chapter 1 : prologue

My name is Hazel Grace, and I have a special ability — I can see ghosts.

These spirits exist alongside us humans, living in the same world. Their voices fill the air around me, no matter where I go.

Ghosts are all around, always present. In fact, there's one right next to me at this moment. She's completely unaware that I can see her. If she were to find out, I know for sure my life wouldn't be safe anymore.

The ghost beside me is wearing clothes stained with blood. It's clear that something terrible happened to her — she might have been murdered. The way she died must have been really sad and unfortunate.

I can feel the strong emotions of anger and resentment lingering in the air — it's so intense that it's sending shivers down my spine. Her face is marked with wounds, and it's not just her face; her entire body bears the scars of her past. She seems young, around 13 years old, frozen in time since her passing. It's a grim reality that she's now a ghost, stuck in our world.

Why is she stuck here? There could be two possible reasons for her lingering presence. The first reason might be that she was murdered, and she holds onto deep-seated grudges. Perhaps she seeks revenge for the injustice that was done to her.

When someone passes away before their time, carrying unresolved emotions or unfulfilled desires, they can't transition to the afterlife. sucks, right?

They end up trapped on Earth with the living, seemingly forever. But there's a glimmer of hope—once they manage to achieve what they want or need, they're finally able to move on to the afterlife.

The second reason could be linked to unforgivable sins they committed in their life. Oddly enough, Earth becomes a punishment worse than hell for these spirits.

Why, you might ask? Because they're forced to watch us, the living, enjoying our lives to the fullest while they remain trapped in their agony. Even ghosts can't escape the pangs of envy, much like us humans. After all, they were once living beings like us. But it's a certainty that humans can be more cruel than ghosts.

By the way, those are the two main reasons why ghosts can't move on to the afterlife. In the case of the girl who's constantly watching me, if she's holding onto grudges from her past or has some unfulfilled wish, there's a chance she can eventually find her way to the afterlife. However, if she's burdened with unforgivable sins, the possibility of her moving on is slim. But I have a feeling it's reason number 1 for her.

My concern is that this girl might end up committing unforgivable sins in the future. Yes, there are two types of unforgivable sins. While I'm not entirely sure about the first type, but the second one is crystal clear — it involves taking the life of an innocent person after death. If a ghost is responsible for killing an innocent individual, that's the end of the line for them. No afterlife awaits them, just an eternity stuck here until their souls turn to ashes. Rebirth is off the table.

You might wonder, do ghosts even want to go to the afterlife? The answer is yes, they fucking do. Sadly, they don't know how to get there. They likely believe they're stuck here for eternity, which can lead them to commit those unforgivable sins.

Can I help this unfortunate girl? The answer is yes, I have the capability to do so. But the real question is, will I help her? And the honest answer is hell no. I don't really care if God, looking down from above, views me as selfish. Truth be told, I am.

You see, I possess this gift (which isn't really a gift to me), this ability to see ghosts can potentially guide these lost souls to the doorway of the afterlife. I could provide them with direction, telling them what actions to take and what to avoid. However, but I lack the desire to involve myself in this complicated situation. Perhaps the deity in charge of such matters should have bestowed this seemingly pointless ability upon an individual with a more compassionate heart.

Ironically, life has a way of turning the tables. Who could have foreseen that one day, this very ability would transform into both a blessing and a curse?