Reaper

CHAPTER 7 - Cold World

War, what is it good for? The gain of human beings.

No matter the era, there is always war. Whether it's within themselves or with someone else, people fight because they think a show of force will bring change, it doesn't matter that the show of strength has left mountains of bodies dying for whatever cause they supported. But apparently, that's how one achieves peace or victory. Does dying during the process automatically make them legends? No. but then again, it all depends on the cause and the audience.

I've been a reaper for millenniums and out of all the life forces in the universe, I can say without bias that human beings are the epitome of chaos. They are the seven deadly sins personified and the bringers of destruction.

Speaking of the sins, pride happens to be the driving factor of the scenario I am observing that seems to have been cropped from a Hollywood franchise. With bodies littered everywhere and pools of blood deep enough for sharks from Jaws to reside, in short, the aftermath of a cartel war is catastrophic.

The ego is the enemy of the human race, so fragile in its state that anything that isn't amiable with it, is naturally against it. The ego is an abyss, a never-ending darkness that constantly grows with each meal. Humans couldn't survive without it despite the fact they die because of it.

The sound of gunshots was continuous, nothing was unscathed, bullets embedded themselves into everything. Bodies dropped like hail, the cries of people echoed as if a group of banshees were foretelling a dark omen. The city ran red with blood, and what wasn't on fire was already turned to ash. Who wasn't laying low or returning fire was lifeless on the ground. This was what war was. Actions that led to consequences, blood and death were the only outcome.

Iron sole boots slammed onto the concrete next to me, "they never change" the gruff voice of Enoch grunted.

"They're comfortable in their chaos" the perpetual cheeriness of Niobe always lightened anyone's mood. She took a seat next to me on the roof of the warehouse, swinging her legs like a child as she looked down at the battlefield.

"Yet they continue to complain," Azrael stated as he levitated above us. Groups of reapers appeared from dimension gates, they all watched until the last body dropped before we all went to work.

People were hilarious, why do the crime then try to bargain for your life with someone else's? "Look, I'm sorry I didn't even want to do this! Please!" The man pleaded as he kneeled to me.

I placed the soul chain in him and tethered him to his allies and rivals. Niobe giggled as she skipped by, being in the body of a perpetual ten-year-old worked for her in many ways. "No use fellas!" She exclaimed, her purple puffs jiggling as she went "we're just your ride to judgement. Should've made better life choices!" Grown men started to sob as Niobe walked away dragging her chain of people with her.

"No! This isn't fair! Why did I have to die? I've never done anything wrong, my baby didn't do anything wrong" the woman slamming her fists against Enoch's chest cried. She and her daughter were collateral damage. Gasping, her attention immediately went to the graveyard of a battleground. Her eyes desperately searched for her daughter. "Maya!"

Sighing I returned to my task, no matter if the soul was good or bad, humans were hysterical when it came to death because they all wanted a little more time. Another illusion people gladly held onto.

My scythe was snatched from me by one of the souls on my list, he was a copper-skinned man with a crazed look in his eyes. I immediately knew he had unlocked the realm of madness in his mind.

See, after dying, those who refuse to accept death ultimately succumb to the madness of it and it was very contagious. I tilted my head and waited as the soul of Ronny Hart swung the celestial weapon without thought. "Send me back and I won't kill you" He spat.

I've heard that line so many times before that I've come to predict what else they will say or do. Even if I did explain that there's no way for me to send him back, he wouldn't believe it. Ronny's soul was among the darkest, the black veins that adorned his arms and face proved that.

As Ronny swung again I dodged left, spun, and elbowed him in the face before taking the scythe and slashing him in two. His soul dissolved into nothing, he wouldn't reach an afterlife, rebirth or even hell. Ronny Hart was simply erased. Turning to my long line of souls, each stood rigid as they gazed at me, fearing that they would be next "anyone else wants to bargain?" I quipped.

The long silence made me chuckle, just moments ago these people were shooting and killing each other. Yet here they were compliant with not a word to be said. Opening the gate to the underworld, a large carrier came through. The souls of the dead were pulled into the carrier one by one and sectioned under innocent and guilty before disappearing through the gate again.

My colleagues and I gathered just as the cleaners, appeared from their separate gate. cleaners erased any lingering pieces of souls that were left behind that could possibly attach themselves to another entity. "Another gun war" Lorelei, a cleaner, scoffed as she assessed the surroundings.

"Given the aftermath, you'd think they wouldn't use 'em at all" Lefu another cleaner piped.

"Guns aren't the problem Lefu, one of their own said it best. 'Guns don't kill people, people kill people', even if they removed the guns there are still plenty other things that humans use to kill each other" Niobe said, her usual cheeriness turned somber for a moment before she smiled again.

Patting Niobe's head, I nodded in agreement "they'd even use themselves to do it."