Earth

Justine Fletcher finished brushing her hair when it happened. It wasn't something that had happened to her in her memory--though her journals did say something about getting kidnapped by her 'superiors,' once. Justine, and all reapers in the building, vanished from their spots.

Justine's brush hit her chair.

The middle-aged woman glanced around her, quick to recognize some her boss had gotten placed with her--the government had agreed not to capture them anymore, so long as they were kept track of, which her boss did cheerfully--some she had found, and at least one new one. Justine's face softened immediately. A child.

Out of all the things Justine envied humans for, children were one of them. She wanted a large family, but those dreams were destroyed when she found out that Reapers couldn't have children.

What wasn't such a welcome sight was another middle-aged woman. Stern, severe looking. Justine was pretty sure she wasn't even female, that was just the form she chose to take in an attempt to make her less intimidating. It didn't work. She insisted she be called "Miranda." Miranda only came by when something was very, very wrong. Apparently, last time Justine saw her, she lost the ability to lose her right hand. Justine wasn't too eager for what was up next.

Neither, for that matter, was Leandra Arian. The albino girl took off her glove to adjust the stuffing in the right index finger, revealing that not only was she missing that finger, but her hand was terribly burned. It was something she did only when she felt comfortable, which was likely a misdirect, Justine figured. Justine wasn't that good at reading body language, but nobody could feel comfortable, when taken to a pure white room in a different plane of existence, that had no clear windows or doors.

Leandra looked around the room, assessing the situation. Justine didn't really trust Lea. She seemed a decent girl, but she seemed too broken. Justine had never seen a reaper that scarred before, though one reaper in the room, with half their body scarred, came close.

"Right," Miranda said, taking off her hood. Underneath the hood was a pretty face, though it all seemed strangely false. Something was off about her. "Now, I know Justine here likes to collect broken reapers like herself... so I don't know how many of you are actually aware of what you are. You're all reapers. Somewhat in the traditional sense, though you don't get scythes. That's only me, and I only use it on you if you misbehave.

"You collect problem souls, help them move onto the afterlife. Heaven, if you will. You're like angels, but you have a more specific job in mind. Justine will happily fill you in. But I don't have a lot of time. I have plenty of other Reapers to visit today, and I wanted to get this whole building out of the way. We have a problem, something that I need you guys to get to the bottom of.

"Someone has been killing souls which are not meant to die yet. Sure, we can arrange a few miracles here and there, but too many and people are going to get suspicious. Now, I suspect this person is a reaper, like yourselves, or, a potential reaper. That's what you are when you're marked to be a reaper, but still human."

Miranda handed a pair of glasses out to each member of the group. "In case it is, here's something that will reveal our marks. You'll be able to see soulmates, and true lovers this way, but most importantly, you'll be able to see when we've marked someone to join your ranks. Now, I know I'm setting myself up for a lot of questions... but any questions?"

Maddie sat on the floor, playing with a beaten up teddy bear, singing an old Gaelic lullaby as Justine and Miranda talked to the others in the group. The young girls eyes were a bright iris color, with blue rims, they scanned the room, and then she continued playing with her doll.

The song was haunting as it passed the little girls lips, she had a beautiful, enchanting voice, one that could put anyone into a trance. She hugs her teddy bear tight and then yawns, looking up at Justine, then at Miranda. Maddie continues to hold onto her teddy bear with a death grip as some spirits play around her, two other young kids about her age.

She giggles as they sit in front of her, their heads tilting to the side, "Hi!" She says, and they stare at her teddy bear.

"This is TJ, my teddy bear," She says holding it out to the two spirits and they smile brightly, yet when they tried to touch her bear, she yanks it from them, suddenly becoming possessive.

"No." The word was powerful, strong, almost too powerful for such a young girl. The spirits jumped back and flickered out of the room. She starts to sing again, as if nothing had happened.

Jakie, or Jake, as how people call her around, was looking by the balcony of her apartment, her tea in her hand, taking sips from it time to time, looking at the people down in the streets, wearing a simple black shirt, pants and socks. She wondered how long she has been here. Sometimes you're really stupid, she thought to herself, You've been in this city for about seventeen years, and yet it feels like an eternity passed infront of you. Her thoughts were broken as she heard a knock on her door. "Message delivery." She smiled softly and went to the door, answering it with eager. She received a letter from the mailman, but she already knew what was the content of it.


