In Love with Death *A Grim Reaper Story*

chapter 10

"Just pour me the damn drink!" my mother screamed at the bartender.

"Shit" I mutter as Josh and I walk into the bar. I reach out to her taking her purse from her hand, "Mom calm down let's get you home."

"No I'm not ready to go back there" she argued, her breath reeked of booze. I ignore her words as I rummage through the bag for her keys.

"Sorry about all this man, and thanks for not calling the cops" Josh says to the bartender handing him some cash.

"Just get her out of here" the man replies taking the money clearly irritated.

"I'm not going anywh-" my mom slurs just as she begins to lose her balance.

"Whoa I got you Mrs. Hale," Josh says as he holds her up.

"Such a sweet boy," she slurs stroking Josh's face and then almost instantly passes out. He adjusts his footing and and lifts my mother up and over his shoulder.

"You know in other circumstances this would have been hilarious" he says walking out the bar as I hold the door open for him. And he was right, any other day this would have been comedy gold, to see my best friend hurling my drunken mother around like a rag doll, I may have even teased her about it for years to come. But today under all the circumstances, it was just painful to watch and it made my stomach twist in agony.

I drove my mom's car home and Josh followed me in mine. My head felt like it was about to explode, I didn't know how much more stress I could take. We pulled up to the drive way and Josh struggled to carry my mom through the door.

"Just put her on the couch," I told him following after him into the living room. He laid her down gently and I grabbed a throw blanket to cover her. "Can you go grab a bucket, you know just in case" I whisper to Josh. He nodded and left the room.

"My sweet girl," my mom muttered as I was adjusting her cover, she raised her hand to touch my cheek, "don't leave me like he did," and with that she was passed out again. I let out a long sigh as Josh walked in with the bucket.

"Thanks," I say to him placing the bucket close to the couch, "let's leave her to sleep, it's probably gonna be the most she'll get for a while." We walk into the kitchen and Josh leans against the counter.

"You look like you could use a drink yourself" he says to me with a sympathetic look.

"Tell me about it" I say rubbing my temples. Josh reaches for me and pulls me into a hug.

"You're going to get through this Lexi, you're the strongest person I know" he tells me stoking my hair. I rest my head on his shoulder and let him comfort me. He then brings both his hands to my face and looks into my eyes. Before I know it he leans in and kisses me gently on my lips. His lips were soft and tasted like chapstick. He pulls away and the kiss is over just as quickly as it started.

I stood there stunned not knowing what to say. He lets me go and shoves his hands into his pockets.

"I uh, I should probably get going" he says.

"Yea, probably," I didn't know what else to say.

The moment the words left my mouth I can instantly see the pain in his eyes. Without another word he stormed out of my house and I could hear the wheels of his car peeling out. I stood there alone in my kitchen not knowing what else to do.

"Son of a bitch" I muttered under my breath and I grabbed my cigarettes and headed for my backyard. I stood on the outside patio fumbling with my lighter. "Fuck!" I screamed as the damn thing wouldn't light.

"What did I say about smoking those," a voice said from the shadows of the trees.

My head shoots up and I see Grim walking up the steps to stand in front of me. I rip the unlit cigarette from my mouth, "sorry, it's just uh, it's been a really long and bad day"

"I could tell" he said, "does your mom drink like that all the time?"

"No not really, but I can't really blame her" I reply

"She should be careful,  I've taken a lot of souls due to drinking," his eyes reverted back to my cigarette, "and to lung cancer." I crumple the cigarette in my fist and throw it to the ground.

"I know okay I do, I just feel like I'm losing my mind, my dad is gone, my mother is a wreck,  and I probably just lost my best friend too, everything is falling apart." I say in defeat burying my face in my hands.

"Let me take you somewhere" he said as if he didn't hear my words.

"Where? How?" I asked looking up at him. He walks and and stands behind me and I can feel how close he is.

"Do you trust me?" He asks, his breath on my ear making me want to shiver. I turn my head to look at his face and nod with out saying anything. With a small graceful gesture with his hands, black fog begins to creep around our ankles. The same black fog that takes him away from me. Within seconds we are both completely lost in it and I can't see more then a few inches in front of my face. I wanted to speak but I couldn't, I tried to move but I felt paralyzed.  All I could do was listen to my rapidly beating heart just pounding in my ears. Slowly the fog started to fade away and we are standing in the woods next to a small lake. It was really beautiful and the little moonlight beaming through the trees made that much more astonishing.

"Is this supposed to be like limbo or something? I asked still taking in the scene in front of me. Grim let's out a small chuckle and steps out in front of me so we're facing each other.

"Are all humans this amusing?" He asks, and I still look at him confused waiting for an answer.  "No this is a forest in Germany" he finally says.

"Germany? We're in Germany?" I say with widen eyes.  "Wh- how did we get here?"

"You didn't exactly think I took a cab to do my jobs did you?" He says with a smirk.

"Haha," I say sarcastically,  "so why are we here?"

"I want you to scream," I raise an eyebrow at him, "oh come on with all that you have going on,  you can't tell me you don't want to. Come on just let it all out, no one will hear you here I promise."

"It's not gonna help" I say

"Humor me" he retorted. I cross my arms over my chest. "Please?"

I sigh heavily,  uncross my arms and let out a small short yell.

"Well that was pitiful," he says with a cute smile. "Come on let it out, you're angry and hurt come on" he tells urging me to keep going.

"Okay okay," I say. I suck in a big gust of air and scream as loud as I can.

"Alright now we're getting somewhere,  keep going" he encourages. I let out another one, and another one, "there you go, come on what are you feeling?"

"I feel great" I say between breaths, "I mean I still feel all the stress, but that felt good, seriously." After my hands and breath steady I go to a large rock and take a seat and stare out to the water. "This is so beautiful."

"Yea I thought you might like it since you seemed to let go a little the last time we were by a lake" he says taking a seat next to me.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you seemed a little less strained then, today you just seemed like your were starting to break a little" he says.

"Well thank you because this really did help, though I'm not sure it was the yelling or just the fact that I got to spend time with you." I tell him with a small smile.  He smiles back. 

"Oh Alexis, what have you done to me? " he asks.  My smile widens but then he makes an annoyed face and stands. "As much as I would love to stay here and watch you in this beautiful moonlight,  we have to get going " my smile instantly vanishes. "I'm sorry doll"  I stand to my feet.

"Its fine, just don't be gone long" I say standing close to him.

"Yes ma'am" he says with a smile as the fog begins to creep up.