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Tears fell down Jane's face as she stared at ponds surface. The very same pond that had claimed her bothers life not 6 years before.It was her fault.It had been she who had begged Jack to take her skating. Worse still it had been she who had refused to wait long enough for Jack to check the thickness of the ice. Had she just waited for him to check, the ice would not have to started to crack underneath her and Jack would not have died in his attempt to save her.She should have waited and because she hadn't her brother was dead.Winter had long since past. It was now in the middle of April and yet only now was the snow starting to recede. The pond still had chunks of ice floating in it. That had been happening more and more since her brother Jackson had died.She put one toe in the water; it was freezing. Yet she forced herself to continue walking into the pond.She deserved this after being the reason why her brother was dead, she deserved to die.There was nothing left for her, her husband of one year had passed away some two weeks before, and she knew that she could never be as good a mother as her own mother was. Her child Emily deserved better than a hardly there mother who could barely get up in the mornings.She sat in the shallow water unmoving as the cold water stole all the heat from her body. Within minutes she started to go numb and she could feel herself become sleepy.She didn't fight it she wanted to die.She heard someone scream her name she turned her head to see her mother rushing toward her to pull her out and all of sudden while looking at her mothers scared and terrified face, Jane felt guilty.How could she have done this? Even dared to think about leaving her mother alone!Her mother pulled her out of the freezing water and laid her down on the grass."I'm sorry" She found herself saying to her mother. "I'm sorry I just w-wanted to sssee my b-brother, and husband again" She said."Oh you, stupid girl, do you truly believe them to be in hell?" Her mother cried tears falling down her face.Jane shook her head "I had hoped that He would make an acceptation for me…" She whispered feeling very tired. Her eyes were starting to close against their will."Jane? Jane don't you dare fall asleep on me, somebody help me! Jane! JANE!"
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The next time Jane awoke she was in a brightly light room with white walls that she did not recognize. She was lying on a bed that was so soft she felt as though she was lying on a cloud."So you're finally awake" She turned her head to see a man with white wispy hair and wrinkled face, his eyes were sky blue, he looked down at her sternly as though she had been a naughty child who had gotten caught with her hand in the cookie jar.But that did not stop her from becoming scared at being in a strange room she did not recognize. "Who are you? Where am I?" She asked him."Calm down, you're fine" The man told her. "For now at least. You did a very stupid thing trying to kill yourself like that. "Jane glared at the man. "It was a moment of weakness nothing more." She told him harshly."Bit more than that, you're dead darling" The man said as though she was not the only person to talk to him like that. "Moment o' weakness or not, there's no coming back from that."Jane's eyes widened. "But how... my mother pulled me out….""By then it was too late." The man said. "You had been in the pond too long."Jane looked down, according to her priest suicide was a one-way ticket to hell. "What's going to happen to me now?" She asked quietly.The man sighed. "They are thinking of making you into a grim reaper." He said.Jane's eyes widened. "A grim reaper? You mean like an angel of death?" She asked the man.The man tilted his head sideways. "Yes and no. Contrary to public opinion humans do not become angels after they die, humans are too free spirited to ever be considered an angel, no a grim reaper is what we call the humans who have been sentenced after death to reap the souls of the departed.""But why make me a grim reaper?""You're young, and a child grim reaper was recently let go, we need someone else to take his place. To collect the souls of the children, and you're just the right age for someone to collect children, young enough to be considered like them, but old enough for the younger children to take you seriously."Do I have any other options?" Collecting the souls of children was something that she didn't want."Purgatory" The man said. "Where you'll burn for several years until all your sins are forgiven."Jane looked away her eyes watering with tears. "I just wanted to see them again." She whispered her voice choking as she tried to hold her tears at bay.The man put a hand on her shoulder. "Your brother never made it to the after life" The man said softly. "He's still on earth living as the spirit of winter."Jane looked at the man wide eyed unable to believe what she was hearing. "What?"The man nodded. "The man in the moon transformed him just before we could claim his soul, as a result he is still living on earth, bard from heaven until he dies a second time."Jane could barely comprehend what she was hearing... man in the moon, spirit of winter, her mother had always told her that that was just some old wives tales."I know that that is a lot take in" The man said. "But it's true."Jane closed her