Shadow Under the Starlight

10. That's okay

The realisation dawned on her as she watched the chaos unfold before her. The sirens growing closer, hushed voices murmuring could be heard as a crowd gathered, every person preying from another for a bit of information to satisfy their curiosity.

She stood over the limp body helpless, any attempts to brush off the smudged hair mixed with blood off her forehead went in vain. Neither could she pick up ringing phone with a few cracks inches away, all she could do was read the name over and over breaking her heart.

"Ahn Haneul aged 28 born on 9 of May 1995, on 7 June 2023 you were hit by a car dying on impact at 2:45pm." Taking her eyes off the sheet of paper from the black notebook, her gaze fell on the girl kneeling over her phone trying her best to carry off the ground. "Haneul, is that correct?"

Haneul turned towards the voice towering over her, with her palm wiping away her tears. "You can see me." Had been all that left lips, her arms went around her knees hugging them tightly as she watched the paramedics rush over the her body.

"I am here to escort you." Isla said her gaze on the scene before them briefly before she was squatting beside the girl. "Ahn Haneul is your name?"

A swift head nod and a light smile she glanced at her only company, the only one that could see her and hear her without placing much strain on her voice — she did not need to scream until her lungs gave out.

"Yes, I'm Haneul."

"Walk with me." Isla stood holding out her hand covered in black gloves. Haneul hesitantly took her hand getting on her feet as well, one last glance at her body being driven away in an ambulance she turned to Isla who had her eyes on her.

"Where to Haneul?"

"My mum."

Isla felt the girl's hand slip out hers as soon as she saw her house before them, rushing through the walls.

"She doesn't know yet."

We're Haneul's words as soon as Isla appeared beside her. Her mother had been mindlessly cutting up vegetables and Haneul knew exactly what she was going to prepare, tears rolled down her face as she gripped onto her dress.

"It's only a matter of minutes now." Isla mumbled staring at the ground phone in the room.

"Can you tell her something for me." she asked staring at her mother wiping her hands on the white towel to answer the ringing phone. Only a matter of seconds before her smile would be robbed.

Isla humed her eyes on the woman.

Her face fell along with the ground phone, her knees buckled as all strength left her body with those words from the other line, she had lost her daughter just like that.

Haneul knelt beside her mother, her hand tried to grasp hers to provide a bit of comfort for both of them but all efforts went to a waste.

Isla knelt before the heartbroken mother, her hands resting on her shoulder she was once again visible to the living. Lightly smiled at woman before giving Haneul a nod to speak.

"I told you I don't like seeing my beautiful mother cry, I would wipe your tears but I can't touch you anymore. This kind grim reaper here told me I could give you a long heart felt speech but I don't know what I should say to you for the last time that would make it better—” Haneul choked back her words as she watched at her mother breaking down, once more.

"You have to endure this world a little longer without me.”

Another shot at it, she tried wiping away the tears rolling down her cheeks, only for her to pass through her.

A hand over hers, Isla pulled Haneul's hand over her mother's cheek again and this time she managed to brush away her tears.

Haneul sobbed feeling her mothers touch over her hand. "I love you mom." eyes filled with tears both of them as they held eye contact. "I love you too, my little star." Mrs. Ahn smiled staring at her daughter a few seconds before she began to fade a smile on her face as well.

"She's gone." Isla whispered her gaze fixed where Haneul knelt, her hand lightly brushing over her left cheek. Pulling her hand out the woman's grasp she stood pulling out the notebook from her coat, she watched as the ink on Haneul's page lightly engulfed in fire leaving a blanket page.

"She'll be alright ma'am." Isla switched off the woman's stove before the food burnt and caused a hazard. One last glance at her she teleported herself out, leaving her in solitude.

§

Isla glared at the café written 'Grim Beginnings' once more, she was not a huge fan of the name. One last glare at the name she pushed past the doors walking through doors.

It was a two story cafe, with the first floor acting as the café welcome to all (grim reapers) who loved a warm beverages. The second floor had a couple offices she and others found useful in terms of weaponry or information and tasks briefing.

"Were you crying?" A head rested on her shoulder as soon as she stood in the café, soaking in the interior.

"I was not." Isla denied running her thumb over her cheeks again, just to make sure she did a good job erasing evidence as her words claimed.

"It doesn't get better, does it."

"It's death." Isla pointed out glancing at Sage standing beside her.

The woman's long black hair was tied up in a high ponytail, she had on a dress shirt like Isla but white along with black loosely dress pants. The sleeves were rolled up which was something Isla never did especially on the job.

Sage walked over to the counter/mini bar, pouring her a glass of water she grinned at girl as she handed her the glass cup.

Isla stared at the water then back at Sage, twice, before taking the cup to her lips taking a chug.

"I have a question." Isla spoke placing the empty cup down, as she found comfort in the stool.

"What—"

"Can human beings see ghosts, touch them and harm them." She asked interrupting Sage before she could even complain or say no.

Sage glared but answered nevertheless. "Psychics, they can do all that and they're very rare to find. They also happen to be in danger if evil spirits know they can be seen by anyone other than you reapers." She said staring at Isla.

The moment Isla opened her mouth slightly, Sage spoke giving her no room to ask anything yet. "Taking over a human body which you, Isla, call being possessed, is different when it's a psychic because they don't limit the spirits powers. Teleportation, neither is their strength compressed plus the added advantage of a being physically able to touch, break, harm things in the living world."

"They are basically the same but physical form."

"Exactly, which would be a pain in the ass for you." Sage pulled out a clear quartz crystal necklace from her pockets handing it over to Isla. "And that's why you need to give this to that human of yours."

"You knew."

Immensely staring at the necklace Isla stared back at Sage.

"I'm above all grim reapers, of course I knew." Sage mocked her making the same confused face Isla had — well now she was glaring at the woman. "She should never take that off and that ghost/spirit or wandering soul of yours won't be able to possess her either."

"You're still upset." Isla said amused while out taking the necklace from Sage.

"She isn't supposed to be here!" Sage hissed.

With a shrug Isla spoke, "I can't exactly send her off if I don't know her last name and where exactly to take her."

"If you wanted to you would have sent her off regardless." Sage sighed. "I can't believe you even told my grim reapers to stand down." She pinched the bridge of her nose trying to calm down.

"You like Eda because if you wanted to you would!" Isla laughed, pointing out the fact they all liked Eda.

"Still doesn't cover up for the first twenty years of havoc she caused before turning 'good' she says!"

"I am good dear old Sage!" Eda pinched in appearing behind Sage, a wide grin on her face.

"Use the door!" Sage glared, a hand over her chest. She hated when Eda did this — she was very close to banning her, she had special privileges and she was abusing it.

"I can't touch it!"

Isla stood staring at the two caught up in a argument. No one was brave enough to start a fight with Sage here, none of the grim reapers but Eda, she never backed down even if she knew a snap of her fingers and she'd be in hell.

"We're leaving Eda."

"Yes Boss!" Eda stood beside Isla now a smile over her face. "We have a place to be." She added clinging onto Isla's coat.

"Don't miss me too much!" She managed to blow a flying kiss before Sage through the glass, they were gone and broken shards laid on the floor.