Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

“He tends to be hyperbolic,” Mei said to Hugo, as if that explained
everything.
Hugo lifted his own teacup, taking a sip. His brow furrowed for a moment
before smoothing out. “I’ll answer them as best I can, but I don’t know
everything.”
“You don’t?”
Hugo shook his head. “Of course not. How could I?”
Frustrated, Wallace snapped, “Then I’ll make this as simple as possible.
Why am I here? What’s the point of all of this?”
Mei laughed. “That’s what you call simple? Rock on, man. I’m
impressed.”
“You’re here because you died,” Hugo said. “As for your other question, I
don’t know if I can answer it for you, at least not on the scale you mean. I
don’t think anyone can, not fully.”
“Then what’s the point of you?” he demanded.
Hugo nodded. “That I can answer. I’m a ferryman.”
“I told him that,” Mei whispered to Nelson.
“It’s hard to retain information right after,” Nelson whispered back.
“We’ll give him a little longer.”
“And what does a ferryman do?” Wallace asked. “Are you the only one?”
Hugo shook his head. “There are many of us. People who … well. People
who have been given a job. To help others like yourself. To make sense of
what you’re feeling at the moment.”
“I already have a therapist,” Wallace snapped. “He does what I pay him
for, and I have no complaints.”
“Really?” Mei said. “No complaints. None whatsoever.”
“Mei,” Hugo warned again.
“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered. She drank from her own tea. Her eyes
widened slightly before she drank the rest in three huge gulps. “Holy crap,
this is good.” She looked up at Wallace. “Huh. I didn’t expect that from you.
Congrats.”
Wallace didn’t know what she was on about and didn’t care to ask. That
hook in his chest felt heavier, and though it tugged pleasantly, he was growing
annoyed at the sensation. “I’m in the mountains.”
“You are,” Hugo agreed.
“There are no mountains near the city.”