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“Why are you crying?” a sweet voice startled me

I spun around to see a girl no older than thirteen, of Latino decent Long dark curls rested against her Taylor Lautner t-shirt

“Hi I’host Isn’t that so cool?”

Teens—they were so unbelievable when it ca and was always truly thrilled to hear they were beyond the grave I shook ic “If you say so, kid”

“It’s nice to meet you, Clara,” Kipp said

I could have prolonged this, waited for her to find some resolve to ask the question she needed to, but I wanted to get out of here and go home My emotions were raw, so I didn’t waste any tihost?”

Clara’s brow furrowed and a goodI can re” She paused before her mouth dropped open “I remember now, I drowned”

I looked at Kipp then and he studied Clara intently He saw for the first tihosts didn’t remember the event that took their lives like he did I still hadn’t quite figured out how he knew so much, but I planned to, eventually For now,out of here and into my comfy bed “Do you remember how you drowned?” Maybe she needed to reconcile what happened to her Maybe that’s why she couldn’t cross over and had been stuck here at the church

She bowed her head as if being scolded by a parent “My friend Maggie and I were playing near a da us to stay out of the water, but ent in anyway”

“Accidents happen,” Kipp said

Clara shrugged and glanced up, and despair held strong in her gaze “When I swahtI re my name”

“But she never tried to help you?” Kipp asked

Clara shook her head “She was scared—I could hear it in her voice I guess she leftmoht be why I’m still here”

“For Maggie?” I asked

She nodded “I’m sure of it I think it’s because she feels bad about not trying to save me”