text: Nick takes seems to take this in for a moment, before nodding his head.
  
  "If that's the case then I really see no reason to object then, let's get this out of the way, the sooner I can get my sleep the better." Nick states.
  
  Wow, this would be way faster and easier then it was with Owen, if the older aged spirits were this upfront with wanting to leave and with the questions you asked, then you should totally be helping a lot more of them out. Regardless of that, you extend out your arm for Nick to grab.
  
  "Please grab my arm, Nick."
  
  Nick does as you say as grasp arms.
  
  Closing your eyes, you start to twist your palm around Nicks' arm as the familiar feeling you had first felt with Owen starts to happen once again. Although this time you don't feel as weak as you did, which is good, though your stomach still hurts quite a bit.
  
  As the tingling feeling starts to subside, you see that Nick stands before you, seemingly a bit confused.
  
  "I felt something happen I think, but did something happen?" He asks.
  
  "Yeah it isn't really a big change honestly, you just aren't tied down to this house anymore, and instead have a boundary around me." You explain to him.
  
  "Interesting."
  
  You look over at Ruby to get confirmation over your success to which you see her already standing up.
  
  "I knew this spirit wouldn't take that long to bind with, I've been on a roll with this is so far, anyway that should be enough spirits for you to bind with for now. Let's go home, I've had enough ghost hunting for one week." She yawns before starting to walk out of the bedroom.
  
  You were really surprised and relieved that you didn't really need Owen's help for this spirit, but you also felt a little shamed seeing that Ruby probably had a big part in why the spirits you were encountering didn't really put up much of a resistance when it came to coming with you.
  
  "Let's go home then, I wanted to finish my playthrough of fallout I just started on your computer."
  
  Shaking your head, you leave the room and follow Ruby downstairs with Nick and Owen.
  You were really hoping she meant what she said about there being no more spirits for you to take in, any more and it would most likely start to get really crowded in your room, besides all it took was for some ghost with a nasty attitude to really mess with things if you had to spend every minute assigned with them, that's why you were really glad that Ruby wasn't a spirit that was chained to you, that would be horrible.
  
  Ruby was quick to drop you off, Owen and Nick were even a bit worried about how fast she was driving at some sections, but luckily you made it home safe and sound. After getting to your room, Owen immediately hopped onto your computer and started playing Fallout, while Nick grabbed something from your bookshelf and began reading. Hopefully, these guys wouldn't be bored anytime soon, as you had no idea for any other way you would entertain them.
  
  A bit tired from everything that had happened, you decided to just sleep off the remainder of the day, hoping to sleep in well since it was the weekend.
  
  Months had passed since you first took in Nick into your circle. Since then you had also taken in three more ghosts, a teenage girl who had committed suicide by the name of Ashley, a middle-aged gangster type man who had been killed in a gunfight named Baron, and lastly there was a younger tween-aged girl who was killed while jaywalking named Veronica.
  
  With each new spirit, you continued to tell Ruby that you couldn't accept anymore since it was starting to get to crowded, though you had to word it carefully since all the spirits were in close proximity. Each time she would tell you that you would be ascending everyone soon, though each time you just got a new spirit to take in. While most of them weren't really a problem in dealing with, since if they got too rowdy you would make them stay in your head, it just became such a hassle whenever you needed privacy to yourself. Luckily Owen was really talkative so he drove the attention away from you as he was always the center of attention.
  
  The quietest out of everyone would have to be Baron, he didn't really speak all that much when you first brought him in, and only really ever talked if spoken to. Ashley was probably the loudest as she kept on complaining about still being here and not in a final resting place, or at least she was at first, now she's quiet like Baron but still gives off a strong negative attitude whenever she speaks.
  
  Owen and Veronica got along the best, probably since they were both around the same age save for a few years. Though still, they were very loud whenever they would get too excited, which led Ashley to start screaming a few times for them to shut up as she spent quiet time in the corner of your room.
  
  You were really glad that you had actually gotten Nick into your circle since he was the only real functioning adult here who could set his foot down causing everyone else to listen and stop whatever it was they were doing whenever he said something of importance.
  
  There was no way you could take anyone else in, the next spirit Ruby tries to throw at you you'll just put your foot down and say no. Half of the spirits assigned to you already want to leave and get ascended too, Ashley and Nick especially, although Nick seems to have gotten comfortable around everyone, to which he stopped asking Ruby about the ascension less and less as time went on. To be perfectly honest the only real problem was Ashley, she just kept pulling on your nerve strings whenever she opened her mouth. You actually just thought about keeping her in your mind so she wouldn't have to argue with anyone, but you felt as if that would just lead to more problems.
  
