The Reaper

•Chapter 3•

The day had passed like spring after winter, and the evening had soon come upon us. The faint sound of my footsteps on the cobbled road played through my mind as I walked back to my Uncles house, but they couldn't replace the rabbit hole of my thoughts that I was tumbling down. What was that social media post all about? I knew The Reaper did bad things, but the way the man had described his story, it was so... heartless. But what he said, was it even true? He doesn't have evidence that any of this truly happened.

A sudden clash could be heard behind me and I became stricken with newly found fear, was there someone lurking in the alley? Were they going to kill me? Do they have a weapon? I clenched my hands tightly on the straps of my bag, preparing myself to perform some improvised self defence. But with my feed glued to the ground, I couldn't move. I'm all alone in an alleyway, I knew I shouldn't have taken this shortcut, I'm such an idiot! I tried listening to the noise of my surroundings. But the only thing to be heard was excruciating silence and my own racing heartbeat. Great. Staggeringly, I begin to turn around to face my attacker. At a painfully slow pace, my head tilts to peek a glance behind me, just as I turned my head, a hand grasps at my shoulder firmly from my front.

Electricity shot from my feet to my shoulders, I practically jumped from the ground as I shot back around in shock. "Merde! Fuckery friggets!" Throwing up my hands to attack, the adrenaline pumping through me propelled my fist towards the figures chest in a swift motion. "Ow! What the hell, Alora?!" Théo yells in pain, his hands jerking up to comfort his assaulted chest, "Why'd you hit me? Ça fait mal! " He whined. " 'Why'd you hit me?' You're the one creeping up on me in the dark! I should hit you again!" I retaliated, crossing my arms. I look behind to see it was merely a cat playing with a few empty tin cans next to the bins, that little trickster scared the crap out of me earlier. Why was I so paranoid? All this 'death' stuff is really getting to me, I need a spa and Netflix session and I need one now.

"So that's it? No 'It's great to see you again, Théo!'?" He asked with a mockingly high pitched tone, waving his hands around dramatically; trying to imitate me. Although, ultimately failing and looking even more stupid than he actually is. "Oh, Mon dieu! That's right, I haven't seen you in ages!" I pulled him into a tight hug, which he happily returned.

Click. Click. Click.

"It's been around 4-5 years, hasn't it? How've you been?" Théo inquired as we stepped out of the embrace, his cute eye smile on display, I missed that Happy-Go-Lucky gleam on his face. "Horrible! How could I ever be happy without my childhood friend?" I jokingly complained and he let out a small nose laugh in response. "Well, in all seriousness, I got a job as a reporter down at The Bulletin Media in the city centre. It's great there, the people are so welcoming, I feel as though I fit right in. How about you?". We started strolling towards my Uncles Bakery when he answered, "That's amazing! You've always wanted to be a reporter, just like your dad. He'd be so proud of you", we looked into each other's eyes as he spoke, "I've been in the police force for years now, gotten myself up to a pretty good rank, if I do say so myself" He motions towards his uniform proudly. I gaped in awe and punched his shoulder playfully.

"Look at you! Mr. Professional police officer, catching all of the bad guys; living any kids childhood fantasy. You've not really grown up, have you?" I let out a cackle that echoed down the alley as I threw my head back, practically giving myself whiplash. "Oh, Tais-Toi! It's a lot harder than it seems... I've recently been assigned a really difficult case, it's doing my box in!" Théo exclaims frustratedly, raising his hands up to brush his hair back- an old habit of his- yet his hair always falls back perfectly to frame his pretty face. That annoying bastard. Alas, I push myself to move on and inquire his statement more. What can I say? I'm a born reporter.

"Well then, Mr serious policeman, what troubles you so?" I raised my hands to mimic a microphone put close to his mouth, Théo chuckles before answering, " I can't quite say much, Miss Famous Reporter, as it's a classified case. However, I can tell you that your old friend here is chasing one of the most infamous criminals in France right now..." He pauses to highlight the non existent suspense, before raising his hands to create a spooky effect with his fingers. "The Reaper!" Théo pounces on me to mimic a lion attacking it's prey, however, I'm suddenly too excited to play along with his act. Théo's current case is to arrest The Reaper? Could this be more perfect? I've struck gold!

"Certainement pas! Ceci est incroyable! I'm researching him at the office for the moment to write an article, I want it to be my breakthrough!" Smiling from ear to ear, I hurriedly move to hold his arm, "If you ask your station, we might be able to work together!". "Well... I could ask, but... I dunno Alora, I don't want to give you false hope, plus- The Reaper is a killer! Do you know how dangerous he is?" Théo exclaims with a grim expression. "Je sais je sais, but I could work on the sidelines! We can catch him together! Pleaaaseeee" Virtually begging, I use the best card in my deck, the puppy eyes. Théo looks at me with "Are you serious?" written all over his face, but after a short while he sighs and rubs my head with a curt nod, "I'll see what I can do".

"Yes!" I throw my fist up in the air to celebrate my victory, "The Reaper won't even know I exist, je promets!". Both of us smiling, we continued our conversation as we walked together, glad to be reunited.

Sheltered from the dark of the night, on the rooftops of the apartments in the alley, was a hooded figure leaning on the brick wall that surrounded the edges of the building's rooftop. Chuckling, he reclined back and removed his arms from the wall that they were propped up on. "Well, it's too late for that, sweetheart.". He took out his camera and scrolled through the pictures he had previously took, he nodded and placed it away; satisfied. Looking once again at the receding silhouettes in the distance, he tapped on his earpiece "That'll be enough for the old man tonight...Verdad, Alicia?" He enquired. "sí, you can head home now, have a nice night, Reap.", The lady on the line paused, "Oh! and don't you dare contact me during the night, I'll be sleeping and you know I need my rest so-" However, she couldn't finish her sentence before the earpiece was removed, "She's good at her job, but also rambling." The man complained. He looked off into the distance before grinning, "Catch me, will you? We'll see about that, Alora Rae.".