“My dear customer, don’t be fooled! Eyes may be the window to the soul, but your hands are the mechanism that pushes aside those curtains. They allow me to see past your veil of improvisation and adept mannerisms, and seek what you truly desire to be answered!”

  “Sir, you’ve been warned to leave this district. Your services are inherently fraudulent and childish; the officials will arrive soon, lest you pack your tent and scram.”

  “... How about I cut you a discount?”

  Anger coursed through the baked innards.

  How could a man have such awful manners?!

  Shaking with utter vitriol, Julian witnessed the possessed bread slowly float in the middle of the tent. Wind accumulated, blowing into the tent, causing the tarp to whip around in response.

  Whoooosh! Whooooosh!

  “GAAAHHhHH!!! What kind of Horror possesses a damned loaf of bread?! Did you- did you poison me?!” Julian stumbles back, feeling around his face for any significant changes, nearly falling out of his seat. His coat slips off his shoulders, sagging half off onto the ground and snagging on his rickety chair.

  “You! How dare you accuse me of being a Horror!!?” The bread flew towards the man, spewing bread crumbs over his fear-stricken face.

  “Spit out the piece you were chewing on!” It demanded, somehow emitting an intimidating aura.

  Julian’s face paled, shakingly meeting the bread’s gaze. He started, eyes flitting nervously, “Ahh, you see-” before a comedically loud gulp could be heard, confirming the bread’s fears. Whatever remained of that fateful bite in Julian’s mouth was long gone.

  “...”

  “...”

  Julian failed to respond; a string of attempts at forming words flew out his mouth as he also failed to stand back up from his chair. He knew that since the bread’s sudden appearance, he had swallowed twice so far. Of course, he had quickly devised a solution to this misunderstanding.

  Rustle. Fwip!

  If there had been a bystander paying any sort of attention to the outside of Julian’s tent, they would have witnessed the glorious sight of a bread being tossed out the tent. As if it was a scrap for peasants to feast on, the bread pathetically tumbled to the ground, until it flopped to a halt. Inside the tent, a hand hung in the air, as Julian stood in disbelief that he had the gall to do such a thing.

  Only Julian’s heavy breathing could be heard in the otherwise silent tent. For a moment, he truly thought that he had hallucinated the whole incident.

  Should I pack up for today?

  “Goddamn this. Out of all the times to take a break. I just want to go home.” A grumbling voice clearly cut through the silent tent. Julian could feel a sense of lethargy in the delivery. Was this perhaps a real person after all?

  No, it’ s bad for business if I close early.

  Julian quickly got up, patted himself down and put his previously disheveled appearance back together. He decided that he would brave whatever creature this malevolent bread was.

  I am brave! For I am Julian Caesar!

  He steeled himself, shooting out of the tent with his hackles raised. Expecting an attacker to launch his way, Julian scanned the area with extreme precision. Except, there was only the occasional bystanders giving him questioning glances.

  A lone bread laid in front of Julian’s feet, now without its human-like features. The pastry seemed dormant, a noticeable bite taken out of its side. Slightly terrified, he very slowly and carefully nudged the bread with the tip of his shoe.

  Nudge~ Nudge~

  “...”

  “Hello?”

  After some consideration, Julian quickly snatched up the suspicious loaf like it was gold on the street, inspecting it as he shuffled back into his tent.

  It looks normal?

  “Fortune-telling? How outdated.” An auburn-haired man remarked as he scrutinized the tent, looking through Julian’s various trinkets and classical instruments. Of course, Julian would've thought he was a man if he wasn’t… corporeal?

  "?!"

  I’ve never seen something… rather someone like this before, and I work at the Agency for Godsakes!

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Simultaneously baffled and amazed, Julian saw a man that was perfectly see-through and floating. There was a subtle blue hue that lined his figure; his general shape was unclear, and the blue slowly ebbed between realities. He made small comments to himself, fully unguarded as he floated around the tent. An awestruck expression cemented itself on Julian’s face; his normally lax eyes blew even wider than before, as if being threatened by a possessed loaf of bread was already unbelievable enough.

  The ghostly man eventually stopped looking around, noticing Julian’s stare. His face went stone-cold in response to Julian’s still-shocked one.

  “You can see me, can’t you?”

  “Were you the bread that just screamed at me?!” Julian exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him. The floating man squinted, trying to analyze the man standing before him.

  “And were you the fool who nearly fell out of his chair in fear?”

  “Fear?” Julian made an amused face, “No, that was out of fascination!” The floating man wasn’t quick enough to react, as Julian (the unusually quick man he was) hastily bridged the gap.

  “Pardon, but could you step back-” The floating "man" began to speak.

  The first thing I noticed was his shock. However otherworldly, or post-deathly this apparition is appearing to be, he was shocked that I could see him. Either this means that he hasn’t been visible to anyone for ages, or he lost control of a power that allows him to become invisible. Although clearly he has powers to an extent… powerful enough to possess a bread and conjure powerful gusts of wind. Should I inquire about his state first? His powers? His name? Where did he hail from? Why can I see him? Or the biggest question of them all?

  “Why possess a bread?” Julian cut off the “man’s” request for space.

