Eve of Reaping

Eve

Today is Eve's Birthday

Eve wakes before everyone else, rushing downstairs in excitement. She could hear the crinkling paper as her presents were wrapped, and anticipation kept her awake all night. Part of her wanted to sneak a few peeks, but she remembered the stories; a robed figure wielding a scythe would punish all naughty children, and two of her friends disappeared after they got in big trouble with their parents, and she was only eight—no, nine now—, and reports like this always came up on her birthdays, and—

Footsteps. Someone else was awake.

She runs up to the stairs to see her father, already dressed.

"Daddy, can I open your present now?" She asks eagerly.

He swallows hard, "Not yet, sweetie. I just got a call from my boss, and he needs me to come to work early."

"Aww... Can you wake Mommy before you go?" She begs, giving her distressed father a yearning face. 

Hesitation.

"Yes, sweetie. Will you promise me that you'll wait and open mine when I get home?"

"I promise! Pinkie promise!" She giggles, running to the pile of gifts as her disgruntled father heads back upstairs.

She can hear three sets of footsteps, but focuses on the two coming down from the stairs.

"I'll only be gone a few hours," Her father promises, kissing her mother on the cheek.

"I'll see you then, honey," She replies, turning to Eve as her husband leaves, forgetting to lock the door.

Eve smiles, "Which one's from you?"

"This one, Eve," She says, pointing to the largest box.

"You always get me the biggest one!" Eve giggles, tearing the paper off.

"You always ask me for the biggest things," She yawns, helping Eve open the box to a dollhouse.

"It's just what I wanted!"

"I know, sweetheart. Happy birthday."

Eve hugs her mother, who wearily heads off to the kitchen.

As Eve plays with her new dollhouse, there's a knock at the door.

"Eve, honey, can you get that for me? I'm still cooking your special birthday breakfast!"

"Yes, mommy!" Eve says happily, bounding up and to the door.

In her excitement, she flings the door wide open.

Before her stood a robed figure, wearing a hood that darkened their face. Frozen in confusion and fear, Eve looked them over as they pulled a scythe from under their robe. She doesn't notice him take a single step forward.

"I know what you did..." He whispers. Eve opens her mouth, but only blood comes out as tears flow down into the single upwards strike that pierced her heart. She fights to keep standing, but she slowly and silently crumples to the floor.

"Eve, honey? Who is it?" Her mother calls.

She can see the door close slowly, the lock turning once it's shut.

Only a few seconds later, Eve's mother comes out in shock, rushing over and holding Eve in her lap during her final moments.

"Eve... no... Eve... Eve..." She sobs as Eve weakly hugs her.

And then, everything fades to black.

-----

The man runs his finger along the flat of the blade, crossing off the third and final name scribbled in crayon on a shopping list with blood.

His job done, he removes his cloak and cuts it and the note to shreds. As a bystander calls the police to report what they've seen, he runs himself through with the scythe, ending his life with a smile as he closes his eyes and grips his locket.