A ghost in the system

Even though part of Catherine wanted to simply let it go—to treat this as one strange twist of life—her mind, trained by years of courtrooms and case files, refused to just trust Kemet and his unbelievable tale. The more she wanted to believe him, the more her lawyer side whispered: "If he's not concussed, he's delusional."

And she'd seen enough delusion in her line of work to know it often ended in tragedy.

Her thoughts spiraled as she sat on the staircase, one hand wrapped around a half-full glass of wine, the other clutching her phone.

The front door clicked open.

Lily entered, laughing lightly with Riley and Ji Ah. Kemet followed, his eyes wide with wonder and his face glowing from the day's adventures.

"Good evening, Ms. Jameson," Riley and Ji Ah chimed cheerfully.

"Well, hello Riley. Ji Ah. Haven't seen you two in a while. How are your folks?" Catherine asked, trying to sound casual.

"We've just been swamped with schoolwork," Riley answered.

Ji Ah added, "Yeah, senior year's been eating us alive. But our parents are good—happy to see us keeping busy."

Catherine nodded with a faint smile. "Good to know. You kids have fun tonight. I was just about to step out, actually. Stay safe—and don't make me regret my trust in you."

As the group started to disperse, Catherine casually added, "Oh, Kemet? Come with me a moment. I know they showed you around, but I think you'd enjoy seeing something a little different."

Kemet's face lit up at the mention of more exploring. "Alright, ma'am," he said, eager as ever.

In a flash, he was through the door.

Lily's smile faded slightly. She watched her mother closely, noticing the glint in her eye—something calculating. Catherine never gave up that easily. She was up to something. Still, she held her tongue.

Catherine, catching the look, offered a small nod—a subtle warning, or perhaps an acknowledgment: "Be careful. I see you."

Once the door closed, Lily sighed and dropped onto the couch. Ji Ah flopped beside her, and the three of them fell into their favorite comfort zone—watching Friends, half-laughing, half-worried.

Later That Night

The front door opened at 10:43 PM.

Catherine and Kemet stepped in quietly. Lily and Ji Ah were curled up on the couch, the TV still flickering in the dark.

Catherine gently nudged them awake. "You girls hungry?"

They shook their heads sleepily, mumbling something incoherent, before dragging themselves upstairs, limbs heavy like sleepwalkers.

Kemet smiled at Catherine. "Thank you for the evening. It was... kind."

She gave him a nod, lips tight. "You're welcome, Kemet. Sleep well."

As he ascended the stairs, his steps light and his smile lingering, Catherine moved toward the kitchen. She poured herself another glass of wine—this one darker, deeper—and stared out the window into the quiet night.

Her phone rang.

Caller ID: PI – Blackstone

She picked up immediately.

"Catherine," the voice on the line said, "we ran the boy's name, photo, and fingerprints through every database—local, state, federal. Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?" she asked, her voice lowering.

"I mean nothing. He doesn't exist in any system. No birth certificate, no school records, no social media, no hospital files. He's a ghost. I even sent the file to a friend at the CIA. Maybe he's one of their people, or maybe they can run a global scan. Either way—I'll update you in 24 hours."

Catherine swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the counter.

"And Catherine?" the PI added. "Until we know more—stay cautious. He might be dangerous. Or not. Just... be vigilant."

Catherine stared at the swirling wine in her glass. "I will," she said.

"And after this... you owe me dinner."

Catherine gave a soft, bitter laugh. "Deal."

She hung up and stood there a moment longer, listening to the silence upstairs.

Kemet had returned from their outing glowing with joy.

But all she could feel was dread.

The sun had barely crested the horizon when Catherine stepped into the kitchen, heels clicking with precision, hair pinned flawlessly, and coffee thermos in hand. Lily was at the counter, slicing strawberries for breakfast.

"Two cases today," Catherine said sharply, avoiding eye contact. "I might come back late. Or not at all."

Lily looked up, a little caught off guard. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Busy." With that, Catherine was gone—out the door like a gust of wind, leaving only the scent of her perfume and the sound of the door clicking shut behind her.

---

Kemet woke up to the smell of something amazing. Eggs? Syrup? Butter?

He wandered into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Lily and Ji Ah were at the stove, flipping pancakes and laughing softly.

"Well, look who decided to come back to the land of the living," Ji Ah teased.

"Are you hungry?" Lily asked warmly.

"Yes, ma'am—I mean, Lily." Kemet corrected himself quickly, giving a sheepish grin.

Ji Ah raised an eyebrow. "Ma'am? You're something else."

Kemet gave a short, nervous laugh.

Ji Ah leaned against the counter, eyeing him playfully. "So… Kemet. That's a really unique name. Ever thought of shortening it? Like—Emet? Or Met? No, wait—ET! That's perfect." She giggled. "You know, like the alien."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Come on, Ji Ah. Don't make him uncomfortable. Kemet is just fine."

"Fine," Ji Ah said, raising her hands. "But what's your last name then? There's no way I'm calling you just 'Kemet.' That's not catchy enough."

Kemet hesitated for a second, like he had to pull the name from somewhere far off.

"Raka," he finally said. "Kemet Raka."

Ji Ah stared. "Ma'am, you're not serious. All your names sound like some ancient myth. Never heard them anywhere. Where are you really from?"

There was a heavy pause. Kemet looked down at his hands, unsure of what to say.

Lily's voice cut through the room, sharp and furious. "Enough. Stop it, Ji Ah."

Ji Ah blinked, caught off guard. "I was just—"

"I said enough," Lily repeated, her eyes locked onto hers. "He's our guest, not a trivia game."

Kemet smiled faintly, eyes flicking to Lily with gratitude. But behind his smile was that familiar fear—like a boy used to being questioned, cornered, and told he doesn't belong.

Ji Ah sighed and lifted her hands again. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Just messing around."

But the mood had shifted.

Lily went back to flipping pancakes, her jaw tight.

Kemet sat at the table slowly, glancing at the morning light pouring in through the window. The world outside looked so free, but in that moment, it still felt like he was back on the edge of something—uncertain, fragile, and too easily broken.