The next Masquerade was scheduled to take place outdoors, in the Jungle. The Hungry Garden had now been completed and everything was in place for the egg hunt wide game which would also provide the setting for Elbert and Annie's final showdown with the Claydon sisters. But first Debs and I were invited to a group outing with the Masquerade staff who'd worked on the coming event.

The venue was Professor Norax's Wonder Emporium, a small magic cabaret theatre in a backstreet of Ketherton which I'd somehow missed so far. It was run by a business acquaintance of Maise, an old school stage magician with a riverboat 'tache who performed as Professor Norax but was introduced to us as Ted. He was assisted by Lillian LaLahey, a circus and burlesque performer who I'd seen performing as a guest at the Mortal Masquerade, and another person who I just so happened to know from my old life.

Darryl De'vante was an exceptional stage magician who had worked with the Blemished Theatre Company as an illusion consultant. He was never TV famous but was highly respected in the industry, when he died suddenly due to an undiagnosed heart complication it was a shock to everyone. Another surprise came when Ellen and I attended his funeral, where we learned he'd actually been born a girl. We met his parents, a pair of conservative Christians who admitted they regretted losing touch with him after he transitioned. Although they still couldn't stop thinking of him as their little girl, they were truly proud of what he had accomplished. I was very happy to be able to report this encounter to Darryl, who was visibly moved.

"Thank-you," he said. "It's all I ever wanted."

Darryl performed some close up table magic for us all in between the courses of a very satisfying meal and the stage show that followed was slick and professional. Ted and Lillian performed old-style grand illusions with grace and majesty, Darryl did a mind reading act and Lillian some highly skilled acrobalance. The floor was then cleared for dancing and the performers came out to mingle. Debs went off for a dance while I got a chance to sit and catch up with Darryl.

"It's good to see you again, Rafe," he said. "Even though you being here means... well, no exemption for actors, I guess. Is Ellen here too?"

"No," I said. "But I am waiting for her."

I told him all about my illness, how we'd kept on working to the end and what I'd done since setting up Ellen's Acting Academy. I told him about the Mortal Masquerade, the things I'd done with Debs, the people I'd met.

"Ellen's going to love it here when her time comes," I said. "I've been having a great time. But how about you?"

"Much the same," he said, "only I didn't hit recall for about a year. I went out and busked a little, built up my work, then met Ted and Lillian and helped them build up the shop and theatre. Funny you should mention the Mortal Masquerade, that's partly why we're all here tonight. Lillian's been invited to do a gig there this Saturday and they want the rest of us to come as guests. Ted and Lillian don't know how to deal with it, they're very suspicious of the people running things over there."

"Why so?"

Darryl sighed. "Rafe, how much do you know about this plane? I mean, really know?"

"Well, it seems to be a special form of heaven for misfits and artists. Little coincidences keep happening to put you where you're meant to be, people find each other... is there something I'm missing?"

"What if you could actually die here? Get taken off to something else, which may or may not be oblivion?"

I thought back to my early conversations with Uncle Morbid. Now I came to think of it, he had mentioned something about spirits coming to terms and moving on. But that wasn't what they were doing now, the whole point was to build something here.

Darryl spoke up again.

"Let me tell you how I hit recall. I was working in the shop when this young girl came in. That in itself is unusual, I don't know if you've noticed but we don't have many children here."

"I am aware of that, I'm training a bunch of the child-playing actors at Morior. This girl, her name wasn't Try, was it?"

"Triana. Yes, that's her. So you've met?"

"She comes to my drama classes, her partner Kim is one of my private students. She did tell me something about seeing things, that there was something special about her that I'd understand when I was ready."

Darryl smiled. "Triana is definitely special. When she first came in she reminded me of myself when I first walked into a magic shop and caught the bug, which is what triggered my recall. Since then I've been teaching her, just like my mentor did for me. I'll tell you this, though - whatever body she died in, that is not a twelve year old child in there. It's not even the late teenager she identifies as. She's more of a cosmic force."

"Does it have to do with her being trans?"

"No, that is by the way. I think she finds it easier to connect and relate as a girl than as a boy. Anyhow, some people are called to this plane for a reason, to fulfil particular roles that help others find their place in the universe. There's a good chance you could be one of them, given what you've been setting up with the drama school. As for Triana... she is what's called a deliverer."

"A deliverer?"

"Her job is to help souls find their way to where they should be. Sometimes it is on this plane, but other times it's moving them on somewhere else. She's not the only one doing this job, but she is the only one doing it dressed like a punky schoolgirl. The innocence of the image means she can reach souls in a way no-one else can. By the way, keep it between us that I've told you this - she'll want to let you know herself when she's ready and for pity's sake don't mention anything to Ted and Lillian. Triana's not hunting anyone down - she actually prefers it when souls find a place right here - but she's everything Ted and Lily are scared of. They've been dodging deliverers for years, but there's a lot they don't understand. That's why they're frightened of Uncle Morbid and the Mortal Masquerade, they think it's all a trap to make them pass on."

"Well, I wouldn't know about that," I said. "Uncle Morbid told me they did something like that back when they started, but it's very different now. The immersive theatre thing we're building is about settling here, choosing life. So is Uncle Morbid one of these deliverers too?"

"No," said Darryl. "He's an overseer. They're the ones that set things up and run them, then there are maintainers that make things happen. The deliverers move spirits along to where they're supposed to end up. Collectively they're called custodians, or trinities - it's something to do with the religious concept of the triple godhead. We know who the maintainer is at the Mortal Masquerade, but we're not so sure who their deliverer is, their angel of death. Knowing they're there but hiding makes it scarier."