eyes. "What of my husband?" She asked him out of politeness. The boy who she had married had been kind and sweet but Jane had not found it within her to want to form an attachment to him out of fear that he too would leave her as her brother once did.The man smiled. "You shall be happy to know that he waits for you at the gates of heaven."Jane looked down feeling guilty, her husband Thomas had always been a kind and generous man it would make sense that he go to heaven.She turned to the man her mind turning back to thoughts of her brother."Would I be able to see my brother, if I chose to become a Grim Reaper?"The man looked at her emotionlessly. "Perhaps, but he may not see you, you becoming a grim reaper would mean that you're invisible to everyone."Jane looked down tears falling down her face. "How do I know you're even telling me the truth?" She asked angrily. "How do I know that this isn't just a dream?"The man sighed and put a hand on her arm. "I know it's a lot to take in, but listen, if this is a dream, then there's no harm done, you'll wake up in your bed, alive and well, if this isn't a dream... then you truly have to decide if you'd rather be a grim reaper or burn in Purgatory for several years." The man said. "At the end of both you'll still receive heaven, all though if you chose to be a grim reaper, your sentence will be longer, but still either way you still have to choose."Jane looked away, the room had only one window but outside it she could see angels flying through the clouds.It looked so beautiful, that it in no way could have been real, and yet something inside her told her that it was.She didn't want to burn, but neither did she want to collect the souls of children. Her husband was waiting for her in heaven, however it was her brother who she had been longing to see again since he died 6 years before.She closed her eyes for a minute as she made up her mind. Her brother? Or her husband?An image of a baby past through her mind and guilt filled her heart as she thought of the little girl she had so selfishly left behind.She would see her husband again, that she knew, but who knew how long it would be before she saw Jack again? Especially if he was now a spirit of winter. Or what of her daughter? There was no way of knowing if she would ever see her daughter again (although she prayed that she would see her little girl in heaven one day). At least if she became a Grim Reaper she could watch over them, and check on them whenever she was in town.She looked back at the man, hating herself for her stupidity at what she had done, even as she said the words. "Alright" She said, feeling as though shackles were being placed upon her wrists even as she acknowledged that she was willingly making this choice. "I'll do it. I'll become a Grim Reaper."The man smiled. "Excellent."
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Jane learned very quickly that becoming a Grim Reaper was a very long process.The very first thing she was subjected too was intense physical training, her brown dress had been traded for a pair of trousers and a loose fitting shirt. She felt a little out of sorts wearing clothing restricted for men, but that feeling only lasted a few moments, when just after she was given them she was subjected to the hardest training imaginable.She learned how to fight. Every day she entered the training area and was promptly beaten senseless by her fighting instructor; a grim reaper named Amelia who looked to be only around 3 years older then her but was actually decades.At first she wasn't very good, her instructor would easily flip her over before Jane even had time to blink let alone come up with a proper way to defend herself.It took time but eventually she learned, and (though she wouldn't admit it to anyone else) she started to enjoy her time.With learning to fight that feeling of helplessness she had been feeling since her brother died had begun to diminish. With every block and attack she started to feel more empowered. She started to feel that no matter what happened she could take on anything.Amelia had started to notice her enthusiasm in fighting and would easily disarm her."Don't get cocky, Jane" Her instructor would state as Jane glared at her from the floor. "A grim reaper who is cocky, is a dead grim reaper."Jane had been told that a million times, but with every time she blocked and flipped Amelia she couldn't help but feel a little happiness at being able to do that.Eventually she started to learn to fight with weapons the bow-staff, was what she learned with first, but then she was given a bow and arrow, and some weapons she had never seen before. Swords followed swiftly after she had passed her shouting range."It's like we're part of an army" Jane said one day while swinging around her sword easily blocking Amelia's attack.Amelia aimed again but Jane saw it coming at immiediatly deflected the attack. "We're not supposed to be, however occasionally demons from the underworld appear and it would be prudent if you knew how to fight them." Amelia then disarmed Jane in one single move to which Jane just glared from her position on the floor.Amelia smiled at her mockingly. "To paraphrase something I've said since I started to training you, A distracted grim reaper is a dead grim reaper."Jane rolled her eyes and picked up her sword once again. "Again" She said with determination in her voice.
