watch them be lovey-dovey all night?" I checked the time, feeling a bit annoyed. There were still at least three hours until the time mentioned in the paper.

Esther seemed very pleased with this answer. "I'm so excited. This is our first time spending the night out together."

Evan didn't say anything, just smiled.

I struggled to keep my emotions in check and thought, "Am I going to have to watch them get all lovey-dovey tonight?

Seriously, this is too cruel.

Did I have to be the one chosen as his guide?"

At that moment, Evan suddenly looked at the rearview mirror without warning. Our eyes met. My heart skipped a beat.

I saw an inexplicable change in Evan's previously calm face. It was subtle but complicated.

"What's wrong?" Esther noticed something was off with Evan. When he didn't respond, she turned to look at the backseat.

After a moment, Evan said, "It's nothing."

He glanced at the rearview mirror again. He started the car and focused on driving.

That look gave me chills. He shouldn't be able to see me!

I cautiously leaned forward. I waved my hand in front of his face, but his expression didn't change. He didn't even blink.

I finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a false alarm.

There were cases of dying people seeing their guides, but it was extremely rare.

I had only heard of it, never actually encountered someone who could see me.

I wouldn't doubt it if it were anyone else, but this was Evan.

He had been exceptional since childhood, leading a life of success with intelligence and talent beyond the ordinary. If one in ten thousand could see their guide, I believed that person would be Evan.

If he could see me, he should have noticed when I first appeared before him, not after I moved to the backseat.

I tried to control my wild thoughts.

"It'd be nice if Cecilia were still here."

It was Esther who suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

Cecilia was me.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed. I was both eager and afraid to hear Evan's response.

Evan didn't say anything. He just focused on driving.

I let out a sigh of relief, but it seemed like Esther wasn't done.

"Why do you never say anything when I mention Cecilia?" she asked. Her tone carried a hint of frustration.

Esther's words were laced with accusation and dissatisfaction.

"Because I don't want to talk about it," Evan said coldly.

He was still as aloof as ever.

"You can't forget her, can you?" Esther stared at the road ahead. Her expression grew darker.

"No, I just don't want to argue with you," Evan's cold voice drifted from the front.

His cold voice washed over me like a bucket of ice water.

I found it almost funny. In his mind, I was dead. I was someone he would never see again. His answer was honest. Why should I feel sad about it?

He didn't betray me. He just moved on with his life.

But even knowing all this, I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.