by Billi Bell
Death decided to oblige him and made a large glass of red wine to appear, his favorite. She looked him over, noting the dirty and torn clothing. The high bred young man from a wealthy English family was now wearing scraps a beggar would turn down. Something inside her felt sorry for him, but she quickly buried it deep. Side effects of Audrey’s emotional heart came through at what she called “the most inconvenient times,” and she couldn’t wait for when they would eventually stop.
Percival took a long sip from the wine, savoring each drop before the glass was empty. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“No problem, now that you’ve got your drink to tell me what happened.”
Percival started to go over what happened from the moment his mother showed up until War threw him out of the portal. “She had me draw these symbols all on my body.”
He briefly stood and pulled his sleeves up, displaying marks that unfortunately for Death, she was unfamiliar with. “No doubt they were used to hide you from me. Did she say who taught her this magic?”
Percival shook his head. “No, I was so quick to believe her it didn’t matter where it came from. I missed her so much and would have followed her into the pits of hell.”
Ling and Dominic were seated at a nearby table and kept their eyes and ears on the conversation before them.
“I didn’t mean to cause an uproar so great the grim reaper comes looking for me,” he said. Ling winced at the word “grim,” it was not one Death was remotely fond of.
“I have many names, but that is not one of them. So let me keep it simple, call me Death or I’ll rip your tongue out, understood?” Thunder cracked the silence that followed, and Dominic was thankful he didn’t have to learn that lesson personally.
“Yes, Death, my apologies,” said Percival wishing his glass was filled with more liquid courage. “Anyway, he said to tell you in these exact words: “At midnight the Great Reaper will die, and Hades will rise as the new collector of souls.”
Ling jumped from her chair in a panic, “He can’t do that! You can’t die…can you?”
Death looked down at the floor as the wind began to shake the building and the ground shook, mimicking a small earthquake. “No, but he will try and keep trying until I kill him myself.”
“Why now, after all this time is he coming after you?” Ling asked. “You two haven’t seen in other in years.”
Death looked back on the recent years, noting nothing significant except the War becoming a Horseman. She then came to a conclusion, one that made sense.
“Dominic, it has to be about you,” she said. “That is why God asked me to keep you safe. In fact, the popes started asking me to keep you safe around the time you appeared out of nowhere.”
“Why would God keep me safe if I murdered my brother?” Dominic asked.
“We’ll discuss that at a later time,” said Death. She started to feel exposed and decided to stop the conversation and focus on Percival and War. She knew the truth of what was supposed to happen that day, and this wasn’t the right time to tell him. Dominic wanted to press the issue but knew better.
“Percival, what else can you tell me? Was he dumb enough to take you to his home?”
“After we left the bar he knocked me out. When I regained consciousness, I was gagged and tied to a chair in what I believe was a cellar. I could hear the ocean, and there was another man there named Victor. He kept talking to someone inside the fire and right before he brought me here another man was tied up. He screamed his name to me before I have knocked out again, Samir.”
“He has Samir, fuck,” said Death. She banged her scythe against the ground and called for Adofo. He appeared in seconds, waiting for orders.
“I’m calling a Collection to the home of War. Thirty minutes to midnight and a thousand should do. I’m putting a barrier over the home, so no one can leave until I deal with him, he has Samir. If I have to make the call, rush inside, all of you.”
“Yes, Great Reaper. What about the boy?” Adofo asked, pointing to Percival. “He is still with us?”
‘I’m just about to handle him now,” she said. “By the way, Lila, the reaper next door to Clara, I thought she was a recent addition.”
“Yes, she has only been dead for ten years. Why, what is the concern?”
“Bring her to the manor in an hour, she has some explaining to do. Tell her she’s going to be promoted to a lead reaper.”
Adofo gave a quick bow and left. Death turned to Percival and asked him to stand. “It’s time for you to move on.”
“Will my wife know what’s happened to me? My mother told me I couldn’t tell her where I was going. She said it would put her in danger.”
“You’re supposed to die in a fire and so you shall. I’ll have your body placed in an area of London it would be found quickly, and you will receive a proper burial.”
With her scythe, she opened a portal to the afterlife. She then reached in her pocket and pulled out a small bottle and poured its content over Percival’s head. She took a lit candle from a nearby table and instructed Dominic and Ling to stand back. Tossing the torch onto his body, she lit Percival on fire.
Despite being engulfed in flames, he didn’t scream. After what felt like years on the run, he would welcome death no matter how painful it was. They watched as he fell to the floor and succumbed to the fire. Before his soul had risen from his body, Death saw the telltale signs and called for a lead reaper. The black hue encircled his body after death signifying he’d been chosen. She couldn’t help but note the irony.
“If only Clara had waited.”
Zhang Yi was a lead reaper out of China. She’d been around for nearly a half millennia, and Death trusted her with delicate cases.
“Yi, we have a new recruit. I’m sure you’ve heard of the rotter I’ve been chasing around? I need you to ease him into it. I know I can count on you.”
