BOOK 2

CHAPTER 1: UNBIRTHDAY

Suddenly I felt like everything else around me withered and died for some reason, but at the same time something was growing inside me, same that filled me with serious doubts. I was sure of many things at this point in my life; there are no such things as ghosts but only the shadows of those who were, but then what about the ones who are?

I spent part of my day finding Caroline online even though she said that I couldn´t but then I remembered how I met her in the first place, by her initials. So I searched under C.K. and there it was. So I sent her a friend request trying to be as explicit as ever. But it didn´t happen right away, so I kept waiting and waiting and waiting...standing patiently by my laptop and the same time the world revolved around me keeping in my mind that it was my birthday; the dreaded 1/29.

It wasn´t so bad being 30 but at the same time I wasn´t getting any younger. My closest artists friends would be here, Mark, James, Mikester, even Janie Wu came back to town despite the terrible weather. This was to be the longest night of my life, oh yes, the party that never ended.

"What are you doing, sweetie, you´ve been staring at the same screen for about an hour," said Edith.

"Didn´t I tell you about Caroline? She´s real, she´s not a ghost. She was one of the very first people to notice that supernatural power behind my paintings?"

"Fine, I understand that. Forget about her, alright? She´s not there anymore or she´s practically there back in SoHo. I really wish you wouldn´t bring that up tonight." She took a deep sip of tea and then she proceeded to give me a pat on the shoulder. "Think of this as an opportunity to reborn, that´s what birthdays are supposed to be about in a way. I have to go, have a wonderful day."

"Why wouldn´t it be?" I said.

(continued)...