Chapter 3 - Late autumn of 2017

Today, I cracked my elbows. I didn’t know such a wondrous feeling could be produced from that joint. Try it now. I dare you.

The office was a cold, business casual labyrinth. The beige halls twisted and looped. They seemingly contorted time and space, with few indicators of the outside world. All it required were a couple wrong turns for Marco to find himself completely lost. He took in his surroundings while Hudson spat useless advice.

“Fake it ‘till you make it, baby. Just keep going around until you find your way up there.”

Marco glared at him. He couldn’t respond, for fear of being caught looking like he’s having an argument with nobody. 

“You gotta be positive, man. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Marco rolled his eyes and took another skim over some papers he had received a few weeks back. 

A woman strode past the duo. Later down the hall, she stopped herself, turned around, and hollered, “Do you need help?”

”Say no, say no, say no. Be independent.”

”Uh, yeah,” Marco said sheepishly. “If that isn’t an issue.”

“No problem. Do you know where you’re trying to get?”

”Not really.”

”First day?”

”Yeah. I’m looking for Logtown Private Radio, if you know where that is.”

”Oh no way, that’s where I'm headed. How convenient,” she remarked. 

Marco waddled along behind her. “Thanks again.”

”Trust me, everybody gets mixed up in here. I swear this building was designed by the guy who invented corn mazes.”

”Wouldn’t surprise me. I’m supposed to find Alexandra Galesburg, if you know who that is.” 

“Mission accomplished, you met her. Though, most folks call me Lexi.”

“Oh, sure. Lexi.” They shook hands and continued up a flight of stairs clad in ugly red carpet. 

“You’re Rodriguez then?”

”Marco, yeah.”

”About time we got a new sound guy. The last one sucked at her job and got demoted. Here, this is my office.” 

The room was bright and encompassed in soundproof tiles. There was a desk pushed against the wall, covered in monitors and other equipment, and accompanied by a spinny chair. Judging by the cables, the tech seemed to be pretty old. Marco rolled up his sleeves as Hudson appeared over his shoulder. 

“Guy like you could really nerd out in here, huh? Told you I can be helpful.” Marco smiled. He hardly even realized that Lexi had been telling him things the entire time.

“Restrooms are down the hall that way, as well as the break room if you went just a smidge further. We’re all supposed to know where the fire extinguisher is, but honestly, I could not tell you. If there’s a fire, do the regular stuff.”

”I am so sorry, could you repeat some of that?”

“Like how much?”

”Uhh, nevermind. I’ll figure it out.”

A man poked his head in. “Y’all are on in ten.” He took a good look at Marco. “Welcome to the team.”

Lexi swung into her seat. “Go steal a chair from outside. I’m assuming that you’re qualified to know how to do this.”

“I would say so.”

“Awesome. We can just chill out until then.”

Lexi swiveled around lightly. She was tall, and had dark hair that was swept into a neat pony. It took no time at all for Marco to decide that her voice was the nicest he had ever heard. It was swift and light, airy and deep, many things at once. Truly a sound for sore ears. Although Marco got pulled all over the office, he tried to say hello to her as much as possible, before work or during lunch. 

Marco stretched as he welcomed himself home. The apartment was frigid, and he quickly noticed why. The man noticed a cool draft blow through the window that he had left open all day, by accident of course. As he pinched it shut, he spotted a cloudy silhouette sliding out of view across the room.

”Hudson, what are you doing?” He asked plainly. 

The actual Hudson slid up through the floorboards. “Hm? I was visiting the astral realm, I dunno what you’re on about.”

”What?” Marco pointed, “Then who the flip was that?”

The ghost shrugged. ”How would I know? Do you think I recognize every dead person ever by name?”

”I dunno, I wouldn’t put it past you.”

The mystery man appeared between the two. ”If I’m not mistaken, this is the house of Joey Strongs? Am I wrong?” 

”Yeah no, wrong address, buddy ‘ol pal,” said Hudson, gesturing to the door with his thumb. “Scram.”

”Hey now, let’s be kind.” Marco turned to the guy. “But yeah, could you please leave.”

”But I’m sure that this is right.”

”No. Did you check in with the guy who lives downstairs, maybe?”

The ghost went quiet. “There’s a downstairs?”

”Um, yeah. How did you not notice that?”

Hudson sighed and pinched his brow. “Call me back when something good actually happens. You know, like that girl.”

The new ghost looked intrigued. “A woman? Do tell.”

”Nope, no, she’s just a friend. I don’t even know you anyway, why would you care?”

He shrugged. ”Call me Lucien.”

”Good to meet you, I guess. I’m Marco.”

”Very nice. Now that we’re introduced, I might as well stick around for a while.”

”That is a wild leap to make after literally just meeting someone.”

”Please can we keep him? Pleeease?” Hudson asked.

”That is a grown, dead person, not a dog.”

”But think of how helpful he could be? Come on, Just give him a shot.” 

“You could be anywhere on earth, and you choose to be here?”

”Yup.”

”I’m not even the guy you’re looking for.”

”Yes, but you’re better.”

”Why?”

”Most people aren’t as understanding of the paranormal as you are. Majority of the people who see ghosts assume that they’re going mad.”

”So-wait. I’m so confused. Is it like a genetic trait that only some folks possess? Is it hereditary?”

”Listen, Marco,” Hudson said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “The less you try to reason with all this, the better. It doesn’t make sense, and it never will. That’s the only thing you can know for sure.”

Marco rubbed his eyes. “Fine. Whatever. Welcome to the household.”

When he looked back, they had both vanished without a trace.

Reviews

[RomaJ]

The imagery of the workplace is fascinating -- the office is literally described as a “cold, business casual labyrinth,” twisting and looping in a way that could make anyone lost. I wonder if that’s how the afterlife feels for the ghosts, navigating their own endless, confusing spaces. What struck me most, though, is how comfortable the ghosts are around Marco. As soon as Lucien introduces himself, he decides to stick around, and Hudson’s immediate “please, can we keep him?” made me laugh -- it’s like the ghosts are stray pets Marco accidentally adopts.

The chapter opens with that quirky note about cracking elbows. Honestly, I would probably hate the sound of that, but it sets a playful, slightly surreal tone that carries through the story.

I also noticed the timeline jumps around -- this chapter is set in late autumn 2017, even though the previous chapter was summer 2019. While it can be a bit jarring at first, it adds depth to Marco’s growth and the evolving relationship with the ghosts