Hello, Death

Chapter One

It was about a day ago that I almost let someone leave without dying. Actually... I did let someone go without dying. It was a Saturday morning when I was on my way to collect some souls. An average beginning really... until I met Hailey.

I was just minding my own business, watching puny humans wait for the bus to come get them and take them off to who knows where. It was the city of New York and the stupid birds were squawking away. It was a cold Saturday with the breeze going through my pitch black curly hair, in the middle of December, and every one was shopping for clothes and gifts for loved ones.

Disgusting.

Then all of the sudden this girl, looking about seventeen with short light brown hair and mismatched eyes, just comes up to me calmly and says, "Nice costume."

I just stared at her with dark bewildered eyes as my blood ran cold and whispered, "You shouldn't be able to see me..."

She just shrugged slyly, "Is it bad that I can see more clearly than others?"

I didn't know what to say, but then I recalled that people see Death just before they die. It was almost time.

Just then, a large bus came crashing against the wall and the thick air was filled with screaming and the sound of metal scraping metal and then... silence. My usual time for errands has come.

I stepped back and watched as the scene freeze slowly. Each bodies shadow that was crushed by the bus krept out and their white and grey looking silhouettes floated toward me, the questioning looks they gave me still made me uncomfortable. The souls reached for me but I still raised my hand toward the souls and a looming shadow spread across the souls and bodies, stealing their shadows. Each soul disappeared, being brought to a place where they would be judged.

Except one remained untouched, her body was still intact and fully alive. She stayed still, watching the event take place. I snapped my fingers and time slowly came back to its original pace.

I walked up to her swiftly, making no sound, and asked moodily, "I'm guessing you didn't die?" I wasn't in any mood to lose my job by leaving one soul go untouched.

"Are you mad that I didn't die?" She teased me.

I grumbled, "I never said that..."

She smiled and looked at me. Her left eye was blue and her right eye was green, they were brightly dull like she's never felt happiness in her life.

Of course I can't say that I've ever felt happy either.

Crowds were forming around us, watching as the bus lay on its side, on top of the previous waiting people. The dead. Some people cried, some people screamed, and some people stayed silent and observed the scene. Ambulances and police cars arrived, trying to figure out who died and who were survivors. Police were trying to investigate the who had the urge to hijack a bus, and investigate why they did it.

"I guess I'll have to find a different method of getting home." She sighed, "Well, see you around." She waved and walked through the crowd.

"Wait up!" I called out to her, running after her, "I didn't quite catch your name."

She looked back at me and smiled slyly, "I didn't quite throw it."

I stopped and tilted my head.

She just laughed and said, "My name is Hailey. And you are...?"

I smirked, "I am someone you don't want to make a deal with."

She rolled her eyes and and kept walking, "Who are you? Satan? The reaper? A demon? You asked for my name and now I'm asking for yours."

I gave an amused look, she had no idea.

I shook my head, "You can call me Nathaniel."

She nodded as we got out of the crowded area, "So, Nathaniel, what are you going to do today?"

I stopped walking with her, I just realized that I was supposed to go to the judging ceremony for the dead.

"I have to go, Hailey it was nice seeing you... I will be back very soon."

She shook her head and snickered, "See you soon, Nathan."

I nodded, and snapped my fingers, a bright light surrounded me then faded to darkness. I was in the underworld.

"DEATH! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? IT'S BEEN THIRTY MINUTES SINCE THESE SOULS ARRIVED AND-"

"What have I told you about lowering your voice, Hotoke? I've told you several times and you still haven't learned. He was probably busy with something." A young female's voice whispered.

"He will never learn Chi. I've told you this a thousand times. When will you learn?" Another woman's voice asked.

"Yami, don't discourage your sister. We both know they will never learn. They're only here because they're good at their jobs."

"Oh shut up, Yasha!" The woman's voice shouted.

I turned around and spotted the seven judges standing upon a shadowy stage, the souls of the recently dead were restless and standing around the stage waiting to be judged.

I apologized, "Sorry everyone, I had a misunderstanding with a cat and I had it all figured out now."

They all looked at me with disbelief.

"Fine, just get up here and help us judge." A young girl with long snow white hair and white eyes said. Her name was Chi and she was the nicest judge, because she's an angel and she was too innocent for this world. Or so you would think.

The tall buff guy named Hotoke had black hair and red eyes, since he was a demon he got summoned by cults, uneducated crazy girls, or very lonely old ladies. Long story. He didn't really have a reason to be a judge except keeping attendance on others.

Yami also had snow white hair but grey eyes. She was also an angel but she was very hardcore on the souls for doing good things.

Yasha was another demon. He had dark brown hair and yellow eyes, broad shoulders and a cold stare. His purpose to be a judge is his track on bad deeds and summons.

Last but not least were the three women in the middle who were the Past, Present, and Future. Their job description is basically in their names.

And I am Death, the person who leads the souls to their proper places and reaps them from their bodies.

"Why didn't you start without me, it would have been faster than waiting." I said.

"You have to lead these mortal souls to their places." Chi sighed, waving her hand toward the souls near a black and red door with latin curses and symbols of death on it. Another group of the souls were at a grey and white door with clouds and life symbols. Then there were only a few souls at the shadowed and dark door of wood. It had nothing special about it but it led to a place you go if you are a neutral soul. Even good even bad.

I opened the doors with a snap and every soul got sucked into their rooms. Each room was as large as Earth, so there was a lot of space for souls to either roam around or be punished. I looked over to the judges who were getting ready to go to there realm, whispering among each other.

I turned around to leave, feeling left out, until I heard Chi's voice call me, "Death! I have something for you!"

She spread her angel wings and flew toward me, holding a letter.

"Open it when you get home, you'll thank me later." Then she disappeared.