Deathless

Chapter 33: Jackson

There are just so many secrets, so many untruths to unpick... and any of them could shatter her world. I exhale hard, my throat turning dusty as I rake my fingers through my hair, the whole time trying to avoid the force of her gaze. Millie looks glorious when she's pissed off, all flushed cheeks and flaming forest eyes. I resist the urge to smile, certain she'd tear me apart if I did. And I'm not sure I'd hate it.

"I'm a reaper..." I start, my voice flat.

"A what?"

"A reaper. I follow Death's Plan, separate a person's soul from their body and help them pass over."

She doesn't move, doesn't say a word. Behind us, I hear the purring of car engines, of cursing drivers, but nothing from her. And then finally...

"Are you... is this a joke?"

I close my eyes, trying to ignore the ache growing between my temples. I don't have time for this. Every second that passes we're being hunted, every second that passes is a second closer to an end I need to stop.

"Nobody in the entire world has died in four hours. You were being chased by a Hellhound..." I growl. "You don't think it's time for a bit of an open mind?"

More nothing. I sigh and move closer. She doesn't back away, which I take as a good sign.

"I died. Over a hundred years ago, I died and Death gave me a choice. Pass over or join him and become a reaper. I chose the latter and joined Scythe. There are hundreds of us, a whole organisation dedicated to acting on the will of the Fates, to ending lives at the right time and helping people pass over."

She frowns, looking hard in the distance, processing my words carefully.

"OK, let's say for a second that I'm accepting this... nonsense that you're spewing as fact. Does this... does this have something to do with what's happening? Why people aren't dying?"

"Yes, I don't understand it exactly, but... Death is... well... he's dead."

She shuts her eyes, squeezing them so tight they crinkle in the corners. Her hands are fisted at her sides.

"Death... as in?"

"The Grim Reaper, yes."

"Death's dead. Right?"

"I sort of..." I clear my throat. "I sort of accidentally reaped him and he passed over."

Her eyes spring open, and her nostrils flare in anger.

"Someone set me up," I mumble quickly, moving towards her but stopping when I see her body stiffen. "Somebody arranged it so I would reap Death whilst he was in human form. I don't know how or why, but I need to undo it."

"And that... thing? That beast, hound... that was really a Hellhound?"

I nod.

"When you a reap a soul, you help them pass over. People aren't always happy about it at first, but it's your job to guide them. But some... well, some make a run for it, for lack of a better term. The job of a Hellhound is to track down a missing soul, but with no one dying, the Hellhounds are out hunting those who should be passing over."

Millie's face drains of colour. A whimper escapes her lips.

"Was I... was I supposed to die? Is that why it was hunting me?"

Everything in my body freezes, just shuts down. There's pressure on my chest like my heart is being crushed in a vice. Time has stopped and right now it's just me and her. Somewhere in the distance, cars are hitting their horns. Millie needs to know what's happening, everything that's happening. I'll probably lose her regardless, but right now, honesty is my only chance to keep her.