  The other major thing that you had to keep track off was when you went to classes. Owen tried to show off to Veronica a few times by doing stupid shit in class like touching peoples shoulders or dropping pencils. Naturally, he knew you couldn't do anything about it so your anxiety just kept on increasing along with antics. It got to the point in which you would force him to stay in your mind for the remainder of school. Though to counter this he would constantly try to annoy you in your head so you couldn't pay attention to anything at all. You've told him off plenty of times, probably a bit harsher than one would be to a kid at such a young age, and sometimes he would get into long pouts about it.
  
  As cool as Owen could be at times, he was really pushing you over his edge, just so he could get interest from Veronica, who gave mixed signals towards him which only made shit worse. You could swear that you were starting to get grey and white hairs from all this stress.
  
  "I already told you, you're going to be ascending soon now stop bitching!" Ruby seethes as Ashley confronts her yet again after school.
  
  "Bullshit it's already been months and we're still fucking here, I stopped believing you after we took Veronica in. Take us out of here NOW!"
  
  Ashley seemed to be really going at it this time, you've never seen her talk out this long, usually, she starts to brood in a corner after yelling or complaining for only a few seconds.
  
  "Is it my fucking problem that you decided to kill yourself? You should of thought about the shit that could happen before you made such a stupid ass decision."
  
  Veronica and Owen cringed and flinched back a bit, while Nick turned his head. It really was about to go down.
  
  Ashley charged towards Ruby with fury, though as you predicted she flew right past through her due to her emotions.
  
  "Yeah nice try fuck face, now anyway before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to say that I'm going to get you all ascended by the end of this month, and I'm serious when I say this. Our quota is going to be due soon, and if things go right, I might have something special in store for us." Ruby finishes, looking directly at you when she said the last part.
  
  "Don't do anything stupid or dumb until then while I get all the preparations in place, and after that, you all can get your eternal sleep or whatever the fuck it is you want and we can all be happy. Now I have to go, I have a club meeting that starts in an hour."
  
  > Home
  Upon getting home, Ashley got in her usual corner, though she was much more upset looking than usual which could be easily understood why. Nick went over and started talking to her quietly, while Veronica and Owen got onto your computer in which you now could almost never use. Baron sat himself down in one of your spare desk chairs and just placed it by one of your windows, and just stared outside which was his usual activity.
  
  "Ashley please, I guarantee you she means it this time, trus-."
  
  "No! It's not about that. The stupid bitch brought up my suicide again. Don't you think I regret it Nick, each day I'm stuck here I keep on thinking about it. If I knew this was waiting for me instead of what I dreamed of then I would have stayed alive for as long as I could, at least I had the freedom to do what I wanted." Ashley interrupted him with tearful cries.
  
  Man Ashley's reasoning's were pretty annoying, you hated when she got loud like this because of the stuff she said hardly made any common sense.
  
  Sitting down on your bed, which was probably the last refugee you had in your room, you started going through your phone as you had already completed classwork at school. In fact you got a lot done now ever since Nick first joined, turns out he was really good at math, and would instantly remember the lessons that were taught to you as he reheard them, during your free-time for homework, he would kneel beside you and help you with problems as you whispered any questions to him.
  
  Baron might have had some knowledge too, as he was only the only other one who actually paid attention to your classes, although he never spoke up and you've never been bothered to ask.
  
  Going through messages, you saw a notification from Ruby for a message that had been sent twenty or so minutes ago that you forgot to open.
  
  'Hey don't tell those dweebs, but I might end up pushing the ascension up even earlier,I really want to get it out of the way for some reason, reminds me the fuck out how much Ashley bitches about it. So just get ready to do it on a Thursday or Wednesday in the next two weeks if need be. I'll give you the rides as usual.'
  
  Thank fucking Christ, though you were a little irritated that she only bothered doing this because of someone else. Besides that the quicker you got these guys to ascension the better, while you were still on good enough terms with most of them.
  
  Though you don't know why she didn't want any of them to know, the news itself would probably calm down Ashley enough for her to stop moping so hard. Unless of course, Ruby was bullshitting you again and what she just told you was a load of crap.
  
  Man you really felt so negative for the past couple of weeks, you needed something to blow off steam before you really went over the edge and snapped or something. Getting these guys out of the house too would also probably raise their spirits. Though you hadn't really gone out and did something since you watched that movie three weeks ago, in which Veronica and Owen ruined when they started making shadows near the projector, to which no one could tell where it came from except for you. You felt really bad for the couple that was sitting in the back that got the blame for it.
  
