Death by Love

Chapter 3: Shopping in the Underworld?

I'm so so sorry I didn't update in like forever. I promise I'll start doing it more regularily now. This is kind of a slow chapter, but I promise the next chapter is action packed! I'll try to post every Monday. 

I woke up to rays of sunshine shining on my face. I couldn’t hear Mom, Dad, or Brandi up, which was weird. They were usually up at the crack of dawn.

Suddenly, it all came rushing back to me. Me dying. Will. Sophia.

Sophia was curled up in a little ball next to me, snoring gently.

“Hey sleepyhead,” I said, shaking her awake.

“I donnwanna wake up,” she mumbled, and fell back asleep.

I got up and made myself a cup of coffee. I had never liked the taste much, but it reminded me of home.

Home. Technically, this was my home now. But in my heart, my real home would be where my family was.

They would come here eventually. After many years. But I would be forever 15, while they would be grandparents. Would they still be the same people I knew so long ago?

My eyes grew moist, and I quickly blinked.

“Now now, there’s no use crying,” I told myself sternly. First things first, I needed to shop for Sophia’s clothes, now that she was going to live with me. I also wanted to drop by my apartment, to see how things were going. If I was up for it.

Sophia walked into the kitchen, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

“Good morning, Carys,” she said sleepily.

“Hey Sophia,” I said. “Up for some shopping?” I asked. Suddenly she looked excited.

“Shopping? For new things?” she asked.

“Of course! Wash up, get dressed, and then let’s go!” I said.

She squealed and rushed to the bathroom. I had always wanted a little sister. Who knew that I would get one after I died?

In a few minutes, we were walking down the streets of New York City. I wore a oversized sweater that I had bought just a few days before I died. Sophia wore one of my jackets and pants, and kept on tripping over them as she walked. I would have had her wear yesterday’s outfit, but it was always chilly in the morning.

I decided to take her to Nordstrom’s, which was just across our house.

We walked into the door, sighing as the warmth from the store enveloped us.

“Hey,” said a voice, and I spun around to find myself eye level with Will.

“Hi,” I said blushing.

“Cary’s is taking me shopping!” Sophia announced happily. Will smiled.

“That’s pretty impressive considering she doesn’t know anything about shopping here in Libitina,” he said teasingly.

“Libitina? Is that what Nordstrom’s is called down here?” I asked. He laughed.

“No, that’s what this parallel universe is called. It means death,” he said.

“Oh,” I said, my face coloring. I sounded so stupid. “I knew that,” I said.

He smiled again. He was so much happier today than yesterday. “I’ll take you girls shopping. First of all, everybody, regardless of their age, job, gender, gets a pay of 150 dollars a month to take care of food, clothes, and toys. Electricity and other things like that are all courtesy of the government,” he said.

“So... we have 300 dollars to spend this month?” I asked.

“Hypothetically. The government gives you an extra one hundred dollars the first month, to get you adjusted into your new home. So, you have 500 dollars to spend,” he said.

“Okay then. I need to get Sophia some clothes,” I said.

Sophia grinned. “Yay!”

Suddenly, Will’s watch beeped erratically. He swore under his breath.

“Sorry, somebody just died. I need to go help him. See you around,” he said, and he jogged out of the store. I caught myself staring at his retreating figure.

Sophia tugged on my sweater. “Are we going to start yet?” she asked.

“Oh! Sorry about that honey. How about this cute jacket over here?” I said. We spent a few hours shopping for clothes. We had spent 100 dollars already, when Sophia suddenly gasped and ran to a little teddy bear in the corner of the store. It was a cinnamon brown, fluffy, and had big black eyes.

“Carys! Pleeeaaassse can I get this! Please?” she begged. I checked the price- 20 dollars. For a toy, that was ridiculous.

“Sorry honey, we just don’t have enough money for that,” I said. She looked up, tears in her big blue eyes.

“I’ve just never had a new toy before,” she said, clearly disappointed. But I couldn’t spoil her, right? But something about her sad little face made me give in.

“Fine, but just this one time. Don’t expect any more toys,” I said, giving in. A smile lit up her face.

“Thank you soooo much! I love you Carys!” she said. She hugged the bear close to her, and smiled a smile a mile wide.

We returned home with arms full of shopping bags. Or in Sophia’s case, one arm full of shopping bags, while the other held Hope.

Hope. That’s what she had decided to name her bear. Oh, the irony.

“How old are you Sophia?” I asked as I helped her into her new pajamas.

She looked thoughtful. “Can I be seven?” she asked.

“Can you? What do you mean?” I said.

She looked embarrassed. “Being seven is so much better than being six, don’t you think so?” she asked.

I laughed. “Being six suits you just fine. But you should be taking a nap, shouldn’t you?” I asked. She nodded, and climbed into bed. I could hear soft snores sounding from the bed in no time.