The Reaper's Touch

1. Hell Is No Place For Something Like Me ..

I sat on the top of a large hill, looking over at the grassy plains and beyond that, at the city. It was a beautiful sight, one that someone shouldn't be witnessing alone.

But here I was..

Completely and utterly alone.

I let my white blonde hair blow wildly in the wind, closing my pale blue eyes, and laying back in the grass.

The wind picked up, I could feel the slight chill of it, but all in all, it didn't bother me. It couldn't.

I was dead. Or so I assumed after all this time.

I dug my fingers into the Earth.

Why am I here? Why am I not in Heaven? Not even Hell.. Do they not exist? Or do I not belong? I don't belong here, not anymore..

I could hear the grass behind me crunch, pulling me from my thoughts.

Who's there?

I opened my eyes, not getting up, but leaning my head further back to look behind me.

A man with golden hair and neat, royal blue and white clothing, much too formal to be walking through grassy areas, was walking up the hill I was laying on.

At first, he didn't seem to notice me, just as the rest of the living. He simply walked to the top of the hill, standing just a few feet away from me, gazing at the view I was just watching previously.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked.

I turned around, waiting for whoever else he was talking to, to walk up the hill and answer him, but there was no response.

No one had come with him. He was alone.

He can't be talking to me.. Is he?

I sat up quickly on my elbows, looking up at the golden haired man. He was beautiful, extremely tall, built, and had beautiful golden eyes to match his hair.

Odd.

He looked down over his shoulder, smiling at me.

This can't be.. He can..

"Y-you can.. see me?" My voice was a whisper, my body shuddered at the thought of him actually being able to.

Someone could actually be seeing me?

"You have the prettiest fair skin and silky, white locks.. of course I can see you." He reached his hand down to help me up.

I hesistated, my body still too in shock to even move.

"You can actually see me?!" Within the next second and without my control, my body acted, jumping up and hugging the golden haired man.

I could feel him. He was real to me. Better yet, I was real to him. He could hear me.. he could see me.

I didn't realize that I was sobbing until he reached into his pocket, pulling a handkerchief out to wipe my tears.

I backed away. "I'm sorry, it's just.. it's been so long and no one has been able to speak to me. I haven't been able to get anyone to see me and you.. you can! You can.." I cried again, but was laughing at the same time.

The first person I'm able to communicate with and I'm about to scare them off coming across as a sobbing, babbling lunatic.

"I'm sorry." I said again, reaching for him as if he were about to run off, even though he had never budged.

He smiled, but this time more softly. More understanding.

He knows. Something's telling me.. He knows.

"Who are you? How are you able to see me?" I wiped my face and he slowly offered his handkerchief to me again.

I grabbed it hesitantly, but thanked him and continued to wipe my tears with it.

"I'm Mike. And why I can see you, is a very long explanation."

"Well Mike, find a short one."

Damn, I shouldn't get like this. This is the first person to see me, I don't want to run them off.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's fine." He smiled again.

He was gorgeous. You could swear someone made him in a doll factory the way he was perfectly put together. He had to stand at least 6'5 and had thick, wavy golden hair that touched his neck.

His skin had a sort of glow about it. It obviously wasn't normal. I knew why he could see me..

He wasn't of this world either.

"What are you?"

"Would you like to guess? You're smart to have figured out I'm not one of these mortals."

"I'm not even sure what I am, let alone guessing what you are. Please.."

My hopes were too high to not get answers now.

I know he has them, he has to..

Mike looked at me with knowing eyes, as if he knew what I was thinking. Then, without another word but with that radiant smile still on his face, he turned and walked down the hill.

I stood there, staring after him with a dumbfounded look on my face.

He did not just walk off.

"Come little pale one. If you want your explanation, then follow me." His voice let me know that he still held his smile.

Why the hell is he in such a good mood?

I stood there for a moment longer, then dashed after him, not wanting to miss my opportunity for the answers I'd yearned for.

"Where are we going?" I asked after catching up to him.

"Just trust me."

"I don't even know you."

"Well, you have nothing left to lose." I could tell that his tone was honest and serious, not sarcastic and joking.

Is that a confirmation that I really am dead?

"You could be leading me to Hell for all I know."

He laughed almost hysterically.

"Did I miss something?"

"Hell is no place for something like me."

Something?

"So what are you, a Saint?" I chuckled, rolling my eyes.

"Something like that." He smiled, putting his attention back in front of us.

That was meant to be a joke.

Definitely a joke.

"What is your name, little pale one?"

"Definitely not 'little pale one'." I sneered.

"My apologies. I don't mean to offend."

I looked at him for a moment before answering, "It's Emberly, but you can call me Ember."

His head whipped down to look at me.

The motion didn't suit him at all. He was smooth and graceful, the motion was too fast and jerky for his personality.

Curious to his reaction, "What?" I asked.

"N-nothing." He looked ahead again, "So you remember your name," He nodded "That's good."

"I don't remember much." I looked down at my bare feet as we walked.

"You'll have your answers soon enough."

I looked back up at his beaming face to see his smile. "Why now?"

He was quiet for a long moment while we walked and I just watched him. He held his smile and carried on with a purpose, as I took more steps to keep up with his long stride.

I finally looked away, figuring he wasn't going to answer me.

"..because it's time."