Three Idiots and a Ghost

When a ghost found acceptance

"She's waking up!" Rags heard Archer's relieved voice next morning.

Cooper asked, "Hey, are you like okay, man?"

Skyler didn't say anything, but Rags could feel his presence beside her even with her eyes still half closed.

Once she came to her fully alert senses, Rags sat up. She then pushed herself back to get some space from her three friends. "Did something happen? Why are you guys so close to me?"

Cooper answered, "You have no idea, Rags. We thought you were being possessed by a ghost or something."

"I don't think ghosts can be possessed by other ghosts, Coops."

"Exactly! That's why it was so creepy."

Confused, Rags turned to Archer hoping he could give her a clearer explanation. He said, "You were going through a bunch of emotions in your sleep, smiling one minute, crying the next, uncontrollably shivering after. We thought the incense was having some bad effect on you and tried to wake you up in the middle of the night."

Cooper added, "We even got Skyler to show his awful singing thinking that had to do the trick—"

"Can you shut up for once, Coops?" Skyler sent him a glare, not appreciating his tone-deafness being brought to light.

Rags's mind turned busy flipping through the events of her dream from the previous night. That was right. She now knew everything regarding her past life. She stared at Skyler and said, "We met on the night of my death. I remember, you offered to drive me home after I caught my boyfriend kissing another girl."

"Yeah, I know," Skyler replied regretfully.

"You knew?"

"Not at first, but I realized a few days ago. I couldn't believe it took so long for me to figure it out though. I didn't want to tell you until you learned more about yourself."

"Well, I got all of my memories back now. The incense worked."

"That's great, Rags!" Cooper said excitedly. "So then, like what was your favorite animal while alive?"

Archer gave his blonde friend an odd look. "Why would you ask that of all things?"

Before Cooper could say anything, Rags apologetically answered, "Dogs. I actually have two back home—Well, had..."

Although disappointed to hear Rags hadn't been a dedicated cat lover like him, Cooper was understanding. "Dogs are pretty cool too."

Mr. Sprinkles, on the other hand, wasn't so considerate. He glared at the ghost from on top of the sofa. "The bedsheet has absolutely no fucking taste. I'm not surprised. Everything about her is dead anyways."

"Let's get to the important question," Archer began, though he chose his next words carefully. "Does that mean you now know how you, you know, got like this?"

"You mean how I died?" Rags clarified. When Archer nodded, she explained, "The police were right. It was suicide. I jumped off a bridge after being heartbroken about Jack cheating on me. There's nothing more to it. It was very stupid of me, but that's what I did..."

Rags decided to keep the fact that her death was in reality an accident a secret. It would only complicate things to try to explain the truth at this point where everyone already had a full story. Plus, it wasn't like it'd make much of a difference. Accident or suicide, her life had been brought to an end. It wasn't a happy nor graceful ending, but it was still one Rags could accept.

It was strange, but ever since Rags woke up from her long dream and regained her memories, she developed a sense of contentment and calmness towards everything. She wondered if this was really her way of preparing for the inevitable. Having her memories back meant all that was left for her was to find peace and move on. But then, she realized she still needed to do one more thing to truly leave this world grudge-free.

Rags asked, "Guys, do you think you could help me with something?"

"Of course," Archer replied. "What is it?"

"I'd like to talk to Jack one last time, tonight if possible. I know he gets off work at nine."

Cooper clapped his hands to grab everyone's attention. "And I shall be the schemer for once! I have like the perfect plan to get him here tonight." He rubbed his hands together as if he was an evil villain plotting something dangerous. "One kidnapped ex-boyfriend, coming your way."