Chapter Text
8:45 p.m.
Im surrounded by nothing but pain. My skin feels like it’s melting off and I’d scream but my mouth feels like it’s melting together. I wish I had stayed on our little safe island. I wish I had stayed with Rufus. I hope more than anything that he forgives me for leaving him. The pain stops.
I’m surrounded by darkness and the only thing I can see is the lilac couch I’m sitting on. I can see a dark figure walk towards me and I’m certain I’m dead. The figure stretches out his hand and I hesitate to take it but I do. He pulls me off the clutch and I catch a glimpse of my own arm, covered in now healed burn scars. A tear slides down my face and I feel arms wrap around me.
“Hello.” I say to the cloaked figure who is hugging me gently.
“Hello Mateo,” the figure replies before letting go of me.
“Who are you?”
“I’m the Grim Reaper. I’m here to take you to the afterlife.”
“What’s it like there?”
“I don’t know.” My confusion most have showed on my face because he only pauses for a second before continuing. “My job is to take souls to their afterlife but I myself am not allowed in.”
“Does it get lonely?”
“Yes.” We begin to walk and I know that after this trip I will never see the Grim Reaper again. It’s probably this realization that pushes me to ask the question pushing itself through my mind.
“Can you take me to my mother?” We stop and I don’t know what it is that makes me feel like I’ve pushed my luck here. Maybe he can’t take me where I want to go. Maybe he doesn’t know.
“Yes I can,” he responds and I feel a little shocked at his reply. “I can take you to her and then I must leave.”
“What about Rufus?” I ask the question and it surprises me but the Grim Reaper doesn’t seem surprised in the slightest.
“I will reap his soul later tonight and I will take him to the afterlife just as I am to do with you.”
“Will I ever see him again?”
“Yes, you will find him again.” After that answer we walk in silence for a few minutes until I can see light.
“Can you tell me how he dies?” We stop again and the Grim Reaper waves his hand in the air. I watch as Rufus puts in a pair of earbuds and begins to play a video he took of me singing. He doesn’t look both ways as he begins to cross the street. “Stop.” He waves his hand again and I feel tears spilling out of my eyes. We continue walking.
It doesn’t take much longer for the blackness to turn to light and then turn to New York City streets. there are buildings I know and buildings I know I’ve never seen before.
After a little longer we make it to an apartment building. It’s big and beautiful and it seems very modern. We walk in and go up an elevator and come out on the top floor, which is the seventh. We stop at a beautiful black door. I turn to thank the Grim Reaper but he’s gone.
It takes me a few minutes to get up the courage to knock on the door. Eventually I do.