Black Coffee

1982

Luelle walked through the people in the busy streets as she looked through the pages of her book; 'The List'

"Next on the list, Daniel Woods." she sighed aloud miserably to herself because no one actually heard her; she was invisible when she chose herself to be. There were other times when she liked to pretend she's human, mixing up with people in coffee shops, sitting in parks but she was working right now, and she hated it.

She could spot Daniel Woods now, through his window, sitting in his living room with his family around him. With two boys and a wife, Daniel looked happy with them, they were all talking at the same time and laughing. Teleporting, she now stood in front of them. She felt a little guilty that she had to take him away from his family – but she really couldn't do anything about it so instead, Luelle sat down at a chair as she waited for the time of his death, 11:52.

He said his 'goodnights' and entered his bedroom, sleeping next to his wife. 11:49. just three more minutes, Daniel. Luelle thought. She sat at the side of the bed, and waited and waited for what seemed like ages. 11:52. Finally. Luelle moved her hand up and touched him, the touch of death.

And he died, his heartbeat stopped, just like that. I'm sorry.

"Oh my god!" Daniel shouted, staring down at his body with his mouth open agape. He stared at Luelle "Did you kill me?"

She frowned, "Daniel, relax. I'm only your reaper, it's time to go." She said softly, smiling a sad smile.

"But, why? Why me?" Daniel shouted, still shaken up by his death.

"I'm sorry, I don't know." She sighed, becoming annoyed with his questions. She was supposed to kill him and teleport him to heaven – as it was said in 'The List'. Not discuss why he died at this exact moment.

"But...But how are you? what does it all mean?" Daniel was shaking and honestly, it was becoming sad for her to watch him like that, so clueless. That's why she hated when people she reaped asked her what the meaning of this and that was. Because honestly, Luelle was clueless too.

"Come on, Daniel, It's time for you to go home." She placed her hand on his shoulders and teleported him to the place where his soul would reside forever. Humans called it "heaven". She looked through 'The List' again sighing at today's List because it was extra long.

After many hours and many similar souls reaped, Luelle finally arrived at the highlight of her day, going to the coffee shop. There was something special about Luelle – too much heart as the other reapers have always said. She was not like the others, she cared when she killed someone – Luelle always went to the coffee shop after she was done with her work because that's where she liked the coffee to drown out all her guilt.

* *

Luelle entered the coffee shop, as she always does in the mornings. She sat down at her usual table and ordered a Black coffee. Luelle only wanted to pretend to be normal – the truth is, she wasn't normal, not at all.

Lately, Luelle has been feeling down. She hasn't been feeling like herself. In fact, she was almost a different person than what she was four centuries ago. She was a reaper and Reapers aren't usually supposed to care. Also, they're not supposed to be going into little cozy coffee shops, pretending to be normal.

Waiting for her coffee, she thought about people she had killed and families she had torn apart but it didn't matter now, for some reason it all seemed far away. Someone was shaking her shoulders slightly.

"Luelle, are you okay?" Evan stood in front of her, with a Black coffee on her table, he looked concerned. "I'm fine." Luelle was quieter than normal so Evan just smiled slightly, feeling uncomfortable. "Well, I was just bringing your order, enjoy!"

Luelle had been coming to this coffee shop for about a year now, she knew every single soul who entered the shop, as an employee or as a customer, literally. And it would be awful if she had to reap one of them as they were all so nice to her. Well, hopefully it won't come to this.  Luelle opened her purse and got out her book, 'The List.' Just to check if she had to.

"Do you mind if I join you?" A voice distracted her. The dreaded words. Luelle loved sitting alone drowning in her own thoughts when she came to the coffee shop, she didn't want someone to join her but at the same time, she didn't want to be rude. "Sure!" she smiled friendly looking up from 'The List.'

Oh. The first thing she noticed was his dimples and chocolate brown eyes, he had messy light brown hair that stood up and a smile which lit the whole coffee shop.

Nathan smiled at Luelle sitting on the table in front of him, she looked adorable with dark brown eyes that looked into your soul and long red hair – though not the kind that made you want to vomit, it was a natural red mid orange kind of hair. It was all curled up and she was wearing a white jacket over a soft pink peplum dress.

"Nathan," He offered her his hand.

"My name's Luelle." She said embarrassed, shaking his hand.

"Wow, never heard that one before, how unique!" Nathan sat down in the table just opposite to her.

"Can I see it?" Nathan said pointing at her book, 'The List.' Probably not, it's made of human skin.

She looked at him apologetically, "No, I'm sorry, it's for my job." She sighed.

"Why do I have the feeling that you hate your job?" they both laughed,

"Well, maybe it's because I do." She said pretending to be thoughtful.

"So, quit. Get another job." He made it sound as if it was no big deal.

If only she could tell him, if only she could trust someone enough to do it, 'The List.' was the book in which it had all names she had to reap, she was given a new list every month by an upper-class reaper named Tallie, she was her 'friend.' more like acquaintance. Tallie dealt directly with Death, their creator.

She hated her job. But she couldn't do anything about it, no reaper had even quit their job, and if they did, they were never heard of again. Luelle shuddered.

"It's not that simple."