Of Life and Death

four

I pout in my apartment. I dig through my freezer and find a tub of double fudge ice cream and eat it on my couch. I turn on the TV and select an episode of Scooby Doo. I'm still fuming from my encounter with Life.

If I hate anyone, it's him. The man only cares​ about himself​. I have spent my entire career as a reaper trying to deal with the sadness and guilt. How dare he have the audacity to say that the job is hard on him? He probably hasn't felt emotions since he became Life.

I sigh and try meditation, something I found to help with the emotions of the job. An hour later and I'm almost calm. Almost. I make myself a nest like before and switch the TV to a horror movie.

I fall asleep like that, fake screams blaring out of the TV. I wake up and check the clock. 3 am. I groan and sit up. I still don't want to go to work but I have to. I head to my bed to get those last three hours. I snuggle under the covers, the boy's words running through my head.

" You're a monster!" " Sad isn't it?" " I can't come back." " Why did you kill me?" Voices swirl in my head, guilt ripping my sanity to pieces. I shoot up after a dream of the truck hitting Trevor. The clock says five forty three am. I sigh and​ get up. I take a long shower, only getting out when the hot water runs cold.

I put on a t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans. I pull on my leather jacket and look at myself in the mirror. My shirt is grey and my jacket is black. I usually only wear light colors. My blue eyes are sad and guilty. I turn away from the mirror before I have to crawl back into the bed.

I lace up my combat boots and walk to the coffee shop. I go inside and order a cup of coffee, black. I leave the bagel off this time. I sit at the table and wait for Mackenzie. She walks in about five minutes later. The second I see her my heart stops.

Mackenzie is lit up like a Christmas tree. There's no way I can miss the aura of death she carries. Her hair is glowing gold and her silhouette is bordered in silver. She grins as she sees me while I'm still struggling to breathe.

She sits down in front of me." What's up? You look like you just say a ghost." She asks me, concerned." Nothing. I'm fine. Just tired." I lie, putting a smile on my face. The only thing I can think though is," Why her? No I won't do it."

Mackenzie shrugs before talking about how she got that job promotion." Hey, that's great news but I need to get to work." I say when she pauses to catch her breath. She frowns but waves goodbye." See you later." She says. I leave the coffee shop and walk down the street. Instead of going to work I turn into the ally.

I turn invisible and wait for Mackenzie to walk by. Tears fill my eyes, blurring the people walking by. I would have missed her if it weren't for the death aura. I follow her, the tears coming faster. Just before she gets to work she has to pass a little convenience store. Today a man has decided to rob the store with a gun.

Just as she walks by the gun goes off and the glass window shatters. People scream but Mackenzie just falls to the ground. I move forward and see blood pooling around her. There's a hole in her chest, right where her lung is. She's gasping for air and trying to cry out in pain.

I lean down and place two fingers on her forehead. Her leaves her body to stand by me." GG?" Her voice whispers beside me. My body jerks and I bite my lip from sobbing loudly.

" GG, what's going on? I'm scared. Why am I on the ground? Why am I bleeding? Please." She begs." You're dead, Mack. I'm so sorry." I say hoarsely. Mackenzie covers her mouth and tears streak down her face." No. No. I can't be. You're lying!" She insists.

" I wish I was. But I'm not. You have to go to the Council now." I tell her." No. Not until you tell me what's going on." She demands." I already told you. You're dead." I sigh. My guilt is bubbling over and pouring into my very soul. Never have I been so upset.

Mackenzie just waits for a better answer." I'm the Grim Reaper. You were marked for death and I reaped you. You need to move on to the Council where they will decide if you go to Heaven or Hell." I explain, blocking as much emotion as I can.

" No. You owe me more than that." Mackenzie growls at me." Mack please." I whine. She holds strong." What do you want to know?" I give in." How are you the Grim Reaper?" She asks first." I was marked when I was fourteen. I was trained to reap souls then released into the world." I answer. Mackenzie continues her list of questions.

" How old are you?" I look down." Physically I'm twenty one but I was born in 1931. I'm immortal." I mutter. Mackenzie tries to ask another question but I interrupt." Mackenzie, you have to move on. You can only say here a little while after you die and your time is almost up. If you stay longer, well I'm not sure what happens but I know it has driven past reapers to kill themselves."

That only floods​ her with more questions. I force her to the door and open it." Please go." I beg her. She looks at me sadly." Bye​ GG." She says with tears. I shove her through the open door and slam it shut behind her. Once I'm sure she's gone I let out a scream.

My scream shakes the very earth. Only an immortal has the power to do that. People scream and drop to the ground from the earthquake I caused. I do the same but ram my fist into the sidewalk. My hand gets cut and blood wells up.

" Don't act so childish." A voice scolds from behind me. I stand up slowly and turn to face them. Life stands there, looking smug and stupid. I let out a threat that I mean all the way to my bones." If you ever get close to me again, I will kill you. You know I can too. I'm Death. I can kill anyone, and right now, you're at the top of my list. I suggest you leave and never come back." I hiss.

Life just looks at me. For a second, hurt flashes in his eyes." I have something​ I want to tell you." He says." Then say it and leave." I growl. He teleports us away to that stupid abandoned building he loves so much." Now listen. I want to tell you about what and who we are." He tells me." Just say it so I can leave." I say impatiently. He sits down on the top of the desk. The same desk he had in 1952, the first time I met him. Then he dives into the tale.