She took a sharp knife and opened the enveloppe. In it was a letter, a boring looking paper to anyone eyes, but a smile got on her face. She pulled out the letter, letting the enveloppe fly to the recycle bin and she reads it quickly. "Blah blah blah..." she said to herself as she looked at the scattered. He took out the card that had her face on it and quickly put it in her wallet. She could now leave this damn city. Well, temporary; his doctors doesn't want her to hang around late in the night. She found that rule stupid; she was mature afterall. She shrugged and went down the stairs of her apartment, locking her door and took her white headgear.

There were alot of cars in the parking; all belonging to either resident of the apartment bloc, or some visitors. And then a scooter showed up. She smiled; that was her ride. She wasn't legal yet, but could afford to have her scooter license. She pulled out the keys of it and turned it on. The silent motor roared; she picked up an electric model, thinking that it will better than always breathing that toxic product that the ones for the fuel engine do. She smiled, driving it to the garage door; it wasn't the first time she drove it, but the first time that was actually legal. She pressed on a button near her and said: "I'll be back like always, now open the door to liberty!" She said in a joyful tone. As ordered, the garage door opened before her eyes as the sunlight came into the garage. She puts her arm over her eyes and looked into the horizon; the city. She made her engine roared silently and got off into the roads.


Left, right, right, left; she knew which road to get out of that hellpit that was her actual home. The road that she got into was especially quiet, which made her happy; she didn't want to get stuck in traffic again. Once the big buildings got away from her sight, she breathed the fresh air of the Outside. She always wondered how it felt, now was her answer. Somehow, the air felt more pure. Maybe because of all that pollution. She giggled softly. Then a road sign came on her vision; Ravenwood | 200m. She never heard of such place and decided that it was her first stop.

She drove for quite a while; she didn't make her scooter go as fast as she usually did. She just wanted to breath that fresh air that was the liberty that she so called. Once she got there, she looked around like a child in a school; everything looked new to her eyes. She drove slowly, respecting the speed limit. For how long I've missed such place? she asked to herself. Seventeen years, you silly goose. she replied to herself, still contempling the surrounding. She wondered if she could ever think of getting off the city and live in such place.

Azayaka na ai de PLAY THE JOKER Damash- beep* the sound that made her cellphone as someone called her. She quickly stopped next to the road, looking at the apartment complex that was in front of her as cleaned her throat. "Hello, Jake speaking." She said in a voice that couldn't be distinguish if it was from a boy or a girl. She nodded once, then twice, looking at a truck that just leaved the complex. "Have you guys fell on the head...?"she asked, with doubts of what is happening. She nodded again and end the call with a single flip of her cellphone and she put it back in her jacket. Didn't she left it at home? Well, whatever was the answer, it doesn't have any meaning. Actually, there was one.

She drove her scooter up to the complex. She thought it could be some kind of trick. This is just so weird... Well, whatever. She smiled, maybe the beginning of her life; maybe she'll finally understand something of her world. She went inside, taking of as her hair flew out like it was before she puts it on. She went at the front desk, saying: "Hey, anybody here?" She was new here, and seems she doesn't have the keys, she didn't know what to do. She was said that she was transferred here by the orders of someone that stayed anonymous. Suddenly, she vanished from where she was.

She got into a room; it seems that other people was there too. Apparently, there was something important that she needs to know before starting to live there. No...I much been dreaming, since...I got teleported? A chill was send in her back; what she got into this time? She looked at what seems to the boss of this place, and she didn't quite understand her; it seems that there was a secret behind her. Jakie prefers to not ask about it; it was probably too much personal. There was a silence before one of them rose her voice.

Jakie listened carefully to her discussion. Is she serious or insane? she asked in her head, wondering what she is talking about. Reapers can't be real, right? Yes, that what was she heard in her classes. Such things couldn't exist, and then that stranger just got into her life and tell Jakie that. Jake wondered if it was true or not; there could be such things to the why of her life. Like when some people seems to collide on each other, but both of them passed through each other, and seems that it was normal. And the why that some beings talk to her when she doesn't even know; why they even break into her place.

