Sunset Death

One Little Laugh

It was a usual day for me, I was following Annika around, trying to ruin her life. It'd been over four days since I was assigned this job, and it was not going well.

"Hey guys!" Annika said, as she ran up to the lunch table where her friends had gathered.

"Hi Annika , what's up?" One of them yelled, still chewing on her food.

Annika smiled, "I got a one-hundred on my quiz!"

"Science?" One f the girls asked. I think it was Luna.

Annika took a seat next to her friends, "Yup! I studied so hard last night!"

They soon all were talking about how they loved or hated the class, what scores they got on their quizzes, and if they liked the teacher.

"She's popular and she doesn't even realize it. She made friends and now they finally have her back." I whispered to myself.

Soon enough the final test came: one of the students who had used to pick on her and make her feel like a fool had come up to talk to her.

"Hey Annika ," he said, "Who'd you loan that outfit from? Your grandma?"

The whole table silenced for a couple seconds, waiting for someone to speak up or tell him to leave, but no one did. Even the lunch room, where at least fifty students were eating lunch, fell silent. All of those eyes had found themselves on Annika 's table.

Then, out of the quiet came a giggle. Soon, it grew to a chuckle, and then a full-out laugh. Somehow it was familiar.

They all turned to see Annika gasping for air as she threw her head back and laughed.

It was obvious that the boy wasn't expecting that. He'd expected her to cry, to sob and run out of the lunch room. He'd expected her to get a teacher, to find someone who would help her.

His face turned as red as a tomato. He hadn't figured that she'd just laugh it off. What happened to that girl who would cry if someone just said that she was ugly? Quickly, he ran out of the lunch room. The less people who saw his face, the better.

"Who was that?" Luna asked.

Annika laughed, "It doesn't matter. I don't care."

Everyone was surprised with her cheerfulness. They'd always known her as the one who was too fragile. What had happened at the office?

Soon enough, they had all finished their lunches and left the room, leaving Annika and I alone. I walked up to her, shifting my eyes to get a look at her soul. Instead of the dark purple it once was, it was a cheery green that matched her eyes.

"Thank you." Annika whispered.

No! I can't be helping her! I didn't mean to fix her, it was my job to break her! I was assigned to take her soul!

"Why did you help me?" She asked quietly.

"I-I didn't mean to." I stuttered.

"Tell me." She commanded, "What was your life like?"

My memory slowly drifted back to my time alive. "I was fourteen I think. I was like you. I was teased all the time because of the scar that I had on my face. It went right across my left eye." I paused, trying to recall what had happened, "The bullying went to the point where I got so lonely that I started making bad decisions. I was walking home from school- I had to wait for everyone else to leave before I could, otherwise they'd hurt me. It was November 3rd, 2014, and it was that night that there was a drunk, well atleast I think he was, driver out. I died a couple minutes after the crash."

Annika looked horrified. It was not a very gruesome story, but it was still hard for her to hear.

"The last thing I heard was my sister sobbing my name." I whispered, about to cry. Us demons don't like to think about our old lives. Only some of us are born demons. They're completely fine and didn't have this weak point.

Annika slowly stood up from the table, reaching for her bag, "What was her name?"

"Veronica." I smiled, "She was the nicest sister you could ask for. She cried for days after I died."

"Veronica..." Annika whispered to herself, "Veronica Rose?"

My eyes went wide.

"Yes! Do you know her?!?" I shrieked.

Without saying a word to me, she yelled for Luna and ran out of the lunch room. She kept going, just kept running until she saw her friend. Careful not to say anything too loudly, she cupped her hand up to Luna's ear and whispered.

Soon enough they were gone, had run out of the school and down the street.