Reaper

Chapter 2

I sat quietly in the comfort of my apartment. A four floor walk up in the worst part of the city, strangely enough I felt safe here.

I sat comfortably at my small table by the living room window, in my bedroom shorts and a black tank top. My ebony hair hanging down to my hips, sweeping against my legs as I lean forward for the wine glass.

My book sitting in front of me, open to a page that was writing on its own.

The small table where I sat had only two chairs, one for me and one for the soul that would depart to the Afterworld when they had written there last words. And now, there was a small six year old girl who was writing to her mother. Her hair in two bunny tails wearing a green sun dress. Smiling up at me as if there was nothing wrong with the world.

I guess death is easier for children.

“What do you wanna tell your momma?” I ask, she sits in her seat her face twisting with thought.

“I wanna tell her that I’ll be okay.”

And the book writes her words, flashing across the page in a shock of golden red light. The little girl leaning forward in the chair, gasping at the book.

“Is it magic?” She asks excitedly.

“Something like that.” I say with a smirk as I take a sip of my red wine. “This book is what I use to document every single soul that has died. It writes their last words before they cross over.”

“Last words? And cross over where?” She repositions herself so that she’s sitting on her knees, leaning over the table to get a closer look at the book.

“Cross over to where ever your supposed to end up. My job is simply to get you to the door, I don’t really know what’s behind it.” I say.

“Like heaven?” She asks smiling.

“Sure.” I nod.

“So what are last words?” She asks again.

A moment of silence passes between us as I think of what to say. How could I explain to a kid that they’ll never see their mother again? I sigh and a calm smile slides onto my face.

“Imagine you’re going on a really fun adventure. You’re going to meet all these fun people, and you’re going to see all these beautiful places, but you know it will be a long time until you see your momma again. What do you tell her so she doesn’t feel sad while you’re gone?” I ask as I wave my hand over the page of the book turning it blank once again. “Go ahead.” I nod to her.

“How do you a start a letter?”

“I would say....” the child folding her hands over each other thinking hard.

“Dear Momma, I am going on a trip and it will be for a while, and I know that it will make you sad. Please don’t be sad momma, because we will see each other again and we can go get ice cream just like we planned. Please don’t be sad momma, you told me that being sad hurts, but it won’t hurt forever.”

The words stop appearing on the page the moment she stops speaking. Looking back up at her she seems to be at a loss for words.

“I’m not going to see my momma again, am I?” She looks at me, a solemn look on her face. I lean forward in my seat reaching across the table and lifting her chin up to me.

Something like touching the fog of dry ice, but her actions follow mine and I lock eyes with her.

“You are going somewhere far, and fantastic. You will see so much and time will feel like it’s flying by. In death, you are much more free an unrestrained as you could ever be. And you will see your mother again, because strangely enough death also brings a lot of people together.”

“How do you know?” She asks.

“What do you think my job is? I’m supposed to help you get to that crazy fantastic place.” I lean back in my seat taking another sip of my wine.

“Are you going to help my mom like you helped me?”

“Eventually.” I nod. “Finish your letter.”

The morning comes and I’m more than exhausted. Fernie comes waltzing through the mirror looking refreshed and happy.

“My associate is waiting for us,” Fernie says as he hands me a cup of coffee, or something like coffee. “He’s actually very eager to meet you! When I explain what you were he was insistent that I bring you straight away!”

“Fernie you walking through my living room mirror is not something that I’m used to.” I say, my voice raspy from talking to the dead all night. In fact the book was still open on the table and still writing. Pages furiously flipping with thousands of voices singing between the pages of the brown leather book.

“It’s some new magic I learned. Sorry for the intrusion Bex, but we must hurry because I detected another irregularity in the flow of magic,” he says making me groan in exhaustion as I flop down on my couch. “Also,”

“Also?”

“Also, the corpse. He reanimated and attacked.”

“What?” I say. Fernie gaining my full attention as I see the nervous look in his face.

“The irregularity was at the exact same time the corpse reanimated. And today, my associate brought another body. Same deal. No brainwaves, no pulse, no breathing, but also no decomposition.” Fernie says as he sips away his his cup.

“Give me ten minutes.” I say. “I need to brush my teeth and have an actual cup of coffee before I decide to deal with what ever this is.”

Throwing on sweat over my shorts and grabbing my regular dirty white converse, I shrug an over shoulder sweat over my tank top and throw my hair into a sloppy ponytail. Waving my hand towards the table as I exit my room, the book speedily flies to me and disappears at my hand.

“I wanted to ask.” Fernie’s voice low as I walk over to him as he stood in front of the mirror. “I would like to read Henrietta’s letter again. I just need to hear her voice.”

“You know it’s not healthy to keep rereading it. And you know my rules.” I say as I pluck my phone off the charger and slide it in my pocket.