  When everyone seemed to look very bored in your room, was the time you gave them the news.
  
  "Alright, since this is the last month we'll all be together, I've decided that we should all go out and do something fun. Any suggestions?" You ask them all.
  
  "Oh let's go see a movie!" Owen immediately suggested.
  
  "No suggestions from you or Veronica." You immediately sternly reply.
  
  "What why? She was the one who did that stuff at the theater it wasn't even me!"
  
  "You're such a liar!" Veronica replies while pushing Owen.
  
  "Cunt!"
  
  Once again they start to go at it.
  
  You try your best to ignore them though as you continue taking suggestions from everyone else.
  
  "I'd like to go hiking," Nick says.
  
  "Baseball game..."Baron says next, which surprises you a bit.
  
  Looking over at Ashley, she doesn't seem to be paying attention all that much.
  
  "I don't care what you guys do..."
  
  Well that was it then, you had your two suggestions.
  
  > Hiking
  You didn't know how much tickets were to go the earliest baseball game this or next week, and you didn't really want to spend all that much money since you were basically broke as it was.
  
  "Alright then, I guess we're going hiking."
  
  "Sweet, I've like going to the mountains, my dad found an arrowhead one time when we went really far out!" Owen brags to everyone.
  
  Even though Baron didn't get his suggestion, he still nods in approval while Gwen still doesn't really seem to give much of a shit.
  
  This was really going to suck if you were the only one who was going to get tired out of this. Though on the bright side that meant you only had to pack for yourself, which made everything much lighter.
  
  You were glad that Owen and Veronica were pretty enthusiastic about this trip, as they were already running ahead of the trail as far as the boundary would let them go. Baron and Nick were walking beside each other, talking about some grown-up stuff that would have probably bored you if you decided to join them.
  
  Ashley was the slowest one of everyone else, dragging her feet as she just looked at the ground while she walked, making you anxious that she would bump into a cactus or something if she wasn't careful. These ghosts could touch things, you had no idea if they were susceptible to pain depending on what they touched.
  
  Everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves out here, as you took suggestions on which routes to travel on and which spots to stay and just look at.
  
  Though the one thing that really kept on bugging you on this trip was Ashley and her mopping in the back.
  
  Maybe it was just best to ignore it and let her be down on her own.
  
  > talk to her
  You would probably be annoyed by this for the rest of the week, you best to just get this out of the way and try to talk to her about it.
  
  Lagging behind everyone else a bit on the trail, you started to match your pace to Ashley who immediately noticed this.
  
  "What do you want?" She asks rudely and a bit loudly.
  
  "Just wanted to talk is all." You simply respond.
  
  "I don't want to to talk, thank you."
  
  "It looks like you do."
  
  When you say this, she immediately gives you one of her usual dirty looks. She attempts to start walking ahead, but you hold her back by her bicep.
  
  "Let go of me!" She yells twisting away from.
  
  This causes everyone else to stop walking look at the two of you.
  
  "Could you calm down a little?"
  
  "Why do you want to talk with me?"
  
  "Because you're someone I'm supposed to help. Besides your whole attitude lately has been absolute shit. I'm not going to stop bugging you about it until you tell me what fuck is so wrong."
  
  Ashley sees everyone staring at her now as she backs up a little. You weren't planning on that happening, but since she decided to start yelling now all the attention was drawn on her.
  
  "Can we talk about this later..." She says to you, with her voice turning extremely soft. You think you also heard a quiver.
  
  You sigh, nodding your head in agreement.
  
  "Alright shows over everyone, let's just keep walking." You say to everyone else watching.
  
  You're pretty sure this little event pretty much negated all the fun that everyone was having, it would probably be best to end this hike soon.
  
  You probably should have just kept your mouth shut.
  
  > Later that night
  The hike actually went on longer than you thought it would after the argument, as everyone seemed to forget about it soon enough, and Ashley was quickening her pace to match everyone else's. By the time you got home though you were dead tired as it was already pretty late along with all the walking, you had done.
  
  Everyone had been doing their own thing in your room that night as you got ready for bed after your shower. You had actually forgotten about your little fight with Ashley for a while, deciding to bring it up anymore since there was really no point if she was just going to get confrontational every single time.
  
  Though right before you were about to call it a night and get into bed, she stopped you while standing up.
  
