We parked in the Morrisons car park, up against the wall that bordered Berkeley Street. There we could see down three of the adjoining side streets and had a decent view of the people milling around the ends of the others.
It wasn't ideal, but it was less suspicious at least.
Also, kind of boring.
After an hour, even Anna's quiet reticence was starting to fray and she shifted in her chair, turning to me.
I peered back at her, "What?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"Dunno what to tell you. What do you want to know?"
"What's your name?"
"Chloe," I said without thinking. Then snorted and shook my head. "Danny."
"What happened to you?"
I wasn't sure if she was fishing for more evidence of my being an evil spirit or genuinely curious and, in truth, I was too weary to care. It was exhausting pretending to be someone else all the damned time and I wanted, for just a moment, to be me again.
So, I told her.
About growing up in Harehills and the life I'd led. The sort of guy I'd been. I talked about my sister, and mum, and about the violence that led to my leaving the house that night.
Then about the crash.
My death.
"So," I said, brushing at my eyes. Damned tears. "You know the rest. I ended up here."
She didn't immediately speak, she just watched me, a muscle in her jaw twitched as her mouth twisted in thought. I couldn't tell from her expression if she was angry, upset or what.
"That must have been hard," she said, finally.
"Yeah."
I watched a woman walk past with her kids, one in a pram, one holding on. Unlikely to be a demon. Just a mum and her kids, doing the best she could.
Like my mum had.
I pressed my hands to my eyes and sniffed. "Sorry."
"It's okay."
"No, it's really not." I swiped angrily at my eyes and snorted. "I never cried before I was in this bloody body."
"That's not a good thing, hon."
It was for me. It had been, anyway. It worked. I'd been fine with my life. I'd not known any different. I'd not had caring parents who were interested in my life, or real friends, or anyone I could share things with.
Out of all my past girlfriends, not one of them had shown the slightest amount of care for me that Kevin had, which perversely made him my best relationship and that was built on a fucking lie. That I was someone else.
"My life's a mess," I said, shaking my head.
She reached out her hand finding mine and giving me a companionable squeeze.
"I was wrong about you."
"You were?"
"Yes. You're just trying your best and struggling." She shook her head slowly. "I thought, at first, that you were some pervert getting your kicks by possessing her, or trying to avoid your fate."
Considering my fate had been heading hell bound, I was very much avoiding that. I didn't see the point of letting her know that though.
Suddenly she giggled, and I lifted a brow in query as I looked at her. "What?"
"Must be weird for you." She waved a hand taking in my body. "Being a girl and everything."
My mouth twitched, curving into a smile and I laughed. "Yeah, a bit."
"Have you…" She looked away, biting her lip and then back, eyes shining. "You know… have you…"
She gestured vaguely in the direction of my crotch, and I shook my head vigorously.
"Nope."
"Why not? I thought that'd be the first thing you did."
A group of teens walked up the road, one of them bouncing a football as they laughed and chattered. I followed them with my gaze for a minute but ultimately dismissed them. Too happy as a group for one of them to be a demon.
"Don't get me wrong, I always loved…" I gestured. "This with past girlfriends. But it's too weird."
She grew thoughtful and then smiled. "That says a lot about you."
"No doubt."
"What about that guy… Kevin, was it?"
"Boyfriend," I deadpanned. "Inherited him from Chloe."
Anna giggled, covering her mouth. "Have you two done… anything?"
"He's kissed me," I admitted, wondering when the interrogation would end.
"Really!" She leaned in. "Tell me about it."
What was there to say? "He kissed me. I was taken by surprise. That's it."
With a moue of disappointment, she sat back, shoulders falling. "Surely there's more detail than that. How did it feel? Was it good? Did you like it… even just a bit?"
She wasn't going to give up. I turned to her ready to tell her to drop it and saw how happy she seemed. Then realised it wasn't an interrogation. It was a conversation. She was just wanting to share the details.
That must be a girl thing.
With Benny, we'd barely grunted replies to one another most of the time, and when we did talk it was just banter and nonsense. Taking the piss out of one another.
He never asked about the girls I dated, other than a general, "Did you do her?" My response would be either yes or no, and he'd laugh and we'd carrying on playing Xbox or whatever.
This wanting detail was an alien concept, but she seemed genuinely curious and despite my misgivings, I found that I wanted to share. I wanted to confide in someone.
"It was scary," I said, slowly. "At first, I was surprised. The next time, I was more prepared, but it was just weird, you know?"
Anna nodded, leaning forward, eyes wide and fixed on me with rapt attention.
"Then there was yesterday."
"What happened then?"
"I kissed him."
"You did not!" Her face betrayed her shock and an almost scandalous excitement. "Tell me more."
