by Nicky Graves
He frowned. “Creepy.”
“They’re creepy in books and movies too,” I said.
“No, it’s . . . I don’t know how to explain it. You’ll know one when you come across one.”
“Will it bite me?” I asked.
“Possibly, but they don’t like reaper blood.”
“Why not?”
“Our blood tastes off or something. I think it’s because we died. But since you’re technically not dead yet, you might be a source of interest for them.”
I really didn’t want to be sampled. “Are there many in the dead zone?” I asked Boomer.
“They’re everywhere. The dead zone is like a paradise for them.”
“How is this place a paradise for them? There have to be better places than the dead zone.”
“No sun here,” Boomer said. “And it’s not like in the books or movies when a vampire burns to ash in the sun. It’s just very uncomfortable and they’ll end up with nasty blisters and burns.”
“How do you know that? Are you friends with any?”
“No. Reapers and vampires don’t like each other. And seriously, why would I want to be friends with someone who might develop a taste for reaper blood?”
“Would they be able to kill a reaper?”
“No, but it wouldn’t be fun getting sucked dry either,” he said.
“Librarian, how do you kill a reaper?” I asked the librarian since I already knew Boomer didn’t want to tell me.
“Stop,” Boomer said. “It won’t happen. The fact is that the reapers are needed, and a reaper would have to do something seriously horrible for the almighty Grim to make an appearance.”
“So, there is a Grim Reaper?” I asked.
“Not the skeleton guy in pictures,” Boomer said. “But you don’t want to meet him or his blanks. Trust me.”
“What are blanks?”
“Blanks are reapers. But they’ve gone bad. Basically, they’re the boss’s minions.”
“The boss as in the Grim Reaper. Is he human?”
“He looks human, but I think he’s something else.”
“Librarian, what species is the Grim Reaper?” I asked.
“The Grim Reaper, also known as Azrael, was born from Life,” the librarian said.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“He was born from Life,” the librarian repeated.
“Boomer, do you know what that means?”
“Not really. But I have heard stories. Basically, the dude’s been around for a long time. Like when life was given to the universe, he was one of the first. Because with life, there must also be death.”
“So, the beginning of time?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Boomer, how do reapers go bad?”
“This job makes it easy. There’s no quitting or retirement. You’ll work for a long, long, long, long time. You’ll see horrible things over and over again. I’ve heard of reapers pleading with Azrael to kill them.”
“Does he?”
“Only a few. And that’s only because he lost the ability to control them.”
“How does he kill them?” I asked.
Boomer sighed. “His scythe is made of a sacred metal. It can kill reapers. But it’s not just one stab and they’re gone. The heart must be pierced and yanked out.”
Immortality had always sounded like a gift everyone should want. But it also sounded like there was an ugly side to it as well.
“Then who is really in charge?” I asked. “The Supreme Elder or the Grim Reaper?”
Boomer scratched his jaw before saying. “They both think they’re in charge. We take orders from the Elder Council. Azrael doesn't care about day-to-day reaper activities. But I wouldn’t go against Azrael. Think of him as the owner and the council as the board of directors.”
“Have you ever met Azrael?” I asked.
“No. And I’ll be happy if I never meet him.”
“That bad?”
“If Azrael comes for you, it’s for a serious reason. And you can bet it won’t turn out well for you.”
Just what everyone wanted. A scary boss that you were stuck with for eternity.
8
Boomer hadn’t attempted to train me for a week. I think after I melted his brain with endless questions, he didn’t want to bother with me. Plus, I was unable to do anything other than watch him put his hand on the dead person and then vanish from view. Rather useless training.
I can’t say I was upset by his absence. In fact, it was a bit of a relief. Looking at my own immortality was scary. I spent many nights staring at the ceiling, trying to foresee my future. Eventually, I’d die and then be reborn. But to never age while those around me did—there would be questions raised that I couldn’t answer. I didn’t want to live in the gray, desolate dead zone like the others. I didn’t want to leave my old life behind.
So, as I dressed for the school dance, I wasn’t thrilled to see Boomer.
“What are you wearing?” he asked when he popped into my bedroom.
“You are so lucky you didn’t arrive a minute ago,” I said. “Seriously, you need to warn me before you drop in. And when do I get my dead-zone phone?”
“I don’t know. It’s up to the Elder Council. Why are you dressed like a restaurant hostess?”
I looked down at my plain white shirt and black skirt. “I’m not.”
“You normally wear jeans and T-shirts.”
“I’m meeting Larue at the dance.”
“I’m supposed to train you.”
“You had all week to train me, and you were MIA.”
“Been busy.”
“Well, now I’m busy.”
“Lawson said you need to take this seriously.”
“I promised Larue I’d go to the dance with her. I already talked to Lawson about this. I have to keep up the appearance that I’m not a reaper in training.”
I walked out of my bedroom and down the stairs. “Bye, Mom,” I called. “I’ll be back after the dance.”
“Have a nice time, honey,” she called from the kitchen.
Boomer followed me down the sidewalk. “Why are you walking?”
