Gate of Psuche

Chapter 2: Land of Psuche

CHAPTER 2

LAND OF PSUCHE

Effy Labroso – a tall, medium-sized third-year highschool delinquent of Jojo High School, is walking with his friends to eat their lunch while playing a handkerchief, just twenty-five minutes after the recess, on the stairs leading the rooftop. One of his friend forgot to bring his food. There were four of them.

“Yo, I forgot my lunchbox. Will ya share your food?” the first bloke smiled greedily.

“Aw, c’mon man. Just go buy some noodles in the cafeteria. Stupid.” - The second bloke answered.

“We’re almost on the rooftop. You’re coming with me HAHAHA!”

“Hey you two, buy me some pizza!” the third bloke called out.

“Nah, you buy it yourself, come with us.”

“It’s good if this school sells soda” - Effy added.

“Wanna come with us Effy? Were going to the cafeteria.” - The third bloke suggested.

“I’ll just wait for you on the rooftop. I want to take some slack off my shoulders.”

The three of his friends went walking downstairs. Effy finally took a step on the rooftop. He then went to the front door of the dressing room, just a meter straight ahead from the stairs, and immediately took piss.

“Ah, just the right time” he whispered, and giggled.

He looked at the view of his right side while urinating, and saw a moss flying over his head as he wondered,

“Aren’t mosses nocturnal creatures?” – going to his left.

There, he saw Gian standing on the edge of the balcony, outside the fence of the rooftop. For a second, he was confused, but then realized there is a boy who is about to jump off the rooftop.

He quickly run towards the boy as he was putting his pants on and screamed,

“Don’t jump! MOROOOOOOON!!!

Gian heard him as Gian took the leap. Gian fell and smiled at Effy. Surprisingly, Effy jumped on the fence and catched Gian’s left ankle. Effy’s left arm is holding the edge of the balcony, while his right arm is holding Gian. Effy was biting his handkerchief he was trying to pull Gian, while hanging on the balcony. Effy’s carotid artery in his neck showed up, as well as in his arms and head. Effy knew his life is on the line, and the balcony was wet, but Effy didn’t complain at all. He thought of his sexy, voluptuous Health Teacher which gave him the adrenaline to pull Gian and himself harder. The Reaper was watching them.

“Miss, I’m gonna - “ -Effy struggled

Gian on the other hand, is shocked from their situation. He wanted to die peacefully. Effy managed to pull Gian a little bit, but Effy’s hand slipped off the balcony. It was wet. The shoes of Gian was wet. Gian and Effy fell together. Gian’s peaceful death is now ruined by Effy. While Effy thought of his sexy teacher and cried. Effy saw a flashback of his family, fun times at school, and the fancy foods he enjoyed as he fell. One of Effy’s friend saw him falling and screaming on the third floor while they are walking on the stairs. He quickly ran towards the corridor and looked down. His eyes were in shock.

“EFFY!”- he screamed.

The Grim Reaper in a red cloak readied his black scythe. When the boys were in its range, the Reaper swung its scythe perfectly and it pierced through the body of the boys. The scythe passed through their body, but their souls were hanging, pierced on the Reaper’s scythe. Their souls were unconscious and just before they hit the ground, Nadine Maundy – a pretty, short, blond, petite girl with blue eyes, was running to catch up to her class, Gian hit her on top of her head accidentally, prompting her seizure. Looking back for the reason of her seizure, she fell on the stairs when she was two-years old, leaving an injury to her brain. Even though having a life with brain damage, she is a smart girl, and sometimes she participates in quiz bee events in the school. Most of the boys in her batch admired her. Their bodies are on the ground, and Nadine is having a seizure.