  Hm. No, no, no. I should’ve begun with asking WHEN he possessed that bread. The fact is, it’s awfully coincidental that he only reacted when I bit into the bread. Was there a particular reason why he chose the one I was eating? In fact, perhaps he was possessing the entire bag! Was it to ground himself to reality? To recharge? Pleasure even? My God, this is just too invigorating of a situation to approach calmly. Calm down Julian! Perhaps I’m being presumptuous in assuming such things. What if he wasn’t even possessing the bread to begin with, and it was instead a part of the creature’s soul or heart? Did I damage him? He was in fact demanding that I spit out the piece that I bit from the bread... which I've swallowed.

  Whatever answer that the apparition provided went straight over Julian’s head. His mind was too muddled as he rapidly mulled his inner speculations, unable to properly hear what was being spoken to him.

  “Are you a fortune-teller or detective?”

  Snap out of this Julian! You'll lose your only chance to converse with this creature if you keep bouncing between your own thoughts without end!

  With that moment of clarity, Julian finally responded. “What makes you say that?”

  The ghostly man shifted to look past Julian to stare at the numerous flyers plastered everywhere in the tent. These flyers all had the same cheap advert of Julian’s face plastered onto the paper. A photo of him wearing a classic detective’s uniform, giving a hefty thumbs up to the viewer. On the lower half was a large tagline in a distasteful font, it read:

  In need of a private detective? Offering services only for supernatural or interesting cases. Mail your inquiry or come in-person for consultation at [Bell Street 186].

  “...”

  The ghostly “man” chose not to elaborate as he felt that the posters spoke for themselves.

  “Oh my, are you perhaps a ghost with a case?”

  “Are you a well-renowned detective?”

  “I can guarantee you the utmost dedication and care, as long as your case piques my interest. Although, with the way that you are now, I doubt that would be an issue.”

  “Then-”

  “But as you can see, it is not currently business hours. Please, dear customer, come to this address.”

  Tap. Tap.

  Julian gently taps the bottom of the faded advert. “You’re welcome from the hours of 6 pm to 8 pm.”

  There was no feasible way that he'd ever get cases with those hours. But to Julian they were perfect as they were the only times he was free after work. The apparition was really finding this man a particularly strange one.

  “Who said I needed your help?” He replied, sending a ghastly sneer his way.

  “Nobody! I’m merely offering.” Julian smiles, spreading his hands with a friendly demeanor. “Besides, is there anyone else you can go to?”

  Slightly stunned at his audacity, the ghost took a moment to calculate the chances of someone taking on this case. Julian, in the meantime, continued to stare at his potential client in awe.

  The apparition was quite well-dressed, donning an outfit that he recognized. It was a grey striped vest and pants, the common attire for government workers. This was much to Julian’s dismay, as he didn’t hold particularly favorable views about Arthene’s government, but most individuals that work there didn't either. With the amount of benefits and pay they receive, Julian was once tempted to work there himself.

  A translucent hand reached out. “Nicholas.”

  Julian was surprised, although it didn’t show for long as he snapped his face into a business-like smile.

  “Julian.” Reaching out his right hand, he went to give the ghost a reciprocated hand-shake.

  However, Nicholas was not exactly a human anymore.

  Julian’s hand passed through the other “man’s” hand.

  “As you can see,” Nicholas withdrew his hand with a slightly disappointed expression,” I am a ghost.”

  “Right.”

  “And you’ve been the first person in 2 weeks that’s been able to see and talk to me.”

  “How intriguing.”

  “2 weeks ago, I was murdered, but I’m not sure who killed me and why.”

  What a classic line! Straight out of a detective novel. Someone like me would only dream of a case such as this.

  Julian leaned in, beaming at Nicholas.

  “Sooo, how about becoming my client?”

  “Like you said, I have no one else to ask. I’m lucky enough to have a detective be the person that I can communicate with.” Nicholas sighed while folding his arms, evidently taking a glance at the advert once again.

  “Excellent! Of course, I am merely a free-lance detective. That of which is very different from a fully licensed one.”

  “No matter, please take my case.”

  Julian faltered for a moment before continuing to pitch his sale, “Although in the state that you are… it is a bit difficult for payment as of right now. But, given how special your current state is…”

  “I can pay through other means.” Nicholas cuts in.

  “Then it seems there will be no problem!”

  “Good, then I will explain what happened to me a few weeks ago right before I die-”

  A finger suddenly wagged in front of Nicholas’s serious face.

  “Did you not hear me the first time? You’re welcome from the hours between 6 pm and 8 pm at this address!”

  Julian once again jutted the same finger at the worn down piece of paper.

  “Right now my detective business is not open! I’m honestly burning daylight and potential revenue because you’re occupying my time!”

  Once again baffled, Nicholas questioned the man.

  “Why can’t you take my case right now?!”

  “Beeeecause I’m not at this address,” pointing AGAIN at the advert, “from 6 pm to 8 pm.”

  Nicholas slowly took a deep breath, trying to reason with the actions of the one person that could help him in his predicament. He truly was finding it harder and harder to understand the peculiar loyalty to the times Julian has set for his jobs.

  Is it even possible for ghosts to breathe? How and what are they even breathing in? Is it just for show? Perhaps just a habit, given that he used to be human. Julian quizzically noted.

  “So, Nicholas. Please come by to this location and time as I’ve said. I’m happy to accommodate and begin investigating your case as soon as we hash out those details. What do you think?”

  This is ridiculous. Ah. I don’t understand this man but… beggars can’t be choosers.

  “Fine.”