Katie Jackson stumbled out of her apartment and plodded over to the stairwell nearly tumbling down a flight of stairs. She entered the landing below, drunkenly, not moving with much determination, and definitely not going in a straight line, using the corridor walls to keep from falling over.

She banged weakly on the door of apartment 14B, lost her balance, and slid down the door to her knees.

Jake Berry opened the door and Katie spilled inside his apartment.

“Katie, what happened?” Jake asked as he helped her to the couch.

“Gabe…took…my…soul…” Katie managed to say. “…magic…”

Jake knew who she was talking about. Katie and Gabriel went way back, having been next-door neighbors growing up. They were an unlikely pair – Katie was shy and studious while Gabriel was popular and mischievous. But their shared curiosity and boredom in their sleepy hometown had brought them together.

They spent long summer days reading fantasy books and dreaming up their own magical adventures. As teenagers, Gabriel introduced Katie to roleplaying games and a new world of imagination opened up. Though they drifted apart as Gabriel became consumed by sports and girls, they still got together sometimes for nostalgia’s sake.

Lately, Gabriel had become fascinated with the occult after inheriting some old books from his grandmother. He showed them to Katie during one of their nostalgic hangouts, her analytical mind buzzing at the strange rituals and artifacts described in detail. They laughed about trying some of the spells out themselves sometime, both assuming it was pure fantasy.

Jake’s face grew serious. “How many times do I have to tell you not to mess with magic?” he admonished.

Katie shook her head faintly. “Don’t…believe…in…it…”

“Just because you don’t believe in magic, doesn’t make it any less real,” he said firmly. He went to his bookshelf and scanned the titles, selecting a heavy leather-bound tome.

“You…judge…me…” Katie said, watching him wearily. “…how…would…you…know…how…it…feels?”

Jake sat down across from her, thumbing through the ancient pages. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to feel tired – and not just in the physical sense?” he said without looking up. “Life is exhausting, wearing, and thankless. It is endlessly trying and scarcely rewarding. It makes you tired of loving too much, caring too much, and giving too much to a world that never gives anything back.”

He met her eyes sympathetically. “You’re not the only one tired of investing in indefinite outcomes. Tired of uncertainties, and tired of the grey.”

Katie was silent for a long moment. Then, weakly, “Will…you…help…me?”

Jake smiled. “Of course, I will. You may be a fool, but you’re also my friend.”

He consulted the book again. “The five stages of soul loss are weakness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and emptiness. The body can only last up to 24 hours without a soul, which means we have to hurry and you’re going to have to come with me because the soul is still tethered to your body which makes you the best tracking device we have. We still have time before the final stage, but we must act quickly.”

Jake carefully helped Katie to her feet. “I know where your soul is. We can get it back. But you’ll have to come with me – your body is still tethered to it.”

Katie managed a faint smile. “Let’s…go.”

As Jake helped Katie down the stairs, memories started coming back to her in fragments. She and Gabriel had been bored one night, flipping through an old spellbook they’d found. Just joking around, they’d decided to try one of the incantations.

The ancient words now echoed in Katie’s mind: “Anima exsilium!” She hadn’t believed anything would actually happen. But then she’d felt an icy detachment, like part of her was suddenly missing.

Gabriel had looked shocked, then delighted. “It worked!” he exclaimed, holding up an ornate urn engraved with ancient symbols. “I’ve got your soul!”

Katie had protested and demanded he give it back. But Gabriel just laughed wickedly. “Finders keepers,” he taunted, before disappearing into the night with her soul.

Now, as she leaned heavily on Jake for support, Katie knew Gabriel had to be the first stop. He still had the urn – and her soul inside it. They would have to get it back from him first, before it was too late.

Jake helped Katie into his car, a look of determination on his face. “Don’t worry, I’m right here. We’re going to get through this,” he told her. “We’ll find Gabriel and make him give back what he stole.”

Katie managed a faint smile and whispered, “I know.”

Jake sped through the dark streets, with Katie slumped in the passenger seat beside him. “Do you have any idea where Gabriel might have gone?” he asked.

Katie shook her head weakly. “He has friends…all over…” she murmured.

Jake gripped the steering wheel. “Then we’ll check them all until we find him.”

They drove in silence for a while and Jake’s thoughts drifted back to his grandmother, a deeply superstitious woman who practiced ancient folk magic. She’s the one who taught Jake protective rituals and how to identify charms, curses, and enchantments from a young age.