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Chapter 4 InductionJane breathed deeply in an effort to expel her nerves as Amelia placed a black cloak around her shoulders."You'll do fine" Amelia whispered. "And don't worry, I'll be there for your first few reapings."Jane smiled uneasily at Amelia, even though the training session had been hard and gruelling at times, and Amelia could be strict as all hell Amelia had been a great friend and confident during the months leading to this day.Amelia lead her to wooden oak door, they opened of their own accord and Jane with one more glance at Amelia stepped inside, alone.At the far end of the room was man standing his face covered in shadow surrounding her on either side were people wearing black cloaks just like her. She knelt in the middle of the room her head facing down."Do you understand that you must collect the souls and place them where they belong, no matter your own personal judgement?" The man said his voice low and deep but loud enough that it seemed to fill the entire room.."I do" Jane said."Do you understand that no matter how much you wish too you can not interrupt someone's death?" The man asked her.Jane's hands clenched but she nodded. "I do""Do you understand that the life as you knew it was over, that no matter how much you wish otherwise, you cannot go back, you must leave the family you had behind, only watching them from a distance."Jane had tears in her eyes by this point. "I … understand" She said her voice choking.The man must have sensed her hesitation because he broke character for a single moment. "This rules will seem hard to follow at first, but I promise you Jane you'll thank me for them in the long run.""Do you swear to abide by our laws from now until the end of your term?""I promise to abide them to the best of my abilities, from now until the end of time" Jane said. Her brother Jackson Overland was dead, the man he was now, did not even remember the man he was. If he saw her she would speak to him only if he spoke to her and she most definitely would not stay.How ever there was nothing in the rules that stated she could not watch, and she plans to exploit the loophole with every single chance she got. Especially in regards to the little child she had left behind.There was a slight hesitation"Then Jane Overland I now pronounce you Grim Reaper"Jane was handed a scythe black and the second her hands touched the handle she could feel a power surge through her whole body. Changing her into the reaper she now was.Within seconds she felt stronger faster and more capable then ever before. She felt as though she could lift a tree, run faster then an arrow, and jump higher then a mountain.She tightened her grip on the scythe.She was ready.
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Her First ReapingJane found herself desperately wanting to abuse her power the first time she was taken out to reap a soul.It was a child, maybe six or seven years old, blond hair green eyes, and so skinny you could see the bones sticking out of her gaunt skin. Thin scraps of cloth hung to her skin and they were so full of holes that they did not even deserve to be called clothing.It was winter, cold and freezing and the young child had no where to go.Jack, come on, don't you notice the people around you freezing to death? She thought angrily to her self.
Jane looked down and shook her head placing blame on Jack Frost would not do any good, besides she had no way of even knowing if this weather was even him. She had learned from Amelia that weather acted on it's own accord, and that it wasn't always the weather spirits that caused the worst blizzards.As the child's eyes started to close Jane was tempted to wrap her arms around the girl, but Amelia beside her placed a hand on her arm just as she was about to step forward."You can not save her from this" Amelia told her knowingly.Jane looked away angrily, disgusted with what she was about to do, but still continued to step forward. She removed a hair clip from her hair and it grew into a 6 ft. long scythe.She looked to Amelia for a moment and Amelia nodded egging her forward.Jane took a deep breath and stared at the young girl for a moment her hands stilled.Kill? How could she take the life of a child? A child who had done nothing wrong?She looked around and saw that no one noticed the little girl freezing in the corner. She was invisible to them, just as Jane was. She was suffering, and Jane was unable to do anything for her as she couldn't be seen or heard either.With that thought in mind she swung her Scythe and it past through the child's body leaving not a scratch, yet the girl fell to the ground lifeless anyway.Beside the body lay a girl exactly identical to the girl lying lifeless on the snow, except this girl was translucent and no longer looked cold.Jane turned back to Amelia but she just nodded her head and waved her hands as though to say 'go on'.Jane knelt in front of the girl as the child slowly came to the realisation that she no longer felt cold. She stared up at Jane unafraid."Hi Lizzie, I'm Jane." Jane said, "And I'm here to take you home."
