The (grim) Reaper

Rockabye Baby

Charlotte was in bed by the time I had finished my duties. No one was set to die for the night, so it looked like I was in the clear. Michael had sent me down a little scroll with golden writing on it earlier, warning me of Charlotte's parents. The entire gesture altogether made my hay fever want to act up. You know... If I had hay fever.

Humans were nothing to me at this point. The whole dead infant thing had really put a damper on my mood.

Charlotte was reading through a folder in her surprisingly under-furnished room when I arrived.

"You're late." She disturbed the quiet. "They've already started." I frowned and then recollected from the note I received.

Charlotte's parents are...different from other humans you may have

experienced...they can be considered abusive, but only after dark, when they start drinking alcohol and getting high.

I had no idea what 'getting high' or 'alcohol' is, but I figured I'd make it up as I went along. So far, so good.

"I had a busy day today Charlotte. My schedule can't revolve around you." I muttered back, eying her up. For someone who belonged to an abusive family, she had a surprising lack of scars and bruises like I had seen on other children and teenagers when I had to take them away.

I sat in the corner of the room and started writing in my notebook. It was essential to write up reports on our clients for some reason, although I didn't believe it did anything for us or humans.

Light singing can be heard from downstairs. I assumed Charlotte's parents were having a good time for the moment. "Hey, Reaper,"

I glanced at her from my first report. Charlotte had her folder open on a page with a hastily drawn map. "What?" Manners were completely out of the window with this girl at this point.

"My friends...They died. Didn't they?" Her voice was low and I think I heard some actual emotion in that voice.

"Well...I don't know for sure who died and who didn't, but yes."

"I haven't heard from any of them. It's like they've disappeared - no reports at school or TV notices or anything. No one seems to care." this made my eyebrows raise - though, of course, no one would be able to see it...and if I actually had eyebrows.

It was unusual for there not to be anything - even in the death realm we sometimes pick up death notices. However, I'm pretty sure four kids just died. And there were no notices?

"Well...it happens. I mean, people die." I didn't know how else to answer.

She immediately shot me a glare. "How can you just say that?" She spat in a harsh whisper as if it were taboo. Let me tell you, I nearly laughed in her face. Had she already forgotten who I was?

"Death...Is all I see. All day, every day. You seem to forget that." I turned back to my reports and continued filling them out. There was a soft brush of paper as Charlotte shut the folder, an audible sigh filling the room.

"I forgot you don't have a soul." She sneered, more to herself than to me.

"Well, you're not all that either, child."

It was all grumpy silence from then on, but I was up to my fourth report when I heard it. A loud smash. Charlotte flinched and dropped her book, losing her page. Her sudden actions made me jump and also lose my page. How infuriating. She reached for something to grasp; her book; before she came clambering to me, almost hiding. Her eyes were fixated on the door. I looked at her in frustration.