“Because I can’t teleport like you.”
“I meant, don’t you have a date who will pick you up?”
“No. I don’t have a date. Larue is making me go because she has a date and she’s nervous.”
“So, why not get a date too?” he asked.
I stopped to look at him. “I have no idea what it was like when you were a teenager, but people just don’t go around asking other people for dates.”
“Obviously they do if Larue has a date.”
I frowned. “Okay, some people do. But I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because . . . I don’t know. Maybe because I wouldn’t know who to ask. Or maybe it’s fear of rejection. Or maybe it’s because I’m biding my time until I die. What’s the point of this anyway? Even if I do go to the dance with someone, I won’t ever be normal. Things will change. It’s all for nothing.”
“Whoa. That was a downer.”
“Sorry, but you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I guess I do. Well, I can drop you off at the dance if you want,” he said.
“No, but thanks. I don’t want to arrive too early.”
“All right,” he said. “But we should probably do some kind of training tomorrow.”
“I’m free any time after twelve.”
“What’s before twelve?”
“I’m sleeping. And you can ask my brother what happens if someone wakes me up early on a Saturday morning.”
He raised a brow. “See you tomorrow.”
And then he was gone.
I slowly walked the rest of the way to school, knowing that if I hurried, it would only hasten my discomfort at the dance. Seriously, Larue would be with Finn and his friends. And Chloe. Ugh.
So far, I hadn’t heard rumors that I talk to myself. Chloe must be slowing dow
n in the gossip mill. But then again, I was usually the last to know gossip.
When I arrived, I heard the music before I entered the gym. The lighting system was on portable stands, and the lone DJ stood on the stage as he head-bopped to the thumping music.
Quickly stationing myself at the side of the gym, I scanned for Larue. She had purchased the sequined shirt, so she was bound to stand out as a moving disco ball.
I gave a nod of hello to some acquaintances as they walked past.
A shimmering arm waved from across the dance floor. It was definitely Larue. I crossed over, trying not to be intimidated by the crowd standing by her.
Saying hello to Larue, I kept my focus on her and not the others.
The song changed, and Finn grinned. “Hey, I love this song.” He slipped his hand into Larue’s and persuaded her to the dance floor while Larue blushed crimson.
My lifeline giggled right before she deserted me. I glanced at the others, but they were mostly trying to talk to each other over the loud music. One person stared at me like I had boils forming on my face. I turned to find Chloe blocking my escape path.
“Don’t you want to stay and talk?” she asked, and then she laughed. “Oh, I forgot. You only like to talk to yourself.”
The girls standing around her giggled.
I turned and made a path to the bleachers.
Finding a place to sit toward the top of the bleachers, I watched the dancers below me, which made me feel a little more comfortable. I didn’t mind being a fly on the wall. I just didn’t want to be in the fly trap below.
I watched for nearly a half hour as Larue and Finn stayed on the dance floor. Even for the slow song. Maybe Finn wasn’t just after a good grade. Maybe he really did like Larue.
“Why aren’t you dancing?”
I glanced over to find Lawson sitting next to me. Since I was annoyed with him, I tried not to notice how the dim lights darkened his eyes to velvet or made the cut of his jawline softer. Kissable.
“I’m here to support my friend. She’s dancing,” I said, pointing to Larue. “Can people see you, or does it look like I’m talking to myself?”
“It looks like you’re talking to yourself.”
“Great,” I muttered.
“I heard you were a bit morose when Boomer tried to pick you up for training.”
“Boomer did not use the word ‘morose.’”
“No. He said you were bumming him out.”
I shrugged. “I just feel stuck between two worlds. And I guess I’m just starting to realize what being a reaper is going to be like. I mean, the Grim Reaper has been around since the beginning of time. I can’t even fathom that.”
“I won’t lie. It’s hard at first. But once everyone you know is gone, you begin to move on.”
“How old were you when you died?” I asked.
“Twenty-three.”
“When was that?”
“Sixteenth century.”
“Wow. Was that when people wore those ugly white wigs?”
“That was in the eighteenth century, and I never wore a wig.”
“Twenty-three,” I said, thinking. “So, you must have been considered middle-aged then. Didn’t everyone die when they were about forty?”
“Some did. Not all.”
“Would you go back to that time if you could?” I asked.
“Only to see my family.”
I detected a slight hitch in his voice. I must have pried a little too deeply. Maybe five hundred years didn’t take the pain away. But then how many years would it take? A thousand? Ten thousand?
I didn’t ask him any more questions, though I had a ton stored. I wondered what he looked like in the sixteenth century. His hair and clothes reflected today’s look. In fact, if I saw him on the street, I wouldn’t think anything was different about him. He did have a maturity about him though. Not that I knew many twenty-three-year-olds. But I’d seen enough of them on reality TV.
“Riley, you’ll be fine. We’ve all survived it, and you will too. It just takes time. But you still need to train, even if it’s just watching. Each death is unique. Some will be easy, and some will be hard. Some will be so hard you don’t think you can get through it. But you will. Starting now will help you to become an efficient reaper. The transitioning part is probably the easiest.”
