Sapphire Blue [The Grim Reaper Chronicles, #1] (Editing)

Chapter One

June 28, 2000, west Georgia.

With no lethargic overtone in the chipper atmosphere that evening, the young ladies shared a cordial chortle at the dingy statement one of them had just made, as they shared a box of pizza in the renowned restaurant down the bustling streets of west Georgia, each embraced in the resplendent and mutual moment.

They had been friends for a credible period of time and would not play hooky with the fortuitous chance to prattle over food and drinks every Saturday. They were married and busy women and could only squeeze out one of the days to have their perpetual evening gossips and conversations. It wasn't entirely pulchritude being kept apart from each other for so long by the incessant pile loads of work they had to deal with at their respective places of work. But if they didn't work, maybe they wouldn't have the chance to live the total chirpy life they wanted.

Inside the restaurant were swags of enthusiastic people dining. Some chatting away happily, mood inclusive of causerie. Another set discussing Business related topics with their office suits still on. Waiters and waitresses in their conventional uniforms taking orders, their official glamorous and bright smiles on. It could be a fake, no one knew. People getting flirty with their partners, and many others getting on with their business. In the background, soft music tuned in into the cheerful milieu to accompany the aglow tenor of the joyous customers. Everywhere was bubbling with a planer level of excitement.

Lucy, blonde, with a statuesque figure, and in a way over-zealous when with her realistic clique, popped a slice of pizza roll into her mouth as she rolled her eyes at the well-bred gibberish her friend, Benita had just spat into the air. She chewed briefly and then swallowed impatiently, wanting to give a befitting reply to the uttered words.

"How these myths and unrealistic events keep engulfing you is so annoying. I never imagined you'd believe what happened to Emily Jones was actually caused by that bloody Mary. A freaking woman made-up from old, boring tales."

Benita scoffed lightly at her friend's response and tilted her head to a side, escorting her act with a deep frown to show her disagreement. Resentment she harboured for the story, but she stuck a part to her everyday life. She raised a hand In the air and made a swift gesture with her fingers, like something had disappeared. "She was neatly cut out of the picture without any traces. What other insane proofs do you need that Mary carried out the dirty job?"

Lucy laughed at the way Benita gesticulated the whole thing like it did happen in reality. She beckoned to their third friend, freddy, who was keenly reading a daily fresh newspaper from which they had gotten the disquieting news of Emily, who was without pity butchered by bloody Mary after she tried the "night game" of calling out her name a third time with candles lit up in the dead of the night, all alone with a big mirror in front of her. "Do you think it's real, Freddy?"

Freddy looked up hastily from the newspaper she was reading with narrowed eyes, wishing they hadn't even asked her at all. "Well, it is what it is. Things like this should not be joked with. It could be true." she replied and sunk back into her reading without waiting for a reply. Out of them all, she carried the serenity box and never contended with any controversial topics brought to the table. Not that she would opt in for an argument when Lucy was involved. No one had ever won her in the game. It was her significantly special avocation.

"Lucy has always been a doubter. she's never believed any of these stories even when most of it came with real facts," Benita mouthed, frustration displayed all over her face. "I wonder where she got this imprudent control of hers from."

Lucy submitted a chuckle, "I'm not a fan of fiction, my love. All of these things the publishers and myth tellers are feeding you are pure lies. There's no evil anywhere."