Hospitals have always made me feel uncomfortable. The overstimulating sounds of the machines constantly beeping, the smell of bleach and antiseptic lingered around the rooms making their way into the hallways. Most of my soul contracts were in the hospital so you’d think I’d be used to it by now but the sounds of the nurses rushing around, pens scribbling on clipboards and family members crying and mourning their sick relatives always made me feel dizzy and uneasy. I always looked out of place loitering outside some poor person’s room waiting to collect their souls. I wondered if the hospital staff was ever suspicious of me but since my mother works here, I guess they just assume I’m here to see her. I have to be close as once the soul leaves the body; they need a reaper to guide them to the other side or they become confused and emotional choosing to stay with their family meaning they become ghosts and honestly new souls are much easier to persuade to cross over than ghosts are.
The contract stipulated that I needed to collect Mr. Walters’ soul at 14:20. When I checked my watch, it was already 14:43. That was unusual; souls didn’t normally take this long to seek me out. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to sense his presence. Maybe he had wandered off, which was unusual when a reaper was present but not unheard of. But there was nothing. It was completely silent. Frustration bubbled inside me; the contract was incorrect. I had other things to do today, like finish my assessment for Professor James, who wouldn’t grant me any more extensions. And I had a date with Rob tonight but that all must come second to the souls as it’s my moral obligation to make sure they reach their final destination but that didn’t mean I had to be happy about it.
Another thirty minutes passed by, and Mr. Walters didn’t appear, and I simply couldn’t wait any longer. I emailed head office to advise of the oversight and started to head home. As I was walking down the damp dark stairwell of the hospital I could see a shadow at the bottom, waiting. I felt a sense of fear and dread wash over me, something I’ve never felt before, it was almost as if I’d never feel happiness again. I wanted to run but my legs wouldn’t move, I wanted to scream but my vocal cords felt paralyzed.
The shadow stepped out from the darkness and to my surprise it was a man dressed in a green flannel and skinny jeans but as my eyes focused, I could see it was a very handsome man, he has jet black untamed hair, his jaw line was sharp with chiselled cheekbones and his eyes were captivating, they were maroon and reflected red off the lighting. That’s when I realised, he wasn’t human. “Dalia?” he questioned softly. I still couldn’t move so I just nodded. He smirked “Death has called a meeting and we’re all required to attend; he advised you haven’t been to the office before and to escort you”. “Uhm” that’s all I could manage to say, I must have looked uncomfortable as the man spoke again “apologies I haven’t introduced myself. My name is Samael. I work in head office in the defective soul department.” he said, “so you’re a reaper?” I questioned. “An unconventional one, yes” he smirked again.
Samael made me feel uncomfortable, but I had no reason to doubt him, who else would know I’m a reaper? It’s a secret I’ve been keeping for the last three years and someone else knowing even if I didn’t know them gave me a sense of relief. Samael gestured for me to follow him, he opened the door to the ground floor of the hospital and started walking. I followed him but remained a few steps behind probably looking like a lost puppy following its master. As I followed Samael through the halls of the hospital, the memories of that day, the day I came into my reaper powers flooded back. My grandpa was in this hospital for his final days, I was only eighteen and it was the first time I saw anyone die. I was a bit scared of him, my once loving happy grandpa was led in the bed, covered in bruises, his pale skin was grey, and I remember thinking he looked like a zombie. I still remember the way his rib cage rattled when he breathed.
My grandma and mother left me alone with him whilst they went to the café below to get us a beverage. My grandfather’s breathing became shallower and before I could press the call button, I saw a blinding white light surround him. I looked up and saw my grandfather standing over us smiling and a disembodied voice started to speak, it wasn’t my grandfather, it was a woman and told me to guide him to the other side. I didn’t understand what was happening at first and out of instinct I grabbed my grandpa’s hand as he always made me feel safe, if I was scared, he’d always hold my hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. As I touched his hand, I felt a surge of energy flow through my body, it felt like 1000 electric shocks at once, but I knew, I knew in that moment what my destiny was and that I was a reaper and I needed to collect souls.
Samael and I arrived at the office, and I was surprised to see it was an actual office the office is an open-plan room with desks lining the walls. There were people on the phones, photocopying, writing, and laughing at the coffee machine. The room was well-lit with bright overhead lights, and there were large windows along one wall that provide a view of the outside world which looked artificial, it was too perfect to be real. The desks were made of a light-coloured wood and are cluttered with papers, files, and office supplies. There were posters on the walls with motivational slogans like “We’re dead serious about collecting souls” and “Our team always delivers…souls to the afterlife.” The carpet is a deep blue colour, and there are potted plants scattered throughout the room. Overall, the office has a professional, yet relaxed atmosphere. It really made me feel uneasy and slightly freaked out although it looked like a human office, it lacked humanity. It was cold and lifeless.