The classroom near the accident heard a loud sound. The teacher in the class looked outside and saw three bodies. She only recognized Nadine. Effy’s friends came running from the stairs in the side, took a short pause, and came running towards the crowd. Nadine’s body is still in seizure. Her teacher was calm and she has warned everyone not to get closer to the scene because that is the only thing they can do. When the boys got nearer, they saw Nadine having a seizure, then Effy’s body lying on blood coming from his head. Tears came out upon seeing Effy. They also saw the body of Gian. The Reaper was about to leave, taking the bodies of Gian and Effy with it, but it looked back for a second. It saw the heart of Nadine, that is about to stop beating…

The Reaper dashed into the crowd and swung its scythe, pulling Nadine’s soul out from her chest, while the souls of the boys are pierced in it – like a leaf hanging on its tree blown by a strong wind. The Reaper took Nadines’ soul, and she stopped convulsing. The medics arrived, and one of them checked their pulses. All three of them have pulses and their bodies were placed on the stretcher. The medics took them inside the ambulance and went to Jojo District Hospital.

The Reaper with souls went inside a black hole. While travelling inside the black hole, it contacted a Montgomery – a monster that lives in the Land of Psuche using an apparition.

“Senior, I have a gift for you. But you still have to wait as usual.” – the Grim

Reaper spoke with its deep voice.

The monster replied,

“WAHAHAHA! Good, good, if I can eat that, you might be considered by Lord Montgomery - like me! WAHAHAHA. Those souls will be the hundredth food”

The Grim Reaper arrived in the Academy in the Land of Psuche. Thousands of Grim Reapers wearing a red cloak gathered in there, bringing human souls with them. The Academy is made up of white space. Everything is white, the floor is white, the ceiling is white, although there is no source of light, it was bright inside. There are windows, but it only shows a blue sky. The Reaper who took Gian’s soul placed them on the ground. The Reaper tapped the white floor vigorously, Gian, Effy, and Nadine’s soul woke up. They are not naked, they are wearing their school uniforms.

“Aw man, the heck was that.” Effy talked as he touched the back of his head.

Gian was just silent and is looking down.

Nadine screamed as she saw the Grim Reaper’s horrifying look. She looked around her, and saw thousands of Grim Reapers and souls. She screamed louder.

The Grim Reaper was annoyed,

“SILENCE WOMAN! Do you want to disgrace your father? You are the only one screaming!”

“Wh-who are you? No, what are you?” – Nadine asked in a frightened voice.

“What’s this place, Oh! I’m gonna be late for my class, see you around hihi” – Nadine tried to look for an exit. The Grim Reaper didn’t respond.

“We are dead. I’m sorry.” – Gian cried.

“I jumped off the rooftop and fell. You were on the way, I hit you first before hitting the ground. I’m truly sorry! I dragged you guys here. I thought-“

Nadine started crying.

“DON’T GIVE ME THAT CRAP! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?! WHY DID YOU EVEN JUMPED IN THE FIRST PLACE YOU MORON. LOOKED AT WHAT YOU DID, WE’RE DEAD NOW! ARE YOU HAPPY? HUH!? YOU EVEN- URGHHH FREAK YOU!!!!!” – Effy nagged at Gian with a vulgar sign on his hand.

Gian was looking while Effy was nagging him out.

Gian dropped his knee and begged for their forgiveness.

“I DIDN’T MEAN TO DRAG YOU GUYS!! I THOUGHT I COULD DIE PEACEFULLY! I’M TRULY TRULY TRULY TRULY TRULY TRULYYYYY SORRY FOR WHAT HAPPENED! THERE’S NOTHING I COULD DO NOW. WE’RE DEAD!” - he screamed and cried.

The ceiling of the Academy opened. Gian stopped crying and everyone looked at it. The Grim Reapers in a red cloak disappeared. Angels came down, together with a Grim Reaper in a white cloak, and took each soul. An angel came closer to them, but it was alone. From that moment, the three students of Jojo High School had a short relief.

Nadine cried pleasantly,

“So, this is my time. I’m going to miss my mom, Tan-tan, and everyone..”

Effy concluded happily,

“I never thought I’m going to heaven. What the f*ck.”

Gian was frozen. The angel dashed to Effy and a sword appeared from the angel’s right hand out of nowhere, and thrust it into Effy’s mouth and said,

“Manners, young lad. You are not in the Human Realm anymore. Every time you speak vulgarly, you will be spitting blood."

