I Belong to the Grim Reaper

7

"Are you okay?" The wild shakes made my eyes fly open. I blinked a few times, my eyes adjusting quickly.

"Jessica?" I grabbed my head.
"The door was open. I found you right here," she said, her voice in a panic. "I thought you were dead."

"So did I," I mumbled quietly. She helped me up, my arms taking hold of her shoulders for support. "Thanks. What time is it?"

"It's the afternoon. I came to check on you yesterday but you never answered the door," Jessica said.

"Sorry. Was showering. Did you see any kids out there?"

"What? No." She was puzzled. "Are you really okay?" Jessica asked. She didn't wait for my answer as I settled against the couch with my hands rubbing the back of my head. "I'm calling Nile."

And within seventeen minutes, Nile was there. "That's it. I don't care what Sade or Britt said. We're going," she grabbed hold to me and stuffed me inside her car.

She drove me to some sort of old wooden house, the kind you see in horror movies. "Nile, no," I refused.

"Come on. She'll help you," Nile urged. I looked to Jessica for some help but she just shrugged and followed Nile out. So I had no choice. Absolutely none in the matter.

The door creaked open without our help. "Hello?" Nile called out. She parted the purple sequin door curtains that dangled so slightly in the wind and dangled even more as we parted them.

"I was expecting you," an old woman dressed in a turquoise head wrap appeared out of nowhere that made Nile almost jump out of her skeleton. "Come in."

"Shit! You scared me," Nile admitted earning her a nudge in her side from Jessica. "Sorry."

"Come in," she said again. "Don't worry about the door. It has its own life." She ushered us to the back where there was a couch and a table set with a crystal ball. On the table was a red cloth with a symbol I didn't realize. She stared right at me, "Have a seat."

"How'd you know it was her?" Nile asked. She was visibly spooked and intrigued at the same time.

The lady said nothing and just smiled. She offered me a seat. "Sit." So I did and so did she. "Now rub the crystal," she instructed. I placed my hands over the orb and rubbed them in circles.

"Good," she said. I took my hands off the orb and she placed hers onto the crystal. She mumbled words I didn't understand. Nile and Jessica gave me a frantic glare which I'm sure I returned.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Nile mouthed.
"You think that now?" I shot back.

"Ah," the lady suddenly said, "You're plagued by the evil of an angel of death. You have something," she said.

"I don't. He's mistaken!" I replied. "I never took anything from him."

"Ooooh," she hummed. "What a surprise!" She chuckled. She took her hands off the crystal. "I know exactly what you need." She ran off to the black chest behind her. She opened it and pulled out a smaller wooden box. Inside was a pendant. "Wear this. At all times," she said seriously. Then she handed me a totem. "This will protect you in your home but it won't do you any good until."

"Until what?"
"Until this," she swiped my finger against the wooden totem, my blood solos hung on the item as I hissed. She whispered some words and when she was finished, she apologized. "Sorry. People usually don't have the nerve to do it themselves. Just a little help."

"Okay. Is that all? I'm tired. I think I should go," I gave my friends a glance and of course they were on board.

"You'll see. You'll come back and thank me for curing those terrible nightmares," she said in pride.

"How'd you know?" I asked that question this time.
"The ball told me." She replied. "It told me everything I needed to know. It always does. And if I were you, I'd be wearing the necklace now." I gulped as I put the necklace on. She smiled, "And that'll be $12."

Nile happily paid the bill. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'll see you again soon," she waved bye from the purple sequins.