His parents dismissed it all as nonsense, but Jake was fascinated. He learned everything he could from his grandmother’s books and continued studying the occult long after she passed away.

In college, Jake minored in anthropology, drawn to courses on ancient religions and magic practices. His reputation as a knowledgeable resource had led scared friends to seek his help with bad trips, unexplained experiences, and products of disastrous dabbling with forces they didn’t understand.

But soul magic was on another level entirely. If he couldn’t return Katie’s soul, she would die – her vital essence lost forever. Failure wasn’t an option. This is what all those years of study had been for. Now was the time to put his obscure knowledge to the test.

The question at hand was: Where would a mischievous thief go to hide a stolen soul? A possibility occurred to him.

“The old cemetery on the edge of town,” Jake said. “I bet that’s where he went.”

Katie turned to look at him quizzically.

“It’s secluded, and some people think it’s haunted,” Jake explained as he changed course towards the cemetery. “Perfect for someone wanting to hide something ill-gotten.”

Katie felt like she was drifting further and further from herself. Panic rose in her chest. How could she get her soul back when she could barely form a thought?

Despair threatened to overwhelm her before a memory surfaced – laughing with Jake as kids, climbing trees, and dreaming up adventures. She had to hold on for his sake.

Katie tried to focus on sensations – the rumble of the car engine, Jake’s hand clutching hers. But everything felt muted, colorless. She was a ghost in her own body.

Katie blinked back tears. She didn’t know who she was without her soul. What would happen if they couldn’t get it back? The empty ache inside her was growing. How long until it swallowed her completely?

Jake caught sight of Katie shivering in the passenger seat. “Stay with me, Katie.” Taking one hand off the steering wheel, he cranked up the heat, rubbed her arm briskly, and helped wrap a blanket around her shoulders, promising, “I won’t stop until I find your soul.”

Katie nodded weakly. “Thanks for coming to my rescue Jake. You’ve always had my back.” She managed a smile, comforted by the warmth and loyalty in his voice.

Katie closed her eyes, trying to visualize her soul’s light and follow its fading tether. She had to believe there was still hope, even if she couldn’t feel it. Jake needed her to be strong. She clung to that purpose like a life preserver in a stormy sea.

An eerie fog hung in the air as they pulled up to the abandoned graveyard. Katie stumbled out of the car but Jake managed to catch her and helped her stand. “I’ve got you, Katie. Lean on me.” Katie held onto him tightly. She was growing weaker by the minute.

Together, they made their way among the crooked headstones, peering into the mist. Then Katie clutched Jake’s arm. “There!” she whispered hoarsely.

In the distance, through the fog, the outline of Gabriel could be seen. He was kneeling atop a large crypt, chanting strange words over the urn in his hands – Katie’s soul.

Jake and Katie exchanged a determined look. “Let’s go get it back,” Jake said. Katie nodded firmly.

Jake and Katie approached Gabriel slowly, not wanting to startle him into doing something rash. As they got closer, they could hear him still chanting over the urn, though the words were unintelligible.

“Gabriel!” Jake called out when they were a few yards away.

Gabriel’s head jerked up in surprise. When he saw them, a sly grin spread across his face.

“Well, well,” he said smoothly. “Look who’s come for their soul.” He held up the urn tauntingly.

“Give it back, Gabriel,” Jake demanded. “You have no right to Katie’s soul.”

Gabriel pretended to think about it. “Hmm, no, I don’t think I will,” he said. “A soul is valuable, you know. I’m sure I can find a buyer on the black market.”

Katie stumbled, barely able to stand. Jake caught her, glaring at Gabriel. “She’s dying without her soul. Give it back now!”

Gabriel shook his head. “Not a chance.” He stood up and began backing towards the far side of the crypt.

Jake helped Katie sit down and told her “Wait here.” Then he started climbing onto the crypt after Gabriel.

“Last chance,” Jake warned. “Give me the urn.”

Gabriel sneered. “Come and get it.” He took off running, vaulting graves and weaving through headstones.

Jake pursued Gabriel through the mist-shrouded cemetery, vaulting over crumbling graves and moss-covered statues. His lungs burned but he pushed harder, slowly gaining on the soul thief.

