asleep when Brigit
returned to their apartment. Though it was no longer necessary,
Brigit was quiet as she moved through the living room to the
bedroom.
Maggie had finally forced herself to return
to sleeping there the night of the funeral. She had lain on the
sofa for only a few hours before getting up and walking slowly to
the bedroom. Brigit had immediately jumped to her feet and
followed. As Brigit had thought they might, the memories of their
private times together there flooded them as soon as they passed
through the door. She knew, though, that Maggie had gone there to
be enveloped in those memories and to find some comfort in them.
Brigit had followed her so that she too could be enveloped in them
and hopefully comfort her partner as she cried the final tears over
her loss.
As she stood beside their bed, watching
Maggie sleep peacefully, Brigit wondered if Maggie might be
dreaming of her. The serene look on her face gave no indication one
way or the other. Brigit sighed heavily and reached out her hand to
caress Maggie’s cheek. A slight shiver followed the path of her
fingertips on Maggie’s face and Brigit frowned. Maggie’s warmth
under her touch was a reminder that she was no longer warm
herself.
She had thought about everything John
Blackwick had said during her walk home. She knew he was right. The
position he had offered her would provide her the chance to keep
her promise to Maggie. She would be able to watch over her during
the night, to be by her side until that last breath finally came.
The only problem was that Maggie would never know Brigit had kept
her promise until that day came and only God knew when that would
happen.
Silently, Brigit turned and left the bedroom.
She had homework to get to if she was to start her new job with
some sense of preparedness. Maggie had left the lamp next to her
reading chair on. Brigit had noted that Maggie had left it burning
every night since the accident. She wondered if it was Maggie’s
subconscious effort to keep a light on for the lover that was never
coming home, or if it was a reaction to the fear of being alone in
the dark after so many years of having someone by her side.
Brigit set the book John had given her on the
small table by the chair and slowly pulled off her coat. The book
wasn’t very thick. It wouldn’t take her long to get through it, she
was sure. When she was finally comfortable in Maggie’s reading
chair, she picked up the book and opened the cover. Energy emanated
from the pages within and Brigit closed her eyes. She had never
been one to really believe in magic, but she had the instinct that
this book – despite its purpose – was indeed filled with a magic
she would never be able to define. Finally, she opened her eyes
again and steeled herself against the silliness her imagination was
threatening to begin with the thought of magic being real. It was
best to get this over with so she could return to Maggie’s side.
Her eyes skimmed the handwritten title: The Rules to Reaping
Souls, by: Araxius Herodotus, Reaper .
Slowly, Brigit turned to the first page.
Rule #1: The Purpose of a Reaper:
The purpose of a Reaper is to collect the
souls of the deceased. Such souls are to be escorted to their
judgments without delay. We are not the judge, merely the messenger
and/or escort. A Reaper is firm and collected and can not be swayed
from the assigned task of assisting the soul to the door to their
fate. A soul’s fate is determined by the events of their lives from
the first moment breath was drawn on the mortal plane. A good life
will be rewarded with the appearance of a door to the Reaper’s left
side. Evil shall be rewarded with the appearance of the door to the
right. Only the Reaper assigned to the task can open these doors.
In the event that the soul refuses to enter and face their fate, it
is the Reaper’s duty to complete their journey by any and all
necessary means. It is required that all Reapers wish the soul
‘eternal
returned to their apartment. Though it was no longer necessary,
Brigit was quiet as she moved through the living room to the
bedroom.
Maggie had finally forced herself to return
to sleeping there the night of the funeral. She had lain on the
sofa for only a few hours before getting up and walking slowly to
the bedroom. Brigit had immediately jumped to her feet and
followed. As Brigit had thought they might, the memories of their
private times together there flooded them as soon as they passed
through the door. She knew, though, that Maggie had gone there to
be enveloped in those memories and to find some comfort in them.
Brigit had followed her so that she too could be enveloped in them
and hopefully comfort her partner as she cried the final tears over
her loss.
As she stood beside their bed, watching
Maggie sleep peacefully, Brigit wondered if Maggie might be
dreaming of her. The serene look on her face gave no indication one
way or the other. Brigit sighed heavily and reached out her hand to
caress Maggie’s cheek. A slight shiver followed the path of her
fingertips on Maggie’s face and Brigit frowned. Maggie’s warmth
under her touch was a reminder that she was no longer warm
herself.
She had thought about everything John
Blackwick had said during her walk home. She knew he was right. The
position he had offered her would provide her the chance to keep
her promise to Maggie. She would be able to watch over her during
the night, to be by her side until that last breath finally came.
The only problem was that Maggie would never know Brigit had kept
her promise until that day came and only God knew when that would
happen.
Silently, Brigit turned and left the bedroom.
She had homework to get to if she was to start her new job with
some sense of preparedness. Maggie had left the lamp next to her
reading chair on. Brigit had noted that Maggie had left it burning
every night since the accident. She wondered if it was Maggie’s
subconscious effort to keep a light on for the lover that was never
coming home, or if it was a reaction to the fear of being alone in
the dark after so many years of having someone by her side.
Brigit set the book John had given her on the
small table by the chair and slowly pulled off her coat. The book
wasn’t very thick. It wouldn’t take her long to get through it, she
was sure. When she was finally comfortable in Maggie’s reading
chair, she picked up the book and opened the cover. Energy emanated
from the pages within and Brigit closed her eyes. She had never
been one to really believe in magic, but she had the instinct that
this book – despite its purpose – was indeed filled with a magic
she would never be able to define. Finally, she opened her eyes
again and steeled herself against the silliness her imagination was
threatening to begin with the thought of magic being real. It was
best to get this over with so she could return to Maggie’s side.
Her eyes skimmed the handwritten title: The Rules to Reaping
Souls, by: Araxius Herodotus, Reaper .
Slowly, Brigit turned to the first page.
Rule #1: The Purpose of a Reaper:
The purpose of a Reaper is to collect the
souls of the deceased. Such souls are to be escorted to their
judgments without delay. We are not the judge, merely the messenger
and/or escort. A Reaper is firm and collected and can not be swayed
from the assigned task of assisting the soul to the door to their
fate. A soul’s fate is determined by the events of their lives from
the first moment breath was drawn on the mortal plane. A good life
will be rewarded with the appearance of a door to the Reaper’s left
side. Evil shall be rewarded with the appearance of the door to the
right. Only the Reaper assigned to the task can open these doors.
In the event that the soul refuses to enter and face their fate, it
is the Reaper’s duty to complete their journey by any and all
necessary means. It is required that all Reapers wish the soul
‘eternal
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