A few weeks later, Rosa was digging in her messenger bag, cleaning it out, when she came across a slightly dirty, singed envelope. She was about to throw it out when she looked at the address. It was for her, but was sent from the church. She remembered in a flash what had been said to her at the tail end of the interview with Death.
"If you get the offer letter, if someone destroys it or throws it away, it will appear in your messenger bag."
She opened it eagerly.
Senorita Rivera,
We would like to extend this job offer as we feel you will be a good fit for this job. Be warned, being Keeper of the Dead is not for the faint of heart. It will require many long nights, and a list of duties will be provided to you when you first settle in. We look forward to working with you.
Enclosed you will find a form for employment. Please fill it out and return it to the church you applied at.
Sincerely,
It devolved into a list of scribbles she couldn't decipher, but she didn't care as it didn't really matter to her. She leapt off the bed and did a tiny little happy dance.
Abuelita's voice startled her and caused her to yelp. "What are you doing?!" she snapped, storming into her room. She stammered and stumbled. "No music!" She snatched the letter from her. "What is this?"
"Um, the offer letter? For, uh, Keeper of the Dead?" she squeaked. Chewing her lips briefly, she continued, "I'm pretty sure it's just tending to the cemetery, so I'll be tending to the family everyday?"
Her grandmother glared at her, but shoved the letter back at her. "It's almost supper time," she barked as she was leaving. "Go wash, and go get your brothers washed up."
"Si, Abuelita," she said, weakly.
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After supper, she sat at her desk, filling out the form for employment, smiling to herself. She glanced over her shoulder at her door. It was firmly closed and she could hear everyone downstairs, laughing at something she couldn't hear. She turned back to the form, whispering melodic poems to herself.
Once she finished filling out the form, she folded it gleefully, slipped it into the return envelope, addressed it, sealed it, stood, and skipped happily down the hall, trying not to sing as she did so. Evidently, she had hummed a bit musically, because Abuelita's shoe sailed past her head. She'd barely noticed it and stopped short. It slapped the wall loudly.
"No music!"
"Yes, Abuelita. Sorry," she said meekly.
"Where are you going, mija?" her Mama asked.
"To drop off the form," she replied, barely contained excitement in every letter. "They offered me job as Keeper of the Dead."
"Oh, congratulations! Can I-sorry, may I read it?" her Papa requested. She nodded, handing it to him. There was a small tear from where she'd read it and reread it. He took it and glanced over it twice before settling down and reading it. Her mother stood and looked at it over his shoulder.
Rosa cleared her throat slightly, trying not to be rude. "May I go? I want to turn this in before the preacher goes home," she said sheepishly, holding the letter up a little. Miguel looked at it curiously.
The general consensus was that she could go, so she left, hoping things wouldn't have gone south when she got back. She had her music player stuffed in the secret pocket she'd sewn in her bag, along with her earbuds. They were gifts from her American friend. They'd met through school during a penpal program designed to help students learn languages better. Since meeting, they'd spoken on the phone several times, and her friend had even come down for a week, with her family's permission, and stayed with them. That was when she'd been given the musical gifts.
She pressed play when she was two streets away, and sighed with relief when music filled her ears. She'd found out a few months back that music helped chase away dark thoughts she had. The school counselor said it was normal to have some trouble adjusting, though was concerned when she turned over the school issued journal and found it full of darkness. Even after seeing more experienced therapists, it had only marginally helped her feel more normal.
The church came into view, jarring her slightly from her thoughts. She took out one earbud, tucking it into the outside pocket of her bag as she approached the door. She knocked, entered, and found the pastor standing at the podium.
"Ah, Rosa. How are you this evening?" he asked her kindly.
"Buenos noches, Senor, I'm just dropping this off," she said, taking the envelope out.
He accepted it with a warm smile. "So you've decided to accept the job?" She nodded. "Good, good. I think you'll do wonderful as the new Keeper. Have you told your family?"
"Yes, and they don't quite understand what the job is. I've explained it as working in the cemetery and working around our ancestors everyday," she said. "I know I shouldn't lie, but how else am I supposed to explain it?"
He chuckled. "Well, your office does have an entrance in the cemetery, and you will need to clean and maintain the cemetery every now and then, so it's not a complete lie," he reasoned.
After a few more pleasantries, she headed home, turning off her music and storing it securely before she got too close to home.
YOU ARE READING
The Petal Bridge
Fanfiction"It is the duty of a Keeper of the Dead to create and retain the peace and balance between and within the Land of the Dead and the Land of the Living." After finding she is utterly useless at making shoes, Rosa Rivera finds herself in the curious po...