As Samael and I made our way through the office, we were suddenly stopped by an older woman, perhaps around 50 years old. She had a short blonde bob and was dressed in a vibrant pink dress that matched her lipstick. Her demeanour was unfriendly, and she snarled at Samael, “You’re late.” When he gave an unapologetic smirk and blamed the traffic, the woman didn’t seem impressed. She curled her upper lip in disdain and said, “I guess that’s why you don’t send a demon to do a reaper’s job. We have a meeting in an hour, and you’re excused.” Samael scoffed and walked away without another word, leaving me standing there awkwardly. The woman’s overpowering perfume made me choke, and I struggled to find something to say. Finally, I managed to muster a weak smile and blurted out, “Wow, this seems like a nice place to work. Can’t believe it’s my first time here.”
The woman turned to me and smiled softly and introduced herself as the head of the Soul Collection Bureau’s Human Resources department. She explained that while the office primarily served non-human entities, my unique abilities had allowed me to become a reaper in my human life which when discovered was a hot topic between the managers but ultimately it was decided I’d be allowed to reap. This was a rare occurrence, as most reapers were chosen from the deceased for their skills and qualities to serve the higher purpose of soul collecting.
Karen went on to say that my presence in the office could be unsettling to some of the other staff, which was why it had been decided that I would work remotely, receiving my contracts via email. She understood that I likely had many questions about the workings of the bureau but cautioned that not all information could be freely shared. As a human, there were certain limitations to what I could know and understand. I didn’t press the matter any further as Karen didn’t seem like the kind of woman who’d answer me anyway.
Karen explained to me that the boss had called an important meeting, requiring the attendance of everyone, including me. She asked me to sit quietly at a desk in the far-left corner, not to draw any attention to myself, and that she would come to collect me when the meeting started. As I sat at the desk, I couldn’t help but feel isolated and disconnected from the rest of the office. The desk was old, and the paint on the walls was peeling off at the bottom, giving it a musty smell.
As I eavesdropped on the conversations around me, I began to understand more about the Soul Collection Bureau. It was surprising to learn that it was run like a typical business. Death was the CEO, but he didn’t actually collect souls. That was beneath him. The only ones he answered to were God and the Devil. My department was responsible for collecting souls in the northwest of England, which was a small team, but it was in the head office, so my colleagues got the pleasure of having Death hovering over their shoulders However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my presence was unwanted in the office. Karen’s insistence on keeping me isolated made me wonder if there was more to it than just not wanting to distract others. Perhaps there was something about me that made the staff uncomfortable. I tried my best to ignore the stares and whispers coming from my colleagues and hoped the meeting would begin soon.
As I sat there, my mind wandered back to Samael. He was a demon, yet he didn’t fit the description of the evil, soul-destroying beings I had heard about. Why would they send him to collect me? And what was he doing working for the Soul Collection Bureau? My confusion only deepened. My anxiety started to take over and I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets and mysteries lay within the Soul Collection Bureau. As I sat alone at my desk, I felt a strange mixture of fear and curiosity. What kind of world had I stumbled into? What kind of beings were lurking in the shadows, unseen and unknown by the human world? And most importantly, what was my role in all of this? Death clearly wanted me here. As much as I wanted to push these thoughts aside and return to my mundane life, sure I was collecting souls, but it was through email communication I didn’t realise the extent of this business but I’m here now and there’s no going back.
I heard a loud “Ah-hem” and looked up to see Karen standing above me. “Follow me please,” she said, gesturing for me to come with her. As we walked down the office, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the whispers and stares coming from my co-workers. My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and I couldn’t understand why they were talking about me.
Karen led me into a meeting room at the far end of the office, where five people were already seated. Samael was among them. I didn’t recognize the others, so I made my way to the only empty chair and sat down. I avoided eye contact and looked at the floor, hoping to avoid drawing any more attention to myself. Suddenly, the door opened again, and my attention was drawn towards a tall, cloaked figure who walked in with an air of importance. He removed his cloak to reveal a scary-looking man with a bald head and a tattoo running down the side of his skull. His eyes were black, and his face had sharp features. It was Death, and I couldn’t believe I was actually in the presence of the Grim Reaper. Despite not introducing himself yet, I knew instantly who he was.
Death cleared his throat before speaking, “Thank you all for attending,” he began, “I won’t bore you with formalities and get straight to the point. Souls have been going missing, and we don’t know why.” As Death continued to explain the gravity of the situation, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease in the pit of my stomach. Lucifer was apparently the client who had visited earlier, and his underworld was in chaos without the missing souls. It wouldn’t be long before God noticed, and that could spell trouble for everyone involved.
As Death spoke, I glanced around the table and noticed that the other people were managers from other reaper sites. They reported no unusual goings-on at their locations, so it seemed to be confined to this particular area for now.
Karen spoke up from behind Death, and I realized I had forgotten she was even there. “Sir, if I may,” she interjected, her eyes narrowing towards Samael, “soul stealing is dark magic. Maybe we should be questioning the dark lord and his demons.” The tension in the room was apparent as everyone shifted in their seats. I had a feeling Karen shouldn’t have said that.