Grim Reaper on Speed Dial

Seven Had No Other Choice

Faolan P.o.v

Da, Noah and I wander through the dark hallways trying to find an exit, then when we finally find it we start speeding up to approach it but there are three Reaper Guardians there. One with an unshakable air of familiarity, and two others with some definite aggression just waiting to get out. Noah, Da and I freeze, then start inching forward slowly, curious as to what they'll do and desperate to get out.

"Our purpose is to kill the twisted"

"We have been assigned to this area"

"you are endangering yourselves"

"turn back"

"or prove your desperation to leave with your strength"

"convince us you won't twist"

"convince us you are strong enough to fight" their voices overlap just slightly, and I shiver. They want us to fight to the door. Da and Noah stand in front of me and the Reapers shake their head.

"you must all fight", one of the aggressive ones say with a pointed look towards me. Both Noah and Da bristle, and the two aggressive ones step forward. There is a split second lag then they both launch so fast I flinch back. The familiar Reaper approaches me once the boys and the other two Reapers have pushed their fight towards the edges of the hall, the clashes sound deadly and the boys grunt with effort. I cringe against the sounds of their pain, and I release a small cry when a spatter of blood hits my face from Da. I realize then that I'm shaking, and breathing heavily. The third Reaper kneels before me and it's blacked out helmet is right by my face, like it's staring at me from under its hood. The familiarity of this Reaper bugs me but the fear bugs me more. I clutch onto one of my art pencils under the bag on my lap desperately, ready to shank this guy if I can. The Reaper reaches around it's back and very slowly and very calmly pulls out its scythe. I whip out my pencil and aim for under its helmet, closing my eyes. I feel my pencil puncture something, and then the edge of its helmet cuts my hand and I cry out and pull back, abandoning my pencil in whatever it stuck in. The Reaper puts back its scythe and with its other hand pulls out my pencil, which is now coated in something metallic silver and run through with dark grey. The Reaper smears a line of the blood-is stuff down my face under my left eye and I stare at its black helmet, nearly frozen in fear. The Reaper stands and pulls back, then gets out of my way from the door. I roll past it then turn my chair around to see what's going on with Noah and Da. Da is growling almost ferally, like Osin when she fought, and he clashes viciously with his Reaper. I wince as I see the huge wounds on him. When I look over at Noah I full on flinch, his left arm is up against his chest and completely bloodied and useless. I start breathing harder than I was in my own fight then the Reaper I fought holds up a fist, and immediately the other Reapers stop and go to the middle of the hallway.

"Don't ever return" The Reaper hisses then the door to the outside opens, and Da, Noah and I flee quickly. For the first time since the bunker that I remember I take a full breath. My lungs fill up and I sigh out in content as I hear the door shut behind us. When I open my eyes, the breath gets knocked out of me by the view and it takes me a second to actually absorb it all. Noah is limping and holding his limp arm to his chest with his other one that is shaking horribly. Da is also limping slightly and favoring his stomach. They both pant heavily, I cradle my hand to my chest as it stings in protest to everything. Da puts his hands on the handles of my wheelchair slightly and leans into it, then starts pushing me towards the woods. Noah follows slowly, we move at a slow crawl of a walk.

    By the time night falls, the space around my hand where I got it cut on the Reapers helmet looks infected, silver-ish grey lines run up my veins up to my wrist. Noah has gained some use of his arm and Da wrapped it in shreds from one of his shirts, I've had to rewrap my hand in those twice now. Noah had to help Da make himself some crutches because I think he broke his leg or tore something important. I avoid looking at it even though it's wrapped as well now. Normally I'm not the squeamish type, but I'm so tired, so so tired. I fall asleep multiple times as we walk until Noah and Da stop and start to make camp for us. After they've put up a fire and I've been staring at it for awhile I start to itch my neck and when my fingers brush up against my collar I look to Da.

"Can we take these off?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"It's even more important now than ever to have these on since we have no protection and are vulnerable right now, we need to be as hidden from the twisted as possible." He responds gently and deep down I know he's right but I still let my hand drop with a huff and look down. Noah moved to sit next to me, and helps me out of my wheelchair then holds me close to him, with an arm around my waist. I take a deep breath and try to fall asleep. I hear Da settle out and get comfortable in his own space, and I only fall asleep when I hear everyone else's breathing even out.

Winnifred p.o.v

"We are bounty hunters of a sort, though unlike most we stay in this general area rather than traveling, most of the time. We take out twisted that are past their s**t crazy" Allysa says quietly. I notice the measure and particularity of her words. She is trusting me to understand them, and the look she gives me is slightly remorseful and hopeful at the same time. She will kill me if I try to call Reaper Guardians on her if she has to, but she hopes she won't.

"I don't blame you for not seeing the signs earlier, once we train you it'll be fairly easy to gauge the soul level of people and how twisted they are. That is if you wish to be trained." The implication is clear that it's do that or die. "Given how sheltered you were in Cicadia, I'll understand if you have some, specific views on 'the twisted', but not all of us are so horrid." I don't speak for a long time, and neither does Allysa. I find that I am perfectly comfortable in the silence with her even as my mind reels from my thoughts.

"would I have to turn?" I ask a little more timidly than I'd have preferred.

"no no no, we would avoid that at all costs. Only the turned go on the hunt by the way, we hunt the broken, to sate our own needs so that we don't hurt the innocent. It's not ideal but it works. I would never willingly subject you to this or wish it on my worst enemy, well, except maybe a Reaper Guardian. That'd be interesting to see" Allysa says and allows herself a small childish smile. I find myself returning it, but I soon lose it when I think of Osin. If she had just kept a little more secret, maybe she could have gotten out with me and lived here, safe. Welcome even.

"What is it?" Allysa asks me kindly.

"Nothing of importance. I'll stay here, thank you for your kindness" I say with a quick nod then I get up and start looking for any exit to this conversation uncomfortably. I see the med hut and start on my way back there.

"We'll get you your own room in a hut soon. We share home huts here by the way."

"So I'll be with another chick?" I ask bluntly.

"unless you're a single lesbian, then we'll wait until you're with a girl to put you with her, same with the guys. I'll ask you tomorrow, for tonight I am too tired to retain such knowledge though" Allysa says then I see her walk back towards a group of huts in a different direction than the med hut.