She took the galsses and looked at them, not too eager to put them on for now, as she listened carefully to what the stranger said to the little group that they were. The boss asked them if there was any question, and she wanted to ask one, but as she was about to raise his hand, she didn't move, feeling that there was too many in her head to be answered. She preferred to stay silent and wait when the time will be more...correct to do it. Jakie shook her head, in sign of a no.

Jackson sat in his bed staring up at the wall something he often did. He would be sitting in his bed ninety percent of his time at home out of depression. He always felt like he was nothing compared to today's standards and that he would ever be good enough for anyone.

He was instantly taken to a strange room. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before in his life yet somewhat familiar. "Dreams maybe" he thought watching the woman then looking around to see a woman pull her hood down. She was quite pretty but she held the type of regal stature. He listened to her and truly tried to wake himself up. He couldn't be a bringer of death, nor the bringer of anything for that matter.

When he got the glasses he looked them over quickly but hey showed no signs on of anything special. When the woman asked of questions Jackson shook his head, wanting to keep his mouth shut.

(sorry its so short Im tired and I have writers block)

"Right, so it's clear that most of you don't believe me. Well, not my problem. I'll be back in an hour, and hopefully Justine will have you caught up by then," Miranda said. She pulled up her hood, and vanished.

"Mira-shit," Justine said. Justine sighed, walking over to Madeline, and sitting by her. "My name is Justine. I would have handled it better than she did... I was hoping to give you guys some time to adjust to the apartments before I told you anything. I'm your landlord." Justine looked down at Madeline, smiling widely. "What's your name sweetheart?"

"If we're playing introductions, I'm Leandra. I've been a reaper for two years... Justine's been one for like, two thousand. It's insane. How old are you?" Leandra asked.

"Well I can read Ancient Greek," Justine said.

"Old then. Old as hell," Leandra said, laughing. "It's all nutty in a basket-case, but you're not alone in it all. Justine may be blind to human emotions, but she means well." Leandra took off the glove on her good hand, feeling the wall.

"Don't bother," Justine said. "If she wants us to stay here for an hour, we're staying here for an hour. I'm pretty sure there's no way out but her way."

Leandra gave Justine the middle finger and kept looking.

"Lea," Justine said. "Not around the child."

"What? She's dead anyway," Leandra said. "We all are."

"Well, can I object on the basis of it being plain rude?" Justine asked.

"Go for it," Leandra said. "Because it's quite unbecoming of me to be rude." Justine sighed.

Maddie looked up with her big eyes as Justine came and sat down next to her, "My name is Justine. I would have handled it better than she did... I was hoping to give you guys some time to adjust to the apartments before I told you anything. I'm your landlord. What's your name sweetheart?"

Maddie opened her mouth a bit until the other female bursted out, "If we are playing introductions, I'm Leandra. I've been a rreaper for two years..." A small pause, Maddie thought it was her chance to speak, but she was not even close to being right, the woman continued, "Justine has been one for like, two thousand. It's insane. How old are you?"

"Well I--"

"Well I can read Ancient Greek," Justine snapped back and they continued to debacle until Lea gave the middle finger towards Justine.

Maddie looked up at both the women, her voice suddenly becoming less childlike, for she was sick of being cut off, "My name is Madeline Wynters. I was born in Ireland on a dark night of October 2nd, 1800...." She bit her lower lip, and curled her fragile arms around her teddy bear and she looked up at both of them.

"I've been a reaper since 1806..." She shrugs, looking down as she watched spiritual orbs float around her and she smiled a bit, moving them around with the touch of her fingers.

She looks up at both of them, "You can call me Maddie."

She finishes her introduction with a giggle, playing with her hair a bit.

Jakie couldn't quite understand the situation. Everything happened so fast; she got her license for her scooter, she just got a taste of rural life, she got a new apartment in the same place she was, and now this. She doesn't know if it was a joke, or just a dream. Probably just a dream... If it was a joke, well, it is well staged, because I can't really feel that we're advancing in time. she thought in her head, still looking at her glasses.

