Chapter 1

On the night of the Ghost Festival, I was crouched at the roadside, burning paper offerings for my dead relatives.

My flatmate sent me a photo.

"Your boyfriend's here, and he even brought you flowers. Come back quick!"

I opened the photo.

My boyfriend was wearing a charcoal-gray suit, sitting on the living room sofa, cradling a big bouquet of fiery red roses.

We'd just had a fight yesterday, and today he'd bought flowers to make up with me.

But right as I was about to put my phone away and head upstairs, something suddenly hit me, my face went white, and with trembling hands I dialed 911.

"Officer, the Ghost Festival, the night the dead come back—is that real?"

"Of course not. We live in a society ruled by law, and we believe in science!"

Despair hit me in an instant, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Then please, send someone right away—my boyfriend may already be dead!"

...

The night of the Ghost Festival.

I was crouched at the roadside burning offerings when my phone chimed.

It was my flatmate, sending me a photo and a voice message.

"Chrissy, where are you? Your boyfriend came by our place and brought you flowers. Come back quick!"

I opened the photo and looked at the huge bouquet of fiery red roses cradled in my boyfriend's arms, my heart full of sweetness.

He really did know how to win me over.

I replied with a smile:

"Tell him to hang on a sec. I'll be right up once I finish burning this pile of offerings!"

I put my phone away, picked up another paper offering, and fed it into the fire.

Then something suddenly hit me, and my hand jerked.

I pulled out my phone, opened that photo again, zoomed in, and studied it carefully.

In an instant, my whole body went cold.

Like I'd plunged straight from a summer day into an icehouse.

The firelight lit up my pale face.

I quickly lifted my head and glanced around.

People were burning offerings all along the intersection, a little fire every two or three steps.

Some were crying, some had stony faces.

I started backing away—three steps, then I turned and ran.

As I ran, I dialed 911.

"Officer, the Ghost Festival, the night the dead come back—is that real?"

The operator froze, and it took her a long moment before she answered firmly:

"There's no basis for those claims, ma'am. Please believe in science!"

My feet stopped, and I looked at the building right in front of me and closed my eyes for a moment:

"Then please, send someone right away—my boyfriend's been murdered!"

The operator gave a start:

"You're saying there's been a homicide over there? Please be more specific—the exact location, the time, what the scene looks like."

"I can't explain it clearly, just come quick—the address is Fairhaven Apartments on Levee Road, Building 1, Unit 2, Apt 603!"

"All right, try to stay calm, we'll get officers over there right away!"

The call ended, and I crouched down at the base of my building, all the strength drained out of me.

Gripping my phone, I looked up.

The sixth floor lights were on, and I could just make out my flatmate's shadow standing in the living room.

She was pouring water for my boyfriend.

But I didn't have the nerve to go up.

Just then, my boyfriend called.

"Honey, why aren't you up yet? Want me to come down and get you?"

On reflex I shouted, "No!"

There was a three-second pause on the other end, then finally a helpless voice:

"Are you still mad at me?"

"I know I was wrong. I'm already coming down. Stay right where you are and don't move—I'll apologize to you in person."

I heard the sound of a door opening and closing on the other end, and the ding of the elevator arriving.

"Oh, Hugh, you're here too. Perfect timing—I came by to drop something off for Chrissy."

My mom?

She'd run into that person at the elevator?

A shudder went through me, but I pushed the fear aside, hung up, put my head down, and rushed into the complex, jabbing at the elevator button.

But the elevator was in use and wouldn't come down.

I quickly pulled out my phone and called my mom:

"Mom, just drop the stuff and go. Don't ask why!"

"And if you can, take Prissy with you!"