A Reapers Obsession

Part 2 - Crossing The Veil

Veronica knew she must have hit her head or been dreaming. None of what she was hearing made any sense. Who had found her? Who would have even been after her? The bad feeling grew deeper and deeper.

At the instruction of her aunt she began packing the bare minimum and most important of her things. They needed to get somewhere safe and fast. Just as the went for the doorway Xavier stepped out in front of the women blocking them in. “Now isn’t the time to be all neighborly Mr. X!” Veronica protested “We have to go now!” He didn’t budge.

Instead, Xavier looked to Patty, he gave her a look that she seemed to be able to read. Still clueless Veronica tried again to tell him to move. This time he spoke. His voice was deeper than she’s ever heard it before in her 20 years of knowing him. “The Reapers Council has located you, Veronica. The time to shift is now.”

“Shift? Reapers Council? Who are you really and WHAT IS GOING ON!” She demanded. “Time is running out and fast, we have to go!” Patty chimed in pushing both Veronica and Xavier out the door. They made their way to Patty’s car where she drove them away from the city and into the swamplands.

“This is our stop, I can’t go any further. Veronica take this. It has everything you need to know.” Before she could protest Xavier had picked up Veronica and grabbed the envelope from Patty. He carried her deeper into the swamp until patty’s car was no longer visible in the distance.

Xavier set her down and allowed her a moment to catch her breath. He handed her the letter and kept guard while she read the note from her father. It was so vague she only had more questions.

“We have to cross now. She’s waiting for you.” Just as she fixed her mouth to ask who, she fainted. It felt like an eternity but when she came to she was still in the swamp. Only everything was much more dim. Like a heavy dark mist had rolled in coating the world around her.

Scanning her surroundings she realized she was alone here. She tried calling out to Xavier but to her shock the voice responding wasn’t his. “I sent your brother to keep Patty safe.” Said a woman’s voice. Veronica looked to her right and saw a woman with translucent skin, and a skeleton with a light purple hue glowing through.

“Brother?! Am I dead?! What is this..” Is all Veronica could muster. “You’re very much alive, just in the veil. Didn’t they tell you anything?” The woman replied. “Obviously not or I wouldn’t be confused now would I? I have to be dead, there’s no way I’m talking to a ghost right now.” Veronica snapped with an almost irritated tone.

“Ghost is close but no. I’m a Reaper, Veronica. I’m your mother, Daphne. You’re not supposed to exist. Really did no one tell you anything?” The words made Veronica dizzy. She’d heard the myths growing up. The creatures lurking in the shadows, claiming souls when it’s their time.

A whirlwind of questions swirled around Veronica, just as she began to faint again Daphne caught her. “Snap out of it we don’t have much time!” She whispered seeming more paranoid now.

“The Reaper Council found out about you. The head of the council came after your father and has been sending others to look for you. A hybrid can be dangerous causing an imbalance for our worlds. We don’t have long until your Reaper is awakened. I have to get you ready.” said Daphne like this was a normal everyday thing.

Out of the mist a small wooden boat appeared in the nearby water. Daphne carried her daughter on and the mist carried them down the bay. Starting to regain her consciousness, Veronica began to take it all in. She had to remind herself to breath more than once. She had a mother. The thought made her uneasy as her aunt and uncle were the only parents she’d ever known.

As they floated Daphne explained how she met Luco, how Veronica was born, that Xavier is her older half brother, & how the lord of the Reaper Council was hunting Veronica down. “The last time there was a hybrid, it weakened the veil. Lord Zėkor himself had to take the hybrid to the realm of the dead and destroy them.” she finished.

This was a lot of information all at once. Veronica was able to put together so many pieces of her life. She had always wondered why Xavier was so protective over her family.

Everything made so much more sense to her but there was still one burning question; what happened to her dad? If she was his heir why was she still poor? She had wondered if his estate wasn’t much of an estate after all.

Before she could say audibly what was on her mind they came upon a faint, violet orb in the water, big enough for the boat to cross through. It wasn’t perfectly circle. It had wavy edges and seemed to be softly pulsating. “What is that thing?” She asked her mother. “ That is the portal to the underworld. Welcome home kiddo.”.