Ghost of a chance

She thinks I'm gone forever and she's ready to move on.

We've played this game before. She fancies a man who fancies her. And I summon the resources left to a soul beyond to try to save her.

Stuart approaches her at the office Christmas party. He says he's had his eye on her for awhile. All day I've seen his eye on every unclaimed bosom. My Lisa is his last resort after Katelyn and Izabel pair off.

Here in the beyond we take a long view. We will be here forever, of course, but time has a different, less lateral progression. So even as I'm watching Lisa here and now, I am seeing her with me long ago, and I am seeing Stuart debase her in her possible future.

Stuart fumbles to open the open the door to his car, and I see Stuart fingers tangled in Izabel's tresses when Lisa walks in on them next April. I know I have to act fast. Losing me is all the grief any woman should be expected to bear.

My first blow lands snow upon Lisa's cheek. She brushes it away. I add my strength to Stuart's thrust as he closes the car door. It slams with an ominous thud, but still Lisa looks ready to fall for Stuart as she waits for him to finish brushing off the car. I summon all the power I can, cast a shadow upon her, blow a chill up her spine. Lisa shivers, almost resolved to beg off from Stuart.

Stuart sits in the driver seat and wraps his scarf around Lisa.

“There now, you seem to have taken a chill. I'll warm you up at home.”

They say hell is warm. But no, it's a cold eternity of watching your lover lose again.