by Jen L. Grey
My dad yells my name from the foyer.
There are footsteps pounding up the stairs.
“Hey, you can’t just come in my house like this.” My mom’s tone is loud and angry.
There is no time to lose, so I take her arm and lead her to the door. “You have to hurry.”
She shakes her head and climbs into the hideaway with her snacks and drink.
The footsteps are now at the top of the stairs and rambling down the hallway. I shut the door and slide my clothes back in place. I hurry out of my room and open my door.
My world comes to a halt as two agents dressed all in black with the council symbol on their chest appear before me.
The tall man on the left lifts his chin. “Someone has concerns that you may be harboring a target in your house.”
My saliva takes on a salty taste as nausea churns in my stomach. I have to get out of this. “That’s stupid. Do you realize who my family is?”
The shorter man snarls. “It doesn’t matter who your family is. A crime is a crime. Now, let us search your room.” He pushes past me and enters my room.
It doesn’t take long for the taller one to follow behind. They tear my room apart searching for Becca.
Dad growls as he takes in the disaster they are creating. “What the hell is going on, Christina?”
Before I can answer, the shorter one comes back and glares. “I don’t know where you’ve hidden her, but the elders want to see you now.”
What? No. This can’t be happening.
7
My mom appears from the hallway. “It’s midnight. This must be some kind of joke.” Her blonde hair is still immaculate, and she’s still in her day clothes.
The tall agent glares at her. “No, we don’t joke about things like this.” He reaches out and grabs my arm. “She’s coming with us.”
This is like my worst nightmare come true. I’ve really messed up this time.
“Wait.” My dad runs his hands through his hair. “Can she at least change her clothes? She’s wearing pajamas for God’s sake.”
The shorter agent takes in my disheveled appearance and grins. “They did say it was an emergency hearing.”
I’m sure they would love for me to attend in my black sweatpants and blue tank top. Nothing like having my family humbled. As much as my parents love to flaunt our heritage, there are others out there who hate us for it. The more we act like we’re better, the more people like Shorty want to put us in our place. “No, it’s fine.”
“Huh, who would have thought?” The taller man lets go of my arm. He raises an eyebrow and shrugs. “Go change really quick.”
Mom’s shoulders sag in relief and she lets out a breath. “Come on, Christina. Let’s find you something suitable to wear.”
“What the hell?” The short agent glowers at the other one.
“She’s just a kid.” The taller agent glances at me, his eyebrows furrowed. “She has a few minutes to get out of her pajamas before having to face the elders.”
“Thank you so much.” Dad walks over and extends his hand out. “What’s your name?”
I walk into my room and Mom follows, shutting the door behind her.
She goes straight to my closet, searching through the racks for something suitable for me to wear. She pulls out a modest black dress and carries it to my bed. “I don’t know what you’ve done, but you better not have done anything to ruin this family.”
Of course, that’s what they’re worried about. They don’t worry if something bad happens to me. I sometimes wonder why they even bothered having a child, but I guess their legacy needs to be carried on. Sucks for them they got me.
Not sure what to say, I walk over and put on the dress. There is no point in complaining now. I’m in so much trouble that I just need to accept the consequences.
As soon as I’m dressed, Mom attacks me with the hairbrush. Okay, attacks is an over exaggeration, but she’s so pissed and she’s letting some of it out on my hair.
I want to check on Becca, but of course, that’s not going to happen. That would be the worst thing I can do. Mom isn’t going to let me out of her sight.
When she’s done, I turn, and Mom nods, giving me her blessing. I guess it’s the small things, right?
My heart races so hard I think it’s going to come right out of my chest. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I have a feeling this will change everything.
We walk out the door, and the agents are standing against the hall with their arms crossed. My dad is down the hallway on his phone, pacing as he moves his hands in large motions.
When my bedroom door shuts, Dad turns in our direction and hangs up the phone. “All right, gentlemen. We will meet you there.”
“Sorry, sir.” The taller gentlemen steps in front of the short one. “That can’t happen. She will have to ride with us. However, since she’s still technically under your care, you can follow us there.”
Dad’s face becomes strained. “Well… I’m sure…”
“There is no other way.” The agent takes my arm and nudges me along. “She’s now in our custody.”
And this is the beginning of the end. My mother’s mouth drops open, and there are now dark circles under Dad’s eyes. I’ve aged them at least twenty years in the past thirty minutes.
Not wanting to see their reactions any longer, I turn and walk with the tall guy. There are some things that aren’t worth fighting over because you can’t win.
The shorter one follows behind, grumbling, “Well, that wasn’t as entertaining as I had hoped.”
I want to punch him. He acts as if this is all for his amusement, but my life is ruined. All my dreams have up and vanished.
We walk down the stairs and toward the front door. It’s one step closer to a life forever changed. Who knows? This could be the last time I see my house.
The short guy opens the door with a huge grin on his face.