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Sisterly Loyalty
Jane stared up at Jack Frost unseen by him.It had been four years since she had become a reaper, she had kept an eye on her family. Her little girl was a well adapted four-year-old, and while her mother had been greatly saddened by the death of her daughter having a child to care for again had seemed to do wonders for her mother's health. Both her mother and daughter had seemed to be doing well.No, the only one who worried her was Jack Frost. Not once in four years did she ever remember seeing another spirit interact with her brother.She had learned of course through her friends and from eavesdropping on unsuspecting spirits that Jack Frost was a trouble maker, and most of the spirits stayed well away from him because they were not amused with his tricks.A fair point, Jane had to concede, but all she had to do, was come across Jack after a long day of being invisible and her heart wept for him.She couldn't stand to see her brother in such turmoil, such loneliness. Something would have to be done and soon.She pulled out her pocket watch and opened it. 7:15. Time to go.She pulled her hairpin out of her hair flipped into the air elongating and by the time it landed in her hand it was a scythe.She gave one last look at her brother. Before slashing the air with her weapon creating a small portal and stepping threw her cloak billowing behind her.---"You've been spending far too much time in Burgess" Amelia said as Jane stepped inside Reaper residence. A house that housed of all the reapers. It was located just outside the gates of heaven, right now it appeared to be empty, the only person in the parlor being Amelia. Jane wasn't surprised night time was quite often a very active time for reapers, then again so was Mondays, Fridays, any pretty any celebration known to man kind."It was my home" Jane replied."Yes, was, past tense, this is your home now, it's time you accept that" Amelia said. "I have accepted it" Jane argued. "But Burgess still holds remnants of my family, my daughter-""Your dead Jane, let them go." Amelia said standing. "Your nothing but a body to them now."Jane looked down my hands clenched. "He's alone" Jane said. "My mother and daughter and doing remarkably well given the circumstances, though there was a bit of a scare when Emily became ill, but she's fine now. She's just now learning how to sew from mother and she's very good already able to sew her initials-""Jane." Amelia said. Jane pursed her lips and cut off mid rant."Jack however, doesn't associate with anyone, and I don't know how healthy that is."Amelia put a hand on her knee. "I know how painful it is, but there isn't much you can do, you know the rules Jane.""I can't associate with family" Jane said. "But there's nothing about associating with spirits who aren't family."Amelia shook her head. "They won't listen Jane you're a grim reaper""I have to try""That will make them hate him more" Amelia said. "We're essentially creatures of darkness, very few trusts us because of what we do and even fewer understand, trying to get their attention would only result in your heart break.""Would it be against the rules?" Jane asked.Amelia licked her lips in anger. "Technically no"Jane stood. "I have no other reaping's for tonight, I'll be home late"---The door to the Reaper home slammed shut. Amelia looked to see Jane tears rolling down her face.Amelia opened her arms to her protégé. She did not say 'I told you so' She did not laugh, she did not ask questions. She just held Jane."They would not even listen" Jane said heart broken. "I'm so sorry, Jack" She whispered. "I am so sorry""Just tell me what happened""Please!"
"Ha! If Jack Frost has one of you lot looking out for him he mustbe bad news" Bunny said his arms crossed.
"You do not know what ignoring him is doing to him!"
"Then you spend time with him!" North said. "I do not see why we have to involve our selves with him"
Jane paused contemplating over how much to reveal and came to the sad conclusion that anything she said would just turn the Guardians away from him even more.
"I pray, you four, come to understand him as I do" Jane said pulling out her scythe and slashing it through the air. "Good bye."
---Sandy went quiet just as the other Guardians were discussing what to do about what the young reaper had said.A young spirit was lonely and sad. So sad that it had caused a reaper to intervene on behalf of him. He did not like the reapers in general but he had to admit any spirit that caused a reaper to feel compassion, was an interesting spirit indeed.He signed his goodbyes and left the pole; he had a spirit to investigate.
