A Reaper's Mission

Chapter 19: My Mother, Margaret (Emma)

            "Rufus...Mom talked to me today." I look up and see him tilt his head. "She wants me and her to leave the community," I say it all in a rush, where I almost don't know what I said. Rufus is silent and looks confused. And then he processes what I said.

            And... a shiver runs down my spine at the look in his eyes. That look...it didn't even look human.

            "Ah." He finally says, leaning back in his chair, running his thumb over my knuckles. He gets a pensive look on his face, staring out the window. I just keep my eyes focused on him. Finally, he sighs. "I best go talk to her."

            A pit enters my stomach, "Why?" I whisper, afraid of his answer. Rufus seems to sense my fear and gives me a look. They're calculating me. Those black pits.

            What am I thinking?

            "To talk to her, see if we might be able to talk through our problems." He tells me, talking as though I were a child asking why it rained. I nod my head. "Do you wish to go with me? Or maybe...you thought about running with her?" He asks, darkness entering his eyes. My heart clenches and my legs yearn to run. Every part of my being wants to run.

            "Never!" I shout, simultaneously answering his question and rejecting my body. I cover my mouth, "No, Rufus I would never leave you." I tell him, in a much quieter voice. I walk up to him and grab his hands and kiss them. I then meet Rufus's eyes. The calculating look is still there, but it slowly melts away.

            "I know that, my love." He tells me, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Now, I'm gonna go talk to Margaret and see if something can be worked out." He presses a kiss to my lips and then disappears. I feel my shoulders relax the moment he leaves, and I sink to the ground. My heart is still racing, but it slowly calms down. As though the danger had left.

What's wrong with me? He's a good man. He would never hurt me. All that darkness and calculating looks must have been my tired mind. He's too kind to hurt anyone. He is our benevolent god.

***

I'm in my red dress.

I'm standing across from my mother, who is tied up and being kept in a back storeroom of our chapel. She has volunteered to die for our god. She wants to be a sacrifice to extend his life as well as help induct a new member. This new girl is around my age.

            "Mom?" I whisper. She looks up at me, with a smile on her face. She doesn't look scared, only resigned.

            "Yes, Emma?" She says her voice croaking. She then coughs. Has she not had water?

            "Are you sure?" I ask, not certain she wants this.

            "Yes, Emma." She responds, going into a coughing fit. I should get her some water. I head towards the exit, "Wait." I turn to see a hint of fear in her eyes. "Don't leave." She croaks out, another coughing fit begins.

            "You need some water," I tell her, in a gentle voice. Like how Dad would when I was sick.

            "No, what I need is to talk to you." She says, "I don't want to be apart from you any sooner than I have to be." I study her and see her desperation. She really doesn't want me to leave. I nod my head and a relieved smile crosses her face.

            "Mom—" I begin, but she cuts me off.

            "You need to leave, Emma." She croaks, the desperation back. "You need to get away from Rufus." She tells me, hysteria entering her voice. Another coughing fit hits her.