THE MOMENT
Marigold giggled to herself as she stood to leave the restaurant. She had the time of her life, and she wasn't even alive anymore. Not that her date knew it. The athletic man that she fell in love with bit by bit throughout the night waited for her by the door. He looked in her direction but his focus was difficult to gauge because of his dark sunglasses.
Orion was blind. Marigold knew that going in; it was part of the reason she accepted the date. She used dating apps just to maintain some sort of social connection. Once she realized she was still alive after her funeral she decided to let her friends think she died. She left town for a few years but missed it too much. She liked flirting but never expected to meet anyone until Orion's profile popped up.
It wasn't difficult to blend in public as a ghost; most people are trying to ignore strangers anyway. But anytime anyone focused their attention on her it was easy for them to realize she was a tad ethereal. She reasoned she could get away with it with Orion, but did not expect to fall head over heels for him. She just wanted to feel special for one more night and he delivered in spades. He seemed so kind, patient, and far wiser than she would have expected from a 22-year-old. She got the impression he'd been through a lot and came out the other side better for it. His personality made it easy to fall in love. And being in love made Marigold want to be honest. Once she realized they'd be strolling through the park, she decided to tell him the truth. She wasn't even sure if she could prove it if he couldn't see through her.
"Oh, I haven't been to this park in years," Marigold commented as they walked arm in arm. Partially for the closeness, partially because she noticed Orion didn't pull his cane out after the restaurant.
"Tell me about it," he said.
"It's so still," Marigold said. "The snow is falling, it looks like powdered sugar over everything," Marigold flinched internally. She had no idea if he knew what powdered sugar looked like, but she hoped he knew snow was white. She gently guided him as they walked and led him to the place where it happened. It felt right that they happened to eat at a restaurant near the park, he picked it out. It felt right that she was taking him there now. She knew she wanted him to be part of her un-life going forward. Telling him the truth in the spot it took place felt like the only way to do it honestly.
"Everything okay?" Orion asked as soon as his foot touched the snowy grass off the track.
"Yeah," Marigold said. "There's a little copse back here that's nice for taking a break."
"Okay," Orion replied and let her continue to lead him off the trail. They walked a bit further arm in arm. The light grew dimmer as the trees filtered out more and more of it, not that Orion could tell. Finally, they stopped in near-pitch darkness.
"There's something I want to tell you," Marigold said.
"I'm all ears," Orion replied with a smile. Marigold took in a deep breath, exhaled, then nodded to herself.
"This is where I was killed...," she said. She immediately regretted her phrasing. She wished she had taken more than a moment to put that thought together. Then, Orion nodded and distracted her from her self-doubt.
"Oooooh," he seemed to sigh in relief. "That explains it," he shook his head with a chuckle. "I was wracking my mind all night.'
"What?" Marigold asked. She was surprised his response was so casual.
"What what?" Orion asked, suddenly just as confused as her.
"I just told you I was killed here...," she said.
"Uhuh," Orion nodded.
"I'm .. a ghost," Marigold admitted to him, and to herself for the first time. In the back of her mind, she knew what she was, but she never voiced it.
"Uhuh," Orion nodded.
"Ohhh," Marigold sighed. She was crushed when she realized he was just humoring her. But, she changed her focus and tried to figure out a way to convince him.
"Wait, you don't know what you are?" Orion asked.
"I just said I'm a ghost," Marigold mumbled absentmindedly; she was distracted by her own thoughts.
"Nah, not that. Haven't you wondered how you became a ghost?" he asked. Marigold laughed at the question. She spread her arms wide to gesture at the small meadow around them; then, she flinched and dropped her arms when she realized he couldn't see it.
"This is where I was killed," she said. "Dying usually leads to ghosting." Orion smiled but shook his head.
"That's where you're wrong," he said. "It doesn't happen to everyone, not even to most. You're a ghost because you're Unique Soul #52, La Maceta. The plant. Your body died, but your soul is still rooted to this Earth." Marigold listened. She felt comfortable taking him at his word, but didn't know why.
"So what does me being ghost explain?" she asked. Orion reached up and removed his sunglasses. Marigold was immediately drawn into his pale, cloudy eyes. They stood out in the darkness.
"I'm a Unique soul too. #35, La Estrella. This body is blind...," he said. Then golden stars began to glow in his eyes. "But, I can still kind of see things with my soul. I knew what you were as soon as I saw you." The golden glow faded and he put his glasses back on.
"Usually when I spot a Unique I can see their aura floating around them. But, since I'm blind all I see a black spot blocking the aura. With you, I see your complete aura. I'd never seen that before."
"Oh yeah?" Marigold asked. She took a step closer to him feeling freer than ever. "Tell me about it," she said.
"It's the most beautiful soul I've ever seen."