Effy nodded. Nadine was confused and she asked,

“Blood? Do souls bleed? We are dead, that doesn’t make sense.”

“Allow me to explain. You are not dead. Your souls were taken by the Red Reaper to be judged here. You will still have a body function just like in your world. If you have the will and gut to fight, you will be given another chance to go back in the Human Realm. You will decide your own fate in the Land of Psuche. As of the moment, your bodies are in coma. You only have one goal, reach The Gate, to be able to go home. But I warn you, if you will be struck again by the Red Reaper’s scythe, you will not be able to go back in your world. You will either go to heaven, or go to hell.“

“Where is this ‘Gate’? And how do we survive from the Red Reaper? I do not think we can run from it if we get to meet it.” – Nadine replied.

“Red Reaper will only appear in front of The Gate, by that time your abilities should be honed enough to beat it. Grim Reapers don’t die, so you don’t have to worry about it. They will just turn back to their egg form, and you should be able to pass through The Gate without a problem.”

“A-abilities? – Gian spoke.

“Yes, but before I give you your abilities, please take this charm with you. Hold this properly. This will guide you as you travel the Land of Psuche.”

The angel gave Gian a small doll that is only twice the size of his thumb. Its head is only a skull. It has no hair, and is wearing a shirt with a black jacket, and a ripped jeans. It has a pair of black shoes. It looked liked a normal toy doll. He placed it inside his pocket.

The angel spoke once again,

“I will give you now your abilities."

It chanted,

“Thrice, Ku Jsoog, Ku Vyaa, He mToo.”

Everyone was looking vibrant as the angel chanted. Then, it suddenly disappeared after chanting. They didn’t understand the chant. But they didn’t think of it at all. They just found themselves already falling in the sky. Gian screamed, Nadine screamed as she held her skirt, but Effy was just having fun.

“Why are you guys screaming? You think we would die from this after all those talk? We have abilities you know.”

“How do we activate our abililties, or super powers or whatever it is. Just use it now!!” – Nadine shouted.

“We don’t even know what it is” – Effy smiled uncomfortably.

“No, no, no, no, no, this is unfair!”

While Nadine and Effy were talking, Gian was just out there shouting for his life. They saw the tress down below. And when they are almost on the ground they splat on the surface. They broke their bones. But Gian is still screaming with a weird voice. He has no air to produce sound. After a second, Gian’s pocket began glowing, they were all suddenly healed. Like nothing happened. Effy reached his hand to Gian's pocket, and found the charm from the angel before.

Effy wondered,

“This thing saved our lives. I will take a hold of this.”

“No, angel gave it to me, I should be the one holding it!” – Gian replied.

“You?! Do you even have the guts to live? You just had your suicidal leap ya know? You can just die ‘peacefully’ here.”

Gian remembered the bad things that happened to him in school. He did not answer.

Nadaine was confused.

Suddenly, the Red Reaper showed up in front of them as they indulge themselves in silence. Effy noticed it first. It has a very thick black aura this time, and its scythe is red.

“W-wait, isn’t it too early for it to show up?!” – Nadine was horrified and took a step back.

Everyone was frightened by the look of the Red Reaper.

The Red Reaper looked at the charm Effy was holding, then looked at Effy. Without a hesitation, the Red Reaper came charging to Effy holding its weapon. Effy tried to run. But as he was trying to run, he saw Gian standing and didn’t even move.

“C’mon, let’s run.” – He grabbed Nadine’s wrist and took a step behind.

Gian took a step forward. Effy and Nadine were shocked, but they continue to run. They didn’t have the time to call out Gian.

The Red Reaper came after them, while dashing holding its scythe. It ignored Gian and passed over him. Gian held it’s cloak without looking back. The Reaper was shocked. He was dragged back. The Reaper tried to cut Gian's neck while being dragged back. But he missed. He flew in the opposite direction. He bounced on a huge tree just in front of them. He looked at Gian, and saw a huge smoke on Gian's head resembling a tiger. Gian’s pupils were blue…

End of Chapter 2