"It is the secret of the world that all things subsist and do not die, but retire a little from sight and afterwards return again." -Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays: Second Series-

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Out of all the places in Central city, Hayden never thought that he would be brought back to the start of all of this madness.  At the end of the long sprint, the lowly apartment of the late Morris couple now stood before the duo.  Looking at the past murder scene was an odd feeling.  It was like a jewel which lost its luster.  Grim simply looked at the once lively household and then turned to Hayden.

"This is it.  Time to make yourself useful, detective."

He faded through the door, directing Faraway to do the same.  Hayden, still unsure of all of this, slowly made his way in as well.  To his surprise, the interior was much different then it was before.  It wasn't because of the the past crime scene, but because of the disorder and clutter starting to swallow the household.  Everything was a bit chaotic and in some way depressing, which makes since given the context.

Mr. Morris, still free from any charges from the incident, was there as well, but in a rough looking state.  His work shirt was a bit wrinkled, he looked a bit more rugged than before, and his face was marked with a constant look of disappointment.  Needless to say, Morris had seen better days.  Grief could do that to a person, and Hayden knew this well...

"Hey! Stop letting your mind wander!"

Grim now called the detective back to the task at hand.

"This is our stop...And it's an overdo one.  The spirit here has had no luck in trying to connect with this plain of existence, so I need your investigation skills to try to pull her spirit here so she can tell us why she is still lingering here instead of moving on."

Hayden was extremely confused on what exactly he was supposed to be doing.  This was most likely real, but he still had little knowledge in all of this supernatural occurrence nonsense.

"Could you be more specific?"

The reaper glared at him and then sighed.

"Listen carefully, mortal.  I am only going to say this once.  If a spirit has unfinished business, I can't bring to the next life, so I need you to complete that business and fast.  You start, of course, by summoning forth the soul of the deceased."

"What does it look like?"

That would be extremely useful to know in this situation.  Grim still seemed infuriated by this questioning, but he seemed to understand where it was coming from.

"It's like an orb of light or fire or something.  Just look for a floating, glowing thing and try to call out the name of the dead.  This one is the former Victoria Morris.  I tried to use her name and identity to make her take form, but she isn't reacting.  Just find the orb and start finding out info on her.  Maybe how she died?  I know it was like a stabbing or something, but even that didn't work..."

Grim now walked to the corner of the room and rubbed his head.  It would seem that it was now time for Hayden to act.  Hopefully, this goes well enough to satisfy that shady creature.  Information from the initial investigation might actually benefit him in this situation.  All he really needed to do was find Victoria's ghost.

As he slowly strolled through the mess that was now the apartment, he couldn't help but look back at the poor man sitting alone.  Hayden could tell he was hurt; who wouldn't be?  It was hard to see a man already having a hard life be hit with such a curve ball.  Despite all that she did to him, he still cared.  That just showed the true feelings he had for his wife.

His investigation of the apartment didn't last long, as the sound of wimping could be heard to the side of the room.  It was distorted and echoing, but it was most definitely the voice of a woman.  Walking towards it, the room seemed to have a slight blue glow as he now began to make out the orb, floating above an arrangement of pictures.  They were of her...Victoria knew who she was, but she didn't...?  Perhaps she just needed a bit of assistance...

Hayden stumbled trying to make out what to say, but then decided to try a genuinely unsure approach.

"Miss Victoria Mertins...?  Is that you...?"

Several small murmurs came from the spirit.  Each of them spoke at once making a stream of questions.

"Who am I...?  What is this place...?  Who is this woman...?  Who is the man...?  Why...?  What is going on...?"

Each of their tones showed a different level of worry.  It was almost as if she was unsure of anything going on.  Maybe it would help to fill in the details...That's what you are supposed to do to someone having a hard time remembering things, right?

"Do you remember your husband?  Mr. Richard Morris?  Do you remember the feelings you had towards him?  Do you have any regrets?"

There was a pause.  A new stream of murmurs now came out of Victoria.

"What did I do...?  Why do I feel guilty...?  Did I do something bad...?  Why does he make me feel this way...?"

Was it working?  It would seem she was getting some sort of connection from this.  What now?  Should he try answering her a bit more?

"You couldn't handle the pressures impacting your life, Victoria.  You tried to harm your love, only hurting yourself in the process.  By trying to end your pain by ending him, you ended up dead."

Only one response came from her this time.

"Why...?"

It was a simply question with a difficult answer.  Many things could help explain this to her, but Hayden could only draw one conclusion.  The only thing that made since.

"You...wanted to go back to the way life was...You wanted to return to the song you sung so long ago.  Before the pains of your mind.  Before the accident.  Before the thoughts..."

"I see...."

The orb was slowly shifting a bit as the voice became a bit more clear.

"I think I understand....I think I remember...."

Grim looked over impressed.  The transformation was taking hold.  Perfect....He now walked towards the two and stood by Hayden's side.

In seconds, Victoria stood before them both, in her proper form.  She looked just as saddened as her husband.  Her eyes stared over at the poor Mr. Morris, both of them tearing up.  This whole experience must be really hard to comprehend.  The detective needed to say something.

