The Reaper that loves me

Chapter 3 - First task failure?

*Her* 

She ran down the stairs taking two at a time. In her haste she missed the last step and fell face first onto the floor. Her father briskly got up to see what the commotion was and found her. 

"Ah...so you've been to the council then? What job did they give you? And whats with the get-up?" 

Elise rolled over and groaned. "Hi Dad." She started to rub her nose to take away the sting. 

"Yeah the council have assigned me." She sat up as her mother came around the corner and wiped her hands on her apron. Elise laughed at the fact that her mother had flour on her nose and all through her hair. "So what's all the fuss abou..." Before she could say anything her mother took in Elise's appearance. 

"Oh my gosh! What did they give you? Come sit down let me look at you!" Her mother fluffed around and pulled them towards the living room. They say on the couch as her mother looked her up and down. 

Her father came and joined them But a white raven came to give him his message delivery list for the day. He kissed his wife and Elise on the head before he clicked his fingers and was now dressed in his uniform. To humans he looked like a regular postman, but the letters and parcels in his satchel were anything but normal. Elise remembered once when she was ten, her father had to deliver an unusual parcel, however the recipient wasn't home so he brought the package home. 

Elise was silly enough to take a peak and was startled as a baby pagesus sprang from the box. It immediately started to fly around the room. It took both her mother and her father to catch it. It was a gift of course from one of the council members to their granddaughter for her birthday. Once her dad had resealed the box, he left to deliver it before it broke out again. Elise shook herself out of her memory and wished her Dad to be safe at work. 

He winked at her and told her he'd be back for her party later. Elise's mum turned to her. "So...tell me about it..." Elises initial excitement had now filled but she was still enthusiastic to tell her mother non the less. 

"Well, I went to have a shower to get the egg off me, after I changed clothes, I saw an envelope on my dresser with fancy writing on it. I thought it was from you and dad....anyways, I landed on my butt on the marble floor with the towel still on my head! Oh mum I could have died from embarrassment!" Her mother began to laugh, and Elise continued her story. "Anyways, His Honour stepped up and I gave my pledge, blah blah blah, he left me hanging for a couple of minutes. Before he said I was assigned as a Sandwomen. And here I am." Elise then stood up and twirled around. "What do you think of my uniform?" Her mother was over joyed. Elise sat back down. 

"This is my dream dust satchel. His Honour said that I will receive my list every night at nine." Realisation dawned on her. "Oh...I'm going to be so tired tomorrow for university..." Her mother gave her a hug. "it's fine. Once you get used to your job, you'll start to find ways around things to make your life return to normal." With that, her mum stood up. 

"Well it's now ten o'clock, I still have alot of things to do, so you may as well rest in your room since you now have night shifts." She bopped Elise on the nose. "I've got alot more cooking to do. Thankfully I also put in for the day off, your poor father will have to pick up slack." Her mother walked off humming to herself. 

Elise stood up and went to the mirror once again to really look at herself. She liked her uniform, and was very interested and nervous about how things will go tonight. She sighed and then headed upstairs to her room. She put her satchel on the bedside table and landed face first on her bed. 

She grabbed her phone and texted her best friend Melinda. They had known each other since they were children, ever since the time Elise set Melinda's hair on fire, when they were learning fire spells in class. Melinda is two years older then Elise but they are in the same major at University. 

Melinda was assigned as a keeper at the prison for magical beasts that are too dangerous for the human world. 

She was the complete opposite of Elise personality wise. Elise liked to wear bright colours whereas Melinda liked black. Elise was bubbly where Melinda was moody. Somehow their friendship works. 

Elise texted her about her instalment as a Sandwomen. Melinda got excited. 

E: So...I have some news..

M: hello to you too sunshine

E: Don't be like that. The council have me the job as a Sandwomen. I can give humans sweet dreams.

M: Cool. Can you give them nightmares too?

E: Umm...

M: AH!! Your pure soul is showing again...

E: Very funny. So I'll see you this afternoon?

M: Yep

E: Yay! X X X

M: :-/

Elise threw her phone onto her bed and dragged herself up to change her clothes for her party. She hung her uniform up in the closest and whispered "I'll see you later." She turned around and headed downstairs to help her mother with the last preparations for her party.

As two pm rolled around, people started to arrive. 

Elise greeted them all as the birthday girl. There were aunts, cousins, various members of the magical community. She squeeled in excitement as Melinda stepped up the porch steps. She hugged threw her arms around her. Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Elise, you might want to tone down your voice. You just deafened me." 

Elise let her go. "Sorry Mel. I'm just so glad to see you! Oh I want to show you my uniform, but I can't...I have to greet the guests." Mel stood with her Ames crossed. "Meh, I'll stay here with you." So after an hour of greeting people, the last guests arrived and Elise turned her attention to Melinda. "Come on..." Elise grabbed her hand and tugged her up stairs.

Melinda plonked down on the bed, as Elise excitedly grabbed the hanger that her uniform was on. 

Melinda's heavily lined eyes widened. "Ah my eyes...it's so....white." Elise looked at her uniform dreamily. "Yeah it is.." Melinda tried to be encouraging to her friend but it was hard d when she disliked white. "It's awesome Elise, but it's just....not my colour." 

Elise laughed and looked at her friend who was dressed in a lacy black dress. "Very true. Let's go back and parrrrty!" Elise grabbed her friends hand again and they joined the people downstairs. 

After hours of Mingling, champagne and cake. Elise was exhausted. Come nine o'clock, Elise was sitting at a table nibbling on some chips and looking at her phone, when in a glittery rush a parchment floated in front of her, startling her. She looked at the clock it was time for her first shift. 

She stood up and tripped on the table legs. Her mother helped her up. Elise showed her work parchment to her mother who chimed. "Oh duty calls! It's ok sweetheart. Go, I'll take care of your guests. 

She kissed her mum on the cheek and rushed to her room to change. As she put on her uniform, her satchel came floating towards her. She tied it to the golden belt. She then took a deep breath in and out, it was now or never. She looked at the first name on the list and the address. She picked up her grimore and conjured a teleportation portal, it took her to the quiet hallway outside her targets room. 

She tip toed as best she could but her shoes still made noise. She crept up to the child's bed, opened her satchel and sneezed dream dust everywhere. 

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!" She whispered to herself. 

The dust dispersed, so Elise tried again. 

This time she grabbed a pinch of it and sprinkled it in the child's eyes. She clapped her hands on pride as her first task was done. However, the heart rate monitors responded and the childs heart rate spiked. Elise clamped her hand over her mouth. "Wh...what's happening..?" Out of the darkness, a handsome young man in a black coat and scythe, stepped. He clicked his tongue. "Thanks girly." He winked as he pulled the child's soul out. Elise knew that the nurses and doctors would be coming so she quickly conjured another transportation portal, still in shock over what happened...