“Of course, Great Reaper,” said Yi.
She looked over to Ling with a stern look and mockingly said, “I’ll only be gone for a few hours, my love.”
“I’m sorry dear, I’ll explain later,” Ling replied and embarrassingly looked over to Death, who couldn’t help but fight back a smile.
As soon as Percival’s soul had risen, Death informed him of his new position and introduced him to Yi. “She will explain everything to you, and I hope you accept the role of a reaper. This is the closest to a second chance you will ever get.”
“Can I see my wife again, if I stay?” he asked.
“Percival, I know you have a million questions to ask about what happens now, and I will answer them all,” said Yi. “My job is to make your transition to reaper as smoothly as possible. Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no. The moment you come near her she will feel you there, your soulmate always does. She will never want to let that feeling go and will search the rest of her life to feel it again. Eventually, it will consume her, and it’s just as awful as it sounds. Do you want that for her?”
He hung his head low and slowly shook it. “No, I want her to be happy.”
Yi placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go, and I promise everything will be okay.”
Before they departed, Death pulled Yi to the side. “Don’t let him out of your sight,” she said. “Until this is over, I want eyes on him nonstop.”
Yi nodded her head, and everyone watched as she led him into a portal. Two other reapers then entered and took Percival’s body.
“That woman is your wife?” Dominic asked, but by the Ling’s reaction, he knew he shouldn’t have. The look Death shot him could have killed him if he could actually die.
Ling walked over to Dominic and stood in front of him. Staring into his eyes a few seconds too long for his comfort. She’d lived her entire first life hiding who she was and would be damned if someone devalued her relationship with Yi.
“Is that a problem for you, Father?” Ling asked, inching closer to him with every word.
Dominic held his breath and w
ished for Death to come to his rescue. Instead, she walked over to the table and began drinking again. He took that as a no and looked back to Ling.
“No, of course not. I apologize if I offended you,” he said quickly. “It’s just that she seemed very nice and genuinely kind. I’ve met very few people like that over the years. I had someone like her a long time ago.”
Dominic smiled as he began to lose himself in memories of Elizabeth. He feared the thought of ever forgetting her face, and although he hated to admit it, he’d already forgotten her voice. Every time he thought of her over the years, it would sound a little different. He was now beginning to question if the face he recalled was actually hers. Ling’s tap on the side of his head brought his attention back to her.
“Listen, people have never been very understanding of my kind of love. I am very protective of her, and any disrespect will be answered to, swiftly. Understood?”
He quickly nodded. Immortals still felt pain, and she looked more than willing to cause him plenty of it for Yi’s honor.
“Good and you’re right, she is kind,” Ling said with a warm smile.
Death stood up from the table. “We need to leave so I can prepare for my chat with Lila. Dominic come with me, and Ling make sure you’re in Ireland before midnight. Don’t make me have to send Yi for you.”
CHAPTER 22
1793: France
Henry returned from working in his garden outside in the warm countryside weather. At nearly sixty his age was beginning to catch up with him. With the money Death had provided, he and the baby made it to Paris, and he raised him on his own. Eventually, they moved to the outskirts of the country, and he built a small home. Although he came close many times, he never married or had any children of his own. He would always compare the women to Audrey, and they never came close.
His son had been out for most of the day working at a nearby farm, and he needed to start dinner before he returned home. They did okay financially, but when money was tight a small bag of coins would inexplicably appear. Sometimes he’d find it on the doorstep in the morning or on the nightstand at night. He knew where it was coming from and tried to convince his son, who brushed it off as a tall tale.
Henry was exhausted after being outside since dawn. He figured he had a half hour before he had to start cooking dinner, so a quick nap wouldn’t hurt. He laid down on the small sofa and drifted off. When he woke, a figure was standing over him. A face that he’d dreamed every night for nearly forty years, Audrey. He knew it wasn’t her, but his heart wouldn’t allow his brain to find logic.
“Hello Henry, it's been a long time,” she said while sitting in a chair beside the sofa. “You chose such a beautiful place to retire.”
Henry opened his mouth to speak, but the words were lost to him. He’d forgotten how much he missed seeing her face until now. Death leaned forward, took his hand and led him to the front door.
“It’s time to go,” she said and brought his attention back to the couch. His body laid still, and he appeared to still be peacefully sleeping.
“I’m dead.” They were the only words he could get out before he suddenly went into a panic. “My son, please don’t let him discover me like this.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t change that. He’s on his way home early, and you should leave. You don’t want to watch him find you.”
Henry shook his head and gave one last look at his home. They walked outside, and Death allowed him to take in the beautiful view he’d come to love. Over the horizon, he saw the silhouette of a man and knew he had to hurry. Looking over towards Death he told her he was ready.
“Will I see Audrey again?” The hope in his eyes hit her deeply, and Audrey’s emotions came flooding through. She fought back the tears long enough to push them back down.
“I can’t pretend to know if you will, but I know soulmates exist. I can’t imagine you’d have to spend eternity without each other.”
