The Collector.

The Sound Of Laughter

Apparently Charlotte doesn't have a car."But don't worry,"she tells me,"we can walk to school from here."

How thrilling.

It'll take a few lifetimes,with her limp and all.

Charlotte carries a brown lunch bag in one hand,and every few minutes she digs Skittles out her pocket and pops them into her mouth.I have no idea how she survives high school.She's a disaster.It's kind of tragic.Why is this girl still alive while I'm a walking corpse?

I can't stop staring at her mouth.It's the only part of her that's passable.Of course,it never stops moving.

"Don't you think?" she asks.

I meet her eyes."What?"

She nudges me with her shoulder like we're long-lost pals."Someone's been daydreaming.Want some sugar?" Her open palm is a stained Skittle mess.

"I'll pass."I answer.I'm not sure how this chick stays so tiny.She eats like a hippopotamus.Deep in my pocket,I rub my thumb in circles over my lucky penny.I'm trying to figure out how to corrupt this girl,and she keeps asking me silly questions.

Focus,Ashton.

I narrow my eyes and do what I'm trained.At first,her body is exactly the same:short and skinny,like a weed that needs plucking.But then it changes.The familiar warm yellow light crawls over her skin and flickers.

Ah,soul light.If I could drink it,I would.The colour of a human soul is the same for everyone.It's the seals that make the difference.I count how many she has,then clench my hands into fists.There are only seven seals on her soul.Only seven.

Great,I've come to collect Mother Teresa.

Inspecting her soul closer,I notice some of Charlotte's seals are from other collectors.I know because I see different colours:purple,green and orange.Every collector can place seals,and you can tell who sealed a soul by the colour.Most of hers are green.That'd be Ricky's work.Naturally,I was the one to train him.

The fact that Charlotte has any collector's seals means Boss Man has probably had her watched for some time,or at least the Peachville area.Staring at her,his reasons are a lost to me.But it doesn't matter.I've got to collect her either way.If I don't,and she dies,she'll go to Judgement Day,and Boss Man obviously doesn't want to take chances.

Her soul is clear of any of my red seals,but that won't last for, 'cause daddy's come to play. "How much further?"I ask.

"Just on the other side of this hill," she chirps."Like I was saying,I'm not sure if you'll be able to enroll this late in the semester,but at least you can see the school and stuff."

"I wouldn't worry about it."I said with a smile.

Charlotte glances at me,and her eyes crinkle at the corners."I think you're nice,Ashton."

"That's because I am nice."

She gazez ahead and walks in silence for almost a full minute.It suddenly feels strange to be near her and not hear her speak.The massive trees hang in a canopy over the road,stretching to greet one another,their leaves dead.

Toothy jack-o'-lanterns sit on porches and watches us pass.One looks like it's mocking me,so I flip it off.Charlotte sees me and she throws her head back and laughs long and hard.The sound startles me.

I wonder what would it feel like to laugh like that,with complete abandon.

____

Charlotte tugs me into the front office and announces me as a new student.The woman behind the desk eyes Charlotte,then me.I know what she's thinking,she thinks that I'll ditch her by lunch.That were in two seperate categories:the loser,and the guy who calls people loser.