But I can’t focus on him right now. I pause, taking in my surroundings while something heavy settles on my chest. This may not have been the most loving place, and I may not have the best memories, but it’s home nonetheless. I want to wake up from this nightmare and realize this has all been just a horrible, messed up dream. Tears burn my eyes and my vision gets blurry.
“Hey, now.” The tall agent’s tone is comforting and he squeezes my arm. “I’m sorry, but we have to get going.”
At least one of them seems to have a little compassion. I take in a slow, deep breath, making sure I don’t sniffle. I’m not sure why, but I’ll be damned to show weakness in front of that one guy.
Steeling myself, I walk out the front door and find the typical black Dodge SUV sitting out front.
The moon is high in the sky, lighting up the night. It’s so bright that not a single star can be seen, and there isn’t a single cloud in the sky. There is a slight breeze, and I swear there is a hint of vanilla. I rub my arms with my hands.
Holy shit, I must be losing my mind at this point.
Shorty opens up the back car door and waves me in, his grin stretching from ear to ear.
If I thought I could get away with it, I’d punch him right now, but I have a feeling I’m already in deep enough trouble. So, I fist my hands together, digging my fingernails into my palms.
I climb into the backseat and get settled in. The two agents get in front with the tall guy in the passenger side, sitting right in front of me. Within minutes, we are moving forward toward the council mansion.
My stomach begins rolling, and I'm thankful I didn’t eat any dinner. I hope Mom and Dad don’t decide to come. But who am I kidding? They will make sure they are front and center to try to mitigate all the damage possible. However, they’ve signed up for more than they bargained for.
The dark mansion comes into view, and my parents’ car pulls up behind us. Well, they didn’t waste any time, but I’m not going to complain. I was adamant against them helping me with my job with Becca, and look at what a mess that turned out t
o be. Maybe I’m not cut out to go alone.
There isn’t any point in dragging this out much more. All it’s going to do is put off the inevitable. I open the door, and, when I get out, the agents flank either side of me. Huh, when did I become a flight risk?
The taller one reaches out and grabs my arm again, and we move toward the front door. Just as we hit the front porch, the door opens as one of the butlers peeks their head out. “Oh, it’s about time. The elders are growing impatient.”
Oh, bless their hearts. However, I bite my tongue so nothing sarcastic spills out.
The taller agent seems uninterested. “We got held up, but we’re here now.”
My parents come up behind us. Dad straightens the dark blue tie and lays it over his gray suit he changed into. “Yes, please take us to the elders immediately. This whole thing has to be a misunderstanding and we have things to attend to.”
I want to disappear into the ground right now or become invisible. This kind of attitude is why so many people can’t stand our family.
“Of course.” The butler raises an eyebrow but moves along, and soon, we are heading toward the room again.
The closer I get to the room, the more the walls seem to spin. It almost feels like the time Beth and I snuck into my parents’ wine that weekend when they were out of town. We drank half a bottle each and could barely stand on our two feet. I stumble and my dad grabs my arm and glares at me.
If he thinks this is bad, wait ‘til he hears the rest.
All too soon, we reach the doors, and the short agent almost skips to the door and opens it.
The elders are already at their elevated tables, dressed the same way as always. The leading lady’s eyes find me, but her face remains blank.
For the first time ever, Mom’s composure cracks. “They’re already here.”
Now, my parents glance at me, their faces full of alarm.
I avoid their gaze. They are just beginning to get the magnitude of the trouble I’m in. The elders fancy being late and being in control. The only time they push that aside is if someone has been accused of serious allegations.
The elder man stands and straightens his already stiff shoulders. “Christina, please come further into the room and face your council.”
Like I have a choice. I take a deep breath and step forward, pulling out of the agent’s grasp.
My parents step up beside me; Dad on the right and Mom on the left.
Anyone would think we’re a united front, but they are just trying to save their own ass. If I fall, we all fall. That’s the reaper way.
“Some things have come to our attention that are concerning.” The elder looks down his nose at us.
Hmm…. So that’s why he wanted us to come closer, so he could make us feel even more inferior. One reason why I never felt like I belonged.
Dad elbows me in the side and tilts his head in his direction.
Ouch, that hurt. What the hell? And that’s not even kind of subliminal. I lick my lips and my stomach turns. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Hmph.” Mom grunts.
Guess that wasn’t a good answer, but at this point, I don’t have anything else to say.
The younger elder lady slams her hand down on the table. “Do you think this is funny? A game?”
My heart begins racing, and I’m not sure what to say.
“What exactly are you accusing her of doing?” Mom’s tone is full of confusion, and her brow is creased.
The eldest lady stands. “Another reaper vanquished her target’s soul, and then Christina somehow replenished the soul back inside the girl.”
“That’s not possible.” Dad’s tone is just above a whisper, and he’s staring at me like I’m a stranger.
“Well, it is,” the younger elder lady says as she crosses her arms and leans back in her chair.
“How do you know this?” Mother’s face hardens, and she props a hand on her hip.
The eldest man scowls at her. “Remember your place. We verified the allegations.”
