City Infernal by Edward Lee

I was just out in the sun too long yesterday,” she tried to placate him.
    “Well, good, ’cos you’re just in time for a Cajun catfish omelette.”
    “Sounds a little too heavy for me,” Cassie said.
    “Hey, Dad, look!” Via exclaimed. She walked right up to him, hoisted her black t-shirt, and flashed her breasts.
    Bill Heydon didn’t see it.
    “So what are you going to do today, honey?” he asked, searching for the pepper grinder.
    Xeke chuckled. “Yeah, honey?”
    Shut up, Cassie thought. “I don’t know. Probably wander around.”
    “Yeah, Dad,” Via chided. “She’s gonna wander around with the dead people living in your house.”
    “Well, remember. Not too long in the sun this time,” her father tried to sound authoritative.
    “I won’t.”
    “Still don’t believe us?” Via asked her.
    “I guess I do,” Cassie answered, then immediately thought Damn!
    More laughter from her cohorts.
    Her father looked at her. “You guess you do what?”
    “Sorry. I was thinking out loud.”
    “That’s a sign of senility, you know.” Now her father was dropping pieces of catfish into the fry pan. “You’re too young to be senile. Me? That’s another story.”
    “Hush?” Via said. “Show her.”
    The short mute girl in black drifted across the kitchen. She grabbed Cassie’s bare arm and squeezed, to verify it to Cassie. Then she grabbed her father’s arm but—
    Hush’s small hand seemed to disappear into Mr. Heydon’s solid flesh and bone.
    “All the way now,” Via instructed.
    Hush stepped into Bill Heydon’s body—and all but disappeared.
    He suddenly shivered. “Damn! Did you feel that cold draft?”
    “Uh, yeah,” Cassie said as an afterthought. Her fascination gripped her as she watched Hush step back out of her father’s body.
    “If you don’t believe us now,” Via said, “then you’ve really got a problem.”
    “Tell me about it,” Cassie said.
    Another funky look from her father. “Tell you about what, honey?”
    Damn! Did it again!
    More laughter.
    “Come on, honey,” Xeke said. “Let’s get out of here before your father thinks you’ve completely lost it.”
    Good idea. This was getting way too confusing. “See ya later, Dad,” she bid.
    “Sure.” He gave her another look, shrugged, then returned to his cooking.
    She followed them out, back toward the atrium-sized living room. Hush smiled at her and took her hand, as if to say Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.
    Cassie had no idea where they were taking her. By the stairs, Via said, “Hey look. Here comes Goober Pyle.”
    Jervis Conner was bringing some moving boxes down the steps. When he noticed Cassie’s scanty nightgown, he tried to hide his gawp. “Howdy, Miss Cassie.”
    “Hi—”
    “Hey, Goober!” Xeke yelled. “Where’s Gomer, ya big redneck putz?”
    Via stood right in front of him. “I’ll bet you wipe your ass with corncobs.”
    “He’s always sneaking up to our room to beat off,” Xeke told Cassie.
    Via laughed. “He thinks no one’s watching. Boy, if he only knew!”
    “After seeing you in that nightgown, I’ll bet he’ll do it five times today.”
    Cassie blushed.
    “Give Shorty a break!” Xeke yelled at Jervis.
    Cassie laughed, unable to help herself.
    “What’s, uh, what’s so funny, Miss Cassie?”
    This is too much! “Nothing, Jervis. Have a good day!”
    “Enough monkeying around,” Via said. She led the way down the hall, past the odd statues and oil paintings. Her leather boots thunked loudly on the carpet, but by now, Cassie realized that only she could hear it.
    “Where are we going?” she asked when out of Jervis’ earshot.
    “Someplace where we can talk,” Xeke told her, his long black ponytail swaying behind his head.
    “Back up to the oculus room?”
    “Someplace better,” Via said. “The basement.”

(II)

    “So,” Cassie deduced. “You’re ghosts.”
    “Nope.” Xeke sat on the cold stone floor, lounging back against the basement’s