The Reaper's Boy.

Didn't see that coming.

For once the rest of Trip's school day passed by without incident, lulling him into a false sense of security. He felt almost at ease as he walked the long way back to Earl's; avoiding the short cut through Peace Park. The place had seemed tainted and unwelcoming since his nuclear episode with Ade the day before. It seemed so far away now and a strange kind of detachment had settled in the air around him since he'd showed J.C. his fire that morning. Trip wished he could always feel this way. True to current form it didn't last. His mind kept trying to turn over the conversation he'd had with Tansy but he mentally pushed it away; he'd examine it properly later.

As he rounded the corner of the Funeral Home on his way up Earl's drive way, he heard shouts and scuffling. It sounded as if there was a crowd of people fighting on the large stretch of grass between the Sweet Rest building and Earl's house. Trip braced himself, anxiety immediately flooding every fibre in his body. He could feel the heat in every cell, just waiting for his command. He was ready to fight this time no matter what lay ahead.

Trying to be as quiet as possible he made his way towards the rear of the building, hugging the walls for protection. Carefully edging around the last few feet of brick and concrete his heart stuttered as he was mentally and physically pulled up short.

Trip figured that nearly every man from the neighbourhood, and several beyond it, were assembled on the weathered looking patch of lawn. There were so many faces that he knew he wondered how it had been possible for them hide their otherworldly life from him for so long. There were teachers, postmen, mechanics, even the coffee shop owner. His head did that side-ways thing that makes you feel like you've been on a merry-go-round for too long. It took him a while to figure out what all the noise was about.

They were playing football. At least that's what it looked like.

Trip stood still as his back gently hit the wall behind him; his back pack sliding to the ground. He vaguely registered someone calling his name as the looming shape of Earl suddenly appeared in front of him; a broad smile across his face, his blue eyes blazing in excitement. Trip exhaled trying to force the unnecessary heat and adrenalin back into its' internal box.

"Hey Dad."

Earl's grin intensified. Is that the first time I've called him Dad? Trip had no positive memory of addressing Earl in any familiar way until just then. He'd expected it to feel foreign or out of place but it hadn't. Some things were changing without making him feel uncomfortable, it was nice to know that that was still possible.

Turning to face the mayhem on the grass, Earl slung his arm across Trip's shoulders and guided him towards where the edge of the football field should've been.

"Hey buddy, come and join the game. Bam Edger's team is taking a beating."

Hearing Noah's Dad's name shouldn't have surprised him; after all, he already kind of assumed that Noah was a reaper, so it stood to reason that his parents were too. He still hadn't quite gone past the initial freak out yet though, so finding out that the majority of his neighbours were reapers too was going to continue to metaphorically punch him in the gut.

Standing at the lawns edge Trip counted up to twenty fathers and sons throwing the pig skin around and cheating wildly. The sun had broken through the perpetually low slung cloud that surrounded All Rock for most of the year and began to gently heat up the greenery around him. Earl was by his side; his signature Cuban cigar hanging from his lips. Every so often he'd nearly lose it to the ground as he vocalised his pleasure or displeasure at the moves his team were making. Mr Petty was heading up Bam Edger's opposition and he was struggling to make a dent in the defence. Trip would've liked the opportunity to talk to Earl some more about what was happening to him but he knew it was pointless trying to hold a serious conversation when a grownup was so engrossed in sport. Instead he threw himself into backing Mr Petty's team, he wanted to enjoy what, on the surface, appeared to be a nice shiny new piece of normal.