by Jen L. Grey
Lightning strikes overhead, and the sky looks like it’s just about to open up and pour rain. I don’t know what I’ve ever done to deserve all this shit. I grab the door handle and pull, just wishing it would open. But, of course, it doesn’t budge. Yep, closed, and there are no operating hours so I have no freaking clue when to come back.
Not sure what else to do, I lay my head back on the door and close my eyes. Who would have thought that this is what my life would become? A reaper who can’t reap, track, or even save her family. All I wanted to do was check out this store, and of course it’s closed. I should have taken the demon’s deal.
I push off the door and take a few steps. I just don’t understand why all this bad luck is hitting me all at once. You’d think I would get a little break of luck somewhere. I stomp my foot and pull at my hair.
All of a sudden, there is a creak behind me. I turn and find that the door is now ajar, but the lights are still out and no one is there.
Okay, that’s not freaky at all. I walk back over to the door, but the entire place is silent and pitch black. That door had been shut tight a few seconds ago when I tried yanking it open. This is not possible.
Every fiber of my being is telling me to leave, but I was led here for a reason. I can’t just leave without figuring out why. I need to suck it up and go in. It’s not trespassing if the door’s open. Or, at least, I think that’s how it goes. But at this point, how much more trouble can I get in?
I reach out a shaky hand to open the door all the way and listen for any noises in the room. There is nothing out of place, so I take a deep breath and step inside.
My sneakers squeak against the floor and I about jump out of my skin. I listen for any new sound, but all I can hear is my own rapid breathing. Okay, I’m psyching my self out. I need to get my shit together.
This is ridiculous. I step the rest of the way inside and the door slams behind me.
I scream and turn around, looking for whoever shut it, but there is no one there. This was a bad decision. I need to get the hell out of here. I push on the door, trying to open it, but it won’t budge.
The door won’t open.
If I can’t get out, then I need light. There has to be a light switch near here. I almost trip over my feet as I search the walls.
No matter where I look, I can’t find the switch. I’m halfway in the store when the lights come on and there is a lady standing less than a foot away from me. I have to hold back a scream.
She’s an older lady and is looking through an old, worn book that she’s holding in her right hand. She is using her left hand to adjust her long silver hair which falls down over a long, mustard colored dress. Her light green eyes flicker up my way. “Did I scare you?”
Of course, she did, but I am kind of trespassing here so maybe I did deserve it. “Well, sort of, but I might have deserved it.” I let out a breath. “The door was ajar. That’s the only reason why I came in.”
Her eyes look back down to her book and she flips a page. “I know. I opened it for you.”
Oh. “So, you’re a witch?”
“Yes, dear.” She licks her finger and turns another page. “I am. I’ve been waiting on you for a while. I almost thought you weren’t coming.”
“I’ve never been here before. Are you expecting someone else?” I glance behind me to see if someone is at the door.
She laughs. “No, Christina. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Yet another person who I’ve never met that knows my name. A chill runs through me. “Well, that’s… uh… nice.”
“Oh, don’t be nervous.” She raises her hand and rain pours down outside. “It’s raining. You should stay for a minute. We have a lot to discuss anyway.”
The demon said it wasn’t raining, so why are we the only three that seem to see it? A shiver courses down my spine. “Sure, what’s up?”
“Well, bringing back to life a reaped soul wasn’t very smart.” She raises an eyebrow and sets her book on the table. “Especially when it was your assigned target.” She walks over to a line of plants in a tray and picks up a watering canteen sitting beside it.
Crap, how does she know this? Maybe I should hold up a sign. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, but you do.” She moves on to her next plant. “You’ve caused quite an upheaval in all the realms. Your gift could benefit a lot of people.”
“I’m not sure if benefit is the right word.” My mind goes back to the threatening note and my precarious situation with the elders. “I’m in a whole lot of trouble.”
“I’m sure you are.” She sets down the canteen and whispers some words over the plants. “They aren’t very fond of any type of change or threats.”
As fun as this is, I didn’t come here to chat, but I sure as hell don’t want to come off rude. “That is true, but now they need me to do something.”
“Ah, yes.” She grins and goes back to her book. “You need to find the earth crystal, but you’ve been blocked and can’t locate it.”
“Yeah, that’s it.” I lick my lips and walk over to the plants. I take a deep breath and smell rosemary, lavender, and basil all combined.
“That is a precarious situation to be in.” She smirks, using her finger to scan down a page.
She’s going to make me ask. “Can you help me?”
She glances up and lifts her chin. “Of course, I can.” She points to her book. “This spell right here can fix it all. It’ll remove the block on your magic so you can find the crystal.”
This is it. I knew my gut wouldn’t let me down. “Great, thanks.”
She raises a finger and wiggles it from side to side. “Tsk tsk. Not so fast.” She shuts her book and hugs it to her chest. “But first, you need to reap my dying sister’s soul and then return it to her so her soul can be cleansed and can be healthy once more.”
