Something More, Something Unique Chapter 10.1

Attention! I will start every chapter with a quote and whoevers perspective it is in!

“I-I don’t have a quote.” - @LordTachanka

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Nayleth - Chapter 10.1

I just stared at him, the Grim Reaper. He seemed like a toddler, almost. But his eye... eye sockets? Yeah, his eye sockets showed otherwise.

He just stared at me, a cocoa mustache lining his lips. His fingers were itching to pick the mug backup and small flames were growing in his wispy sockets.

Slowly getting up, my knees began to shake. I stared at him, the Reaper staring right back. He cocked his head, watching me.

Practically tip-toeing over to the kitchen, I tripped over my own feet and managed to land face first into the tiled floors. Well, shit. My jaw began to hurt like all hell while I picked myself back up.

Then I realized that I wasn't in my form. That explains it. I was also surprised that I hadn't woken anyone up. And he just watched me, like a deer in headlights.

My barefeet tapped against the floor while I scrambled around to find another mug. After opening the needed cabinet and warming up the chocolate, I had two steaming glass of cocoa in hand.

I offered him the second glass, the Reaper grabbing it from my hands and slugging it. He went to take the second glass but thought better of it.

"Take it. I don't need any and you seem to love it. A whole damn lot.” I told him, trying to not run away in fright.

He smiled like the sun, grabbing the cocoa and patting me on the shoulder.

“Umm, uh-” I began but he cut me off by holding up a hand.

He pulled out a silver pen, the ink dripping from the tip. The Reaper took out a scroll of paper, friskily writing. After about three minutes, he shoved the piece of paper into my hands and in turn, I felt very confused.

Reading over it, I realized the whole thing explained why he was here. He was here for me and Griffin. He was here for Mark and Auggie. And that he would not talk unless it was under drastic circumstances.

I looked up, feeling as if my face was ashen.

"So... your going to... to..." I muttered, reading over the short note with silver ink.

He shook his head, setting down the glass of cocoa. Why was he drinking so much of it? It was kinda odd.

He pointed to the line that I skipped by accident. It said he was here to help.

“Help how?! Your not even talking!” I exclaimed, waving the paper around.

“Shut up, Nat. I am trying to sleep.”” Griffin mumbled, throwing the covers over his face.

I froze. The Reaper just clapped like an excited child, ripping the covers off of Griffin.

“Nat! I told-” He began but froze when he saw the Grim Reaper. His mouth was moving like a fish out of water and his eyes were as wide as lemons. Griffin just looked over at me, holding his hands in the air, as if to say he did nothing wrong.

I shrugged, explaining why he was here.

“Well,” Griffin started. He was running his hand through his hair. “Since you’ll be here for a long while, can I call you Grim? Much better than Death or Reaper. Has a nice ring to it and is more friendly in my opinion.”

Grim smiled widely. He seemed so happy.

“You don’t have many friends, do you?” I inquired.

Grim just nodded his head, crestfallen.

“Well,” I said, still wary of this immortal figure. “I’ll get you one more damned glass of cocoa, then you need to go.”

Grim shook his head. He scribbled on the paper he had out.

He had written that he was not going to leave. Not anytime soon. He was here to help me and Griffin with our jobs as Keepers. And he had written that he was wondering if he could join us for class tomorrow.

“Sure!” Griffin said, cheerfully.

“Uh, no. People will freak the shit out when they seem him!” I retorted. Other students seeing him would not help me or Griffin with our social status here. Not like I could really talk to people though… well, J and Sully, I guess. And Griffin.

Grim chuckled. It was deep and cold. Griffins eyes widened in response to the ghoulish laugh.

Scribing on his pad again, he wrote the no one could see him. No one but me and Griffin. And those that he gave the responsibility too. Grim could chose anyone but mostly it was only the other Keepers. The Timekeepers were the only ones that could see him though. The others never trusted him, they feared him.

I shook my head, wanting to curl up into a ball and pretend that I really was just imagining this, pretend like I was the cheese. Making up a story, being the last one left of something huge. To be alone again. But having people back in my life… it was more than I could ever ask for.

---

“Mommy?” I asked my mother in my eight year old voice. One of my two front teeth were missing and my hair was in a razzled braid.

She looked at me, her eyes holding visible bags and a lost look. She was wearing her pajamas again. She hadn’t taken them off for a long while. It made me worried.

“Yes, dear?” she said while beating the bread dough. She liked to bake, like Gram. The house was always filled with the smells of chocolate and Bluebug tarts.

“Are you okay?”

My mother stopped beating the bread. Her fingers tightened, her veins popping from her neck. A minute later, she composed herself, as if remembering that her young daughter was in the room.

“I am fine, Dragon, don’t you worry.” was all she said.

I nodded my head, not thinking to make sure she was. Now, now I always ask if they are sure, always. Because people don’t always tell the truth right away. After all, its human nature.

I walked out of the room, toward the garden. I sat on the swing, thinking of my father.

Dad… where are you?

My feet brushed the emerald blades of grass, tickling the bottom of my feet. The dirt felt fresh, new and the flowers had begun to wilt. He wasn’t here to tend to them anymore. He loved gardening. He loved making jewelry and predicting the future with his odd, medieval like cards. He loved Mom.

A tear splashed onto the dirt. I rubbed my wet cheek, not wanting my mother to see that I was crying.

“It’s okay, Dragon. I am right here.” my father's voice rung through my ears and I looked up. He was right in front of me. He wore his red flannel and blue jeans. But… he seemed weaker. Physically.

He smiled at me.

I blinked. He was gone.

I was confused. He was just here.

Being curious, I walked back inside.

“Mommy?” I said while tugging on her shirt sleeve.

“Hmm?” was all she said.

“I saw Dad,”

My mother froze. She turned around on me, her jaw set tight but her eyes betrayed her. They were filled with hot, salty tears.

“No, honey. He’s… he’s gone. He can’t come back.”

“But, but I-I just saw him Mommy. I just saw him. He said things would be o-okay.”

She shook her head.

“He can’t comeback Nayleth! He can’t! Do not think otherwise!” She half yelled at me.

I recoiled back but retorted.

“I saw him! I just saw him!” I shouted back, running up to my room to talk to the picture of him. 

Gram just watched from the door. Her eyes were wide and she held onto the doorframe, looking at Muluth like she was a virus, a villain to her own daughter.

---

“Let’s get some sleep, we can tell J and Sully about… this in the morning.” Griffin said. Grim looked at me, knowing something was up.

I nodded slowly, feeling like I was about to retch. The memories were coming back, the ones I wanted to stay away. I hated it. I had tried so hard to keep them away and now, here they were, returning. 

Wrapping myself in my covers, I wished I had the picture of my father to talk to. To not feel so alone.