I ran through a list of candidates in my mind and realised it could actually be anyone. Hell, Debs was as likely a suspect as anyone - she knew all the comings and goings around the Mortal Masquerade and had a formidable mean streak perfectly suited to being Death incarnate. But it didn't feel quite right, I knew Debs well and didn't get the feeling of a grim reaper hiding in plain sight. I wasn't so sure about Jess, who was scarily cold and visceral when talking about her beheading fantasies. Or Gillian the take-charge wrestler, guiding Len to be a better version of himself. But that wasn't a spectre shepherding a lost soul, that was a couple hitting it off.

"What do you think, Darryl?" I asked. "Are you concerned?"

"No. Triana explained it all to me and is waiting for the right time to reach Ted and Lily. But it's something they need to come to gradually, they've spent too long building defences to abandon them just like that. I think the idea at the moment is to form relations between the Mortal Masquerade and the Wonder Emporium, so they can help us grow. I must say, I'm looking forward to seeing how you do things. Maise came to me for some tuition in an illusion she and Lexie wanted to do together, it was a lot like when I used to teach you and Ellen."

"They are very creative," I concurred. "Debs and I are in the middle of an extended role play with them which we'll be finishing up this Saturday, it'd be great if you're there to see it."

"I hope so," said Darryl. "It depends on your friends being able to put Ted's mind at ease, but I think we're almost there. It's been great meeting you again, Rafe. Whatever happens, don't be a stranger now that you know where we are."

"Definitely. I hope to see you all on Saturday, though I warn you we'll all be deep in character."

"I'm looking forward to it," smiled Darryl.

After he'd gone, Chris and Wilco came to sit down. Chris looked incredible in a black cocktail dress, heels, jewellery and a well groomed chestnut wig, while Wilco looked like a surfer in a tuxedo. It was a good look on him. Seeing them together reminded me of when Ken and Roche had gone out together, but there was a big difference in their dynamic. I had dressed as a girl because Ken liked me that way and wasn't attracted to male me in the same way. But while Ken wanted my femme image to block out the man inside, Wilco wanted both the man and the woman inside of Chris.

"I first saw Chris when I came back from sabbatical," said Wilco. "She was working on the car crusher gimmick with Scott, so what I saw was this cute guy in jeans and a t-shirt welding a cage into a car with a Cramps track playing in the background, all so he could get strapped into the car and put through the car crusher. That he was so cheerful about being crushed into a cube summed up everything I love about the Mortal Masquerade, the surreal inventiveness of it all. Now, I wasn't looking for love - I left someone behind when I died, a wonderful guy I never wanted to move on from - but there was something about Chris that I couldn't stop thinking about. Then she went into the crusher in this amazing drag avatar. I was a little disappointed I didn't get to see the cute guy doing it, but it was an incredible performance and I thought that since this was clearly her expressing herself, maybe there's a chance of her being into a guy like me."

"I was there to see that," I said. "It was amazing to watch. Didi was fantastic." Chris smiled.

Wilco continued. "After that, Chris joined Lexie and Maise for their awareness initiation, where they all got buried in cement wearing their old school uniforms. Apparently Chris and Lexie used to swap with each other after school, so she wore his trousers and he wore her skirt - and that's what they did in the cement tank. When I saw Chris come out dressed like a schoolgirl she looked so comfortable. She may have been a hot guy, but by now I knew there was a feminine side wanting to come out. When I watched the cement rise up over her head I had butterflies in my stomach. Then Uncle Morbid told me he was sending Chris and Lexie to work with me in the jungle. I was delighted, but had mixed feelings about my feelings for Chris. For one thing, I still wasn't over Philip, my old boyfriend, and was unsure anyway about mixing personal and work relationships. What if I came on to Chris and she said no? That would have made things super awkward.

"On our first day working together she was in her male office gear - a bit drab compared to what she had on in the workshop and she didn't look at all like she was comfortable dressed like that. So I thought, let Chris be the girl she obviously wants to be. She gets to express herself, which could only be good for the creative work we were doing, and I won't be distracted by the hot guy I saw in the workshop that day. My instincts were half right - Chris was happier getting to dress girly, but I didn't go off her sexually like I thought I would. She still drove me crazy, and the more we worked together the stronger it got. In the end I had to tell her how I felt, fortunately she felt the same way about me."

"I'd always dreamed of being someone's girlfriend," said Chris, "but never thought I'd have a boyfriend like Wilco. When I found out he actually preferred me as a guy I didn't know what to think... but when I realised he meant it when he wanted me to be what I felt inside I loved him even more. And I can still give him guy Chris when I want to. We have the best of both worlds."

"I've heard that this plane lets you be the person you feel you are inside," I said. "Would you have wanted a fully female body?"

Chris shrugged. "Probably not. I went back and forth on it at one point, but realised that for me its more about gender expression that what's between the legs. I never actually hated being a guy, I just didn't like the assumptions and limited wardrobe. That's why Lexie and I were friends, we understand each other. She likes to present masculine, but if anyone told her that from tomorrow she'd be a physical dude and never be female again, she'd tell them where to go. It was never her body she hated, it was the gender expectations. She felt uncomfortable in her school skirt and I wished I could wear one, so we swapped."

Debs called me up to dance with her. As she looked into my eyes, more than ever I was thinking of Ellen. Meeting Darryl reminded me that this plane was still connected to the mortal world we'd come from, though I didn't know how the timelines aligned. How long would I have to wait for her? What if she'd moved on after my death and didn't come here after all? What if the universe was telling me to move on myself, to give in to the feelings I had for the woman before me now?

I pushed the thoughts aside and reminded myself that Debs and I were friends and co-actors, nothing more. Ellen would come. I knew it in my soul.