A Reaper's Mission

Chapter 12: Initiation (Emma)

A few years go by, and we grow. They are more people in the community now. We have grown to about twenty-five members. Rufus and I had gotten even closer and now he basically lives with Mom and me. 

            Dad had never come back.

            "Emma!" I hear Mom calling up the stairs for me. I jump so bad; I drop my hairbrush I'm running through my hair. It clatters on the floor, scaring me even more.

            "Be down in a minute!" I yell back, picking up the brush. I turn back to my reflection and I'm surprised by what I see. My childish roundness is gone. My hair frames my face in a new way that I thought made me look pretty. I have doe eyes according to Rufus. He's always telling me that everything about me screams cute.

            I glance to a corner of my room, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks at the spectacle. There's a simple brown table, that has a single framed picture of Rufus on it. It also has several candles surrounding it. I rarely light the candles, but I thought the shrine needed more to it. I shake my head and glance back into the mirror to stare at myself. I do my best to ignore the fluttering in my heart.

            I finish getting ready and rush down to my mother. I bump into her at the entrance to the kitchen. She gives me a sharp look. "What was taking you so long? I was coming to call you again!" She says a bit peeved. She turns and makes her way back to the table, where I see a lovely white dress.

            "What's this Mom?" I ask, running my fingers over the pure silk garment.

            Mom looks back at me, and genuinely smiles, "Rufus and I were talking last night," She says, her voice full of excitement. "We decided it was time for you to enter adulthood and extend the life of Rufus." She tells me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. She gives me a quick short squeeze. I flip my head to her, my heart beating at a rapid pace.

            "Really?!" I ask, not quite believing it. Her smile gets even bigger and she nods. I squeal and jump around. "I can't believe I'm going to join as a fully-fledged adult!" I tell her, clapping my hands together. Mom laughs, actually happy for me.

            "What's with all this noise?" I hear behind me. I whirl around to see Rufus, a jacket slung over his arm. I run over to and give him a huge hug. My arms find their normal place around his neck. I hear Rufus give a small huff of amusement as he wraps an arm around my waist.

            "Thank you," I whisper to him, burying my face into his neck. I feel Rufus run his hand along my spine, pulling me even closer. He presses a loving kiss atop my head.

            Mom clears her throat and I release him to look back at her. Her face looks uneasy and she is fidgeting. "Let me make your favorite for breakfast, Emma." She says her smile firmly back in place.

            I gasp, "Pancakes and bacon!"

Mom gives a small chuckle, pulling out all the ingredients. "You best go put that dress in your room, Emma. So it doesn't get dirty," She tells me. I nod my head and grab it oh-so-gently. I don't want to mess it up. I rush up the stairs, hearing a conversation start between Mom and Rufus.

I hang the dress up carefully, so it won't wrinkle anywhere. I gaze at it, amazed. I can't believe that I'm going to join as an adult. I'll finally have a say in the decisions, which means I won't have to leave when decisions have to be made. I will be able to stand beside Mom as Rufus walks in front of us and know we're all equal in his eyes.

The day passes by so slowly! I'm doing all my normal motions and I never realized how much they drag. I clean up around my house. I then go and assist in cleaning up other's homes. I help with the laundry and hanging it up. Normally, Rufus and I would spend some time together, but he's spending so much time making sure everything is perfect for my initiation into adulthood.