She opened a portal to the afterlife, and after one last glimpse at his son, he walked inside. The portal closed, and she stepped inside the home, sitting in a chair across from Henry’s body. The small cottage was just big enough for the two but too large for one. She knew he wouldn’t want to stay there alone and lucky for him, she had an easy solution.
When she heard his steps approaching she uncloaked herself but turned her face away. The door opened slowly as he called out for his father.
“Papa, are you insi—?” He caught sight of Henry before seeing Death sitting nearby. He looked back to his father and realized he wasn’t breathing. Jumping to the conclusion that this mystery woman has killed Henry, he ran and grabbed a sharp knife from the kitchen. “Who are you and what have you done to my father?”
Death stood and approached him without fear or hesitation. Forming the cloak around her, she disappeared before his eyes. He panicked and began stabbing frantically throughout the empty room, hoping to hit his target.
“Do you mind not doing that, it’s annoying, and it won’t make a difference if you actually stab me,” said Death. Her voice seemed to come from every corner of the room. “I didn’t hurt your father, and I’m not going to hurt you. Take a breath, calm down and place the knife on the table.”
“What the hell are you?” As much as he tried to look fearless, his hands were trembling and voice shaking. He looked down at his father’s body, and the tears began to flow, causing him to momentarily lose focus. The knife flew from his hand and into the wall across from him. It nearly pierced the painting Henry had drawn of his mother.
His heart was beating a hole in his chest. Minutes past without a break in the silence and he began to think she had finally left. Searching the house all over he found nothing and felt safe again. He went over to Henry’s body and began to properly mourn his father. Holding his father in his arms, he wept for the only parent he’d ever known.
Two days later after a small funeral, he buried Henry behind their home. He sat down at the kitchen table to rest after the last few mourners had left. Resting his head on the hardwood as he recalled fond memories of his father. He had done this almost non-stop since Henry died.
“I really didn’t want us to meet this way.” He looked up to find Death sitting in the chair facing him. For the first time, he got a clear look at her face. It was one he’d seen every day for nearly his entire life. Henry had drawn it a thousand times over, so he’d never forget her face.
“Mother, it can’t be,” he said. He walked up to Death and touched her face. He glanced back at the painting of her. “That was you the other night, you came back for him? Are you here for me now?”
“Josiah, I’m not your mother. She has been dead a long time, and you know that. I am Death, and we need to talk about your future.”
CHAPTER 23
Death and Dominic entered the manor and separated almost immediately. After greeting May, he headed to his room, while Death retired to her library. She didn’t require sleep and now spent most of her free time, what little there was, in this room. Before her block, she would spend most of her days painting for the endless hallways throughout the manor.
The books and scrolls that lined the shelves were from ancient times. Many of them rescued from the Library of Alexandria before its destruction. She managed to have them saved just in time and read them all over and over again. Occasionally, she would gently run her hands down the spines of the books and twine holding the scrolls together. Unconsciously recalling the fond memories of past days, some of which were spent with Hades before he showed his true self.
As she sat drinking tea while waiting for Adofo to bring Lila, she wondered if now would be the best time to speak with Dominic. What she had to reveal to him would be upsetting, and he may choose to leave. The consequences of him being on his own were unknown because she didn’t fully understand why he was in danger. He’d managed to survive for nearly half a millennium with no protection. Why did he need it now? She settled on telling him after dealing with War and switched fro
m tea to wine.
Meanwhile, in Dominic’s room, he began to undress and put on fresh clothing. Emptying his pockets, he pulled out Elizabeth’s handkerchief and tightly held it in his hand. It was the only proof he had that she ever existed. After leaving her sister’s home, he made it to a church and prayed for help from God.
He gently laid the small piece of fabric on the desk and continued, pulling out a pocket watch and the small piece of folded paper with Sarah’s address. He’d completely forgotten about the note. Given he had no intention of using the break from running around the world with Death to sleep, he sat down to compose a letter.
Dominic took a blank piece of paper and inked the quill. He figured a simple letter with a proper introduction should suffice. It took him less than ten minutes to complete the letter, but when he reached for the envelope, he realized he didn’t actually know Death’s address.
“Suppose I’ll get it from May,” he thought. “Wait, does she even have an address. I can’t just put Round Pond.”
He decided to worry about it later and opened the paper for Sarah’s address. When he did, he found Sarah had actually written him a message:
“For your eyes only.
See May and find us.”
Dominic read the letter over and over trying to understand its meaning. He was interrupted by a knock at the door. May entered shortly after and took a seat on his bed.
“I see you opened the letter,” she said, eyeing the paper still in his hand. “Are you ready to meet us all?”
“What do you mean?”
May hesitated and looked carefully around the room before standing and staring into Dominic’s eyes.
“Well, I suppose she’s not in there poking around, so let us get started. I can take you there the first time, but you’re going to have to find your own way after that, okay?”
This only confused him more and his face made that clear. “Go where May?”
“The immortal world of course,” she said, smiling brightly. “Now, hold my hands and close your eyes.”