“You must hate me,” Zoe slurred. She downed the rest of her martini, her third one for the night.

  “What are you talking about?” Ever replied. He had a quick look around the bar. Being the start of the week, there weren’t a lot of patrons. His girlfriend was swaying one way, righting herself before swaying the other.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He hopped off the bar stool and leaned forward to hug her around the waist, just as she finally toppled into him. The bartender met Ever’s gaze. While drying a glass, he eyed an empty booth, away from the bar.

  Nika had been sitting in the corner of the counter top for the whole evening, tail swishing. He wound himself amongst Ever and Zoe’s legs, leaping softly onto the table at the booth as Ever caught up.

  “Noooo, don’t lie me down,” Zoe said. “That’ll make me throw up and no one wants to see that.”

  Ever sat her up, pushing her over to the wall; she immediately lay her head against it.

  “Come Evey,” she said with eyes closed, patting the sticky seat with cracking, red upholstery on it. “Sith wit me.”

  Ever slid across, sitting on the same side as his girlfriend. As drunk as she was, her hand still sought his. Her fingers were loose, blood warmed by alcohol. Much different from earlier in the day: grip tight, skin frigid.

  “Why can’t people just adopt a fish?” Zoe said. “No one ever brings a fish back after Christmas. Doesn’t matter if it’s a goldfish or a koi fish, no one ever asks me to put down a damn fish.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Nika had resumed staring at his person, now standing on the table, eyes unblinking.

  “It’s not fair, Ever,” Zoe said, now laying her head on his shoulder. “These animals don’t deserve to die. Why does it have to be me who has to put them to sleep? Why does it have to be me who sees their ghosts?”

  Ever thought back to Bozo, the first animal that he reaped. The good boy had mentioned feeling sleepy after feeling a sharp poke. In the end, Ever didn’t have to ask Zoe what the dog had meant. He watched as she administered the lethal injection, time and time again to multiple animals in the back room, their souls pulling themselves free like foggy shadows with minds of their own.

  ^You say it like it’s a bad thing,^ Nika mraowed. ^I’m the best thing you see all day.^

  “You’re an exception,” Zoe said. “You’re a furry turd, but you’re my furry turd.” Zoe smiled, reaching out to her cat.

  ^Excuse me, a furry what?^ Nika yowled. The ghost cat’s aghast expression was matched by Ever’s mouth that had fallen agape.

  “Zoe…” he said slowly. “Did you… did you just… understand Nika?”

  ^Who cares if she understands me or not,^ Nika said, looking mighty displeased. ^Did you hear what she called me?^

  “Yes, a furry turd.” Ignoring the disgusted cat ghost, he turned slightly to Zoe only for her head to loll downwards.

  *Mother.*

  ?Yes, son?? She connected almost right away with him.

  *Did you see that? I think Zoe could understand Nika!*

  Nyx smiled.

  ?Yes, yes I did?