How Curiosity Killed the Cat and the Ghost Was Brought Back

Second Chances

"If you're noticing anything that might be off, you need to make it known, " James continued, "I'm not sure how long we'll need to track these. . . symptoms of yours, but it's crucial that you tell us everything. And as soon as possible."

"I understand, doc," Casper said through a yawn. "It's been a long day. Could we go ahead and call it quits?"

"You're sure there's nothing else we can do?" Kat asked, despite Casper's suggestion. "It's already gotten this bad, and we don't know if it's reversible."

"Only time can tell," James said as he drew the curtains closed. "We'll figure it out," he reassured.

Kat wanted to agree, but she couldn't deny the part of herself that was already losing hope. It might've been partially due to her obliviousness towards all of the signs, all of the moments when it should've been obvious that something was wrong. Maybe they could've gotten this figured out already if she hadn't been so stubborn. She felt selfish and horrible. If this was the worst case scenario and Casper was on the brink of losing all of his memories, even his entire sense of self, she only had herself to blame.

* * *

Kat floated in and out of consciousness. Her dreamstate had been bleeding on and off into reality, with the rhythm of waves pulling back and forth on a beach. She could feel the rust-coated roof of the lighthouse under her feet and a cold gust of wind across her cheeks. In her dream, she waited for Casper. He had gone off somewhere, to a place she didn't know. She lost track of how long she had been waiting. Her watch was broken, but she kept checking it, having convinced herself that the time was still right somehow. She could leave any time she wanted, but she needed to see him return with her own eyes, or else she wouldn't be able to fall asleep that night.

"Kat? Kaaaat?" Casper's voice was distant, like he was calling to her from the bottom of a well. "Have you been here all night?"

"Hm?" Kat lifted her head from her knees. Her puffy eyes squinted through the sunlight that poured in from the window across the room. She felt a burst of pain in her lower back as she unfurled herself from the awkward shape she had curled into when she fell asleep in the recliner. The jingle of a TV commercial triggered a headache. She groaned.

"I'll take that as a yes," Casper said.

Kat was too tired to care about whatever time it was. The crick in her neck wasn't stopping her from letting her head sink back into the soft cushion of the armrest. After another moment of disgruntled dozing, she felt a nudge against her arm. She managed to sit up straight and open her eyes just enough to see the bowl of cereal being offered to her, which she gladly took.

"Excited for the party tonight?" Casper asked. He held up the remote to turn down the volume of the TV.

Kat's eyes squinted. "Huh?"

"Are you excited for the party tonight?" he repeated to her like a retirement home nurse struggling to communicate with the elderly.

"The party," she repeated. Her mind finally caught up. Her eyes widened. "I need to call Zach."

Kat sat the bowl of cereal on the coffee table before making her way to the other side of the room, towards the telephone. Casper turned his attention back to the TV, "is he gonna pick you up?"

"No, I need to cancel."

"What?"

Her finger hovered over the buttons. "I can't go to the party. There's too much going on right now. . ." She cursed under breath once she realized she couldn't remember the number. Before she could even consider searching her bedroom for it, Casper had taken the handset from her.