The Grim Reaper’s Mate

Let’s Start Over

David

I gulped as I turned back toward Christine's tent. I'd better proceed with caution. From here on out. The Grim Reaper himself trained me in how to be a professional assassin, swift and deadly. I can't let him down by being unprofessional with this innocent girl.

I stood outside and cleared my throat.

"Ahem. Christine? Are you about ready to leave?" I called.

The tent door opened, and she stepped out looking fresh and happy like I was there to pick her up on a date.

"Yes, but I do have one request. We're taking the limo, right?" She asked, looking around me at her dad's private limo. It was ostentatious, but no one would bother us in it.

"Yeah. That was the plan," I nodded.

"Do you think...that is, could I bring my bed with me?" She asked uncertainly. I looked into her blue eyes incredulously. An entire bed?! Was she serious?! Then again, the guest bed in my house was pretty shabby. Only other gang members had used it before. It's not really suitable for a woman, but how could we bring a whole bed and still stay undiscovered?

"I don't know..."

"Please! It's so comfortable, and I get the best sleep on it. I'm sure everything that has happened tonight will catch up with me eventually, and at least I would like a comfortable, familiar bed to snuggle into and..."

She continued babbling, but I was already convinced. I let her keep talking as I entered her tent and sized up her bed. It was a full size and looked like it could fold into thirds for traveling.

"I can fit it," I interrupted her.

"Thank you!" She gushed. "I'll ride in the front with you so we can fit the suitcases and the bed in the back."

Suitcases. Plural. Did she realize that we're trying to go unnoticed? This has to look like an unfortunate encounter with robbers, though, and things missing would fit that narrative. Her bed wouldn't. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to be annoyed. Right. This was why I wasn't attracted to women. They're complicated.

I sighed. Unloading it at my house without causing a scene...that might be the bigger problem. Regardless, I won't turn her down. Grim Reaper seems to have a weird interest in her. I don't dare push my luck with him.

"Please go get in the front of the limo. Don't wander. Don't look around. Just get in and wait for me and keep your eyes down. I'll get these things loaded," I turned instructed her firmly. Her blue eyes widened, and she nodded solemnly. Good. I'm glad she grasps the seriousness of the situation. I don't want her to see things here that will haunt her dreams. She raised both hands to each side of her eyes to block her peripheral vision, looked at the ground, and followed along the side of the limo deliberately.

Once she left the tent, I got to work folding up her bed. It was easier than I thought, and I was able to get it in the limo with very little trouble. I went back and folded up the short frame that went with it and loaded that next, then I finally loaded her two suitcases. The limo keys had been in the pocket of the driver, who was a decent guy, so I left him alive. I patted the keys and paused. The driver was actually a good dad and a devoted husband, from what I could tell. I had only knocked him unconscious. I'd made sure not to spill any of his blood. He's not safe out here in the open, though.

I found his body and threw him over my shoulder. Christine gave me a puzzled look through the windshield before averting her eyes as I walked in front of the limo toward her tent. I'll explain it to her once we get going. I dropped the driver in the tent, carefully positioning him to where it would look like he had rushed in to defend Christine. I stepped back and examined my work and nodded. That looked good and convincing. For good measure, I threw some of Christine's stuff around, knocked over her light, and tore the door away from the tent a little bit. It didn't need to look like she left peacefully.

The last thing I did was pick up the guy's cell phone and carefully hit the emergency call button. The operator answered, but I said nothing, simply dropping it by the driver's body. The police would come to check this area out, following the signal, probably by daybreak. The guys I had spared could be discovered, no one would be implicated, and the ones I had injured but left alive could be treated. My job was done.

I left the tent and jogged over to the limo.

"What took you so long? And what were you doing?" Christine demanded. I looked at her. Her eyes were wide with fright. Oh, yeah. She knows she's in the middle of a massive tomb. I guess it was only natural for her to be spooked.

"Sorry about that," I said, starting up the limo and flipping on the headlights. "The limo driver is actually a nice person, and I was worried about him out here, so I put him in your tent. I also threw some things around to make it look like a struggle."

"Oh," Christine seemed to take a moment to think about that. "Good job. Thank you."

I shot her a strange look. Thank you? Thank you for what?

"Uh... you're welcome. I guess?"

"I mean, thank you for being thorough so that I could escape without anyone thinking to look for me. I, I want to start over. I want to live a free life. I appreciate you giving me that opportunity," she said.

"Oh, well, in that case, you're welcome again. For real. Let's go. I called the police on the driver's phone. It will be awhile before they get here, but I'd rather not wait around to see how long it takes them," I said, starting the limo and pulling away from the campsite.

Christine looked down at her hands, not daring to look out the window. That was wise of her. We were passing some bodies and...I thought I saw a shadow move. I looked again. It looked like the figure of a very tall hooded man. I grimaced. He's watching us. I could only see his silhouette, but I'm certain he's watching us leave. I glanced over at Christine. She still had her face down.

"Are we past it yet?" She whispered.

"Not yet. Keep your head down," I told her. I looked back toward the shadow, but it was gone.

"Okay. We're past it now," I said. She nodded, and she looked out her window.

"Good-bye, father. I've been offered the opportunity to be free, and I'm taking it. I'm sorry I didn't give you one last hug tonight, but I don't think you would have wanted it anyway. Good-bye, and rest in peace, free from whatever it was that haunted you," she murmured. My heart broke a little bit. I did the right thing by sparing her life.

"He's moved on now, Christine, and so are you," I picked up the speed of the limo, leaving the dead behind us.