Checkmate

First Company

I dozed off while waiting. I jolted back awake when I was tapped on the shoulder by someone, luckily I wasn't holding the scythe or he. might turn into dust, no really, I don't really know what the scythe does however it does add to the style. As I jolted back awake, I went ahead and asked him "What's your name child?" He responded, "Derek, and you?" Atticus, call me Atticus, I said. As we were about to walk the few kilometers to the light. I asked what he wanted to talk about. He responded, "Anything."

I asked Derek what his story was and what happened, he responded "I got into an accident rushing to my friends house thinking he'd taken his own life. While I was trying to recover in the hospital, he was there, perfectly healthy and alive. He apologized and said that it was a joke initiated by the rest of our friend group for me to rush to his home for my surprise birthday party, I was supposed to be 18." As he finished the story, I said "Now that's a mean joke isn't it?" That joke costed an 18 year old his whole life and future ahead of him. He was silent after I said those words, to break the silence I said "Happy Birthday by the way, and don't worry, I'm sure you'll have fun on the other side of those blinding lights."

He probably got curious which led him to ask "What's on the other side Atticus?" and I thought to myself, I don't really know what's on the other side. So I said "You know, I'm not really sure of what's beyond those lights. I was set to accompany people in their journey after I won a game of chess and having successfully defeated the previous reaper."

He responded with excitement " Oh! Really? Tell me the story now." So I told him the story of how I walked through the light and saw the reaper with a chess board. The story I told made his jaw drop. Not going to lie, if someone told me that story, my jaw would probably drop too. After the story he said "It's much more colorful than I expected it to be, the trees are alive and there's a proper pathway." So I said " Yeah it's much more than what people expect, they expect dead trees and a scary reaper to be standing there waiting to collect their soul." As we stood a couple meters from the light, I said, "Here now, walk into the light to the other side." He smiled at me and took a step forward as I turned around to walk back. Before I did I called out and said "Oh, and Happy Birthday Kid."

Walking back alone it made me realize how much I lost. I had so much more ahead of me too. I had friends who treated me like family, and I treated them like family too. All I know is, I'm hoping my family is happy in the land of the living. I'm also hoping they're enjoying what time they have. Being chosen as the new reaper actually made me feel worthy. I just hope my family won't join me so soon here. I want them to live a full life.

To be honest, what Derek said is true, it really is much more colorful than what they expect. There's living trees and it's peaceful and cold too. I think the only difference between here and the world of the living is that this place has less people coming by so the beauty could be preserved, and I like it that way too. There's a clean small lake beside my space where the pup can bathe or play.

Halfway to making it back, I saw a puppy. It looked sad. So I carried the puppy back to my space. I've been lonely here. I've been wanting to just walk to the other side. However, I think I've found my purpose. Certainly I want to hear more of these stories, thankfully I haven't seen a little one yet. I hope I won't see one entirely for the length of my journey.

I hung out with the pup, I found out the pup is female. Eventually she dozed off, I dozed off a couple of minutes after too. As I jolted awake, I uttered, what a strange dream. I dreamt of my family back when I was alive. We were gathered around a table, eating and having a good time, but then everything went wrong and I collapsed. Then to now, when I jolted awake.

I got to thinking what I'm missing out on. I was supposed to be an intern a couple months after I was admitted and eventually passed on. I thought how stressful but fun medical school could've been. I could be saving lives right now, but here I am accompanying their souls instead of doing everything I could to save them. Not that I'm complaining, at least I have this pup to accompany me now too.

This has been a nice moment, meeting someone. The previous reaper did not lie, I really would have fun here, I just hope it won't take me 400 years to find someone worthy to be the next reaper. Who knows though, it could take 400, 500, even a thousand years. For now I'll enjoy what time I have here with the pup I found, but I guess she's my pup now. I hope she wouldn't run into the light which would cost me losing my dear new friend who loves to play and sleep a lot.

I guess I should just rest now, wait and be ready for the next person I'd accompany to the light. However I can't seem to get myself to sleep. So I went and sat by the lake. As I was there, staring into the water, I saw the reflection of a woman, which caused me to jump up and into the water, that clearly left her laughing out what's left of her life.