Death reap

Death reap 1.

1. The End

It was my end, the end of me, Chris Castle.

Thirty seconds ago I was shot.

Twenty seconds ago I was falling to the ground.

Ten seconds ago I was clutching my stomach.

Five seconds ago I was watching a blood pool around me, and now I’m dead.

But let’s start at the beginning.

Two hours ago I was neck deep in planning my little brothers birthday party and like usual Fin, my older brother wasn’t helping at all. It was my mission to make Jacks sweet sixteen party the best party this little town has ever seen.

We all lived in Sunny Village (dumb name I know) a small town about 50 km from Boston. It is a town where everyone knows everyone and everyone knows everyone’s dirty laundry. With a Blockbuster, Swifty's American Market and Bella Morte, an Italian restaurant that just serves pasta, we were the only place where you can feel the the touch of the modern world.

Fin was lying on the couch staring up at me as I hanging up the ‘Happy Birthday Jack’ smiling like a goofus. At that time I couldn’t believe that that goofus staring at me was the same person that took custody over me and Jack when our parents died. Fin was at that time 21, I was 16 and Jack was 13 and 3 years later we were still together and going strong. 

‘’Remind me again why you aren’t helping me?’’

‘’I’m not helping you because after a long day of work I am tired and I need my entertainment.’’

‘’Ha ha ha whatever.’’

Everything was set, the decoration, the food, the guest that were arriving any minute and of course a cake, a double chocolate with whipped cream.

Everyone arrived and we were waiting for Jack to arrive after his shift at the before mentioned BlockBuster. The only light was in the kitchen where Fin and I usually waited for him. The door opened and an exhausted Jack walked in running a hand through his hair. His brown eyes widened when we all jumped out screaming ‘’HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!’’.

The party was going smoothly with the occasional drunk relative starting singing some patriotic song. The clock struck 9 and and we moved the party to the back yard where the summer heat was softened by the river running a mile into the darkness. The yard was perfectly decorated with soft streamers in red and white color and small lights hidden in the various trees. Jack looked smug surrounded by the local beauties that were whispering to him. We all got our looks from our father, the sandy blond hair and brown eyes that, matched with our height and slimness, gave us that beach look that the girls loved.

He was happy, happier than I had seen him since the death of our parents. The cake had been eaten to the last piece and all the sodas had been drank with gusto. I remembered that I placed four packets of Dr. Pepper in the small pond behind the oak tree to keep them cool. I was lifting the last one out of the water when I heard movements behind me, thinking it was a guest I turned around with a smile on my face when I was shot.

The bullet was a through and through, it entered my stomach and exited next to my spine as I was told. I grabbed my stomach and turned towards the darkness from where the gun was fired but I saw nothing. I was on the ground before I knew it watching my little brother smiling with his girls. The gun had a silencer and the stereo was one full blast playing Whistle by Flo Rida so no one heard and no one knew. The blood started seeping out, leaving a bloody stain on the green grass.

‘God I hope this doesn’t ruin the party’

I was cold, the morgue usually was. The coroner, a small pail looking man with a beer gut, just finished my autopsy and I was watching my pale face on the metal table surrounded with creepy instruments that smelled like grade class disinfectant.

The clock in the office showed it was 11.30 pm. which means that I’ve been dead for 2 hours. The man that had split me open just minutes ago was now eating a sandwich in his office watching a rerun of the game. The ticking of the clock was driving me crazy but that was the only thing I could look at without getting a bad feeling in my pierced stomach. In a small town like Sunny Village you didn't get many deaths, especially murders. I tried not to look at myself but it was almost fascinating seeing myself lying there looking....dead.

I didn’t know what would happen next, am I going to heaven or hell? It was scary not knowing what was coming and not having control over things. I was still wearing my clothes but there was a big blood stain on my shirt and my jeans were dirty. The door opened and Fin walked in making the little man jump up and rush out of his office. His clothes were wrinkled and his face was swollen from crying, it was the first time I had seen my big brother cry. When our parents had died he did everything, organised the funeral, dealt with the relatives and took custody over Jack and me but I had never seen him spill a single tear.

‘’Mr. Castle I-I’m so sorry about your brother.’’

Fin hadn’t spared him a single glance, he walked over to me and started crying stroking my hair.

‘’D-did he suffer?’’

‘’No, he bled out in a matter of seconds, didn’t feel a thing. The bullet hit a major artery when it passed through’’

He broke down, staring at my lifeless body. My big brother broke down looking at me. The coroner ushered him into his office where he had to sign some papers. I knew I was dead but I didn’t feel sorrow or anger or regret I just felt....normal, like it was meant to be. I waited for the adrenalin or whatever to wear off so I could get this over with.

I didn’t want to be there

.I didn’t want to be dead...but I was.

Floating around the hospital watching the doctors work on their patients, a woman with a broken leg and a small girl with a burn on her arm. Both kitchen accidents during making dinner. The hospital was small with only two floors but it was the biggest in this county with a maternity ward, general surgery and an ER. There were other spirits there but they didn’t notice me,they were too caught up in their suffering, an old woman crying, a young man staring at the clock like it was his salvation and a man yelling at the nurse who didn’t see him or hear him.

I watched Fin cry some more and then he left saying that he had to go to the police station. I found myself in the maternity ward watching all the cute little babies moving their small arms and feet, they were cute when they weren’t screaming. There were only three at this time but they were very very cute, what can I say I have a fetish for cute things. The smallest girl had just lifted her fist towards the sky that made me think of.....

‘’Fist bump?’’

The guy next to me said my thought out loud and he looked at me smiling at me, but......he wasn’t there a second ago.