  "Can we talk now?"
  
  You were a little surprised that she wanted to go through with her earlier offer, with you just slowly nodding in agreement.
  
  "I don't want to talk like this though, can I....." she doesn't finish her sentence, instead, raising up her arm towards you. If this was about to be a deep talk then it would make sense that she wouldn't want anyone else to hear. Raising up your own hand, you twist her forearm as she disappears in front of you.
  
  'A- Whoa, I've never been inside here, it's weird....'
  
  'Yeah, it is.'
  
  You try to block off any other unrelated thoughts as she continues.
  
  'A- Look, I want to apologize for what I did earlier, I've been thinking about it, and thinking about how I just act in general around everyone. It's just....I don't know I'm still upset about what I did. I've had so many regrets since I went through with it that it just got to the point in which it was all I could think about. What I could have done differently, the help I could have gotten that would have made me get better, it killed me inside as I thought about it every second, every day.'
  
  'Yeah, I get what you mean, but you really have to let it go. I know it was a really shitty thing that happened, but there are some things you just have to stop worrying about if you have no way in changing the outcome. If you keep on worrying about the past, then it'll just fuck up your present, which will cause even more unhappiness with you. Look, I'm sorry for how I acted too. It's just ever since I've had to take everyone in, it's been bugging me every other day. Though honestly, it isn't even that bad, and I'm probably just overreacting about it. It's just.....seeing you unhappy makes me unhappy, so I want to stop that.'
  
  You hear her laugh a little.
  
  'A- Thanks for caring about me.'
  
  You feel your face warm up a little as embarrassing thoughts start rushing through your head, which in turn makes her laugh even more.
  
  'Well anyway, if you ever feel like you're down or anything like that. Please just talk to me about it. If not me then Baron or Nick. I want you to pass on happy, it's going be really shitty if you leave behind any regrets.'
  
  'A- Yeah....Thanks for the talk, I really appreciate it.'
  
  'Alright let's see if I remember how to pop you out of here.'
  
  'A- Wait!......Would it be alright if I stayed inside her for the night...'
  
  'Huh?'
  
  'A-Well....I mean we can't sleep. So I was wondering if I was inside your mind while you slept, I could sleep too...'
  
  'Well.....I mean if it doesn't work out then you realize you're going to be self-aware in total darkness right?'
  
  'A- I'll take the risk.'
  
  'Well if you want...'
  
  > Dreams
  You don't really know exactly what happened in your dreams that night.
  
  It's really hard to remember.
  
  You do know that Ashley was there though, and the two of you were having fun. You were either at a carnival or in a city you can't really recall.
  
  But you were having fun.
  
  You hope that she was having the same dream too.
  
  > Day of Ascension
  Ever since the day in which you all had fun. You had decided that it would be best to continue this as much as you could, continuing to take suggestions from everyone to places in which you could go and have fun. Each time everyone enjoyed themselves as all tensions seemed to fade off, you were glad that you managed to get through to Ashley as she now was enjoying the time with everyone else, being much more vocal and active.
  
  It wasn't until the day that Ruby had said everything would be ending that you realized you would be missing everyone here. The time in which you've spent with them made you mad sometimes, yes. But on the other hand, they had become sort of like family.
  
  No one really seemed all that happy upon entering the abandoned warehouse in which you would be performing the ritual with Ruby.
  
  "Bout time you guys showed up, haven't you ever heard of being early? I thought you guys would be hurrying here with how much you wanted to leave before, especially you." Ruby complains as she sees all of you enter the warehouse, directing the last bit to Ashley.
  
  Everyone stays silent though, as you're the first to speak up to break the awkward silence.
  
  "Why are we even doing it here?" You ask, getting really creepy vibes.
  
  "There are some cases in which ascension rituals get sort of.....unpredictable. They're really rare occurrences but it's best that were in a place in which nobody would bother to visit." Ruby explains.
  
  That really didn't make you feel all that comfortable, but not like you could call this off or anything.
  
  "So what does this ritual entail then?" You ask.
  
  "A very simple process. Each spirit here stands before you, and they each shake your hand. Depending on their attitude, fulfillment's, regrets, it decides whether or not they ascend, all of things are taken into the factor."
  
  That sounded easy enough, it's not like anyone here had any regrets now that you had Ashley was cool with her problems.
  
  Everyone started to line up in a row while you stood before them.
  
  "Alright let's make this quick, I got shit to do," Ruby says as she claps her hands.
  
  The first person to step up to you is Baron.
  
