💀Death's Apprentice💀

Chapter Ten: An Oddly Familiar Redhead

Rose Delaney

"...A DMV? This is the supernatural underworld you're so worried about?" I asked, making sure to express how unimpressed I was in my tone of voice. I crossed my arms and looked at Death quizzically. We were standing in front of a boring looking office complex. People trudged in and out of the double glass doors. None of them tried to hide the frustration and fatigue caused by how long and tedious their errands were. Death huffed before striding towards the building.

          "Of course it's not a DMV! That's just their front. They take ages to do anything! Do you honestly think it takes that long to push papers? No! That's just maintenance to keep anyone from getting nosy about what they're doing with their spare time. I used my power reserve to get us here, and this is the thanks I get." Death rolled his eyes. "So we'll have to use it sparingly from now on. Now both of you, come on! We have work to do." Death commanded. I quickly tailed after him.

          Inside was just as boring as the outside. A line a mile long curled around a zig zagged set of velvet ropes. There was a small child swinging one back and forth as his mother hurriedly organized her papers. A couple of teenagers frantically searched for an identification card as they approached one of their desks. A tall man caught my attention from the corner of my eye. He was abnormally pale, and wore a long, wool pea coat.

          A black hat was clutched anxiously in his hand. As soon as we made eye contact I expected him to look away, but instead he continued to stare me down. His dark gaze creeped me out, but I wouldn't let him know it. I widened my eyes a bit, raised my eyebrows, and stared right back. The stranger narrowed his silver eyes at me.

          "Appointment with Mr. Grimaldi." Death spoke curtly to a small woman at one of the desks, bringing me out of my staring contest. The woman wordlessly handed him a small card. Death glanced over the card, and just before he stuffed it into the pocket of his vest I was able to read it. -53rd Floor. Room 2. Death uttered a small thanks before making his way to an elevator towards the left wall and pressing the button to bring it to our floor. The doors opened instantly.

          Death stood firmly in the center as his apprentice and I took out places on each side of him. Calming jazz music spouted from nowhere in particular. There wasn't a speaker to be seen. I looked at the buttons. And buttons, and buttons, and buttons! The entire front wall was covered in numbered buttons. Death tapped his foot impatiently as I leaned down to observe the negatives. Negatives? How could there be negative fifty three floors? I guess I'm about to find out... I pressed the -53 button and waited. Nothing.

          WOOSH! My stomach did flips as the elevator lost all traction entirely and hurdled downwards! I gasped in shock. My feet lifted off the ground and I let out a scream as we plummeted towards our destination. The elevator's jazz music continued to play as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Death and the apprentice casually raised their arms up to the ceiling and stayed, upright and silent, as we fell. The only hint that we were falling from their reactions was an uncomfortable expression from the apprentice and an eyeroll towards me from Death.

Slowly my feet began to touch the ground, and as the elevator began to gain traction again I was gently deposited back onto the floor. I stayed there, crouching on my knees and elbows as my brain tried to process what had just happened. My legs felt like jelly. Surely we hadn't just fallen 53 stories...right? Right?!Death chuckled at my appearance. I must have looked horrified! Ding! The doors slid open, and my partners casually stepped out.

"Coming, Miss Delaney?" Death teased. I grumbled under my breath as I pried myself and my damaged pride off of the elevator floor. The Apprentice smiled down at me and held out his hand. I graciously took it and stood on two wobbly legs before anxiously hurrying out of the elevator. I let go and let him walk ahead of me as I observed our surroundings.

          We seemed to be in a room that had been converted into a wide hallway of some sort. The three emerald green walls ahead of us each held a white door with a single window. Two windows were clear-the one at the end was not. I peered into the first one. 'Magical Objects and Spells: Trade Here!' The sign read. Pedestal after pedestal was lined in neat, endless rows that all sat behind an enormous, oaken desk. No one was sitting behind it. I couldn't see anyone. I couldn't see the ceiling, either. It was too tall!

          Thump! A furry creature smooshed their face to the window, peering down at me with a wide, golden eye. I jerked back in alarm. The eye narrowed at me in annoyance, and suddenly a black blind was snapped over the window. I continued to back up until I bumped into the door on the opposite side. 'Bermuda Triangle Vacation Insurance!' Said the plaque. I peeked in much more cautiously this time.

          An oddly familiar redhead sat at a canary-yellow desk. It was made of metal, and held about a dozen folders marked with various family names. The woman sat in deep focus at the desk, pouring over a folder as she tapped her pen against her bottom lip and her foot against the ground. Black and white photos of the woman standing next to an old fashioned plane were nestled all over the back wall. Suddenly she looked up curiously, and we made eye contact.

          The redhead's eyes were an eerie blue. The same eerie blue as the Scythe's magic. She gave me a sweet smile to which I responded with an ecstatic, tremulous grin. I raised a hand to reach for the doorknob. Then I was yanked away from the window.

          "Rose, he's ready for us!" The apprentice exclaimed.