As Far As I'm Concerned [Ziam Palik AU]

The Birth of a Reaper

            “Perrie,” he croaked, guilt hitting him like a tidal wave, without even really knowing what happened. Zayn was unsure whether it was he who caused the accident, but he knew it wouldn’t have affected her if she weren’t with him. “Perrie!”

            Already, he could hear sirens in the distance and the crunch of some people’s footsteps and shouting from outside the car.

            Perrie wasn’t moving though, and he couldn’t help fearing that he was already too late.

            But before any of the people outside could get to either Zayn or Perrie, Zayn began to spasm. It was uncontrollable, like his brain was short-circuiting and loosing complete power. All he could feel was pain without voice.

            Faintly though, in his dying moments, he saw a shadowy figure appear just outside his broken window, reaching through like it aimed to touch him. Zayn would have shied away if he could have, but he was trapped in his seat and powerless.

            The foreign figure’s hand finally made contact, fingers just barely brushing against Zayn’s shoulder. Instantaneously, Zayn stopped spasming and slumped over against the shards of glass littering the asphalt.

            Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards had died.

            It didn’t really make any sense, because one minute Zayn was gasping for breath and locked in that bloody seat, then the next he was outside and watching the scene from afar.

            He watched people trying to pry the doors open, then emergency paramedics move them and try themselves. It was all quite confusing, but suddenly began to click when he saw the body bags and the figures being put inside them, it was just hard to believe.

            “Hello Zayn.”

            Zayn turned instantly to see a man standing there, a good few years older than him. He had five o’clock shadow and was dressed like he was going to a football match, with an air of confidence that made Zayn uneasy.

            “Who are you?” Zayn asked cautiously, frowning a bit as he looked the stranger over.

            The man only shook his head, shaggy hair falling in his face. “I was in the area and was therefore assigned to be your reaper,” he said as his face split into a wide grin. “You’re a little different though; the speech isn’t the same.”

            Zayn was totally and utterly confused. “I’m sorry?” He said. “My what? Reaper? Where’s Perrie? Am I-“

            “Dead?” Yes,” the man shrugged a bit with a sympathetic smile that was hardly comforting. “Also, sorry mate, but Perrie is too. She’s already gone though, moved on. But good news for you, you’ve got a whole different afterlife possibly ahead of you.”

            Zayn was dead. The severity of the situation was beginning to set in, and it was frankly making him want to freak out and just scream a bit. Especially considering the fact that this total stranger was talking to him… as he was dead. “Uh-“

            “Call me Isaac.”

            “-Isaac, did I… cause this? Did I kill Perrie? And what now? If I’m dead then… where do I go?”

            “So many questions,” Isaac mused, smiling a bit. He then put a hand on Zayn’s shoulder, guiding him further away from the accident. “You did cause the accident, Zayn, I’m not going to lie. But if you have a fear of going to hell, I can tell you that you have another option anyways.”