I told her about the demon and following him. How we had fought and that Kevin had walked in afterwards to see the smoking ruin of the body and how he was panicking.
"So," I said. "I needed to calm him down and I figured the best way to do that was to, you know, kiss him."
"Did it work?"
"Yes." I couldn't help my shy smile. "It took a minute, but he responded and it was…" How to say it without sounding gay. "Look, it was nice. He's a good kisser."
No way not to make that sound gay.
I sighed.
"You liked it," she said, and I nodded. "That's okay, you know?"
"Is it?"
"You're a girl." She shrugged. "He's a guy. Nothing wrong with it." She paused, head tilting as she looked at me. "Is it different, now?"
"Is what different?"
"You liked girls when you were alive. Now?"
I gave her a once over, taking in her attributes that would have, not so long ago, had me panting with desire and I felt… nothing. I mean, I could recognise that she was attractive, and that her boobs looked great, but I had no real desire for them.
"Not so much now," I sighed.
She giggled and tried to put a sympathetic expression on her face with little success. I folded my arms and stuck my lower lip out as I went back to scanning the people walking past as she laughed.
"I'm sorry. Really. It must be hard for you."
"Not really a problem I'll have in this body," I muttered and she fell about laughing. A moment later, I joined her, giggling at first and then a full belly laugh as the tension I'd been holding drained out of me.
It was a long time before we stopped and even then, I would get the occasional hiccup of laughter and so would she.
It felt good.
"I needed that," I said, and she patted my leg.
"We all do now and then, hon."
It was becoming clear to me that I'd never really had a friend. I'd had a mate, Benny, but he wasn't a friend. The evidence of that was him leaving me dying in the street like left over rubbish. A friend wouldn't have done that.
I'd lived my life alone and not realised just how freaking lonely I'd been.
Just an hour or so in the car with Anna and I had a hint of what I'd missed, and it hurt so much. More so knowing that once I'd found the demon, my bargain would be done, and I would go back to my life.
That Orryn would resurrect me. That would be the bargain I'd demand.
So, I could have my life as it was.
Wasted and pointless, and lonely.
I didn't want that, I realised. Not that I wanted Chloe's life. I was still a guy, in my head at least. But I couldn't have a taste of what it was like to have a family, a supportive partner.
I glanced to the side to look over at Anna, watching the road.
To have a friend.
Then go back to what my life had been like before. It would be better to take that final journey. Accept my punishment for a life wasted and leave the misery behind.
But first, I would save my sister. Get rid of the demons plaguing her home and ensure she was safe. That my mistakes were fixed.
Then I would accept what came next.
"You look so sad," Anna said, softly, and I forced a smile for her.
"No." I lifted my shoulders in a shrug. "I'm just starting to accept the reality of the situation."
She didn't look convinced but neither did she push it. Instead, she sighed and lifted a hand to gesture at the slow clusters of people passing.
"This isn't working."
"Yeah, I agree." I thought for a moment. "Don't you have, like, a spell or something you could cast?"
"For what? Locating a demon?" She shook her head. "I told you it doesn't work like that."
"I can see their faces, but that's no use if they don't happen to be looking my way," I muttered. "We need another way to find them."
"There's one here," I'm sure. She rubbed her arms as she shivered. "Can't you feel it. On the air?"
There was nothing different to me. That same oppression that I felt all through the area. The people passing by were miserable. Graffiti stained the walls. Rubbish littered the gutters. Somewhere a dog barked, and a cat sat on a gate post staring up at the birds on the telephone wires.
It was just… normal.
"Can't feel anything."
"Must be a witch thing," she said.
"What do you mean, 'must be?' you would know, right?"
She bit her lip and looked away shyly. "I'm kind of new to this."
I let out a soft groan. "How new?"
"My gran was a witch, and she raised me with the knowledge. She taught me," Anna said defensively. "But I only joined the circle in March."
"That's just great." I threw up my hands in exasperation. "Let's go. We'll head to my place and then we can try and figure out a better way of doing this."
Her eyes were downcast as she ducked her head. "Sorry. Don't be mad."
"I'm not."
"Your tone says you are."
Because I was. It had been a complete waste of time.
Then I looked at her and remembered the conversation we'd had. That moment of actual real human companionship. Of friendship.
And, I realised it hadn't been a total waste.
"Come on," I said, voice softening. "You can help me fend off the parent's questions and Kevin's affection. Might even get a meal out of it."
She laughed, and I smiled too.
Okay, it hadn't gone well but tomorrow would be another day and another chance to find a demon that would lead me to the Big Bad.
Then I would finish the task Orryn had set me and have some peace.
Maybe if I did some good before I went, I might even avoid Hell.
Though fat chance of that, I thought with a snort.