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“It is warmer… than I… imagined…”
And those scarlet eyes you adored closed and his breathing slowly went still…
You could feel your body go numb from the thundering emotions in your heart. You desperately grasp onto Casper, the Grim Reaper, the dork that you were able to worm your way into his heart, fade from your fingertips. You felt the corner of your eyes well up and shook the limp body in front of you, pleading for him to wake up.
But there was no sign of waking up.
Your body moved on its own, dragging Casper’s body back inside his room. What was normally warm was now colder than before. The warmth that you both shared hours ago, when you first arrived at the Underworld with Casper, had ceased to exist. Everything around you was numb, how your body shook as you shut the door and ignored how tears ran down your face. You didn’t know what you were mumbling about, keeping the cold body of Casper close to you, your Grimmy. The blood on your fingers does nothing to appease your troubling heart and soul.
The system, the Underworld, the damn rules, the cycle of life and death. Death is supposed to be ‘fairness’ and ‘just’. But to you, you never believed in that kind of bullshit. Not when it just took something so important to you.
The first message that popped up on your laptop from a strange app.
To meet a cute Grim Reaper that wanted your soul.
To the bet that was made between you two.
To slowly fall into a cozy rhythm.
Teasing the Grim Reaper.
To getting sunflowers from him as he floated near your window.
Extending the bet.
Going to the festival with him.
Being more human.
Falling in love.
You didn’t know how long you’ve been holding onto Casper, your eyes still trickling down tears. But you felt someone behind you, in this very room, and you felt like you just knew exactly who this was. You faintly remember the mysterious Grim Reaper that hacked into Casper’s systems and messaged you. The sudden appearance of the letter and keycard hidden inside beside your laptop and on your desk. The reason why Casper got to you after his app acted up on his side. Going to the Underworld…
To save you, Sunshine.
Your throat closed up, unable to say a word as you listened to the new Grim Reaper speak. Your fingers curl tightly beneath the fabric of Casper’s turtleneck. The slow despair and hopelessness morphed into something uglier, something twisted in your heart. Something you knew you were capable of but also felt outwardly different from your usual self.
Your mind was becoming distant, a lifeless and voidless echo. You couldn’t think anymore except that you lost your Grimmy, Casper. Your Grim Reaper. You felt your body begin to move, one arm holding onto your beloved Grim while the other slowly itched towards the scythe that stood neatly on the wall.
Your fingers curled around the handle.
“You will be sent back to your home, and all memory of the Underworld, Casper, and anything he told you will be wiped from your mind.”
You reacted with no emotion, the grip on the handle steady and firm, unfiltered rage and flaming hatred burned coursing through you. The whirling emotions that shook inside you as you acted. You swung, watching as the blade of the scythe dug deep into the Grim Reaper’s chest that was behind you. You didn’t care about the blood that splatters your face and clothes, you stared with no hint of feeling as the body of this mysterious Reaper dropped onto the floor, the shock evident on his face.
You ripped the scythe out of the Reaper and watched the cold body fall, like a puppet losing its strings. You should feel guilty, this Grim Reaper who called out to you for your soul, was only doing his job. Just following the rules, just like Casper when you first met. But that was before and now it didn’t matter, not when he is no longer with you. You can’t feel anything except the cold fury that spread through your veins.
Your grasp on the scythe didn’t loosen, it tightened instead. You turned slightly and leaned forward, kissing Casper on the forehead. It was cold, that was expected, but you felt something pulsed deep inside you. You reached for your heart, how it beats, and felt something soothing you. Casper mentioned his soul was part of yours now, so this meant you can’t be taken by death, right?
Distantly, or maybe it was your imagination, of Casper’s warnings and pleads. Like; “Mortal, these are Grim Reapers you’re dealing with! You’ll die!” If he said that to your face, he would’ve been right. But with grief consuming you whole, there’s no such thing for proper thought.
You stood up, your hand lingering on Casper for a few more seconds before it left. The scythe in your hands doesn’t falter as you look at the door that led to the outside of the Underworld.
“You’re right, Grimmy… I’m strong.”
You extended your hand out and held onto the doorknob.
“...And I’ll pay them through blood.”
You turned around to look one last time, your lips pinched together as you felt something, looking at Casper’s deceased body before it snuffed out as your eyes went distant.
“I’ll be back.”
And the mortal heads out, bloody scythe in hand, with a dangerous motive. The grounds filled with reapers that held supernatural talent but something that this mortal doesn’t care for, you carried no light anymore. Disconnected from mind, body, emotion, and thought. With his soul and your soul intertwined.
There was no more sunshine.
Only darkness and vengeance ahead.