Part One – Robbie
Part One – Robbie
He took a bite of his steak and moaned with pleasure. He hadn’t had a steak in years. Twenty to be exact. He married a vegetarian who swore she could smell the meat on his breath. But Sheila passed months ago, it was time Robbie had a steak. Carmela and John ate silently, picking at their salads, sneaking looks as Robbie devoured his second ribeye of the night. He couldn’t help it, it was delicious. They sat in the booth in the back of SaltGrass, having their weekly family dinner. The kids, he calls them kids but both of them were in their twenties now, had moved out a few years ago and were both working and thriving young adults. These were Robbie’s step children, he had no kids of his own, though he loved them like they were his. They were 5 and 6, Carmela being the oldest, when he met Sheila. They bought a house together in Grand Prairie Texas and married six months later. They had a good life together.
Carmela cleared her throat and Robbie looked up. “How’s your steak dad?” She sniggered. Robbies smiled. He wiped his mouth, prepared to speak when he felt it. The Call came. Not an actual call, but more like a feeling he gets. It’s akin to a tickle down his spine. It means someone just died. “It’s wonderful honey, just one moment gotta run to the bathroom.”
Robbie hopped up, almost running into the waiter as he maneuvered around tables and patrons heading to the back of the restaurant. Once out of sight from the others, he disappeared into thin air.
Robbie reappeared at Medical Center Arlington, about 5 miles away from dinner. He checked his clothes, gone were his dark blue jeans and white button down shirt. Now he wore a dark robe, hood pulled down with dark gloves. He didn’t carry a scythe. That’s a myth, no reapers actually need that, not when reaping lives. He floated towards his intended goal. A young woman, curly hair damp with sweat. Her dark skin glistening and a new baby in the crib next to her. He always hated to reap new mothers. But as her body lay lifeless, her soul began to rise. He grabbed her soul and gave her a hug before she could tell that she’d passed on. The monitors were glaring, the baby was crying and the mother, well she was gone now too. As Mary passed through him to the other side, he felt the last thing she felt, the love for her newborn son, she’d just named him after his father Paul.
The reaping took less than ten seconds. Robbie stood there staring down at Paul crying, knowing he’d never feel his mother’s love in the same way again. He stepped back as nurses rushed in to try to save Mary. The nurses couldn’t see him, they couldn’t feel him as they passed through Robbie to get to Mary. Robbie’s heart was heavy as he felt The Call again, He disappeared and reappeared two floors down in the emergency room. This time it was a man overdosing. Robbie felt the euphoria of the high that claimed the man’s life, as Robbie reaped his soul. Robbie reaped several more souls while he was there, before returning to SaltGrass to continue dinner with his children.
One of the benefits, Robbie thought, of being a reaper, is that every time he was with people, or at work, or out, no one noticed when he’d been gone. He always came back to the same point in the conversation, or the movie had not progressed past where it was. It felt like the world paused. He knew it wasn’t the case, because when he reaped alone, time certainly passed. Only when he was around other mortals, did time seem to stand still. Back in his jeans and button down, Robbie sat down to an unsuspecting Carmela and John. But Robbie had lost his appetite. John could tell something was off, John could always tell. Over the past few years, as Sheila battled the cancer that ultimately took her life, he could always blame it on the illness. And part of it was that, the other part was the reaping. He didn’t know how the other reapers did it, how they managed to do this for thousands of years. Robbie was a rookie compared to them, just 30 years in for him.
“You look sad dad, are you okay?” John asked. ‘I will be.” Robbie replied. He gave his son a sad smile and waved for the check. They talked for a bit while walking back to their cars. Remembering some of the good times with Sheila. Robbie hugged his children, and saw them off before walking to his car alone. He got a very funny feeling in his left hand. The hand that wore The Ring. His pinky twitched and he got a sudden urge to walk past his car and keep walking. He walked over to the parking lot of the bank next door and kept going until he looked down and saw it. A Reaper’s Ring. He looked around and quickly picked it up and put it in his pocket. This wasn’t his first ring to find, but considering the first one he found made him a Reaper, he wasn’t sure what to do with the 2nd. He’d call his Leader when he got home.
Rubbing the ring between his fingers, Robbie placed his cell on speaker as he called the Reaper Association of America’s headquarters. He’d been recently assigned a new lead, Crystal, but Crystal never answered the phone or showed up to any meetings. He wasn’t sure what was happening with her, but he knew needed to get this ring turned in. The ring, a small silver circle with a skull on the front, was big enough to fit his thumb. The one he wore only fit on the pinky of one of his hands. As the phone rang, he wondered if all of the rings were of various sizes. “RAA how may I direct your call?” A nasally voice said. “Yes this is Reaper 452128 calling to report the finding of a Reaper Ring.” “ Please hold” the voice said as Robbie looked at the phone. Sitting back in his recliner, Robbie took off his boots and rubbed his sore feet. Robbie idly wondered if there was a reward for found rings. He let his thoughts drift while he was on hold. Eventually opening social media and scrolling memes while waiting on someone to pick up the call. Finally after twenty minutes of waiting, Robbie hung up and checked his calendar. The monthly meeting was in a week, he’d just wait til then and figure out what to do with the ring. It was late and Robbie had to work in the morning. He put the ring on his night stand, then he showered and headed off to bed.