His wife walks around him, lifts up her dress to clear the tops of her shoes, and proceeds down the stairs. When she reaches the bottom, she drops the dress back down and makes her way in front of me. She stares into my eyes and tilts her head. “The soul was checked into the afterlife, but when we went to check on it again to prove the allegations were untrue, it was confirmed the soul had vanished.”
Mom’s hand drops to her side and her face turns white. She turns to me. “Is this true?”
It’s time to own up to my sins, but my mouth refuses to move. It’s almost as if I’m frozen in place.
“Answer your mother right now.” My dad grabs my arm and jerks me forward. His teeth are clenched, his nostrils flared.
“It’s true.” It comes out as a whisper, but at the same time, it was loud enough to echo around the entire room.
Dad’s breathing comes out in ragged breaths. His hand falls off me and clenches into a fist.
A smirk spreads across the elder’s face in front of me. “Well, what have you now? A family of legacy that could fall hard due to their daughter’s transgression.”
“It’s my fault. Not theirs.” I take a step toward her and stop. “Don’t make them pay for my mistakes.”
She arches an eyebrow. “You know the rules. However, we might make an exception for you.”
Mom gasps. “What? Are you serious?”
The lady ignores my mother and just stares at me. “We’ve been waiting for someone of unusual talents to come our way, and you might just be the person we need. You have a choice. Your family can be stripped of title, wealth, position, everything, or…”
“No…” Mom cries out and covers her face with her hands.
“Hush.” The lady glares at her and then looks back at me. “Or there is a special crystal that has a strong connection with Earth. If you bring it back to us, we will forgive you for this transgression.”
They want me to go get a rock. That can’t be hard. “Okay, where is it?”
She shrugs. “That, we aren’t sure. You’d have to find it and bring it back to us. Then all would be forgiven. You have twenty-four hours to make the decision.”
I close my eyes, and an image of a crystal that is clear with brown lightning bursting throughout appears in my mind.
What the hell? What am I going to do?
8
This should be an easy answer, but I don’t know what to do. I can see the crystal, but darkness shrouds it. I can’t pinpoint its location. And, let’s be real. The thought of not having to reap anymore souls is appealing to me.
The eldest lady’s eyes never move off me. “Like I said, you have twenty-four hours. Go home and think it through before you answer.”
A shiver of unease filters through my body, and the urge to flee wreaks havoc on me. “Okay.” I turn toward the door when a cold hand touches my arm. It feels of death and darkness.
“Now, remember.” She steps toward me, her whole arm now brushing against mine. “You are to come back here and tell us your answer by this time tomorrow. If not, agents will be deployed.” She lets go of my hand and glances at my parents. “I hope we all understand.”
Even after she removes her hand, there is still a coldness left behind from her touch. I reach to rub it but stop myself. I don’t want to offend anyone on top of everything else tonight.
Dad comes over and tugs me toward the door. “Of course, we will be here after we have a good rest and talk things through.”
“Yes,” Mom coos. “I’m sorry for the mistake our daughter made. We will fix it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
All of this just makes me want to vomit, and, at this point, I’m about to collapse. This day seems never ending, and I sure hope Becca is doing all right. I hate that I had to leave her in the small room, but had I not, there is no telling how she would have ended up.
The younger man intertwines his fingers and places his elbows on the table. “Please make sure it d
oesn’t. We will have more eyes on her now.”
Of course, they will. I’m sure Selena is happy now.
Mom takes my other arm, and we make our way through the mansion, leaving the council behind. They don’t make a sound on the way, which isn’t a good sign. It means they are too angry to say anything at all and will wait until we get home.
I get in the back of the car and Dad speeds home. The five-minute drive probably took two minutes in his haste to get home faster.
We get out of the car, and I want to walk slowly to the house. However, that will just make things worse. They have a right to be upset with me. I messed up and now they may have to pay the price for it.
I’m the last to walk through the large double doors. As they close, the sound echoes in the front foyer. My back is to them, and my parents turn, facing me.
Dad takes a ragged breath and runs his hand through his hair. “What the hell happened?”
Where do I even start? I’m not sure. They aren’t going to understand what’s going on with me. “Well, I had trouble reaping her.”
“That much was clear.” Mom runs a hand down her arm. “Just tell us the whole story.”
At this point, I don’t have much to lose, so I summarize what happened. “I couldn’t reap her that night with her family, so I followed her that next morning, but another person vanquished her before I was able to.”
“But you freaking brought her back?” Dad clenches his jaw. “How did you do that and why would you?”
“Because she looked just like Beth.” Shit, that slipped out before I thought it through.
With an eye roll, my mom walks over to me. She takes my hand and begins activating her power. It twists inside her and flows into me. “This is how you do it. This is what a reaper does.” She pushes her power harder, and it courses through me harder. “You connect to the afterlife and let it suction from you.”
The rotation feels alien to me like it always does. I can do this, but it doesn’t come natural to me. I don’t know what they don’t understand about that.
She removes her hand from me and the swirling from inside halts.