"So Victoria...what can we do to help you?"

She looked up with her teary eyes.

"What...?"

"You are hurt.  Anyone could see that.  Please, tell me how I can help your pain...."

Victoria looked back at the pictures in silence.  Is she alright?  He didn't mess up did he?  Her next response quickly answered these questions.

"I did an awful thing.  I tried to hurt the person I should of cared for the most, but instead I tried to bring his life to an end.  There is nothing I can do to forgive the horrible crime I tried to commit.  This is the burden of my death, but even so, I still long to have my last wish granted before I face the punishment awaiting me."

Grim tried to speak up, but Hayden beat him.

"Anything.  Just tell us what is troubling you..."

The singer gave a weak smile and pointed towards a small record player in the corner.

"That was a gift from my husband for our anniversary.  He thought I would love to fill our home with the songs I performed.  It was a nice gift, but as time went on I grew to hate the voice coming from each vinyl.  Now, I want to hear that voice, the voice of the past, just one more time..."

"Alright...I'll just put on-"

She cut Hayden off suddenly.

"No.  There is a special song I want you to play.  There should be a record with a yellow cover behind the player.  I hid it back there because I wasn't sure if I was ready to listen to the final product.  It was an attempt on a collection of simple melodies.  My voice would never sing like it did again, so I tried my hand at an easier style.  It wasn't my best, but I still couldn't work up the confidence to listen...

Play it please.  Let me hear my last songs..."

The detective nodded and tried to go to the record player.  Grim now stopped him, shaking his head.

"You are a ghost.  You can't interact with the physical world fool, but luckily, you found out what you need to do, so I will happily do it for you....Anything to get this over with...."

He was a bit grouchy, but he did indeed reach behind the record player, collecting the sealed vinyl.  Grim opened it and put the record into place.  And then...

A harmonious tune began to fill the drab apartment, quickly catching Richard's attention.  His troubled face now lit up with surprise as he gazed at the now playing record player.  It was a lovely song, a simple melody with Victoria's voice harmonizing along.  While not extremely complicated, it was an impressive peace.  Relaxing in a way.  It brought the man to tears.

"Vi-vi...you...Your voice still calls to me even after your death.  This song....I've never heard you sing in such a way.  I....I miss you....."

He slowly looked at the cover of the record, trying to see what happened.  

"This is....you never released this.....I know all your songs, this one isn't one of them....did you not...?"

Richard now stood up and looked at the cover, slowly trying to collect his emotions.

"I need to share this with them.  You might not have cared for me, but I cared for you.  I want everyone to hear you one last time.  I want them to know the you I knew...."

Slowly removing the needle from the record, Mr Morris put the vinyl back into it's sheath and walked for the door.  He had a new look about him.  Something more determined than before...It almost felt reassuring to see him in this way.

Victoria watched him leave with more tears in her eyes.  They weren't of sadness; she was happy.  A smile was on her face as she looked at the door.

"He was too good of a man for me.  No matter how I acted, no matter what happened to me, he was always there, working so hard to give us a happy life.  I never thought he would be so kind to me....I just wished I could tell him I love him one more time....but that is not possible now."

Her ghostly form now began to glow a nice white color as she now looked towards Grim.

"I am ready to go, if you will take me.  I am ready to face judgement for how awful I treated those most dear to me..."

The reaper now took her hand, seeming a bit more relieved than usual.

"Do not fret.  If you truly feel sorry for your actions, then there is some good in you...You might not face such a bad fate as you think.  Have faith, Miss...."

He now looked over at Hayden.

"You did well for your first time.  Perhaps you will be useful yet.  I need to take this girl on her way, but I'll contact you once I get another little problem."

Hayden was glad, but there was one thing he was concerned with.

"So, how do I get un-dead again?"

And with a sigh, Grim's personality shifted back to normal.

"Remember the hospital?  Just go find your body and jump back in.  Should bring you right back to your life..."

He then looked over to a shadowy corner of the room.  Taking a few steps forward, he now slowly began to walk Victoria toward it.  Their forms began to fade until Hayden stood in the room alone.  It seems his job here was done.  Looking about the room one more time, Faraway now exited the apartment and walked back towards his office...

Who knew what impact his actions would yield.

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About a week has passed since the discovery of Victoria Morris's hidden album, and the town has flared up with activity.  Richard made good on his promise to Victoria, taking the record to one of her old publishers.  It didn't take long for her last recording to be released to the public, appropriately titled "The Unheard Melodies of a Broken Cord".  Its new take on the singer's classic style, and the added detail of her passing, made Victoria's final album an instant hit.

It was hard to not find it playing in some small section of the city, be it from a lively restaurant or a passing car, but it was quite nice to know that Victoria got to be the star she was so long ago all over again.  Hopefully, she is happy knowing she will remembered for piercing the silence with her song, be it for one last time...

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The opening number to the end of the first act,

Two unlikely allies bonded by their pact,

The bigger mystery yet to be told,

As this tale begins to unfold...

[End of Part 1]