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“So, I see the Reapers have brought on a newbie.”Jane whirled around her hand on the clasp of her cloak. Or it would have been if she hadn’t forgotten it. Shoot. She looked around to where the voice had been coming from but didn’t see anyone. “If it’s any consolation, that silly cloak wouldn’t have helped you against me. I’m apart of the darkness just like you are.”Jane clutched her scythe. Turning around in darkened forest to try to find the body the voice belonged to. “You know nothing about me”“You’re a reaper” The voice hissed. “What else is there to know?”“Pitch!” Jane took a deep breath of relief when she heard the familiar sound of her mentor and friend hurrying her way. “You know the rules, Pitch, you stay away from the new initiates.” Amelia hissed, she turned to Jane “Jane go back home” “She wondered in here of her own volition.” The disembodied voice chuckled. “She’s still a newbie”“Honestly how was I supposed to know, you reapers never age.”“That is not our problem”Amelia snapped her fingers, and the shadows solidified into one person. Jane’s eyes widened. “What are you?” She asked. Amelia sighed. “I thought I told you-”“Protecting me isn’t going to help when I undoubtedly come across him again” Jane retorted. She turned to Pitch expectantly. “I am the boogie man” Pitch said stalking toward her. Amelia raised her scythe. Pitch laughed and backed away. “Oh, come now Amelia don’t you trust me”Amelia glared at him. “1550” She hissed. Pitch chuckled. “That was some good harmless fun”“They were traumatised.” Amelia deadpanned. “Oh please. If those two boys couldn’t handle me, they have no business being around the dead, especially the more gruesome ones.” Pitch said inspecting his fingernails. “You expect me to believe that you had their best interest at heart?” Amelia asked disbelievingly. “It helped them didn’t it”Amelia glared at him. “1601?”“Oh, please that boy deserved it”“1502?” “You’re not still sore over that, she got, better didn’t she?”Amelia pulled Jane away. “Leave this one alone” Amelia hissed dragging Jane away. --- “Oh, come on Lia” Jane huffed. “He didn’t seem so bad, honestly what could he do against me?”Lia sighed. “He can be, when your caught off guard. Technically he doesn’t have to answer to us, but we do have the ability to make his life a nightmare. A fact he should be reminded of every once and a while.”Jane pursed her lips. “How did you get him to reveal himself?” She finally asked. It had been bothering her ever since she had seen Amelia use.
Amelia sighed. “As creatures of death, some of us have some control over shadows, we can manipulate them to do our bidding. Jane tilted her head. “You never showed me” She nearly whined. Amelia scrunched her nose. “It takes a lot of practice” Amelia said. “It can take years…”“You were ordered weren’t you”Amelia glared at Jane “Power, like that usually takes decades to manifest in a reaper, your still essentially human Jane”Jane didn’t look all that impressed. “A human who doesn’t age”“You know what I mean, your… essence, is still, changing”“I thought I changed the second I was given my scythe?” Jane asked twirling it around in her hand. Amelia nodded. “You did, you were given stamina, and strength, the ability to touch the dead being automatically given to you when you died, as you your self are dead, … these were things that at the time your soul could handle, but you’ll continue to change the longer you’re here. As your soul changes to adapt.”Jane bit her lip. “So, I’m not everything I’m meant to be”Amelia shook her head. “No, Janie, not yet. But don't worry you will.”
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Flee
“They called me Flee” Jane said.
“Hmm?” Amelia said turning to look at Jane.
“When I was a child, when Jack was alive, they would call me Flee, because I was always running, and bouncing around.” She said lying down on the couch.
“Most children are energetic” Amelia said.
“Seems ironic doesn't it?” Jane said as though wondering if that was the right word. “The day it would have actually mattered, I was too frozen in fear to do anything other then just stand there.”
Amelia put a hand on Jane's knee. “It’s not your fault Jane.”
“I shed the nickname a little while later, it just stopped sounding right. So I started going by my birth name, Jane”
Jane chuckled. “Jack gave me the nickname when I was three, when I asked him a few years later why, he would say it was because I was always running and bouncing off.” She smiled.
Amelia smiled a little.
“When he died, it stopped feeling right, I wasn’t fast, not when it counted, when it counted, I was a statue, and because of that he drowned.” Jane chuckled darkly. "Little did I know."
“You were a child Jane, anyone would have frozen like you did.”
Jane shook her head. “I wish I could talk to him, ask him if he could forgive me, but, he wouldn’t remember me. Not to mention…”
“The rules Jane” Amelia said. “You know that.”
Jane sighed. “Jackson Overland is my family, this winter spirit is Jack Frost.”
Amelia looked at Jane. “Jane…”
Jane sighed. “Yeah I know, it’s still his spirit, still his body, and I still consider him my brother.”
