Séance

They call us many things.

Ghost – the soul or spirit of a dead individual. Can be animal or human. Usually the latter. Only the latter is counted in death tolls, even if the former surpasses it in number. Looking around the ruins of our country, I can understand why. Humans leave more of a mark. Humans can create. Humans can destroy. Ten years ago, we did so spectacularly.

Soul – incorporeal, sometimes immortal essence of an individual. Definition will vary depending on faith. Likely doesn't exist. Hell's upon the earth, God's not in Heaven, nothing is right in the world. And after all we've done, I can't call foul.

Spirit – synonym for soul. Derives from Latin word "spiritus," meaning, "breath." I breathe heavily as we run through the ruins. Another stuff-up. The buildings are like tombstones, and we don't get any. You bury the dead that were once living. Not the already dead.

Spectre – another word for "ghost." Some say it's a better name because…well, there's not much else to talk about. Is it spelt "spectre" or "specter?" Does spelling matter anymore? Do we spell it as "judgement" or "judgment?" Well, there's no debate as to how you spell "day" at least. But regardless, we're named "Ghosts." No use complaining.

Apparition – another name for ghost. Sometimes it appears to us. When we appear in front of the enemy, coming out of the shadows. We are shadows. We appear, we make ghosts of our own, then disappear.

Spook – more often used to describe someone involved in intelligence or espionage. Also another name for ghost. I suppose it makes sense – ghosts are something you can't define. Our role isn't defined, and sometimes, we are the spooks. Gathering what information we can in a land bereft of true meaning for it. And sometimes, I like to think we spook our enemies in a more literal manner as well.

Ghost – what we're still called at the end of the day, and at night, and as we reside with others among our tombstones. I watch their faces. I see the fires. I hear the screams. And I realize that naming us "Ghosts" is meaningless. They could call us whatever they want, and it wouldn't matter.

Because we're all ghosts now.