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The unforgiving fire enveloped her house as she cried for help. She was only eight years old when her family home crumbled into ashes due to a political dispute which resulted in arson. Her father timely rescued her from their burning home then stayed with her until help arrived.
A man with tall stature, wearing an all-black wardrobe approached the two of them.
“You.” He coldly uttered as his emerald eyes stared at the father.
Her father attained third degree burns all over his body. His skin looked like it was melting , but even so, she held on to her dear father, her only surviving relative.
“Dad…?” She tapped and hugged her dad but there was no response.
“Me?” The dad asked, then looked at the man who called him.
“Yes. Come with me.” He then turned his back from her father expecting him to follow but the father stood his ground.
“I can’t go…” Her father said with a strong tone. “I can’t leave my daughter alone. We do not have relatives anymore, she doesn’t have a sibling… She’ll be alo–”
“That, sir, is none of my business.” He turned around and looked at him. He was crying and worried about his daughter; his voice was shaking and so was his knees. He knelt down and wept.
“Your wife is already waiting for you.” The man uttered and activated his ice evol to mimic a mirror and showed him his wife.
Her father stared at the mirror and looked at it – yearning for his spouse.
“But… my daughter… please… I’d do anything…” He still was stubborn enough to want to stay despite knowing that someone was waiting for him out there.
The man sighed and deactivated his evol. He looked at the child whose almost half of her body was covered with burns. She was now being taken care of and sedated by the medics while the father was being enclosed in a body bag.
We’re getting nowhere. I still have a schedule of reaping fifteen minutes from now.
He thought and finally gave in. “I can only watch over your daughter, if that makes you feel better.”
The father’s face lit up and felt relieved. He now has no regrets and followed him wholeheartedly, looking forward to seeing his wife, who has been deceased for almost five years.
Zayne had been doing a grim reaper’s job since he passed thousands of years ago. He was given only one job, to walk with the souls of the dead from earth to their next destination and to make his work more efficient, he was also given both human form and spirit form. He knew that if he deviated from his sole job, he would be meted out a punishment of eternal damnation.
The situation where the deceased won’t pass peacefully without a condition is not new to him. He tries to avoid such conditions, but whenever he gives his word, he faithfully performs his end of promise.
A year later, Zayne decided to visit the child he promised he’d be watching over. She now has healed burns but there are still scarring, and a house was built for her using her father’s estate.
Her right arm and a part of her face was burnt and scarred, but Zayne noticed that it didn’t stop her from being cheerful. She always visits her parent’s mausoleum and talks to them as if they were alive.
“Well, my burns hurt sometimes, dad. But I think I’m doing better! The doctors were really nice.” Her small gleeful voice said.
An orphan, but she doesn’t realize it yet.
Zayne’s sight went from her to the graves in the cemetery. He remembers each one of them and their situation before they died as he walked with them to their next destination after their life on Earth.
“Are you looking for someone?” The girl was suddenly in front of him and looking up at him. She was beaming with a smile as if her burns were not stinging.
Zayne took a closer look at her and noticed that the burn affected the right side of her face as well. Her right eye was closed shut and her right cheek was completely burned.
His eyes widened.
… I forgot that I’m in my physical form…
“No, I’m just looking around. It’s peaceful in the cemetery.” He replied in a soft tone. She tilted her head and nodded.
“I agree with you, sir. It’s quiet here but it sometimes stinks of death.” She giggled but her eyes looked sadly at her parents’ mausoleum.
“It’s… a natural process of life.” He replied.
“Say…” She smiled. “Why do good people die early? My parents were good people… they fought for people’s rights… they like to include me whenever they do charity work but they were taken early… why is that?”
Zayne did not know the answer because he only followed orders.
“I don’t know.” He honestly replied and took a deep breath.
“I see. Whether I find the answer or not, it doesn’t matter anyway…” She said then went back to the mausoleum.
Zayne continued on watching her from afar for years. Somehow, he felt happy when she graduated from college then proceeded to do social work. The fact that the death of her parents were a result of other people’s greed did not let her change her outlook on life.
He always wondered why she didn’t have many friends despite being good. He tilted his head while he watched her talk to a charity volunteer. She was still as cheerful as she was before.
Why don’t people get near her?
He looked at his pocket watch.
I still have time to spare. I’m quite curious.
For her birthday, she organized a feeding program for the orphanage in her area. They made lots of delicious foods and packed several hygiene kits for the children. She also made it a point to buy them different toys that they would like.
At the nearby park, Zayne saw some of the volunteers for today. They were smoking and were engaged in a group conversation. He decided to listen in.
“She’s so nice. Imagine doing all these for your birthday.” A girl said.
“She looks ugly though. If she was a bit pretty, I’m sure people would flock over her.” A man said while laughing.
“I agree. I also read before that her family used to do money laundering and shit. They all died except for her.” The other man added as he puffed his cigarette.
“Huh? Are you sure it was money laundering? I thought her dad had done some corrupt practices as a politician before?” The girl asked.
Where do they get their news…? Her dad was a good man… I was there when I led him to his destination…
Zayne thought and furrowed his eyebrows.
“One thing’s for sure, that woman is gaining track of the limelight.” The man said confidently. “If she keeps this charity work up and being visible to the media then runs for an office, she’ll dominate.”
“I doubt that, bro. The people in power are just dynasties. Her dynasty died before she could even do something. Plus, look at her, ugly as fuck.”
They laughed out loud. Shortly, a woman arrived at the park and called on the resting volunteers as their program was about to start.
I see. No one really bothered getting to know her.
Months later, Zayne received the list of names for the reaping. He read the list as always and the first on the list was a name he didn’t expect.
Zayne’s eyes widened as he read her name in the list. If he had a physical heart, it would’ve pounded rapidly.
THIS EARLY??? WHY??
He read further into the document and it stated stabbed to death.
He took a deep breath and looked at his pocket watch.
I still have time… I can still… Can I save her? Should I?
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
The gentle ticking watch reminded him of her time running out. Despite his doubts, he decided to save her. He arrived at her place and found her body laying down in the kitchen in her own pool of blood. Several stab wounds also hit her vital parts.
No… I… I’m too late…
Zayne as he looked at her spirit sitting on the table, looking at her dead body. She turned to look at Zayne and her face didn’t have any scars. In fact, she was the most beautiful soul he’s ever seen.
She was never ugly…
“It's you… The man at the cemetery… You’ve been watching me, have you, sir?” She childishly smiled.
Zayne didn’t reply. It was unusual that she was so calm about it. She giggled.
“Well, I don’t plan on living long anyway. This world is too cruel. I don’t want it.” Her eyes looked sad and had regrets. “But I still… I want to live…” Tears fell from her eyes.
Zayne took a deep breath and approached her then awkwardly petted her head. “You did really well. Helping a lot of people at such a young age.”
“The world is beautiful as well… I’ve met lots of nice people too… and the kids were very loving.” She forced a smile.
“Shall I walk with you?” Zayne offered his hand and she nodded; he gently squeezed her hand then they started walking.
“Say…” She smiled. “If I’m good, then why do good people die early?” She asked again.
Zayne smiled and answered: “When walking in a garden… which flowers do you think gets picked first? The rotten ones or the ones that are beautiful and blooming?”