Alice jumped up. “What the fuck!” Expecting to collide with the figure watching her, Alice fell on the floor with a loud thud. “Ow!” Alice looked up at where the figure was still hovering. “Holy shit!”

“You know,” the figure said, floating towards Alice, “you humans are so inconsiderate. When you jumped through me, that hurt.

Alice was so shocked and scared, she couldn’t talk. When she finally found her voice she asked, “Are you a g-ghost?”

“Please, lady, don’t disgrace me with such a title. Ghosts are assholes. They think they’re better than everyone else cause they got that ‘unfinished business’ crap.”

Alice stared and searched her brain. What else had she heard of that floats? “Are you an angel?”

“Nope, not holy enough.”

Suddenly, Alice became scared again. “A demon.”

“Not evil enough.” The figure flew off and returned, handing Alice a book. “I’m what you call a neutral spirit. That book is just something I made. It helps me remember what I’m supposed to be doing.”

Alice flipped through the book. “I think I need more pills. I’m going insane.”

The spirit looked at Alice. “From what I can tell, you’re already insane.”

Alice looked at the spirit. “What’s a neutral spirit?”

“It basically means, I’m too good for hell, but too bad for heaven” The spirit sighed. “I work for which ever side needs me.”

“So, there really is a heaven and hell,” Alice said distantly.

“Oh yeah. Horrible places both of them. Heaven’s too boring and hell’s- well, I don’t want to get into that.” The spirit floated up to the couch. I wouldn’t recommend either. The name’s Lizzy by the way.”

Alice got up and started walking off. “Where you going? Huh,” Lizzy asked as she darted off the couch.

“I think I need some sleep.”

“But you just woke up.”

“Maybe if I wake up again, all this will turn out to be a dream.” Alice opened her bedroom door and walked in.

“Highly unlikely. But good luck with that,” Lizzy said as Alice closed the door.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dana was bored. Normally, she would’ve been home by now, but her trainer recommended she started watching tapes of her next opponents to get a “feel for their strategies.”

“Now, Dana watch. See how she hits to the left most of the time? Be prepared for that. She’s also weak on her right, so that’s where you need to hit the ball.” The younger  trainer voice was distant.