“I know. But I’m getting old, and I haven’t heard her voice in a long time. Your book is the only reprieve I have.” He says, sadness heavy in his voice.

“I’ll think about it.” I say.

As much as I care for Fernie, I cannot put him above the rules I uphold for everyone. They’re there for a reason.

Fernie pulls out a sleek looking stick, something that looks like platinum, engrained in it were several brightly colored but brilliant gems. At the very end was the sharped end of a diamond. The entire wand twisting up like a crooked tree branch.

“It’s the first professional wand I’ve been able to make. It requires all the gems of each of the realms, it’s how I conduct magic as I am still human, so I need a lot of help.”

“If I didn’t know you, I’d rob that from you in a second.” I say and Fernie laughs. His laugh sounding something like a breathless wheeze, which in turn makes me laugh. “I’m serious, do you know how much that could get pawned for. Don’t go waving that around here.”

Fernie taps the wand against the mirror, and it causes a ripple. The mirror moving like water, he grabs my hand and leads me through, closing my eyes as I feel the cold mirror touch the tops of my fingers, then my legs and face, swallowing me in.

“You can open your eyes, we are in my laboratory. Don’t you worry it is very private and very secluded so we won’t be disturbed.” He says and I open my eyes. Looking up as I feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.

I stare in awe at Fernie’s lab.

The ceiling of the lab was made of nothing but iridescent glass that caved over the place in the shape of a dome. The walls were made of wood, but looked like it was twisting into itself.

“I made the lab from fallen elder light trees. The wood is sturdy and very reliable and malleable incase I need to add more space.” Fernie says as he approaches me with two cups in hand. “And this is actual coffee, I forgot that your not used to the food and drinks here.”

“I only ever visit when I have to, and most of the time I never eat.” I say moving further into the lab. The lab was covered in experiments still in process, samples jars lining the walls, books and paper scattered about. “Fern I never get on you about most things, but the mess in here is almost tragic.”

He looks around as if he’s just noticing it himself. I c**k an eyebrow at him as I take a whiff of the coffee before tasting it.

“I supposed your right.” He says taking out his wand. “I haven’t been thinking about cleanliness as much recently, I should straighten up. But, my associate is here, Jaidous!” Fernie shouts, his voice echoing around us.

Fernie begins moving things about and cleaning up with the wave of his wand. Behind me I hear the chuff of what I assume is something big.

Turning, I freeze in my place as a large Tiger is stalking towards me. Not moving an inch as It moves closer to me, the tiger standing about as tall as me.

“Fernie, what’s with the cat.” I ask as calmly as I can manage.

“That’s my associate.” Fernie says and I hear the clash of something behind me before Fernie shouts an apology. Just as I’m about the say something the tiger speaks.

“I’m Jadious.” His voice was something like the rumble of distant thunder. He was a force, and I could sense it with everything in me. “And you are Bex. Dr. Ferdinand Moses has told me so much about you. Are you truly a Reaper?”

“Excuse me?” I say turning my head to look at Fernie who just shrugs.

“I told him that you deal with matters of death.”

“As a day job.” I say. “Whatever Fernie told you, he wasn’t supposed to, and if you are expecting me to help in resurrecting or talking to someone, I won’t help you.”

“That’s not what I was going to request from you Bex.” Jadious says. His feline eyes pinning me. “I am well aware of the rules of a Grim Reaper. I can sense in you that you are a great force in the magic of death.”

“You make me sound like some kind of witch, that’s not what I am.”

“The humans would label you so either way.”

“And you are not human, so what’s your point?”

The tiger laughs. Pacing around me as I see a bookshelf fly over my head. Fernie jogging after it with his wand raised, and several books flying behind him. The tiger coming back into view, standing directly beside me.

“You are an agent of death. I am an agent of life.” He says. Turning to face him I cross my arms over my chest.

“What, are we mortal enemies then? Because trust me, I do not have that kind of energy or time.” I say.

“Not at all, Bex.” The tiger laughing again as he continues to pace around me. “We are the only beings that hold the balance of the fragile cycle of life. When Dr. Ferdinand Moses told me of you, I thought it too miraculous to be true. There hasn’t been an agent of death in centuries.”

“I don’t understand the point in all this, I am just here to help Fernie figure out the two dead men sitting in his lab. Speaking of which,”

“I know!” Fernie cuts me off. “I know. Come right this way.” He says waving his hand to me. The lab much cleaner now as Fernie leads us to two tables. And on them, the two bodies. The man that I saw in the picture laid in the furthest one away from me. Both of them stripped naked with nothing but a loincloth covering them.

The closes one was a man, probably in his mid thirties. Stronger looking that the other one. The same handprint on his chest.

“Jadious?” I call to the tiger who’s already stalking towards the table. “Who was this man to you?” I ask pointing to the furthest one.

“That was Noen. He was a witch doctor from a city in the south. Did well with spirit work, but healing was his forte.”