“What happens during transition?”
“We take the soul to the transitioning realm. There is a sorting process, and then the soul gets released.”
“Released where?”
“None of the reapers know the answer to that. Some say it’s beyond comprehension. Some say it’s just a way to keep life flowing from life to death and then back to life.” He gave a shrug. “There is a club that likes to debate endlessly about it.”
“No one knows?”
“I’m sure someone does. Just not us. So, you’ll train with Boomer tomorrow?”
“Okay.”
He pulled out a phone. “Yours.”
I took it and touched the screen. There was nothing different about it. Looked like an average smart phone.
“I programmed my number in there as well as Boomer’s.”
“So, I just make a call or text like normal?”
He nodded.
“Thanks,” I said.
He gave another nod. I had the feeling he was going to leave, but he stayed and sat with me. At least for a few songs.
It was nice sitting next to him. Even though no one else could see him, at least I didn’t feel alone.
Eventually, he said, “I should probably go.”
“Yeah, people are dying.”
“You’re going to be okay,” he said, and then he vanished.
I held the phone as if it was a lifeline.
“Are you decent?” Boomer asked, appearing in my bedroom one minute past twelve. This time he had his hands over his eyes.
“Yes.”
I had been dressed for a few hours already. There was something about my gloominess the night before that had propelled me into the attitude of seizing the day. I wanted to live my life before it was gone. Sure, I’d still be reborn or whatever, but my life would be different, changed. I was so adamant, I even wanted to spend time with my brother.
Boomer let his hands fall to his sides.
“Do reapers eat?” I asked. If they didn’t, I wanted to cram in as much pizza, cupcakes, and ice cream as I could stomach.
“Most do,” he said. “Although I’ve heard of a few that don’t. They’re like super old though. I think they’re just tired of it.”
“Tired of food? I can’t imagine ever getting tired of it.”
“It’s amazing what a dozen centuries can do to a person.”
“Do they find any joy in life?”
Boomer shrugged. “Don’t really know them. The older ones keep to themselves.”
“Do they live in the dead zone or are they like hermits?”
“Most live in the dead zone. But there are a few that crossed over into other realms.” He held out his hand. “Time to go.”
I placed my hand on his, and we arrived in a frilly buttercup-yellow bathroom. An older naked man was lying in the bathtub at an odd angle.
I turned away. I mean, he was naked. And wrinkled. But Boomer turned me back around.
“You’ll see a lot of naked people,” he said.
“So, I take it he’s dead?” I asked.
Boomer nodded.
“Then where is his life essence?” I asked.
“It might take a few moments.”
We had stood there a few seconds when the bathroom door opened and a woman walked in. She gasped when she saw me. “Who are you? What are you doing in my house?” Then she saw the man behind me. “Oh, my god! Howard!” The woman shoved past me. “Howard!” She shook him.
I didn’t think that was the way to revive him.
“You!” She rounded on me. “You killed my husband! I’m calling the police!”
“Time to go,” Boomer
said, touching my arm.
I arrived back in my bedroom. Boomer then quickly disappeared. I assumed it was to transition Howard without me.
I felt queasy. The woman thought I killed her husband. I guess it might seem that way since I was standing over the man. Would the cops come after me?
I fell back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. This was never going to work.
There was a knock on my bedroom door and my mother peeked in. “I’m taking David to karate. Do you want to come?”
Ordinarily, I’d say no. I mean, who wanted to see an uncoordinated ten-year-old kid try to kick? But I rolled off the bed and said, “Yeah, I’ll go.”
Mom’s surprise was apparent on her face. “Great. Maybe we can get ice cream on the way home.”
That would check off an item on my list.
A bucket list.
I had never really thought much about a things-to-do-before-I-die list. But maybe that was exactly what I needed.
I grabbed a small notebook and pen and hurried down the stairs.
Sitting at karate class was what I had expected. Dullsville. David attempted to break a board so he could earn the next colored belt. I didn’t think he’d be able to, not even with the ridiculously easy-to-break balsa wood they were using.
David wasn’t the sporty kind or the brainy kind. He was the kind that looks for frogs and then falls into the pond.
I pulled out the notepad from my pocket and wrote “#1.” I wasn’t sure what number one would be. I couldn’t think of anything beyond ice cream and pizza. Those didn’t seem like they belonged in the top spot. I tried to dig deeper, but I couldn’t come up with anything.
So, I added, “eat a ton of ice cream” for number one, and then the second spot went to pizza.
Third?
I tapped the pen against my leg as I thought. I didn’t have too many interests. Most of the time I was trying to get out of doing things.
What did other people want to do?
“Hey, Mom, what’s on your bucket list?”
She seemed surprised at the question. “I never really thought about it. Why are you asking?”
“It’s my senior year. I guess I’m just hoping to live a little before I have to get a job.” A dead person’s job.
“Well, I always wanted to travel more. Get out of the country.”