IF: Life and Death

Chapter 8: 30 Days as a Substitute Soul Collector

30 Days as a Substitute Soul Collector"No you're not really dead, dead," Death chuckles again and they could've sworn he purrs for a moment, "it's a figure of speech."

Eyrin could've sworn her heart stopped for a few moments. She can't regain her composure just yet and just stays unmoved, sweat beading on her temples.

"What do you want?" Leo asks again, shooting glares while clenching his jaw.

"I told you," Death's expression changes. It suddenly becomes grim and when he looks at him, Leo can tell his eyes changed from black to crimson**** color of blood, "I don't want anything from you," he repeats himself and in a snap of his fingers, Leo cannot feel his own body.

Death takes steps closer to Eyrin, who's still stunned about everything that's happening. Death crouches and in front of her, wraps his coat around her, and then pats her head. He then smiles and with a gust of wind, Leo is on his knees, grasping for air. When he looks around, they're gone********** Eyrin.

———

"There is no way I'm going to do that."

One minute Eyrin was so flabbergasted she couldn't even get on her feet and run away from Heritage Park and then the next second she's glaring at Death, standing fearlessly on top of the Aura Tower.

Death's supervisors, called Reapers*** she just recently knew****** stand in circle around them but unlike earlier at the cemetery, Eyrin is less afraid.

She should not be afraid at all, she believes, specially when Death itself is asking for an unusual favor.

"I'm not asking you for a favor," Death counters, as if reading what's on her mind. "This is a negotiation." Death's face become more serious. He even put on his mask, and when he does, his clothes ripped apart and his famous hooded shroud hugs his physique at the same time his scythe appears on his right hand.

"Heed me," Death speaks, his voice booming in the open space. It echoes inside Eyrin's mind. It sounds piercing, totally different from what she hears when he's talking in the form of that blonde psychopath wearing a suit and tie.

For a moment, Eyrin thinks he's pretending, trying to seem uncanny**** that thought shatters away when she realizes one thing.

She's literally talking to death.

Death knows no pretend. It doesn't pretend to care nor pretend to distinguish. Death looks cunning, but in that scheme, she feels comfort.

As she stares at it, ashes smoke out of its eyes so hollow, she can fathom unending darkness**** it feels seductive.

Death itself is inviting.

Her pain, hatred, disgust, and anger subside as she welcomes its presence as the warmest caress she will never find in the living world.

She suddenly wants to give in, taking little steps closer, her hand reaching to touch its face.

"Take me," her mind voices out that only she can hear. As she inches closer, everything becomes calmer.

Death clears its throat and with a snap of a finger, it takes its previous form.

Eyrin stops on her tracks, realizing her face is only an inch away from that psychopath.  She looks away, fuming.

Death chuckles. "Take the task, Eyrin. Be my soul collector just for 30 days," he says.

"What's in it for me?" she asks. "Why did you even choose me?" And though she already knows the answer, she waits for Death's confirmation.

"You can see them and to collect, all that you need it to touch them, and I can give that to you," he explains and from his pocket he shows her a medallion. "This is my essence. Wear this and the dead will fear you. They're so much easy to collect when they're afraid."

"Why should I do that?" she asks, wanting to know what it will benefit her.

"Well, think of it as doing your late friend a favor," Death answers. Eyrin doesn't understand him at first but his hand gestures get her knowing that he's talking about Leo. "He's not supposed to be dead, yet. And the fate that awaits souls that aren't in the collections list yet, believe me when I say they're up to a bad fate in the afterlife."

Eyrin looks at him in a questioning look, trying to act nonchalant about the matter so Death can elaborate.

"When you become a soul collector for 30 days, I will collect his soul. He will cross over and I'll make sure you'll see it yourself. Do we have a deal?" Death extends his hand, waiting for Eyrin's, so they can finally seal the contract.

"What happens when his soul is not collected?" she asks, starting to sound so worried.

"For 40 days, Rippers will come after him so make a deal now," he answers starting to sound impatient as his hand still reaches for hers.

"Rippers?"

Death groans and just diverts his annoyance to the closest plant near him. For the roots it starts to wither and when it reaches the last petal, it turns to dusts. He heaves a deep sigh and when he looks back at her, a smile is already plastered on his face.

"You have so many questions, dear," he brushes his hair back to tuck in lose strands, "but I promise all will be answered when your task commences."

"I promise the both of you safety but I'm sensing you want to bargain something else," his smiles grows wider, "what is it that you want?"

Silence hangs around them for a few moments before Eyrin musters the courage to speak up. "Take it away."

