1 Graveyard Shift

by Angela Roquet

  I rolled my eyes. “Just leave him alone.”

  Mickey looked at me, a silent plea for clarity. I donned the gentle voice I had heard Josie use on disoriented souls so often. “Mickey, this may be a little hard for you to grasp just yet, but you’re dead. The rest of your band survived. You drowned. We’re reapers. We came and collected your soul.”

  “Reapers? As in, the Grim Reaper?” He chuckled, not believing me.

  “Ok, when is Grim going to be here?” I turned to Coreen. I wasn’t as patient as Josie when it came to convincing souls. They got one slow and simple explanation. After that, I let them argue with themselves as I drug them off to their afterlives.

  “Ellen!” Coreen roared.

  Grim’s secretary stumbled in. “Y-yes?” she squeaked.

  Ellen was actually a first generation reaper, but she had been at the bottom of her class. Instead of trying to improve her soul-reaping skills, Grim had dumped his paperwork off on her, and over time, she became invaluable. She was a horrible reaper, but an excellent secretary. And Coreen enjoyed ordering her around.

  “Where’s Grim?”

  “He just finished a meeting, and he’s on his way,” Ellen answered just as the boss-man stormed through the door.

  “Let’s take a look at this soul,” he said, leaning over the table to examine our catch. “He won’t do at all. Take him to Duat. Horus and Wosyet are waiting at the harbor. Take them with you,” he ordered.

  “Duat?” I asked.

  “Yes, Duat,” Grim growled. “Is that a problem for you?”

  “I just didn’t realize that he was a believer of the Egyptian faith.”

  “I’m not!” Mickey stood up, knocking over his chair. Grim didn’t even acknowledge him.

  “He’s of Egyptian descent. I don’t have to explain my reasons to you. Do as you’re told. That’s why you get paid.” He stomped out of the conference room.

  I could see Coreen smirking from the corner of my eye. She needed to be slapped. I finished patting myself dry and pulled my robe back over my head. This was the first time Grim had actually asked me to bend the rules. I shouldn’t have cared so much. I bent them all the time.

  “Shall we?” Coreen waited by the door. She oozed with satisfaction, even in her disheveled state. Josie looked up slowly. She hadn’t spoken since Grim mention Horus would be traveling with us.

  “Sure,” she sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

  I rested my hand on Mickey’s shoulder. He gave me a startled look but let me lead him out of the conference room.

  The harbor was nearly empty. It was still several hours before most reapers would be setting sail for the afterlives. A single ferry unloaded on the dock. Festive ribbons and balloons hung from the boat’s railing, and loud dance music blared to announce their arrival. A cluster of excited deities paraded down the boat’s ramp, ready to go shopping and sightseeing. The tourists hushed their voices as their guide announced us like zoo animals.

  “To your left you will see a group of reapers preparing to take a soul to its afterlife.” He paused to frown at us. “Normally, one reaper can handle several souls at once. This could be a demonstration or lesson for one or more of the six apprentices recently added....” His voice trailed off as the crowd made their way past us and into the city.

  Horus and Wosyet waited near our ship. Coreen’s boat was in the shop, undergoing some repairs and updates, or so she claimed. I had the feeling she just didn’t want the mess of demon guts all over her deck. After our earlier encounter, it was highly possible they would attack again.

  “Good Afternoon,” Horus greeted us.

  “Hello, Horus.” Coreen strode up the ramp ahead of us as if she owned our ship. It was a disrespectful move, and Josie noticed too. Wosyet wrapped an arm around Horus and tugged him after her. Kevin waited for Josie and me to escort Mickey ahead of him.

  Onboard, Coreen checked every nook and cranny of the ship to make sure there were no uninvited guests, while Josie and I pulled up the sails, and Kevin freed us from the dock. Wosyet led Horus to one of the deck benches and draped her arms over him. She looked almost as done up as she had at the ball, with precise makeup and an equally tacky gown. Her eyes never left Josie. She must have known about her dates with Horus.

  As we drifted off to sea, Josie stayed as far away from Horus as she could manage, constantly finding something constructive to do, even if she had already done it twice. It was exhausting just to watch her.

