“New York City's Ghost apartments are increasing weekly, with investors fleeing and offshore liquidity drying up, has left large portions of Manhattan and Brooklyn, who, before the recent downturn experienced an increased spike of gentrification. These skyscrapers have now remained empty, with only a some floors lit up with the few residents left. Now labeled 'The Ghost Towers of New York', the Mayor and the City Planners are now encouraging former residents to move back into New York City, after the exodus of a few years ago due to the increasing rental market. With designated buildings that have been bought and converted into public residential schemes. In some cases, buildings that have been deemed too expensive to maintain have not been purchased by the Government emergency housing fund. And have been left to languish throughout New York City. In other finance news, the nation's unemployment rate remains steady at three point eight percent, however some economists are saying that the true figure should be two percent, counting the underemployed with few businesses hiring full time and part time employees, they also cite a collapse in the average wage as a concerning factor to higher unemployment in the near future. The Dow dropped four hundred and twenty seven points on Thursday as tech and energy stocks lead the decline, with the Treasury Secretary declining an offer to attend a conference in Saudi Arabia due to security concerns, to further add to the woes on Wall Street, is the ongoing China trade war and the continuing geopolitical situation in the South China Sea. Market analysts are saying that the bear market which started in last October, maybe the beginning of an extended market decline...”

Kyla Lillias drying her hair, dressed only in a pair of dark pink leotards and a matching sports bra looks down at the television screen, suddenly her phone rings. Seeing that it’s from her literary agent, Gia Celler. She picks up the phone, perched on the side of her lounge chair.
“Hi Gia” Tucking the cellphone between her left shoulder and cheek, pinning the phone against her ear – she walks back toward her bathroom holding the towel in her right hand.
“Hey Kyla, just letting you know that a spot has come up on a panel discussion for the Science, Technology and Information network, it will be recorded live and streamed via the Internet. And the topic is your forte. Quantum Physics of the Metaphysical.”
“What do you think?” Lillias asks, as she sits down on the edge of her bed, looking at her toe nails, thinking briefly about having them colored soon.
“I feel it’s worth inquiring. I have gone ahead and sent them your profile to the network. They'll get back to me later today, as they are keen to fill the chair for that night.”
“Who are the other guests?”
“Let me see...” Her agent pauses as she reads out a summary of their profiles. “...Two physicists, a philosopher and a cognitive neuroscientist.”
“God, they'll eat me alive,” Lillias replies with an expression that holds very little emotion as she looks at her self in the large wardrobe mirror.
“Why?”
“I am a ghost investigator, sitting amongst academic skeptics.”
“That maybe the case. But, the publicity will be great. Plus, they pay upfront as an attendance fee,” Celler replies, as Lillias looks at her finger nails, walking towards her bed.
“Sure, let me know. I'll take it, if they agree. Book sales are down at the moment. Like you said, any publicity would be good.”
“Alright, once they confirm I will let you know. Will call and also email.”
“Thanks Gia, take care.”
“You too...Speak to you soon.”
Lillias sits down at the edge of the bed, placing the phone next to as she bends down putting on her sneakers, inserting her foot into each shoe, tying the laces, she then sits upright. With both hands pushing her dark brown hair back, fixing into a ponytail. Staring ahead at the wardrobe in front of her, a memory is recollected of when she was a young girl.

September 15^th 1990

Dr Abe Symon
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
1445 Madison Ave, New York.

“Kyla, your Father and I are going to talk for a brief moment...” Dr Abe Symon looks up at Keith Lillias, Kyla's father who is standing in the psychiatrist's room, as the nurse also enters. Smiling she holds out her hand towards Kyla. “...Janet, will take you out to the waiting area. She has some toys for you to play with also, if you are lucky, some sweets.”
The practice nurse smiles as Kyla stands, reaching out holding the nurse's hand, as her father leans down, so that he is at eye contact with his daughter. “I won't be long.” She nods, her expression void, yet her eyes hold a caring warmth towards her father. She leaves the room with the nurse, closing the door behind her.
“Please take a seat Mr Lillias...” Dr Symon says, as Kyla's father sits opposite the psychiatrist, he then removes his spectacles placing both of his elbows onto the desk, joining his hands together in an analytical pose. “...Kyla, is showing signs of antisocial behavior. As we are both aware of that already, as you have disclosed her school reports to me which also included the social worker's written report. She does need therapy, I feel, now at this early age it is crucial to realign her self into social coherency, otherwise as she gets older, it may manifest into a more obvious sign of personality disorder. Which we are seeing the beginnings of now...” he then leans back into his chair. “...When did you first notice some of her behavioral traits?”
Keith Lillias, Kyla's father, a neatly dressed man in formal attire, in his late fifties. Briefly looks away from Dr Symon, as he thinks of his wife. He then looks back towards the psychiatrist.
“About a year ago, after her mother passed away from cancer. She…” he pauses, looking at his wedding ring which he still wears on his right wedding finger. “...has always been a quite girl, not shy...just...”
“Detached,” Doctor Symon replies, finishing Kyla's father's sentence.
“Yes...That is correct.”

___

Reading: "Machines of the Occultus" from the novel 'The Graft of Shadows' (A.Glass 2019)