Reaper - The Curse

|Seventeen|

He fell for what felt like hours. He couldn't see anything in the black space or tell where he was going, but the same feeling of air surrounding his body took over. The only thing he knew for sure was that he was falling again.

***

April 15, 1894

Jed fell on a hard surface. He was surrounded by jagged rocks and spikes that covered the black floors. A river flowed to the left, not a refreshing, fresh watery experience but a red hot, steaming, fiery lake of molten hot lava.

A black-cloaked figure sat upon a chair made entirely of human skulls and bones. "My name is Reaper 272. You are..." there was a moment of quiet before he continued, "Jed Morrison."

Jed tried hard to speak even a yes would suffice, but he still wasn't able to respond.

"Oh yes, give his body back, Angelle." A white light floated out of the reapers' skull chair and through the room to a dark corner. It pulled a decayed corpse from the shadows and tossed it in Jed's direction.

Instantly he felt a connection, "What is that putrid smell?" He looked over what was left of his physical form, "What's going on? Where am I?"

Reaper 272 cackled, "That horrific scent is you. It's been years since you died. Your body has started to break down," he caressed Angelle as the ball of light returned to the corner of his demonic chair. "On earth, it's only been a few hours since you tripped and fell to your unconscious state. Time moves faster in the Dark Lords' kingdom."

Jed looked over his extremities. Thick layers of black flesh melted off his arms. "What's happening to me?"

The reaper smiled, "Ever heard of the plague? This is our concoction. If you are sentenced to serve The reapers, you will never do so in comfort or happiness. These living conditions guarantee that."

"So, I have been sentenced to serve The reapers?"

The reaper tapped his bone fingers on the book before him, "It is still to be decided," he rose from the skull throne and pulled out his scythe from behind the chair. "Reaper one is a trickster, as I'm sure you are already aware, I suppose in your world he's known as the devil. He likes to play games," he stepped toward Jed, "After millenniums of resisting the temptation to taint the living world, he has chosen you. Will you take part in Reaper One's game?"

Jed felt a stinging and weight being lifted. He glanced at his legs to see his grotesque scaly skin lying at his feet. "What do I have to do to make you send me back?"

The reaper stood over him, "You need to play the game, Jed."