Death is confused or at least he's trying to. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"The curse to see the dead. Take it away."

Death then again reaches his hand, now glowing golden. "Deal?"

Hesitant at first, Eyrin still finds herself agreeing to act for Death's bidding. "Deal."

Death smile's widened when Eyrin finally extends her hand for a shake. His eyes glow red and as if it's not enough to make Eyrin shivers, he laughs and dark smoke dances around her yet again.

Eyrin looks around, bewildered, trying to get out of the small twister encasing her. But it's too late. Her feet cannot feel the ground and Death's true form looking up at her is the last thing she sees before she's literally thrown off the building. The next thing she knows, she's back at the cemetery, landing on her butt, fortunately unscathed. Leo is still there.

"What happened?" Leo asks while helping her get up. "I was worried," he adds.

Eyrin looks away and spends moments to compose herself. She clears her throat before she finally managed to look at him. "We have lots of things to discuss."

Leo is baffled. To add more confusion Eyrin continues, "I'll start by saying we have no choice but to be substitute soul collectors in the next thirty days."

"It's not like soul collectors are real!" Leo jokes, clutching his stomach while faking a laugh to imply how crazy Eyrin sounds that time.

"You're a ghost and here I am talking to you," she snaps. "Let's talk somewhere else, we don't have much time."

She leads the way. Leo's brows furrowed. Eyrin's attitude suddenly escalated that quickly. Eyrin thinks the same. She doesn't think she will have to change herself to adapt to the things that needs to be done. She really wants to get rid of her curse and working with Death is the worse but only option she has.

She's desperate, yes, but she doesn't seem to give a damn about it.

"We just met and you invited me in your room? Are you trying to seduce me?" Leo grabs the covers and clutches it to his chest, acting frightened.

"Stop," Eyrin snatches the covers away and neatly fixed her bed. "touching my things," she concludes, hiding her face behind her hair. "How can you even touch things anyway?"

The confusion she felt when she's realized how in the world did she end up in someone else's room dawns on her again.

"I don't know." Leo shrugs his shoulder. "All I know is that I can touch things whenever I'm with you," he picks up the ball from his bedroom floor, throwing it from one hand to the other, "Maybe you're that special."

He smiles and that dimple on his right cheek makes its way to the spotlight yet again. Eyrin looks away, flushed, and she does not understand why. She then averts her attention to her bedside table, rummages something in the drawer and pulls out a pen and black notebook.

"What's that?" Eyrin shudders. He feels Leo's breath behind her neck, so warm it feels like he's alive. "A Death Note?" Leo giggles before he throws himself to the bed, acting as comfortable as he always does.

"Kind of," Eyrin says but the words come out more like a whisper. Her thoughts are focused more on her tasks than what Leo has to say at that moment. She looks for the medallion Death gave her and upon digging it from her deep side pocket, she puts it down the table where it made a clang.

Leo screamed.

When Eyrin looks his way, he's already fallen from the bed, looking at her with his brows furrowed. He seems afraid.

"What the hell is that?" he asks, torn from wanting to see it closer and wanting to get rid of it.

Eyrin scans the medallion the table. It's the size of a compact mirror dangling on a silver chain necklace. It's design is so intricate that it took her brain longer than usual to realize what it is. The silver saucer is designed with souls that are seemingly desperate to get out. Their faces are screaming and their eyes are pleading but the glowing jade stone on the center acts as if it's pulling them down, not letting a single soul escape.

"Death told me this is going to protect us," she finally speaks. "And it will allow me to collect souls."

"Woah chill there, Hellraiser," Leo stands up, grabbing a clothe from the couch and throwing it to cover the medallion so he can take a step closer to Eyrin, "Are you really serious about this? Making a deal with Death? Are you out of your mind?"

Eyrin chuckles but at the same time it makes her cringe. "Well, maybe I am," she confirms.

Leo heaves a deep sigh before he sits back on the bed. "So when are we going to start?"

"We?" Eyrin asks, a bit surprised. "I don't want to drag you in this."

"Well I did drag you in this. Let me help. Just fill me in," Leo says casually.

"Death said all questions will be answered once we started the task. First day is tomorrow, I believe."

"Well then!" Eyrin almost jumps out off her seat when Leo stands up, acting determined. "Let's get a good night sleep now, because tomorrow," he looks at Eyrin with a wicked smirk on his face, "we'll be bringing death."

Eyrin shakes her head in disbelief. She actually feels a bit excited but only if she knows what's coming, or if o kay she can see those pair of burning red eyes hiding behind the shadows of the branches of the tree outside her room, she would've had never agreed to be the substitute soul collector.