Reapers - Master of Souls (Reapers Chronicles Book III)

World Warp II (A Reapers Year-End Special)

NP: Army of Me by Bjork

Be warned. This is a special entry to the Reapers book and may or may not be related to the current story plot. You may read on to find out.

∞XIII∞

Between gawking at Madame Roselle while she helped me get dressed and staring at Mr. S from the backseat of his red Rubicon, I didn't know what was weirder.

He looked at me from the rearview mirror. "You sure you're okay there, kiddo? You look pale. Listen. If you're not feeling good about this, we can just go back."

"No, Mr. S-I mean, Mr. Vincent's Dad. We're almost there."

"Okay," he replied without tearing his eyes from me. "But if you change your mind, just say the word. 'Cause you can always go back. Seriously. You know that, right?"

Before I could ask a thousand questions, I felt my forehead crumpling as the vehicle slowed down. At first, I thought we stopped at the wrong house. But then, looking closer, I realized it was Dad's house, but with a better paintjob and a decent lawn.

As I got out of the Rubicon, I saw someone sitting in the hammock in the front porch. I

I heard Mr. S say, "Take care, Aramis. Crazy world out there," before the Rubicon swerved back into the road.

I did a mad dash to my mother. She was just there-short hair, freckly face, gray eyes and all-scribbling on her notebook, occasionally punching something on the calculator.

When she saw me coming, she lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, you're here."

With the sobs escaping my throat, I ran to her, smothered her in an embrace and buried my face in the hollow of her neck. "I missed you, Mom."

She just stood there, hands limp on her sides. "What's gotten into you?"

I pulled away, wiping the tears with the back of my hands. "Nothing. It's just... I really missed you."

Mom shook her head as if in disappointment. "What have you done this time, Aramis?"

"What? Nothing!"

She picked up her notes and marched to the living room. "You're always like this, Aramis! You think getting all sappy on me would make it all okay? Well, that only works with your Dad! So since he's not here, you're going to have to take responsibility for the all your crap!"

"Why? Where's he?"

Mom took me by the shoulders, looked me in the eyes and shook. "Your dad left us, Aramis. How many times do I have to say it? I'm sick and tired of you acting out and leaving a trail of mess behind you for me to fix. I can't fix everything! So for once, stop being a brat and just accept the fact that whether you like it or not, it's just you and me now."

"Why did Dad leave?" My voice cracked.

Her eyes went blank. "Just tell me what you did so I can brace myself before someone calls me for settlement. Did you hit someone again?"

"No."

"Vandalism? Caught smoking weed?"

"No! For Eldessakes, Mom."

"Then what is it now?!"

"Nothing! I don't know what you're talking about."

Covering her face with her hands, she flopped in the couch, her shoulders shaking as she tried to muffle the whimpers. "I don't want to see you like this, Aramis. You're destroying yourself. You're still young, but you've somehow turned into this... monster. It's as if... you already gave up. You just gave up on life."