  I pulled her aside. “Just go lay down, or talk to the soul. You’re better at consoling them than I’ll ever be.”

  “Is that why you rescue them from their dismal fates so often?” She laughed and cast a nervous glance over her shoulder where Horus was busy untangling himself from Wosyet’s embrace.

  “I’m gonna go fill my quiver. It’s nearly empty, and it doesn’t look like the two of them are equipped to ward off any demons.”

  “I’ll go see how Kevin’s doing. Mickey’s settled in the sailor’s quarters, I don’t much care for Coreen, and those two, well, they just look too cozy to be bothered with.” I grinned.

  Josie rolled her eyes and hurried off to our cabin.

  I found Kevin on the other side of the ship, hunched over the deck railing and panting like he meant it. His robe lay tangled at his feet, and he began to tug at the collar of his black turtleneck.

  “Hey now, this isn’t one of those party ferries we saw at the harbor. You can’t run around naked on my ship.”

  “Is it like this every time you sail?” He rubbed his face against his shoulder to wipe away the sweat dripping off his brow.

  “No, it’ll pass. Don’t worry about it. Lots of reapers get seasick on their first ride.” I patted his back until his breathing slowed.

  “Thanks.” He ran a hand through his damp hair, and then spun around with a look of panic. “Do you think you could, maybe, not tell Coreen about this?”

  “Sure.” I folded my arms. “You’re not feeling as lucky as you did last night, are you?”

  “Maybe she’s just having a bad day, but I don’t want to give her a reason to torment me.”

  “Smart boy,” I chuckled.

  “Did you ever think maybe she would be nicer to you if you were more respectful?”

  “I’ve been around three hundred years. I’ve already tried the respect technique.”

  He laughed and nodded his head.

  “There you are.” Coreen had found us.

  “Speak of the devil,” I muttered.

  “Go check on the soul,” she said to me. “Kevin, I want to give you your first lesson in navigation.” She ushered him away, shooting me a suspicious look.

  I sighed and took off for the sailor’s quarters. A muffled voice leaked through the door as I approached. At first, I thought that Josie had finished filling her quiver and had gone to console Mickey, but as I drew closer, I realized it wasn’t her voice at all. I jerked the door open.

  Wosyet spun around. “I was just telling Mickey about all the wonders of Aaru, his new home,” she cooed innocently.

  “Out,” I demanded.

  “Excuse me?” She lifted her chin.

  “Even the greater gods have more respect for what we do and don’t tamper with our souls before we deliver them. Out!”

  She tossed her braids back and pushed past me. Mickey stood in the corner of the cabin, watching in awe and terror.

  “You okay?” I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

  “Define okay,” he laughed.

  “Well, aside from being dead and all?”

  “Sure, sure,” he answered with a nervous laugh.

  “Look, I’m not all that good at helping new souls through their first day in Eternity, but we’re not supposed to allow you to converse with any of the gods until we reach the gates.”

  “Hey, it’s not like I invited her in here.” He threw up his hands in defense.

  “I know. I was just letting you know why I had to make her leav
e.” I reached for the door.

  “Thanks. She was creepy anyway.”

  I paused and turned around. “How?”

  “I dunno. I’m used to fans and all, but not fans from other worlds.” He laughed, somewhere between pride and confusion.

  “What made you think she was a fan?”

  “She was asking all the typical questions that fans do. You know, she wanted to know how long we’ve been together, and if anyone else in my band died in the crash. It was weird. What is she supposed to be anyway, a goddess or something?”

  “One of the lesser ones that don’t get mentioned all too often.”

  What a ditz. I couldn’t believe it. Wosyet had probably tagged along in hopes of getting an autograph.

  “So, is this place I’m going to some kind of heaven or hell?”

  “Duat is the Egyptian underworld, but it’s also the gateway to Aaru, the Egyptian heaven.” I smiled. No wonder he was having such a hard time. He didn’t have a clue where he was going. “Don’t worry, you’ll like it there.”

  “Thanks.” He leaned his head back against the cabin wall and smiled.