“I'm sorry, I wish it wasn't the case” Amelia said.
Jane blew some hair out of her face.
Amelia stood. “Come on, let’s go to the Gate. Seeing them might make you feel better.”
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Grim Reapers could still visit the dead in heaven. They just couldn’t enter heaven itself. A lot of the time family would come to the Gate to see their loved ones.
Jane looked at the Gate, a few reapers were talking to some family on the far right, but Jane couldn’t see anyone she would know. Amelia tugged her along to the Gate, Jane clasped the gold bars and looked around, but the person she wanted to see wasn’t there.
“Neither of them, are here,” Jane said. “Let’s just…”
“Peter! Hey! Peter!” Amelia shouted waving her hands in the air. A man turned toward them and came toward them.
“Yes, Lia?” Peter asked.
Amelia sighed and put a hand on her charges shoulder. “She’s feeling sad, can you please find her family and bring them here? I was hoping they might cheer her up a little.”
Peter looked at Jane. Jane looked down.
“I can do that,” Peter said.
Jane smiled a little. Peter reached a hand through the Gate and clasped Jane’s shoulder. Then he turned and walked away.
Heaven was rumoured to be huge. It was said you could fit the entire universe into it, and it would still have room left over.
Jane had no idea if that was true or not. Still, it always surprised Jane when the longest she had to wait for her family was a few minutes at most.
Jane saw them approach and she waved to get their attention.
A man who looked to be around 17 smiled when he saw her. His eyes sparkled and his lips curled in that crooked grin she had loved when she was alive.
“Jane,” He said his hand came through the gate, Jane clasped it tightly. “How are you doing?”
“Thomas,” Jane said.
Thomas frowned and tilted his head. “What’s wrong?” He asked.
Jane looked away.
Amelia placed a hand on Jane’s shoulder. “She misses her brother.”
“So do I,” the older man said. He reached his hand through the gate and Jane clasped it tightly.
“He doesn’t remember us,” Jane said.
“I know sweetie,” The older man said. “I know.”
“I see our daughter on occasion,” Jane said with a glance at Thomas, he smiled sadly. “She knows who I am, knows who you are, mom talks about us all the time. I fear the day, Emily becomes old enough to ask questions.”
Neither Thomas nor her father said anything. A part of her was grateful that they were refraining, yet she also hated the pity.
She looked at Thomas. Her husband, and best friend.
“I’m sorry,” She said to Thomas. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know,” Thomas said. “I’m sorry I didn’ t try harder.”
Jane shook her head. “You did,” She said looking at him. “You tried so hard. You were so kind to me, so gentle, so patient. I’m sorry I married you.
Thomas shook his head. “I chose you, Jane.”
“And I knew I was not ready to marry, I was too broken, but I, as a foolish girl, I thought I might be happier if I married. So I chose the first boy, who showed me kindness since my brother died.”
Thomas shook his head. “Jane…”
“Please,” Jane said shaking her head.
Thomas smiled once they were gone. “I do love you,” He said.
“And I, you,” Jane said.
“I know,” Thomas said. “And no matter what, I always will. No matter what. I loved the girl who was terrified to skate again, I loved the girl whose smile could light up the sky, even if showing it was a rarity. The smile being rare made it all the more precious when you showed it again. I loved you when you woke from nightmares and I loved you when you rested on my chest after a long day. I loved you then, and I love you now.”
Tears ran down Jane’s face. “I love you too,” she said. “I miss you.”
“Do you remember the rides you and I would take?” Thomas asked. Jane nodded. One of those rides had been when she had kissed him for the first time.”
“They always made you happy,”
Jane looked down. “I tried after you died, but…”
“Did you try with family? With friends?” Thomas asked.
Jane looked away.
Her father stepped in.“Grief needs company, Jane. So does Sorrow. It stops you from falling too deep.”
Jane nodded. “Ok,” She said with a nod. “I’ll try.”
Thomas smiled he also kissed his fingers and reached through the gate and touched Jane’s lips. Jane also kissed her own lips and reached through the gate and touched Thomas’s lips.
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Werewolves
Jane sighed as she ran through the forest, she knew she shouldn’t have spent so long searching for her cloak, but it was Christmas morning, which meant there was another guardian out who would stop her from doing her duty. In the end she had been forced to leave it behind.