“And did you know this one?” I ask leaning over the second man’s body. Opening his eyes to find that they are dull, like a dead man’s. But he doesn’t smell like one, neither does Noen.

“I did not know this man.”

Walking over the Noen’s corpse, I lean over it. Fernie and Jadious are both silent as I inspect it. Putting my ear to his nose, I hear and feel nothing. But I still hear his soul.

The vague sound of echoing screams. I can tell immediately that it’s Noen’s soul. I reach up opening the mouth of the corpse, and the screams immediately amplify making me flinch back.

“What is it?” Fernie asks.

“He’s still in there.” I sigh crossing my arms over my chest. “I’ll have to rip him out and that is going to be loud, even for you Fern.”

“Have you ever done this before?” Jadious asks.

“I’ve been doing this since I was young. And honestly this isn’t going to happen any other way.” I grab the corpses cold neck as I hold open it’s mouth. “A warning gentlemen, this is not going to be pleasant for anyone. Sorry Noen.”

Closing my eyes, digging my fingers into the meat of his neck. I can hear the screams of Noen’s soul. A heavy feeling settling on my chest as I fish for him.

“Noen?” I call out for him. But his screaming drowning out the sound of my voice. “Noen can you shut up for two damn seconds!”

The screaming stops and I sigh.

“Out of all Grim Reapers I’ve met, she’s the kindest. Most others didn’t feel the need to use words of encouragement.” Jadious says and Fernie gives a nervous laugh.

“Come on Noen, reach for me.” I mutter as I put my forehead to his. “You can hear me, I know you can.”

“I-I can hear you! Please help me!”

“I heard him!” Jadious bellows in surprise.

“I heard that too but it sounded like it was really far away.” Fernie says.

“That’s because you don’t practice spirit work.” Jadious moves closer to me. “Can he tell us who did this to him.”

“He won’t be able to tell us s**t if I can’t get him out of this body.” I say. “And I can’t do that if you don’t back up and let me work!” I shout in frustration as I feel the magnitude of the spirits here. They’re beginning to sense me, the heavy feeling in my chest growing.

I need to get my ass back home before they find me.

“Noen reach!” My teeth clenching together as I feel the pull of his soul. It felt like something was weighing him down.

“I’m trying! I can’t get free!” He shouts. “Don’t let me stay trapped here! Please!”

My fingers now feeling the firmness of his spine. With a pain filled scream I wrench back my clawed hand holding the neck of Noen’s soul. I collapse to the floor breathing hard, feeling like I just ran a marathon.

Noen’s soul standing in the middle of the room. Jadious and Fernie looking in awe at the specter. I gaze up at the spirit from the floor and wave my hand for Fernie to help me up.

“This better be worth it, because that wasn’t as easy as it looked.” I say as I haul myself off the floor. “Ask him what you need to ask him. Soon I’ll need to cross him over.”

“Noen.” Jadious moves in on him. Noen spinning to face him and sighing in relief.

“Jadious, I’m so happy to see a familiar face.” His voice shaking no doubt from what just transpired.

“My friend, I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.” The sorrow in his voice filling the room. “But the Reaper doesn’t have long, and we must ask how you were imprisoned.”

“Wait if your an agent of life, wouldn’t you be able to see what happened while he was alive?” I ask.

“If he was still breathing, but he has long passed. And so my magic cannot affect him.” Fernie handing me a glass of water.

“Noen, I’m very sorry,” Fernie moving from me to where Noen’s spirit stood. “You don’t know me, but your soul has been trapped inside your body since you’ve died. Do you have any idea how that happened?”

“I don’t. I know that I was attacked and before I died I heard a man speak.”

“What did the man say?” Fernie asks as he reaches for his note book.

“I can’t remember. I was already slipping away. But then I felt something burning, I felt it on my chest and it felt like I was trapped in nothing but darkness. I was driving myself mad, it was a purgatory.” Noen’s face falling, eyes becoming dull and he looks hollow.

“Do you remember when you attacked me?” Fernie asks as his pencil moves across the paper.

“I attacked you?”

“So no.”

“Noen.” I call his attention. “You don’t know who Imprisoned you?”

He shook his head.

“You can’t remember the last few moments before you died?”

“No.” He shook his head again.

“Well I am sorry that you were suffering for so long. I can’t give you the time that you lost, but I am a Reaper and I have a job. One part of this job requires your last words.” I say and hold out my open hand. The book appearing. “The last thing you want to say to someone, anyone.”

“I’m not even sure I have anyone to say goodbye to.” His voice falling to a whisper. “I just had my life ripped away from me, and then I was trapped in my own body. Why didn’t the gods protect me?”

“The gods can only do so much.” Jadious says. “This is strong magic, a magic that I haven’t heard spoken of in a long time.”

“And when you did hear it, what were they saying?” Fernie asks and everyone looks at Jadious.

“Never anything good.”