Her soul can be cleansed? I’ve never heard of that before. It’s either bad or good. You go to heaven or hell. What will me reaping her and restoring her do? And why the hell does everyone want something from me? Can’t they just want to help someone out in need? “Why can’t you just help me? Every person has a limited time on Earth. If your sister’s soul needs to be cleansed, maybe she should change her ways.”
The witch’s jaw clenches. “You can’t expect to get anything for free. That’s not the world we live in and not the way of our kind.” She takes a few steps toward me, and the canteen holding the plants rattle behind me. “You must give to receive. If you want the crystal, then you need to save my sister.”
My heart sinks. Either way, I’m going to have to make a horrible decision.
12
I don’t know what the right answer is, and I need time to think each option through. This is a decision I will have to live with for the rest of my life, so I need to make sure I choose the lesser of the two evils… if there is one.
Her hands clutch the book and her eyes study me. “Well, do we have a deal?”
“I don’t know yet.” I take a step toward the exit. I sure hope she’ll let me out. I don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t.
She tilts her head to the side and purses her lips. “How can you not be sure? You need to find the crystal.”
“You’re right, but I’m supposed to be home right now.” I glance at the clock hanging on the wall. “They don’t know I left, and I’ve been gone too long. Let me come back in a couple of hours and we can figure this all out.”
Anger seems to flash in her eyes, but she takes a deep breath and blinks. When she opens them again, her face is solemn, but she opens the front door. “Fine, but remember we need each other.”
I don’t waste another minute and turn to rush out the door. When I break free of the weird place, the sky is blue and the sun is shining. How is that possible? Just a few minutes ago, there had been a horrible storm breaking loose. I guess it had to be some witchy magic or something.
As I walk down the sketchy road, there are still a to
n of people milling around, but I can’t focus on them. My mind just keeps replaying the past few days over and over. I saved the girl I was supposed to reap, dreamed of my dead best friend, am in severe trouble with the council, had a huge fight with Charlie, and met a demon and a witch within a few hours of one another. If that’s not life changing, I’m not sure what is.
Soon, I turn back down a familiar road, but the sense of being followed comes over me. I turn around, expecting to find someone, but there is no one out of normal that I spot.
There is a couple with their daughter that are walking toward one of the kid’s clothing stores and a couple of teenagers heading into an ice cream shop. But that’s about it.
Now, let’s add paranoia to my ever-growing list of personality quirks. I have enough issues without letting them multiply on their own. I make myself turn around and head back in the direction of the house.
The large, brick family house comes into view. This is where the past five decades of Malones have lived. It’s essentially a huge house. The first floor is larger than the second, which is the reason the rooftop is flat right outside my window.
I head to the back and pray that I can climb the tree unnoticed. Here’s hoping my parents are still caught up in the scandal that I’ve created and working on mitigation plans.
I walk over to the white oak tree and try to find a footing and climb, but I can’t find any branches low enough that can hold my weight. Shit. What the hell am I going to do?
Maybe I can find something to use to help me get a boost and reach the lowest branch. I glance around the backyard and take in the nice, white picket fence and short green grass. There is nothing out of place, and I can’t find anything to use.
Well, I guess I’m going to have to go in the front door. I’ll just have to be quiet and maybe my parents won’t hear. Thank goodness, I thought to bring my keys or I’d be in a world of hurt.
As I walk onto the porch, I tiptoe as if my parents can hear me from inside. I’m being overly cautious, but I don’t think I can handle them right now and hope to just make it to my room with no interference.
My keys are in my back pocket, so I grab them and unlock and open the door. There is a television on down in the den, and it sounds as if Mom might be on the phone. I walk in and shut the door and begin to walk up the stairs.
When I hit the third stair, something crashes behind me. I spin around and see that one of our windows is smashed, and there is a large rock laying at the bottom of the stairs.
I take the steps back down and realize there is a note tied to it. My heart pounds and my stomach begins to rumble.
“What the hell was that?” My dad yells from the den.
With shaky hands, I reach out and grab the note fast before they come in here. I pull it open and read it.
You’re running out of time. Next target won’t be the window.
“Christina, what happened?” Dad jogs into the room next to me.
“Oh…” I turn and shove the note in my back pocket. “Someone just threw a rock through our window.”
Mom’s heels clack against the hardwood floors as she enters the room. “Oh, God. I knew it was going to happen.” She places the back of her hand to her forehead. “We’re being victimized because of our daughter.”
“See, this,” Dad points to the rock and the window, “should never happen. We’re made for this life. You need to find that crystal and get your shit together.”
My vision clouds and blood rushes through my body. “Oh, now, I need to find something.” I glare at my dad. “When I was ten, you didn’t want me hunting things that way and told me to never do it again.”
He lifts his chin and narrows his eyes. “If you were a normal reaper, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“I’m your freaking daughter.” My breathing becomes ragged and my tone loud. “Doesn’t that count for anything?”
