Here Lies
Annie Morden
Beloved Daughter
Admired Sister
1988-2017
Annie stood beside her gravestone watching her little sister grieving over her. No matter how many times she tried, she couldn’t get through to Sarah. It was worse on the days when her mother was there too.
“You can’t keep this up, you know.” A stern male voice intruded on her thoughts. “You have a job to do.”
“I didn’t choose this!” Annie spat at him. “I wasn’t even thirty years old! I hadn’t done anything! And now you want me to kill people.”
“Reapers don’t kill people.”
“Yes you do.”
“We.” He emphasized the word, “Guide the souls of people who pass on. Without us, their souls just wander. Lost, stuck. Like the ones you’ve let down.”
“If you care so much, you reap them.”
“I can’t, they’re your charges. And you’re letting them down. For what? For this?” He gestured at Sarah. “She can’t see you She won’t ever see you and if she does , it’ll be because it’s her time to go. Don’t waste the rest of eternity like this.” When Annie didn’t answer, Kyle left. She sighed, knowing he was right.
“Goodbye Sarah.” She whispered, her heart stopping when her sister looked her right in the eyes.
“ANNIE?”
Lisa Stapleton 