Daughter of the Dark: Brotherhood of Death

4

The funeral for Reyanne Baptiste was crowded. People I'd never seen before had travelled for miles and miles. Each person with a story about what she'd done for them. One couple claimed she'd cure the fertility problems.

I had stayed out of the way; I didn't actually know what to say. Me and my grandmother had never been close especially when I had shied away from practicing.

As we moved to the grave yard site, rain had begun to fall. Mud splashed everywhere. My boots were covered in thick globs and when you tried to walk it seemed as if the ground threatened to swallow you.

I stood under a huge oak tree away from the masses and watched them commit Reyanne's body back to the earth.

A flash of blue startled me and there he was across the way. I blinked and he was gone.

I could feel a prescene beside me but my body felt frozen. I couldnt move a limb I could only feel rain beating down my face.

"I'm coming to collect, Cassandra.."

*

I awoke with a start unsure of how long I'd been asleep. I didnt know how I'd gotten into my old bedroom to begin with.

Candle light danced and illuminated the room. My mother who was sitting asleep in a chair next to the bed heard me asking for water.

"Cass, baby your awake," she came over. A bottle of water was by my old beside table. Relief seemed to wash over her. 

"Mom how'd I get back here..."

She was quiet as she helped me drink. I fell back onto the pillow. I felt tired and almost weak.

"Cass do you remember when you were a little girl and Grandma would tell you about the death god and how he had searched for love but ultimately didnt find it. And how because he was death, he had to fight back the shadows..."

I nodded. Where was my mother going with talk of nonsense and fairy tales. My head was starting to feel dizzy.

"Cass, our ancestors long ago asked him for the power we have and in return we offered to beat back shadowlings..."

I stopped her. "You're all mad. Magic and spells and voodoo is not a real thing..."

My mother sighed. "When you were 18, the death god chose you..."

"Bitch what? Chose me?"

I'd just called my mother a bitch. That was literally how crazy shit was getting.

"Cass, get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning..."