The Fallen

Chapter VIII

[JH POV]

Joshua was dying.
I finally learned it upon Death's appearance in front of me. It was when I came with Joshua to the place that was called hospital and even if I don't know the reason why we went there I came along with him but I was left to wait in front of his doctor's office.

"You're here." A deep and chilly voice cracked through the air, making the little hairs on my arms rose up as the atmosphere started to feel cold around me. I came to look at the person standing beside me. He was as tall as Joshua with chocolate brown hair, pale skin and a young face. He was unfamiliar with me but he seems to be kind of familiar so I was wondering if I have met him already somewhere but I can't quite remember it.
"What do you want?" I asked shaking because of the cold caused by the dark aura emitting from him.
"I'm a reaper and the names Vernon, nice meeting you angel." He said, flashing a toothy grin over a handsome face but his gray eyes weren't smiling. His gaze was very uncomfortable yet I know he has a reason for being here. "What are you even doing here in the human world? And where's your wings?"
He looked around me, frowning upon the lost of my cotton white wings that would flutter if I wanted.
"I have lost it and..... I .. Why am I here in the human world? I still don't know."
"Oh. Does your God have his word with you before you're thrown down here? This place stinks. It reeks of sin and every human is tainted. I can't even stand being here but I don't have a choice since it is my job to fetch souls and send them to purgatory. It is a pain because humans keep on dying and I feel restless. Why does they keep on dying anyway?" he said, shrugging his shoulders as he put his hands inside his pockets before his eyes landed on me, as usual it was hollow and scary.
"You're a reaper?" I gulped, tugging on the sleeves of my sweatshirt and looking at him uncomfortably.
"Yeah I'm a reaper so most people here don't see me. But you? How come that an angel is here, wandering around the human world like a human and is being seen as a human but you have no soul like them since you're made with pure purity and whatever you call it. You're brightness is blinding me to be honest." He snorted before looking at me once again.
"Does that mean, you're here because you have some souls to fetch?" I asked and he nodded, lips forming a thin line before he smiled at me.
"Your human smells death. Very faint but it's there."

My eyes went wide upon hearing what the reaper have told me. He chuckled, seeing my surprised expression before he crossed his arms and leaned on the wall, humming an eerie tone that I couldn't quiet distinguish. I fell into deep thoughts as I watched different souls pass by in front of me, wondering aimlessly and looking confused as to why they were there. There was even a child walking around like a cloud of smoke and he was calling to his mother before he sobbed. I was about to reach for him but Vernon grabbed my arm and the kid went on with his crying.

"No touching of them." He whispered on my ear before I pulled my arm away from him, wiping away the cold feeling his hand gave me. "Once you touch them they will fall beneath eternal judgment and there were cases that they won't reach your heaven so touching? It's a no no no."

Vernon clicked his tongue, wiggling his forefinger as I glanced up to the child's soul once again which already scurried away to somewhere that I don't know. Now that I realized it, the moment I stepped my foot inside this place, there was a heavy atmosphere wafting the whole area and it made me really uncomfortable. This place was where some humans die and the melancholy feeling said so. Then I remembered Joshua telling me about the death of his parents, my curiosity kicked and I met the reaper's eyes which were still glued on me creepily.

"You collect souls from different areas right?" I asked him bravely.
"Hmm. Sure? Countries, continents, you name it. Why?"
"Have you met Joshua's parents?"
"Joshua? Who's that? OOOOOOHHH the human with you. I'm sorry but it's not my job to remember each one of those souls so I can't answer that. I have a logbook here but aside from me, no one can touch it so give up okay? Wait I'm going to check is there is a Joshua Hong written on it."