Reapers

Chapter Five: The Dawn and Demise

Darcie dreamt it was exactly that, a dream.  

Era had run off after Darcie decided to ask more questions about the whole ‘I died, came back, and have tattoos because of it’ deal.  Era refused to answer anything else and when Darcie tried Era’s angry got the better of her and she stormed off leaving Darcie alone in the gardens where she had fallen asleep leaning on the edge of the fountain.  

Sometimes Darcie forgot that just earlier that day she had been in school, which then had burnt down in front of her; she forgot that this was all one day and not the years it felt like.  In one day she felt as if her whole life had done a somersault and then dive bombed the ground.  Was that even possible?

Her gold flecked, green eyes flickered open; she was surprised to see a pair of legs next to her.  She looked up and saw the legs belonged to Thane, or at least Thane’s body, who sat on the fountain’s edge with a book in hand.  What he was reading she couldn't tell.

She stood up and sat on the fountain’s edge, “Mo?” she asked.

“No.” Thane said shortly, he closed the book and looked at her.  “We’re back to our original selves.”

“Oh...how...”

“Don’t ask.” Thane said cutting her off.

“I find that comes up a lot.” she muttered.

Thane smirked, “I find you now seem to speak your mind a little more.  Let me guess, you know who we are now, or know a little more about us and feel comfortable enough to share your thoughts?”

“No.” Darcie blurt out, she felt flush go to her face.  She looked away, “I just...I figure I don’t know you and because of that I...I shouldn't care what you think.  We aren't going to see each other after this.  You'll just be a bad memory."

"Bad?" Thane asked, "Sorry for doing our job."

"Your parents didn't ask for you to bring me here." Darcie scowled.

"It was for your own good." he said flatly, "You could show some respect and stop acting like we ruined your life.  As far as I can see your life was already messed up."

"You don't know anything about me or my life!" Darcie yelled at him.

Thane stood, book in hand.  “Really?  I know your life, like most mortals, isn’t perfect.  Yours is, in fact, the farthest from perfect I’ve seen. That’s saying something.”

“You’re a jerk, you know that.  You don’t care, do you?  About how this is effecting me.  It’s seems like you, Mo, and Era have grown up in this, but me...a few hours ago I was a student with normal problem, I had people who cared about me.  My foster parents cared about me.” Darcie said, her voice trembled while tears brimmed her eyes.  “You know nothing about my life, Thane.  Nothing.”

“I know I would trade mine to have it.” Thane said shortly.

Darcie felt her heart drop, “What?” she said softly.

“You think that sending souls to Hell is fun?  That it’s what we want to dedicate our lives to?  Well it’s not.”

Darcie looked away from him, the flush that had faded from her face returned.  “I...I didn’t...”

“What?  Know?” Thane scowled, “You mortals think your lives are Hell, but they’re not.  They’re far from it.  So, Darcie, next time you complain to Era or Mo, or even me, think about what they’ve probably been through.  I mean, you’ve seen a day in our lives.  You saw us take down two souls, you can imagine what our lives are like.  So just think about that.” he turned  his back to her.