Up ahead, Gabriel glanced back, his eyes widening when he saw how close Jake was. Gripping the urn tighter, he changed course, angling towards the old stone mausoleum at the far end of the cemetery.

Jake followed him up the mausoleum steps, the two men crashing through the rusted iron doors into the shadowy interior. Jake swiped at Gabriel, but he dodged aside, almost losing his footing on the debris-littered floor.

“End of the line,” Jake panted, cornering Gabriel at the back of the dusty chamber. In that moment, he thought he saw something, a flicker of regret in Gabriel’s eyes, which made him realize there was more driving this act than pure selfishness.

“This isn’t just about money, is it?” Jake asked. “Why did you really take Katie’s soul?”

Gabriel sighed, his cocky facade fading. “We were best friends as kids,” he said quietly. “But she’s forgotten me now – moved on, has new friends.” He gestured around. “This magic stuff, it’s all I have that still connects me to those times. I wanted something to hold on to.”

Jake’s expression softened with understanding. But he stood firm. “I get it, but you can’t keep her soul. She’ll die.”

“I–I didn’t realize,” Gabriel nodded sadly. “I don’t want that.” He handed over the urn, his shoulders slumping.

Jake seized the urn, checking it for damage. To his relief, it seemed intact. Without another word, he turned and hurried back through the cemetery, eager to return Katie’s soul before it was too late.

He found her pale and trembling atop the crypt, clearly fading fast. Kneeling beside her, Jake carefully opened the urn.

Jake closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, using his training to project his spirit from his body into the astral plane. He felt a tingling sensation as his astral form materialized in the otherworldly realm and found himself suspended in a void with energy and light pulsing around him. Strange whispers and echoes reverberated from unseen sources. Jake steeled himself and thought of Katie, letting his concern guide him forward.

In the distance, a sprawling structure came into view. As Jake drew closer, he saw it was an enormous palace made of prismatic crystal, towers, and turrets spiraling impossibly high. Passing through the massive gates, he entered a cavernous hall. Glowing streams of pure life force energy coursed along the walls and pooled in shimmering fountains and at the end of the hall sat an immortal being too overwhelming for Jake’s mind to comprehend – it was only visible to him as a radiant golden light. This was the Keeper of Souls – the guardian of all souls in between worlds.

“Keeper, this humble servant craves a boon,” Jake implored. “A soul was wrongly taken from its rightful owner. I’ve come seeking its release.”

The Keeper’s voice boomed like a distant thunder. “No soul leaves without sacrifice. What do you offer?”

Jake thought desperately. “I offer a piece of my own essence to take its place.” Holding out his hand, he channeled some of his life force out as an offering.

The Keeper considered silently before responding. “A worthy exchange. For your sacrifice, the soul may be returned.” It extended a glowing tendril to touch Jake’s forehead in acceptance.

Jake felt the Keeper’s power surround him as a small glowing orb emerged, drifting toward him – Katie’s soul. Jake bowed gratefully. “This servant humbly thanks you,” he said, cradling the orb as he focused his will back to the physical world, eager to reunite Katie with her lost essence.

Returning to the physical world, Jake opened his eyes as a wispy blue-white mist drifted out of the urn, swirling around Katie for a moment before absorbing back into her chest and it was like a switch flipping on inside her. Strength surged back into her limbs, the world coming into sharp focus. Her mind overflowed with thoughts and sensations that had been muffled just moments before.

Katie took a deep breath, marveling at how vivid and sweet the air suddenly smelled. She ran her hands over the smooth stone of the crypt, able to fully appreciate its solidity and texture.

Looking up at the night sky, Katie was moved by how bright and beautiful the stars appeared. Jake put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes full of relief. She pulled him into an embrace, overjoyed at the warmth emanating from another living being.

Katie was overcome with gratitude for this renewed experience of life, no longer taking any of it for granted. She had been granted a renewed appreciation for the world by having everything muted for a time. This ordeal had changed her, and she knew she would never forget how it felt to have her soul gone.

“It’s so good to see you smile again,” he said.

Katie looked into Jake’s eyes, properly seeing him for the first time. “I owe you everything,” she said. “And I’ll spend the rest of my life paying you back.” They sat together quietly, two friends wordlessly appreciating each other’s presence.

Over Katie’s shoulder, Jake saw Gabriel skulking away, defeated. But Jake’s attention returned to Katie as she joyfully regained her strength, her soul finally restored.