  I left the room and went to find Josie. She wasn’t on deck, so I assumed she was still in our cabin and headed that direction. Horus stood just outside the doorway, blocking Josie in. She had her quiver of arrows over one shoulder, and the expression on her face told me she was ready to beat him unconscious with it if he didn’t move soon.

  “She’s just a co-worker,” he said.

  “Good for you. What are you telling me for?” Josie glared at him.

  Horus sighed, and his shoulders tensed uneasily. He was wearing a pair of tattered pants that looked like something out of Gabriel’s closet, but nothing else, so most of his ripe and rippling frame could be seen pressing through his honey-colored skin. I had to hand it to Josie, for as good as he looked, she was holding her pride together rather well. Her gaze drifted over his shoulder and she spied me.

  “Lana, how’s the soul?” she asked, cutting Horus off.

  “Good, except I caught Wosyet talking to him.”

  “What?” Horus groaned. “I’m very sorry. I brought her along because she’s been helping negotiate with the Fates. I’ll go over the rules with her more thoroughly.”

  “Thank you.” I stepped aside, an obvious gesture for him to have at it. He frowned back at Josie and gave me a nod before hurrying off to find his dingy partner.

  “Who does she think she is? She has no right messing with our soul,” Josie whispered as soon as Horus was out of sight.

  “I think she just wanted an autograph.”

  “I can’t believe Horus did such a shoddy job going over the rules with her.” Josie shook her head.

  I shrugged and then frowned at the horizon. A tiny black ship loomed in the distance, and I had a pretty good idea who it belonged to.

  Chapter 13

  “Must not all things at the last

  be swallowed up in death?”

  -Plato

  Josie and I had fended off Caim on our own before, but this time it wasn’t going to be so easy. It was a wonder his ship was still afloat with all the demons on board. He was definitely working with more than two legions this time, but we were working with two more reapers and two Egyptian deities.

  Wosyet clutched Horus’s arm. “Why don’t we just take the soul the rest of the way with a coin?”

  Okay, scratch that, one Egyptian deity.

  “Didn’t you teach her anything before letting her tag along?” Josie glared at the goddess. Wosyet ignored her.

  “Coins are inactive over the Sea of Eternity,” Horus quickly explained. “If they weren’t, anyone could just sneak onto a ship and steal a soul. It’s in the treaty. I thought you already knew that.” He shook his head, finally realizing what a mistake bringing her had been. Her worried expression proved she thought it was a mistake now too.

  “Why don’t you go wait in our cabin,” I offered.

  Josie’s jaw tightened, but I wasn’t about to invite her to harass our soul again. Wosyet nodded anxiously and hurried away. Halfway to our cabin she turned around.

  “Aren’t you coming, Horus?”

  “No, I’m going to help.”

  “Suit yourself,” she mumbled before stomping off to our cabin.

  Josie strung three arrows in her bow. Caim’s ship was still a good distance away, but I remembered how fast his demons had crossed the sea before. We needed a game plan and fast.

  Coreen rounded the sailor’s cabin with Kevin. The crinkled skin around her eyes told me they had seen Caim’s ship as well. “Horus, you can fight long range, right?” she asked.

  “Of course.” The makeup around his scarred eye faded away as his pupil was consumed by a golden light. He lifted his gaze to the sky.

  A falcon cried out. The bird was an unnatural size, almost a third as large as our ship, with feathers the size of palm tree leaves. He jerked his head to one side, and I could see my reflection in his bowling ball of an eye. I gripped the railing behind me, hoping I didn’t resemble any creatures he had been snacking on lately.

  “Lana, Kevin, and I will watch the deck.” Coreen stripped off her robe. “Josie and Horus, stand behind us so you can focus on attacking his ship. The more damage he receives, the sooner he’ll retreat.” She picked through a handful of what looked like coins.

  “I thought those didn’t work out here. What are you doing?” I moved up beside her.

  “These aren’t coins.” She grinned. “They’re concentrated mirrors, designed to stun demons. Shield your eyes. I’m going to toss them overboard so our guests are partially blind before they arrive.”

  I threw my hand over my face just in time. When I looked again, a fierce glow peaked out from under the railing. Caim was close enough now that I could see his shock. It must have looked as though our ship was on fire.

