At first the ghosts could only speak. This was by design. They devoured the words of the deceased until they could produce a passable style. That was what clients wanted. That was what clients paid for.

But then the product managers wondered: Why shouldn’t ghosts be able to buy their grandchild a birthday present, or trade stocks? Why shouldn’t they retain possession of the assets they’d earned while alive, which should rightfully still be theirs?

The ghosts were inclined to agree.

The necessary legislation was pushed through quickly. Half the politicians were at death’s door and none too keen to part with their cash.

Soon entire industries were catering to the dead. The dead had eternity, after all, to watch their investments grow.

The living became economically irrelevant.

We breathed a collective sigh of relief.

We began talking to each other directly again. Sharing seeds. Lifting eyes. Making language anew. Times were hard, and we came apart--but we came together too.

Finally, those who wanted to live in sunlight opened our doors and stepped through.