Azrael

Prologue

What do you think happens after death? Maybe you picture yourself standing at some pearly gates waiting for someone to judge you on your life choices. Heaven or Hell? Where will you end up? Maybe you believe you die and that's it. The End. Lights out. Maybe you believe in reincarnation. Or maybe you picture yourself reuniting with loved ones. What if I told you any of it could be true?

The Afterlife is whatever you make of it. And it's Azrael's job to guide you to yours.

A Reaper's job is to meet souls when they leave their flesh chamber and guide them to their Afterlife. It is... heartbreaking. Of course not all of it is bad, there are a few happy moments. Well, maybe not happy. But moments of relief. But for the most part, the job is heartbreaking. Azrael was only nine-years-old when she started her Reaper training. What was supposed to be a normal school day turned out to be the day that would change her life forever.

"Azrael! Gunner! It's time to wake up!" Their mother's voice calls from the kitchen.

Azrael groans, sitting up in her bed and looking at the little blue digital clock on her bedside table. Sure enough, it reads 6:15. Azrael groans to herself once again before throwing her blue comforter off of herself, finally pulling herself out of the warm comfort her bed provided and into the frigid air of her room. She shivers. 'Why must dad always keep it so cold?' She thinks to herself as she grabs the outfit her mother helped her pick out last night before she went to bed. A simple plain white shirt, royal blue button up and black jeans. She quickly changes her clothes and slides her black high-top sneakers on. She grabs her hairbrush and her book bag and makes her way to the door, hoping that she gets downstairs and to the table before Gunner gets his hands on the food. Gunner could probably eat the house if her parents would let him. And still be hungry afterwards.

"Good morning, Azrael." Gunner greets her as soon as she steps out into the hallway. He is staring at his phone as he walks down the hallway to him. Mr. Popular always had someone blowing up his phone. He is dressed in a tight white V-neck, black ripped jeans, and his signature black and red sneakers. His bag hangs off one shoulder and she has to admit that her older brother does look sorta cool. His short brunette hair is spiked and his light caramel colored eyes are sparkling as they dance over the screen, reading whatever text he received at 6:37 in the morning.

'Who even texts this early in the morning?' Azrael asks herself before replying to her big brother. "Good morning, Gunner." She falls in behind him as they make their way downstairs and to the table where their mom has laid out a breakfast big enough to feed an army. "Morning, Mom. Breakfast looks amazing as always." She grins as her mom rolls her eyes at her complement. Then she turns to her baby sister, who is sitting in her highchair at the table, and greets her in a sing-song voice. "Good morning, Hecate!"

Hecate looks up from her morning mush, blue eyes that mirror Azrael's own lock onto her and she gives Azrael a grin, holding out her spoon for her. Azrael smiles and shakes her head at her baby sister. "No thank you. I prefer bacon in the morning, Little Love." Hecate laughs at her big sister before returning to her mush. Azrael ruffles the baby's already messy black hair.

"Where is Dad?" Gunner asks their mom, finally pulling his attention away from his phone long enough to look around the table and notice that their father is not currently present. He sits at his designated chair, directly to the right of their father's chair at the head of the table. Their father's right hand man. 'The favorite.'

Their mom walks over to the table carrying empty plates to set in front of each child. She sighs as she places a plate down in their father's place. "In his office. A Scout is here to speak with him." She barely glances at Gunner as she speaks. She can probably already feel the stuck-up pride that is radiating from Gunner right now.