Fortunately, the darkness of the forest hid her well. So, if North did happen to look down chances are, they wouldn’t have seen her.
“Come on” She hissed. She removed hairclip from her hair and lengthened without breaking her stride she slashed the air with her scythe and ran straight into the opening that appeared. Appearing just outside the house of the dying child.
She placed her hand on the door knob. The door unlocked and it silently opened before her, she walked inside and closed the door, locking the door before her. She hurried up the stairs into the nursery, where the family was standing around the bed of a child. The child was pale, propped up on so many pillows she coughed, and blood trickled out of her mouth. Jane sighed and stepped forward the Scythe transformed into a small blade. She approached unseen by the humans and took the girls hand and with the small blade she made a little incision of the girl’s finger. She checked her watch and sighed as the seconds ticked by, when her death time approached the little girl’s eyes closed, and her soul left her body.
The family broke down crying by the child’s bedside.
Jane smiled and knelt by the young child.
“Hey” she said.
“Are you here to take me to heaven?” The little girl said.
Jane knelt by the little girl. “You are a very bright girl.”
“Are you an angel?”
Jane smiled, this hadn’t been the first child to make that assumption. “No, I’m sorry little one, but where your going, you’ll see one all the time.”
The girl smiled and she jumped up and down. “Yay!” She turned to her family and her face saddened.
“Can they come too.”
Jane sighed. “Not yet, sweetling.”
The girl looked down. “Momma said I was lucky because I got to go first, she said that I would see her again, but I was lucky because I got to go first.”
“You are little one” Jane said. Her blade lengthened and transformed into a scythe. She slashed the air and white light flooded the room.
“I don’t want to be alone.” The child said.
“You won’t be” Jane said. “Look”
The girl looked through the portal and her eyes widened, at the amount of people waiting for her. An older woman knelt her hands outstretched.
“Grandma?” She asked, she stepped through the portal into her grandmother’s waiting arms.
Jane left the portal a moment longer, to watch the grandmother and child walk away before closing the portal again.
Jane looked again at the distraught family. She looked down. Please help them she prayed. She opened a new portal and stepped through. Leaving the family to grieve in private.
---
She didn’t have any more reapings to do for another few hours, so she decided to just walk around she placed her scythe (now transformed back into a hair clip) back into her hair. She looked around the forest she had landed in and smiled.
She jumped onto the nearest tree branch and began to climb. When she was at a high enough branch she started to run, jumping from branch to branch laughing as the wind rushed through her hair. Her heart hammering every time she jumped.
“Having fun?”
Hearing someone talking to her, caused her to lose her balance and she fell out of the tree.
She hit the ground hard. “Ow” She said, her stomach was facing the ground.
“Are you ok?” She heard someone ask.
She slowly stood. “Yeah, yeah I’m fine” she said. She turned around to look for the voice. Her eyes widened. But the person who was speaking to her was also wide eyed.
“You-you”
Jane took a step back swallowing thickly. No, she had just gotten used to the idea she could never talk to him.
“You can see me?”
Jane shook her head and turned and ran.