“Oh, Christina.” Mom shakes her head and drops her chin. “It does, but so do appearances. You need to get a handle on yourself. That’s one reason our family has held our position for so long.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be like them.” My tone is strangled and hard to come out.
“That’s a given, but you will suck it up and do it.” Dad huffs.
A tear runs down my cheek, even though I despise that it does. “I just wish there was one time in my life that I felt loved by you guys, but you’ve made it clear where I stand.” I turn and head back up the stairs. “Don’t worry. I’ll find the stupid crystal, and your precious family name will remain intact.”
They say something after me, but I don’t listen. I’m tired of them and their ways. The kicker is that I will still do whatever it takes to protect them. I get to my room and pull my keys back out of my pocket.
When I walk inside, it’s silent and the entire room smells of vanilla. A breeze blows through my window, ruffling the curtains. Huh, I guess I forgot to shut it after I climbed out. I walk over and shut it, locking it.
I walk into the closet and find Becca still asleep. She seems to be sleeping well and I don’t want to wake her, so I walk out and shut the door behind me.
I lean back against the door and run my fingers through my hair. She can’t stay here with me forever, no matter how much I’d like to keep her near. I need to figure out what I’m going to do with her. If I let her go too far from here, another reaper could find her easily. If I do that, then what was the point to all this to begin with? It’s just one problem after another.
There is a faint knock at my window, and I turn to find Brad there, smiling at me.
I hurry over, not wanting anyone to see him there. It takes a second, but soon I have the window raised. “Hey, what are you doing?” I take a step back so he can enter.
He slides through the window and grins. “I just wanted to check on you. I heard things aren’t going too well and wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help.”
I take a few steps back to my bed and sit down. “I wish I could tell you, but I don’t think it would be wise.” I rub my hands along my arms. “I’ve got enough people drug into my situation already.”
“Hey.” He walks over and sits next to me on the bed. “You can tell me anything.”
There is no way I’m chancing him getting drug in this with me. “What I can tell you is that I have a big choice to make, and I’m not sure which direction to go. Neither one is really ideal.”
“Huh,” he lets out a breath, “that does suck. Which one are you most inclined to go with?”
“I’m not sure.” I turn my body toward him. “Each one is making a deal with a person that wants something in return. Something I’m not sure I’m comfortable with.”
He pops his fingers for a minute and stares out the window. “Well, which one will get you to the end result you need the fastest?”
“Both will get me there.” I cut my eyes over to the closet and back to him. “But one is doing something I hate three times while the other is doing it once.”
He laughs loud.
“Shh….” I giggle.
“Sorry.” He covers his mouth with his hands. “It’s just seems like the answer is pretty obvious.”
Okay, he does have me here. “True. I guess I hadn’t exactly thought of it that way.”
Footsteps are heard down the hall, and Brad stands up. “I hate to leave so soon, but it sounds like your parents are around.”
“Yeah, and we just got into a huge argument.” I glance at my door.
“So, I should go.” He gets up and climbs out the window.
“Hey, wait.” I reach out and touch his shoulder.
He turns around, a smirk on his face. “What?”
“How in the world did you climb up here?” If I couldn’t climb the tree, how could he?
His forehead creases and he shakes his head. “I climbed the tree.”
That’s not possible. “How? I tried earlier, and I couldn’t reach the top branch.”
A huge
grin spreads across his face. “I’m five inches taller than you. That’s how, short stuff.”
I stick my tongue out at him and turn to go back to my bed.
He reaches out and grabs my hand. “I know what I just said, but remember to listen to your heart. Choose the lesser evil. Sometimes, it may not be the obvious choice.”
His words it hard on me. “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”
“Of course.” He squeezes my hand and then lets it drop. “I’m always here for you.” He turns and heads down the tree.
At least, someone is, but his words repeat in my head. There is something about the witch that bothers me even more so than the demon. How can her sister be so ill when it’s not even time for her to die yet? Witches are healthy until the very end. I need to figure out what isn’t adding up.
13
I sit at the window and watch as Brad walks out the back yard. I have to figure out what to do. My time is running out, and the threats are getting worse. I don’t want to be the reason my parents get hurt.
It’s true that, with the witch, I’m reaping and replenishing one soul. So, even though it’s technically before her time, I’m bringing her back so it’ll be righted. All right, that’s what I’ll do. It seems as if it’s the safest option and it doesn’t harm anyone.
If I can just get this behind me, then I can move on to finding the crystal. I stand up and head to my door. I lock it and shut it behind me. Better safe than sorry. My parents don’t need to be able to get in there. I walk down the stairs and find Mom sweeping up the glass.
She holds the broom a few inches away from her and is sweeping it into the center of the room.
Dad is bending down, holding the dustpan with a garbage can beside him. “Hey, where are you going? We have things to figure out.”
“Yeah, I know.” I walk around the mess, careful not to step on any glass. “I think I have a solution to the problem.”
“Really?” Mom’s tone is a tad loud, and her shoulders seem to relax some. “That’s great news.”