The Ferryman

I sprinted down the gloomy riverbank, fully expecting to see Justin's spirit standing alone and lost. I called out to him telepathically. If he was near, he'd have heard me, nothing. The weather picked up, intensifying into heavy rain. Winds swirled, causing the tips of the evergreens to sway wildly.

In the distance I saw a faint light, thinking it might be the glow from Justin's spirit body as I approached. The glow wasn't that of a Spirit. It was a lantern. Odd that someone would be standing alone on the riverbank in the middle of the night during a pouring rain. The yellow glow increased as I drew near, giving way to a silhouetted figure standing against the trees. It was tall, almost a foot taller than me.

"My coin." A gruff voice sounded, knocking me back. How could this person know a spirit was there?

The figure turned, "my payment." It held out a bony hand. It wasn't human … at least not anymore. "You want passage, you pay for it."