Stars.

That was the last thing I saw before I faded into the darkness, the dust of those who have fallen. But then, how am I still in the world of those alive?

My country has changed much since the war. My people are no longer enslaved. But at times, we are mistreated. There was an incident with a man named George Floyd nearly a year ago.

I’d lived with these people for over a century, watching as our society changed. Everything is so advanced now. I had scoped out the woods for a perfect resting place. There, I would not be disturbed.

Until the day I was.

As I hovered, formless, above a fallen log, I saw a flash of light and heard a short click. Without thinking, I rushed towards it.

“Wow, this is a perfect place for—” started a voice. It was a girl, holding what I had learned was called a smartphone.

“What are you doing here?” I asked in my deepest, most threatening voice. She jumped in fright and whipped her head around.

“W-what?! Who’s there?” she stuttered.

“Leave,” I growled.

She took off running in the other direction. I sighed. Finally, peace again. I decided to explore the woods.

After several hours of aimless floating, I came across the girl again. I could get a closer look at her now. She was sitting next to a tree, staring at a black screen. I just didn’t understand why she didn’t turn it on. The smartphone dropped out of her trembling hands onto a pile of leaves and she tucked her head between her knees. She sniffled.

“Well?” I asked. “Are you going to sit there, or are you going to be productive?”

The girl jumped, her wide eyes darting around. She was frightened.

“H-hello? Is someone there?”

“For goodness’ sake, I’m right here,” I sighed.”

“I— I can’t see you, whoever you are . . . I’m lost. Do you know where the city is?”

“Well, of course I do,” I scoffed. “But I’m definitely not going back there. I’ve had enough.”

“O-oh. But who are you?”

“Me? I’m a soldier.”

“A . . . A soldier?”

“Yeah, I fought in the Civil War. In the United States, to be exact. But I died.”

“You— you— died?!”

“Yeah. Why does everyone act like it’s such a big deal? I died, and I’m right here, but nothing is really different about me. Except that you can’t see me. Not really. But I’m the fog around you!”

The girl began to tremble even more. “But— what do you want?”

I thought for a moment. “What do I want? Gosh, no one’s asked me that question in decades. Actually, no one’s even spoken to me in decades. Well, I guess I want company. It’s been over a century.”

“I— maybe I can be your friend?” she asked quickly, shutting her eyes nervously.

“Sure!” I decided. “What’s your name, and how old are you?”

She glanced up, and her smile appeared. “I’m Ariana. I’m ten. And you?”

“I’m either 23 or 183, if my calculations are correct, and my name is James.”

And so that is how my first friendship in a very long time began.