Reaping Me Softly

Chapter 3 - Second Soul

Dahlia

He thought he could rest after a long day but he was wrong. He sat down lazily on his couch, leaning on the soft backrest.

"Nice place, eh? Small but cozy..." Alec commented while roaming his eyes around the small apartment.

"What are you doing here?" Simeon asked instead. "You should get back to work, eh?"

Alec sighed deeply as parted his coat to his sides. He, then sat on the chair, locking his leg in the shape of number four. He swiftly took the rolled paper inside his coat and threw it n Simeon's direction.

Simeon immediately catches the paper. He examines it for a second before untying the knot and later, he opened the letter.

"It seems like you have a new task coming," said Alec. "Hermes said his good luck, by the way. It seems like the higher-ups gave you a hard task, eh?"

"There is no work I do not accomplish, Alec. I made sure of that," he smirked. "This is just a piece of cake, Alec..."

"Right, there's a saying that humans always hold on to if a problem occurs," Alec chuckled. "There is no trial given by God that humans won't overcome. God won't give you more than you can handle. You might want to add it to your list of motivational quotes."

Shaking his head, Simeon focused his attention on the paper. "The Death God words are the only thing that keeps me going."

Alec faked a cough. "May the power of death be with you," he chanted, imitating their god's voice.

"Yes," he glanced at him. "Now, get lost and continue reaping souls."

"Sounds like an order," Alec scoffed but stood up eventually. "I'll go ahead though. There's a lot of souls to collect in the hospital. Vampire's bite," he tsked. "The Soul Society is running out of space and the higher-ups are stressed."

"They should start sending those sinners to the underworld and let Death God do the rest of the work."

Alec chuckled again before vanishing into the thin air. Silence invaded the whole room but he didn't bother it. His eyes were fixed on the name written on the paper which indicated the name, date, time, and manner of death.

A signed Death Certificate.

He put the piece of paper on the small center table before leaning on the couch. His grips tightened at the ends of the armrests of his chair as he gradually closed his eyes, trying to distract himself to release the tension building behind his eyelids.

He grimaced. Of all missions, why would the officials give him such an assignment? The name written on the paper... They have the same surname! That's one thing Grim Reapers love and hate at the same time. They can't remember a thing but their names. They don't know if the soul they will going to fetch is their relatives or what.

Simeon blew a deep breath. He stared at the paper again before closing his eyes emphatically. The woman still has a month to live here but, why was the mission given to him now?

Usually, the Death Certificate is given one week before the person dies.

He sighed deeply. "I didn't know death is capable of experiencing migraines."

He stood up and did some stretching.

A cold shower would be nice. He thought to himself. Tomorrow, he will look for the woman and that's what he did when morning came.

He sure didn't sign up for this was the first thing that crossed his mind when his operation to look for the woman led him to the hospital. He saw a lot of Reapers inside the institution, some were not familiar so, maybe they came from other divisions. He was not shocked when he saw Alec sitting in the waiting area. He's with two foreign people.

"Simeon!" Alec called when he saw him.

He walked near them while roaming his eyes around. Some were crying, begging doctors to save their loved ones. There were people in the wheelchairs, some walking holding their dextrose, and nurses trying their best to calm the patients.

The first time he visited a hospital to observe how Reapers collect souls, Simeon walked out because of the situation he saw back then. It just looks like this, and the truth is, he doesn't like the smell of the hospital.

"We'll harvest a lot of souls today," Alec stood up and put his arms around his. "Wanna join?"

He shook his head. "I have things to do."

"Ah, the new task..." Alec nodded a lot of times.

Alec turned to face the two Reapers and moved his fingers as if giving them a signal. The two immediately stood straight while eyes fixed in front.

"Ciar Samonte from 26th division! Ready to serve you, Master Simeon!" the one who's a bit chubby said with full of determination.

"Josh Sia from 26th division. Ready to serve you, Master Simeon!" the tall and skinny one followed.

Alec moved his hand as if dismissing them. The two Reapers immediately turned their back and walked away from them. Simeon sat on the chair as well as Alec who's in his usual position.

"You'll fetch your second soul here?"

"She's not dead yet," Simeon glanced at the sexy nurse who walked in front of them. "Maybe one month from now," he continued and averted his gaze when he heard Alec whistle.

"This is going to be fun," Alec commented on what he saw. "I didn't know that you're interested in girls. I have a lot of women to offer, just tell me what qualities you'd like."

He stared at the newly opened door. Then, a gorgeous pregnant woman went out of the room, fixing her bag on her arm. Simeon can't seem to withdraw his eyes from her. From her brown skin to her shoulder-length hair that swayed whenever she moves, then her slender body that seemed to attract him.

He blinked twice when Alec tapped his shoulder. "You want her?"

Simeon shook his head. "What do you mean I want her? Her soul, maybe..." he stood up and ran his hands to his coat.

"Where are you going?"

He glanced at the woman. "To her... she's the new task."

Simeon felt it. The gorgeous woman, Dahlia Possenti Du Marais is the human whom he will need to look after. A thirty-year-old pediatric surgeon who will die after giving birth. He doesn't know what to feel as he follows her. What would happen to her child if her time comes?

Who would take care of the baby?

He shook his head. That's not my problem anymore.

He was just sent into the human world to collect souls, not to shoulder their problems.