  You're about to speak first but he cuts you off.
  
  "Listen, kid, I know I didn't talk all that much when I first came with you. I think I was just a little shocked that I had lost during my last fight. Thanks for giving me the time to enjoy life without having to worry about all that other shit that I had to deal with for most of my life, I really enjoyed it." He says raising up his hand.
  
  "Thanks for being so cool with us, I hope you end up somewhere good Baron, you honestly deserve it."
  
  He laughs at that. "That's debatable."
  
  You raise up your own hand as the two of you lock onto each other, and before you know it, he's gone.
  
  Nick is next, and again he's the first one to speak.
  
  "Thanks for getting me out of that house kid, coming from the stories of everyone else here I was probably the one who had to stay in their death place the shortest amount of time. I probably would have started going crazy if I had stayed there any longer, due to some personal reasons I've been trying to forget all this time. Thanks for taking the time to take us to different places so we could enjoy ourselves before we left, it was probably one of the best months I can recall in years, you take care of yourself kid, and keep on helping those who can't help themselves."
  
  "You really helped me a lot with everyone, you made things a hell of a lot easier then they would have been if you weren't there. You kind of honestly normalized everything, thanks for that, I hope you find your peace."
  
  You both smile as your hands meet, as he too ascends in a matter of seconds.
  
  Veronica and Owen step up next, wanting to do the ascension together.
  
  "Bout time I got you out of my hair." You joke at Owen, who smiles in return.
  
  Though the smile itself does not last, as it starts to quickly quiver as Owen runs up to hug your abdomen.
  
  His muffled voice covered by your shirt begins to speak.
  
  "I'm going to miss you."
  
  You place a hand on top of his head while another one wraps around his back.
  
  "Wherever you end up, make sure to stay out of trouble kid. Either way, though I'll know everything is going to turn out good for you. Thanks for making everything so fun, and I'm sorry If I ever got too mad you."
  
  Fuck, you were actually about to tear up a little bit, though were able to stop yourself as Owen reluctantly let go of you as you gave one last firm hug, wiping away at his eyes.
  
  "Don't worry about it too much kid, we'll meet again someday. I'm sure we all end up in the same place." You say to raise his spirits.
  
  He smiles. "I'll be waiting for you so I can mess with you again."
  
  You both laugh as you take his tiny hand into yours. After a brief pause, you turn your wrist as you see Owen leave your eyes for good.
  
  You really hope that kid ended up somewhere nice.
  
  Veronica's ascension was much shorter, you two really never talked all that much. So you gave her your best wishes and she did the same, she ascended without any worry.
  
  Last but not least was Ashley, who slowly made her way up to you.
  
  "I saw those tears back there, that was pretty cute." She laughs.
  
  "I know I can get emotional too, big surprise," you reply with a grin.
  
  The conversation seems to turn a bit more serious as Gwen's smile fades into a neutral tone.
  
  "Thank you really for everything, I don't think I could have ascended if I was still depressed like that. You really did save me."
  
  "Ehh don't be too dramatic, you would have found your way eventually. You're quick to see things through so I have good faith that you would have gone through eventually."
  
  "I think you have a little too much faith in me, but it's nice that you think that. I'm going to miss you the most, thank's for the help. I'll be waiting for you on the other side." her hand goes up and so does yours.
  
  "Until then." You reply as you both give a nod.
  
  The wrist turns.
  
  She's gone soon after.
  
  > Epilogue
  "Well good shit, dipshit, I'm proud of you for not fucking things up with the ascension. Now that our quota is done we don't have to worry about this anymore for the next few months or so. Maybe I'll even help you again if we're still in contact, now let's go home, I'll even give you a ride." Ruby says as she begins to leave the warehouse.
  
  Following behind her, you think of everything that had happened up until this moment.
  
  All the spirits you had met, all the fun times you had spent together. Would it really be OK for you if it just kept on resetting every few months or so, having those you've gotten to know just be completely erased from this existence?
  
  Would you become numb, or just really pissy like Ruby?
  
  No, you wouldn't fall that low. You would continue to help spirits to the best of your ability until you were no longer capable. Maybe after your time in this world was over and done, maybe you could have one big meeting with everyone that you had met and helped, that would be so cool.
  
  Or maybe everyone just reincarnated, and everyone you had just helped had already been reborn into this world.
  
  Whichever way it was, you knew something was waiting for them. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here doing this.
  
  and when your time came, something would be waiting for you too.
  
  Until then, you had a job to do.