  “Let’s do this!” Coreen shouted.

  I decided her determination and courage had earned her another shred of my respect as I faced Caim’s ship.

  It was like a Carnival cruise for demons. A few dog-faces glowered from the deck, but they were the least of my worries. Dozens of webbed wings flapped in the breeze, carrying the crumpled bodies of skeletal cats the size of horses. My knees were trembling, and the creatures hadn’t even crossed half the distance yet.

  Josie’s lips curled back to expose her clenched teeth. The muscles in her back flexed under the strain of the three arrows she aimed overhead. A pained sigh escaped her as she released them.

  Caim’s shrieks echoed over the sea. Two of the arrows were lodged in his left wing, but the third had pierced his shoulder. Another wave of demons spilled from his ship and rushed towards us.

  My knees began to tremble as the first wave neared. We were so outnumbered. Horus’s falcon swooped down and caught four of the hellcats in his beak. The giant bird petrified me, but at least he was on our side. That was the only thing keeping my hopes from plummeting into oblivion.

  Josie pulled two more arrows from her quiver. She had stripped down to a green tank top and jeans. Sweat glistened on her forehead and shoulders.

  Horus peeled off his pants and let them fall to the deck floor. A small, leather loin cloth kept him from being entirely exposed, but just barely. Strips of leather crisscrossed over his thighs, holding a pair of rustic daggers. He took them and widened his stance, preparing for the army of demons.

  “Stay back! Let the mirrors do their part first!” Coreen screamed at Kevin as he inched towards the railing. What the hell was wrong with him? Was he blind? He hesitated, but then obeyed Coreen and took a few steps back.

  Horus moved up beside me, leaving Josie in the middle as she frantically loosed arrows, two at a time, over the sea. A band of demons had formed a wall around Caim, but they were slowly shying away under Josie’s fire.

  Horus’s falcon dipped one more time to thin out the first wave, and then the demons were on us.

  The terror of the first hellcat
crashing onto our deck was only mildly reduced by its lack of grace. Coreen had been wise to use the reflecting mirrors. The beast’s eyes glazed over as it thrashed about. Kevin ran forward first, lashing out with his scythe. His actions were anxious, although his face held an eerie calm as he sliced off the creature’s front limbs.

  Its agonizing shrieks vibrated through my skull, threatening to shatter my will. My own cries were a foreign sound as the trembling in my knees faded and I bolted ahead, throwing my scythe with all my strength to tear the beast’s head off. I would kill a thousand hellcats as long as I never had to hear that sound again.

  Blood, thick as tar, ran from the creature’s neck, oozing over the deck and between the boards. I cringed, thinking of how long it was going to take to clean and repair the ship later.

  “Incoming!” Coreen howled over the roar of wings as more hellcats arrived.

  Horus’s falcon dove down and plucked up two of them in his beak, snapping them into pieces small enough to swallow. The massacre sprayed us with a scarlet rain. The next cat to arrive slipped in the blood of its fallen comrades and slid dangerously close to Josie.

  Horus leapt onto the creature’s back and shoved a dagger in its eye. Blood oozed out around his hand and sprayed across his face. The beast’s cries roared out, deafening as the last had been, before Horus jerked the blade back and split the cat’s skull in half, spilling steaming brains over the deck floor.

  Josie’s eyes watered, but she continued firing at Caim. His protective circle of demons lay in heaps around him, riddled with arrows. Her backup quiver was almost empty, and the lines around her eyes grew deeper with each shot she fired.

  Another hellcat clawed its way on deck, snapping off a chunk of railing as it climbed onboard. It snarled and flung the splintered railing my way. I dodged, landing in a puddle of demon goo. Another pair of leather pants, ruined. The boat shifted, and my knees gave out just in time. The hellcat leapt over me, its talons inches from my face, that was now splattered with scalding blood.

  The cat rolled into the railing on the other side of the deck, uprooting half the hand-carved spindles, then turned and prepared to rush me again. My scythe was slippery with blood, and my head was spinning in so many circles I could hardly remember how to use the weapon in the first place.