Maddie’s voice shakes with emotion, her frustration rising as she faces the harsh reality of being dead. “Who’s gonna help my mom now?” she says, her words coming out in a desperate rush. “I was supposed to be there for her. I had friends who needed me too—Simon, Nicole… A boyfriend—Xavier. Who’s gonna help them?” Her hands tremble, and her voice falters slightly as she says it.

You watch her for a moment, a mix of exhaustion and disdain curling in your chest. She’s clinging to the idea that there’s something she can still do, that she can still make a difference. But what difference could she possibly make now? They don’t need her anymore.

Finally, you let out a bitter laugh. “You think your mom’s gonna fall apart without you? She’ll grieve, sure. But she’ll move on. Just like everyone else does.” Maddie’s face falls as she listens, her tears threatening to fall. “I’m not ready to give up on them… or on me.”

“You don’t have a choice,” you snap, your patience running out. “You’re dead, Maddie. And no matter how much you want to stay and fix things, you’re not going to. They’ll learn to live without you. That’s what happens. You’re not special. I wasn’t special either. Everyone dies, and they move on.”