“Hey!” Jack called. “Hey wait!” She ran faster, pulling the scythe from her hair and sliced the air. She ran through the portal and before Jack could follow her, she closed the portal. She stood frozen where the portal closed. Tears poured down her face. What had she just done? She fell to her knees her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She lowered her head and cried.--- She heard the leaves rustle and in one move she was standing her scythe to full height right in front of her. “Whose there” She shouted. “My name is Shadowbent” Someone said. “And I mean you know harm, so long as you mean us no harm.”A wolf revealed himself. Only the wolf stood upright as a human. Fur covered every inch of his body. Jane lowered her weapon. “I did not mean to intrude.”Shadowbent nodded. “I can see that” He said. “What happened?” Jane looked to where the portal had closed. “I, I don’t know if I should say.”Shadowbent nodded. “We all have our secrets, keep them if you wish.”Jane looked down and away. “I must go”Shadowbent nodded his head. “Very well.”Jane stepped away then paused. “In America there is a young winter spirit, he is much more mischief than he is malice, and he is alone” Jane paused and stopped. She didn’t know these people, why should they listen to her? How could she truly know if they were good people? Yet as she looked at them, she could see that they were honest good people. If a little odd. “And you wish for us too look out for him.” Shadowbent said. Jane looked away and sighed. “I know I have no right to ask.” “I sense there is much you can’t reveal, but I can also sense how much you care for the young spirit.” Shadowbent said. He nodded. “What is his name?”“Jack Frost” Jane said. Shadowbent smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “We shall, do what we can.”Jane nodded once. “Thank you so much.” She said. “I must go.” Shadowbent nodded. Jane waved and raced off into the darkness. Once she was beyond their sight, she ripped open a portal and stepped through. She looked up at the Reaper’s residence and sighed. “Lost my cloak, met my brother, spoke to him, and should I ask for forgiveness on the fact that I spoke two werewolves?” She eyed the Gate and sighed. “Yeah, probably” She stepped into house. if (!window.__meta_cache) {
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----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“You shouldn’t be here.” It was a telling how much Jane had gotten used to the supernatural that Jane had not reacted when Amelia stepped up silently behind her. Grimm Reaper’s footsteps were always silent, even among the forest floor, were sticks and leaves were littered everywhere. Nothing every broke or moved under their feet. A never-ending reminder that they didn’t belong in the world anymore. Jane sighed. “She’s knitting.”Amelia’s eyes turned to see Jane’s young seven-year-old daughter quietly knitting away beside her grandmother Maria Overland. Maria was cleaning the wool from the freshly sheered sheep. It took Jane back. She remembered sitting by the porch, watching as Jack and their father sheered the sheep, and mom and she would wash and prepare and spin the wool into Yarn. Mom and Jane would knit blankets and stockings, and sweaters, and shawls. Then Jane and Jack would head into town and try to sell what they made. Jack was always the better entrepreneur, his personality just drew people to him, it was easy for him to sell their things. His charming personality drew people in, his honesty, and his smile made it easy for people to but their things. Most of the time they would head to the shop and sell their merchandise there. But the rest would be sold door to door. Jane watched as Emily, her child showed Maria, Emily’s Grandmother, the scarf she was knitting. “Very good.” Maria said. Giving the child a kiss on the forehead. “Do you think Mama would have liked it?”“I do.” Jane said her voice barely more then a whisper. “I do, she was quite the knitter when she was your age, and you are better than she was.” Maria said reaching out and stroking Emily’s dark brown hair. . Emily smiled and went back to knitting. Jane smiled and leaned against her tree. Amelia stared at her. “Jane…” Jane looked down. “I know. I don’t speak, I don’t intervene I just watch from afar, like my vows state.” Amelia sighed. “I know it hurts but Jane, if you don’t leave them alone it may be hard to stay back when…” To Amelia’s credit she never brought up Jane’s biggest regret. Never brought up the fact that if Jane had wanted to raise Emily, she should have thought of that before she waded into the ice-cold pond. It was Jane’s greatest regret. She had Thomas, could see him now, could love him in ways she had never been able to when they were alive, but she would have had eternity with him. With Emily she only had once chance to raise her, and she had wasted it. “I know.” Jane said. “I never saw what I had when I was alive, only what I had lost, and now that I am gone, I regret never seeing what I had.” Jane blinked and then laughed. “I never really learn do I?” Amelia put an arm around Jane and held her close. “You will.” Amelia said. “It’s hard for all of us at first.” Jane put her head on Amelia shoulder. They watched Emily and Maria as Emily knitted. A group of kids came and asked Emily if she wanted to play. Emily turned to Maria and Maria smiled and nodded Emily jumped up and hugged her grandmother before running off to play. “Be back by sunset.” Maria called before she went back to knitting. Maria stared up at the sky. “I miss you my children. You deserved better then what life brought you. I hope and pray that you two are at peace.”“I am.” Jane said. “For the most part anyway.” Amelia nudged Jane a little and Jane smiled. She pulled out a watch and stared at it for a minute before she sighed. “I have a reaping in a few minutes.” Jane said.Amelia nodded once. “Good luck.” Jane nodded slashed her scythe through the air and a portal appear in the rip in space. She waved goodbye to Amelia and stepped through. Amelia sighed and stared back at the grandmother and stared back where Emily had run off. Amelia sighed before she readied her own scythe slashed it through the air and stepped through the rip.