Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

we see in our dreams is someone we’ve seen before, even if only in passing.
And when we’re awake, everything is clear because we see it with our eyes.
Or hear it with our ears, smell it with our noses. It’s not like that when you’re
dead. You have to start from scratch. You need to learn to trick yourself into
believing the unexpected. And would you look at that. You did. It’s a start.”
Wallace looked down. He was once again sitting on the floor. It felt solid
beneath him. Before he could think about falling once again, he said, “You
distracted me.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” He pulled his cane back and set it against the chair.
“You’re very lucky to have me.”
“I am?” He was dubious at best.
“Absolutely,” Nelson said. “When I died, I had to learn all of this on my
own. Hugo wasn’t pleased with me but kept his protestations to a minimum.
One shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, after all. It took time. It was like learning
to walk all over again.” He chuckled. “I had quite a few stumbles here and
there. Broke a few teacups, much to Hugo’s dismay. He loves his teacups.”
“He seems to have an unhealthy fascination with tea,” Wallace mumbled.
“He got that from me,” Nelson said, and Wallace almost felt bad. Almost.
“Taught him everything he knows. He needed focus, and the growing of tea
plants provided that for him.”
“Why are you helping me?”
Nelson cocked his head. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s the right thing to do.”
Wallace was confused. “But I’m not giving you anything in return. I can’t.
Not like this.”
Nelson sighed. “That’s a strange way to look at things. I’m not helping you
because I expect you to give me anything. Honestly, Wallace. When was the
last time you ever did anything without expecting something in return?”
2006. Wallace had loose change in his pocket that annoyed him. A
homeless man had been panhandling on the street corner near his office. He’d
dropped the change into the man’s cup. It totaled seventy-four cents. The man
thanked him. Ten minutes later, Wallace had forgotten he existed. Until now.
He said, “I don’t know.”
“Huh,” Nelson said. “That sure is … what it is. You’ve already got a leg
up on me in one regard.”
“I do?”