Robbie belonged to a network of five reapers. They shared the smaller cities around Dallas and Ft. Worth, and would occasionally help the larger two cities. Robbie’s network worked in shifts, each one having a full time mortal job, and wanted to have a life outside of reaping. They had a pretty good system, and they got along well. They met every two weeks to discuss upcoming schedules and responsibilities and helped each other meet their reaping quota. Robbie counted himself lucky to be partnered with them, they were all tenured with over a thousand years of service collectively. They’d all shed their former lives at some point, several times in fact, so he knew when he needed to start over, they’d help him. None of them knew he had a family. Reapers aren’t allowed to have children. Technically Robbie wasn’t breaking the rule, the kids were not his by blood, but they certainly were his by heart and love. Even still, he felt it prudent that he didn’t share that with anyone unless absolutely necessary.
Between his day job and harvesting souls, Robbie’s week went by fast. He’d all but forgotten about the ring there on his night stand. Thursday evening came around and he received a text stating it was time to meet. The RAA, met monthly. The reaper groups always left a few behind, so that souls could be harvested while the meetings happened. This was Robbie’s first meeting in a few months. Manuel and Beth stayed behind in their shared territory this time. Robbie felt like it was all just a bunch of corporate mess, but it’s when he received his monthly stipend, all the back pay he’d missed, and had the opportunity to network with other reapers. The RAA met at The End Of the World, also known as Ushuaia, Argentina. The ring allowed the quick teleportation to the meeting. It was always held at the Viva Dominicus Palace. Robbie was told by Beth that when a group of Reapers gathers, the rings collectively change what mortals see and hear. He’d never gotten much more info than that from Beth, or the others in his area. Beth was his trainer, though she’d never elaborated on much. Which was fine by Robbie, he was pretty simple, give him a task, he’ll get it done. That’s how he preferred it.
There was no packing involved for the meeting. Nothing more than to be dressed and ready to go. Robbie had shaved, worn his best pair of jeans and favorite cowboy boots, a black button down and his favorite Cody James black leather cowboy hat. It wasn’t expensive, it wasn’t showy, just jet black leather and well loved. Sheila had bought it for him for their first anniversary. He wore it every year on their anniversary since. Their anniversary wasn’t for another couple of months, but Robbie was missing Sheila so he put it on. He looked himself over in the mirror. He looked good, even with the sadness around his eyes. He leaned forward in the bathroom mirror, trying to see if he could feel Sheila in there.
Robbie thought back to that day. He’d been at home with her. The kids were on their way. Sheila didn’t want to pass away at the Hospice. She knew her time was short. She was released and sent home to be comfortable for her last days. It was a beautiful day, oddly cool for summertime in Texas. The sun was out, the birds were singing and Sheila lay in bed, holding Robbies hand. “The kids won’t make it in time, mi azucar.” She squeezed his hand. “I can see you, see who you really are. You are marvelous my love, I wish you could have told me about this side of you, but I understand why. It’s okay, you can take me now.” Robbie sobbed. He didn’t want to, but he didn’t want anyone else to take her. He let himself go incorporeal and leaned down to hug his wife for the very last time.
This reaping was different from the countless other souls he’d gathered. He was able to see her life. From birth she was a beauty, bronze skin, curly hair, dimples and big brown eyes. He watched her grow through life, growing up in Dallas with her parents,and grandparents, her aunts and uncles living close by. How tight knit her family was. Her love for them, and their love for her. Her first husband, a hard working police officer,, but distant with his affection, how sad and hurt she and the children were when he was killed on duty by a drunk driver. The loss of her grandparents shortly after, and her parents deciding to move from Texas to Colorado. Her sadness but how she refused to let it consume her. She was grateful for the wonderful life she’d had so far. The almost instant love she felt for Robbie when they met at the farmers market in Dallas. How she enjoyed meeting him there for their dates, and having lunch at the Pecan Lounge. She loved the mac and cheese there. The joy she felt just spending time with the children, how she enjoyed Robbie showing John how to change a flat tire, and chaperoning Carmela’s prom. She loved them with every fiber of her being, and Robbie felt that as she passed on. It was such a loss, one that he was sure would consume him if he wasn’t able to feel this piece of her. He cherished her memories. Of all the souls he’d reaped, her memories were the only ones that stayed with him. He was determined to hold them for the rest of his days.
Straightening, he gave himself one last look over before stepping from the bathroom, into the Viva Dominicus Palace.
E Monique Writes 