Her ears twitched to the sounds of the other strangers that was standing in the same room as her. So, since this is the introductions, I guess they are my new roommates, or something like that. She quickly put her glasses in her jacket, carefully. Listening carefully; they are must been joking. Humans don't live than must, don't they? Wait, didn't she said something about that. She closed her eyes, still seeing that stranger face of Miranda, as the words reverb in her mind;

You're all reapers.

Does that mean they aren't humans? Gosh, this dream is so much weird. she spoke in her head as she opened her eyes, continuing to listen to the conversation that the people had. She gathered her mind a little, still on the shock, though that this wasn't expressed on her face as she kept her face neutral to the situation.

After the silence got up and all the other strangers have talked, she guessed that she was the next on the line of the introductions. "My name is Jakie, it is nice to meet you all." she said as she made a respectful bow, but the way a guy would do. "Though," she took again, "you can call me Jake, due to my behavior." She smiled softly, giving her more of a soft appeal. "So, if my ears aren't broken already, we are reapers, ne?" At the end of her phrase, she put a little Japanese accent.

Jackson watched everything unfold and looked at the glasses in his hands. They didn't look like any spectacles he had every seen before. He felt a shiver go down his spine as the little girl's voice came out as more like a woman than a girl.

"My name is Madeline Wynters. I was born in Ireland on a dark night of October 2nd, 1800.... I've been a reaper since 1806... You can call me Maddie." Jackson wanted to run away but instead he stood silently, watching them all. He kept looking around for an exit hoping he could leave this nut house and go home and sleep this little experience off.

Whatever a Reaper was be it angel or whatever, he didn't want part of it in the slightest nor did he think of moving away from his family though he had always wished so. He watched the girls and said nothing simply observing.

"Oh honey..." Justine hugged Maddie. "That's a really short last life."

Then Jakie spoke, and Justine let go of Maddie. "Yes indeed," Justine said. "It's a long explanation-"

"But basically, the bosses of that lady that trapped us here decided we were broken. We didn't deserve to be humans, so we get eternal servitude," Leandra interrupted.

"Well, you could put it that way," Justine said. "But it's better than the alternative Lea. You should know that."

That shut Leandra up. She sat down, putting her glove back on.

Well, I guess that rudeness will be present in those new days, she said to herself as Jakie was looking at them fighting with their words. The explanation that Leandra gave to her didn't really quite inform her on what is going on, but guess that it is the only thing she'll get from them, for the moment. She nodded softly to the end of their sentence as the silence once got into the room again. "I'm guessing that it isn't much different from my old days." She used this term for when she was in the city.

Recently got into her new life, it already puzzled her mind. She started to think about what they said. we were broken, this sentence alone perplexed her mind. It was in the past, meaning that there would have been something else that she didn't know about. And apparently the word broken is to emphases in Leandra's sentence. She didn't wonder about when she explained that they didn't deserve to be humans, as she guessed that there was something wrong herself in the beginning of her nines, when she was still in the hospital, with doctors and nurses as her parents. Eternal servitude...would that mean, there isn't an end to my life? Whatever is the answer, it won't really help.

Justine seems to not entirely agree with what Lea said. Jakie wondered were could that leave her. There might be a huge gap in hers explanation, and other one. "But it's better than the alternative Lea. You should know that." Justine said afterward, like if there was another choice that could have been made in between their times when they were dead. Leandra seems to know what Justine was talking about, which leaves another puzzle to Jake's mind. What is the other choice? She prefers not to talk about it loudly, keeping her thoughts for herself and ask when the times will be more appropriate.

"Well, my mind is still foggy about what is happening," she confessed, though a smile was on her face, " however, I hope that I will know better about myself and you guys." Jakie didn't know her past at all. The only thing that was sure in her mind was her time in the city and the recent movements here. She even forgot that her headphone is resting on her neck.

Maddie smiled as Justine hugged her and she looked around at the others, clutching her teddy bear to her chest tightly. All she really wanted to do was go to sleep.

To be perfectly honest, Maddie hadn't really slept well in over forty years. Her tired eyes droop a bit, " 'Tine?" She looks up at Justine for a moment with a smile, "Could I go..take a nap?" She asks, tilting her head to the side a bit.

[[short post, I know. I'm sorry.]]