The next two weeks were a few of the best weeks of my life. I visited April that night and she gave me a letter back from Gabi. This is what she wrote.

Dear Frederick,

Normally I would be weirded out by a letter by a stranger and consider you to be a stalker, but your letter was so kind and so honest, I had to write you back. The problem is, I don't know how to write. I hope you don't mind, but I asked your friend December to write for me. She's seems like a good friend. Anyway, I too am from New York, Manhattan to be specific. I came here for personal reasons, which I don't want to discuss right now. I too like music, mostly because I used to live on Broadway in the Lunt-Fontane Theatre. I also enjoy classic movies, Italian food, playing checkers, and have developed a fondness for playing prank calls on the hitchhiking ghosts. I come from a small family, being an only pup. So far I have made no friends here except for you. Thank you so much for being so sweet. I hope I receive a letter back from you.

Sincerely,

Gabi

I's as happy as a clam that night. From her letter, I could tell she was perfect. I sent her another letter that very night. The next morning, I's more than okay with going up to see April and December for Fifi at four. Guess what? She wrote me another letter! And this continued for the next two weeks. We would send each other a letter a day. We became closer than ever. On the fifteenth day, however, everything became awkward. Not between me and Gabi, but with me, April, and December. I flew up to the girls' room and I found December looking extremely tired.

"You's okay, December?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, Freddie, but I think this whole letter thing is getting out of control," she admitted. She handed me the letter. "She really wants to meet you. She wants to know why you can't visit her. Freddie, I can't go on like this. I can't write all day for you."

The wrinkles on December's face began to disappear and her Gray hair changed into a beautiful brown. April frowned.

"And I can't let December take over my body all day. Gabi has grown used to seeing December, so I no longer have a reason to deliver her the letters. With December writing all the time, I'm just stuck on the sidelines. I love you, Freddie and all, but you need to find a way to stop this."

My lower lip began to quiver. "Maybe December can teach me how to write."

"No offense, but its going to be difficult with you outside and not able to come in," April explained. "I'm sorry, Freddie."

I wiped my eyes, choking back my tears. "It's okay. I'll be okay. Thanks for everything." I flew back down to my grave, still trying to hold back my grief. I sat down beside my tombstone and read the heading (upside down, of course) underneath my name.

"We'll Miss You."

April told me that she demanded that her father to inscribe "we'll" instead of "I'll" on my tombstone because December was my friend as well. They are both my best friends and I never want to be a burden on them. I looked up at the mansion and saw the window that revealed the ballroom where Gabi stayed. I wanted to meet her so much, it hurt. She seemed like a really neat bat.

"Freddie! Where the heck have you've been?" Fifi yelled as he floated toward me. "I've been waiting for ten minutes! Do you know how torturous of a wait that is to...Freddie, are you okay.

I shook my head. He floated closer.

"Troubles with your new girlfriend?" he asked.

I didn't even bother to fight with him and explain how she wasn't my girlfriend. Instead I just lowered my head and hid my teary face away from him.

Fifi's eyes widened. "Wow, that bad, huh?"

"I hate this curse!" I finally yelled. "I hate being trapped outside. I want to go in there! I want to see Gabi! I want to see April and December! I actually want to go back into the mansion and not live out here for the rest of my afterlife."

"Well, I'm sorry Freddie, but I think you're stuck in the dirt-hole," Fifi said.

"If only there was a way..." I mumbled to myself.

"Perhaps there is," a voice cooed from behind. I spun around and saw a small woman, the size of a doll, standing behind me.

"Leave me alone, Little Leota," I mumbled. I's never fond of Little Leota. I've only known her when she was dead, seeing that she was born after I died. She's always been sneaky, always playing pranks on the other outside ghouls, like taking a bone from their bodies and giving it to Bony the dog or parking the hearse in front of their graves. Luckily she's not played a prank on me yet, but I's scared that today might be the day.

"There is an exception to the rules," she continued. "You could go there if you were alive."

Fifi gave a fake laugh. "Fat chance! I don't think Freddie's coming back to life anytime soon."

"Not with an extra life he's not," she said. She pulled out a glowing nugget out of her pocket. My eyes widened.

"Wait...that's a cat's life," I whispered. "How did you get that?"

"Stole one from Lilac," she explained. "That cat's not going to be missing it anytime soon."

I blinked as I was starting to realize what was going on. "Are you going to give me that life?"

Little Leota smiled. "I was thinking about it..."

"What's the catch?" I demanded because, knowing Little Leota, she would never do a nice thing if there was a catch involved.

"I want a book that's in my mom's room," she explained. "It was my diary from when I was a little girl. I really want it back. You have three days to retrieve this book for me."

"What happens if I don't?" I asked.

She gave me an evil smile that gave me chills (and I's a ghost, so that's saying somethin'). "I put a spell on this life. When the sun sets on the third day, the life will explode, causing you to be in different pieces. You don't want to come back to the afterlife looking like a puzzle now would you?"

I gulped. Normally strangers wouldn't believe that, but Little Leota's the daughter of Madame Leota, a very powerful magician (despite that her head's in a crystal ball and she still thinks she's alive). Little Leota may not be as powerful as her mother, but she still has enough magic in her to cast mini-spells here and there.

"If you give me the book before the sun sets on the third day, I will reverse the spell and you can be alive for as long you can manage to stay alive. So the choice is yours. Life or death?"

I had to think about this. Being alive is probably the most amazing thing that I could possibly dream of. I could finally eat again, I could go inside or leave the mansion as much as I please, and I might have a chance with Gabi. Still, making a deal with Little Leota could be dangerous. I turned to my friend for advice. His eyes widened.

"Take the deal!" Fifi yelled. "If you don't, I will!"

I shook my head. "Alright fine. I'll do it!"

Little Leota gave me an even more evil smile as she handed me the life. "Enjoy the other side."

I took a deep breath and swallowed the life.