the grim reaper

4

maintains strong language.

Ugh. The beeping of the alarm made my head pound, I squirm around in my bed looking for the source. A phone? Well it's about damn time.

"A Unknown Number has left a voicemail, press 1 to hear and--" I press one, antsy too see who it is.

"Toby, are you ready? Your first target is a 16 year old, 3 years younger than you. She's going through hormones, lord please make it safely without her falling in love. When you see her, you'll know. Best of luck, Mr Johns." I chuckle, does he think im attractive? Oh snap what if he wants me all to himself? Ha, im hilarious. On the way out the door i grab my nike jacket, I had others but this was my most preferred. A 16 year old hmm, I wonder how she would die. Why she might die, would i even be able to save her in time?..Or at all?

I check my phone again, relieved to finally have one, and see a message.

~Mr J

I forgot to mention but you probably want to start around town. - Mr Johns.

Town? Well this is a first. I hesitate at the door knob, this would be the first time people could actually see me. What if they try to converse with me? Do I even look ready for such occasion, glancing over to the mirror on the side of the door I smirk and run my fingers through my curly hair. When am I never looking ready.

When I'd stepped out at first the air was ghastly and kept whipping across my face but then a sense of calmness and homeliness settled over me and it was almost as if I'd magically gotten used to it. I take in a breathe, far too big for my lungs. I let the air caress my lungs, I like the way it massages your nostrils when breathing in the oxygen, unlike in the underworld (it was far from fresh and was full of sadness and depression) the air here is chilly yet it refreshes you. It's like breathing in a mint and exhaling all you're bad thoughts. A rather unusual sound rings through the air, like the chiming of a bell. "Excuse me! Oh my--Move you absolute" before she could finish her sentence our lives had seemed to be turned into slow motion. Her front bike tire rams into my leg, causing immense pain. Her handle bars jab me in the stomach and I keel over with her flying over the bars, bystanders gasp as we scream and she lands on top of me. What a catch.

"What are you?" what am I? Have they really found out already?! "You clearly cannot be a decent human with common sense because anyone with the right of mind would have moved immediately upon my presence, do you know who I am? You must know my father. This is absolutely disgusting, what is your name? Save it in fact, I'll take you there myself. Jeffrey, please escort this man to my father and please do that in a separate vehicle, something about his appearance disgusts me." a man no older then 30 nods at this rude little lady before he puts his sweaty and hard hands on me.

"Hey!" I attempt to get away, "! You can't do this, I have to save someone who is in grave danger!" I struggle in their grip, thrashing about and making a fuss.

"The only one in grave danger here is you, Sir. You insulted Mr Normans most precious daughter, once he finds out about the events which have occurred you'll be lucky to have make it out alive, Young Man." Jeffrey, or so I'd assume, answers politely yet offensively.

"This is absolute bull--." I refrain from my bad language, "Now, I'll give you all 10 seconds to let go of me. 1...2...3...4...5..." still, they are gripping onto my hoodie and have dismantled it in many places. "six. seven. eight. nine. and bloody ten." I throw my head back and hit one of them in the nose, I swipe my injured leg and buckle one into the other, like human dominoes. I invert the grip they had on me onto Jeffrey and an imbecile who hadn't run quick enough, "now I don't know who you and this little rat think you are but I don't need your bullshit in my life so move out of my way before I really cause a ruckus. And you, you little witch, you're the bloody bastard who is too blind to see you are on the pavement anyway. I don't remember caring who's daughter you are for I don't even know him and I most definitely don't know you so get lost why don't you. Greapers!"

Great. I'm already annoyed and it's the afternoon already, an uneasy presence was watching me among the crowd which has gathered and I skim it, looking for a girl who looked 16. What failure, most of them are old men or women. I can't fail on the first day, this is just out of the question. Now why didn't Mr Johns give me a name, that would have made my life easier. I grunt and storm forward, to Town we go.

*Town* (A British version of a mall except there's just a bunch of shops gathered together in an open area, usually has gardens i.e. Piccadilly Gardens)

I sit outside of a coffee shop, I ordered a hot chocolate to sip on whilst I gaze at any particular sixteen year old present. Wait no, I promise you I am no pedophile, I mean you know my reasons for this behavior. "Now, what 20 year old orders a hot chocolate? Here's your order sir, I was expecting a child so I added marshmallows, my apologies sir." Marshmallows? A smirk dances on my lips and the waitresses eyes glistens with embarrassment. They also glisten with loneliness, a lot. A pain rings in my ear and whispers amplified through the crowded atmosphere.

"She's the girl, Toby. Bullying. Set up, gone to far." What the whispers had said sent shivers up my spine.

Woah. "Are you alright, sir? I mean I have to be somewhere in 10 minutes but I care about your safety more." well someone can't wait to leave.

"Hinting towards me to let you leave now are we? Don't worry I'm fine. What's so special that's happening in 10 minutes?"

She chuckles, "A date. A first date." you could hear the uneasiness in her voice, it may have been from me, a complete stranger making her uncomfortable but she was bright and bubbly to approach me before. Strange.

"Oh..I have a correction to make by the way," she glares at me.

"I apologies for the marshmallows, yet again." she looks down at her Doc Martins, her cheeks a rosy red colour.

"No, no thanks for that actually. I just wanted to say I'm 19, not yet 20. Oh, sorry miss. You have to be going in 3 minutes, time goes quickly." I glance at a clock hanging in the chilled, hipster shop.

"Oh..well maybe I'll see you another day, just ask for a Delilah and I'm sure they'd understand..me and my crazy friend making. Enjoy your hot drink..." she hesitates when she realises she doesn't yet know my name.

"Toby." I smile, well isn't she amusing?

"Toby, right. Oh I have a minute to leave, goodbye Toby!" she rushes into the shop, taking off her apron along the way. I didn't realise at first but she had on a lilac dress under her apron, unlike all the other workers who wore uniform. Funny. And like that she'd ran out the back, my mission has just begun.