Death's Reaper

Tommy's Back...

A small hand- that was connected to a small body by the name of Tommy jumped.

"Oh it's just you. Don't scare me like that!" I scolded as I kneeled down beside him.

"Sorry big sister." He whimpered while fiddling with the bottom of a new blue and white checkered shirt matched navy blue pants and black running shoes.

Huh, I never would have thought Aunty would get to shopping for Tommy that fast. Even if she was officially off work an hour ago.

Either she took a liking to Tommy much faster than I expected or-

I peered into the boy's eyes- that was the umpteenth time I've actually tried to look into someone's eyes in one day: multiple living people, and one immortal. Normally it was only the UTMO ones. At this rate I could be forming a very bad habit with invading others' privacy.

I looked into his eyes and found nothing. Nothing but sparkling, curious green eyes. What the heck?

Either I was losing my powers, Tommy had an immunity to mind-reading that I didn't know about since I tried to avoid looking into eyes as much as possible, or there was something seriously wrong. I suspected it was the last one. First there was a sharp increase in the number of UTMO ghosts, Zukros' nervousness, and I was beginning to suspect my new roommate's (I said roommate, it was really more apartment-mate but roommate sounded better) untimely arrival had something to do all of this weirdness too.

My smile was laced with brown sugar as I patted Tommy head. "It's fine." I purred. "What brings you here today, Tommy?"

His face brightened and he exposed a toothy smile. "I want to play! There's a park nearby!"

The park was on my route home and there was no way I could ever forget that park. I found Tommy in that very park, alone and so very... How would one describe being abandoned and scarred and scared and feeling like you're all alone in the world with no hope? Only despair. Going hungry from one day to the next, never trusting anyone- couldn't trust anyone. I didn't think a few adjectives would ever be able to describe all the aspects of living that nightmare.

I seriously doubted Tommy was well enough to visit the park already, and at the same time I felt guilty for suspecting him. I mean, for all I knew he could really be immune to my powers, but he could also be something else entirely. What that could be, I didn't know.

I glanced at the clock. It was about time for my break anyway and my manager was in a back room in the store anyway. Plus another part-timer was supposed to get here about ten minutes ago.

The door dinged as a red head with freckles dotting an irregular band around her face strolled in. "Sorry I'm late- I-", then she saw me and sighed a breath of relief.

"Late again?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I tried getting here on time!" She defended and threw her bag in the counter, rummaging through it for her name tag.

"Uh huh, sure. It's time for my break, can you stand at the register while I go outside for a bit?"

"Um," she stretched the syllable out and noticed Tommy. Slowly, she looked from Tommy to me, to Tommy and back to me again.

"Not that I question your interests but-"

"I'm not a pedophile. Do not look at me like that. This is my aunt's son, so to speak, my cousin. Cousin," I repeated, "understood?"

She nodded slowing, her stray red curls not pinned up in her bun bounced up and down with her head movement. "That's not what I was going to say but okay."

"Uh huh." I gave her a look and she burst into laughter.

"Honestly April! I wasn't thinking that! And- your face! Oh my gosh you're going to kill me like that."

"He's not my illegitimate child either." I piped in.

The sound of her laughter was mixed in with wheezes as her height gradually decreased while her hand remained on the counter. One thing I loved about Lizzy- she always had a great sense of humor, even when I- or most people for that matter- didn't understand the reason she was laughing.

"Di- did someone actually say that to you?" She managed to get out.

"Maybe. Kind of. Yes." I admitted.

She howled with laughter, her usual enchanting- when not making excuses- demeanor fell apart and her laughing managed to crack a smile on my face.

"So I'm going now." She waved to me, unable to speak while silently laughing with her mouth wife open and arms clutching her sides.

I tugged on Tommy's hand and we went through the back door to the back of the building, which faced the forest. Apparently no one had been taking care of keeping the forest growth at bay, or maybe it was just for our store, but one could walk out and literally run straight into a young tree with about 50cm in diameter.

I pulled Tommy along the back of the building, along the back of several buildings actually, which eventually led to another entrance to the university. Normally seen as a very tall tree next to the walls of the university. Most universities didn't have tall walls surrounding it, but this was another one of the perks of being a former castle. The tree having plenty of handholds and footholds was pure coincidence, something I found out a while ago and absolutely loved. It was so much faster than walking all the way to the nearest entrance to the university. 

"We're going up." I grinned at the Tommy-look-alike, who nodded grimly. Shadows of the tree's leaves flickering across his small, smooth face. 

Well then, I wonder what I should do next?