Jonathan stepped out of the car with a stomach full of nerves. A part of him wanted to turn around, drive straight back to the mansion, and pretend this whole thing wasn't happening. Micheal might laugh in his face — he'd imagined the conversation a hundred times, and every single version ended with Micheal cackling like a madman.
Still… Micheal believed in weird things. If anyone would listen, it was him.
Jonathan had dug around earlier and found the name of the man whose body he was in: Rodney Buckman. As in Buck Co. No wonder the interior of the mansion looked like something out of a billionaire's Pinterest board. One of the biggest companies in the state… and now somehow his new life?
He sighed and looked up at the glowing sign: Club Sundown.
Inside, the place was packed. Music, sweat, lights — everything mashed together. He pushed through the crowd and headed for a small staff door tucked in the left corner. A janitor was mopping the floor in the hallway. At least… Jonathan assumed he was a janitor.
"Hi, please… have you by any chance seen Micheal Coleman?"
"He's in that office, sir."The man pointed to a door on the right.
Jonathan thanked him, knocked, and stepped inside after a "Come in."
A young man sat at the desk, staring right at him.
"Micheal."
"How may I help you?" Micheal said, straightening up and gesturing to the chair opposite him.
Jonathan sat. "I know you won't believe me… but I'm Jonathan. Your friend. The one who died."
Micheal's face stayed blank. Not a blink. Not a twitch.
"I don't know what happened or why," Jonathan continued, "but I think I've been given a second chance at life… in someone else's body. And I need your help to figure out why."
And just like he predicted, Micheal burst into laughter, smacking the table like he'd heard the funniest joke on earth.
"I think you're drunk, or you've got the wrong guy," Micheal managed between laughs. "Jonathan died a whole year ago."
"Do you want me to prove it? Ask me anything."
Micheal raised a brow. "Alright. What was the name of the girl who almost jumped off the second floor in fifth grade?"
"Susana Middleton," Jonathan replied instantly.
Micheal froze. His face didn't move, but something in his eyes shifted.
"Okay… tough one," he said quietly. "Only Jonathan would know this. What happened at Alabama Resort that got us arrested?"
"We were framed for selling cocaine because someone hid it in our luggage."
"And?"
"There was a security camera that caught the real culprits, so they released us."
Micheal leaned back, hands on his head, overwhelmed.
"Holy shit," he breathed. "How are you even alive? Lily said she saw you die."
"It's a long story. That's why I'm here. I need your help."
Jonathan explained the dark void, the voice, the fall — everything.
"When stuff like this happens," Micheal said slowly, folding his arms, "it's always for a purpose."His expression shifted, turning serious."Have you told Lily yet?"
Jonathan opened his mouth to answer, but Micheal's phone rang.
"One minute," he said, picking up."Where's all that noise coming from?… Hold on, I'm coming."
He hung up and stood. Jonathan followed.
"Looks like I've got an issue to deal with," Micheal said. "Come on, let's go."