Sunday, July 29, 2007

This is not a dream
� �From the darkness I come and to it I shall return.� Ha!� I scuff quietly as I place the book back on the shelf, �What a corny starting line.� Though I guess I shouldn�t dismiss it that much either; I mean, I make comments like that all the time.
�Can I help you find anything?� I turn around and stare at the plain looking attendant.
I shake my head, �No, just browsing.�
�Just ask if you need anything.� The attendant said as he walked off.
I sigh and pull out my PDA from the inner pocket of my jacket. After a few seconds I had my date book open. �3:00 pm, 1120 W Mark Ave. T. Hansen.� I check the time in the top corner, 2:55. Out of the corner of my eye I see a small goblin like creature beckon to me before scampering like mist up the stairs. Instinctively I follow it.
As I reach the top of the stairs I look over at him as he sat on the railing, �So?� I hold my hands up in confusion. The creature points to a middle aged man with short brown hair, wearing a leather jacket and a pair of faded jeans, who was browsing the CDs. Must be T. Hansen. I slowly walk over to him and pass behind him brushing my hand gently on his back, �Excuse me.� I say as I pick up a Dave Mathews CD.
I watch the man out of the corner of my eye. He looks at a few more CDs and then walks off to the stairs. Seconds later I hear a �Shit!� and some loud thuds, then a few screams and a �Call 911!� I look up at the all too familiar man next to me, �So what�s the T stand for anyway?�
The man looks at me, his confusion easy to read, �Toby. Am I dead?�
�Broken neck probably.�
�Did you kill me?�
I shake my head and point to the laughing goblin, �He did, I just took your soul before you died.�
�So you�re death?�
�Kinda.�
�I though death was a dude with a cloak and sickle.�
�This ain�t the middle ages, bud.� I pat Toby on the back and lead him back down stairs, giving his body and the swarm of people a quick glance.
�So what now?� He asks as I pull him away from the crowd.
�Well, usually you are supposed to pass on. Ya know, go to heaven or whatever you believe in.�
�What, you don�t take me there? You actually read this stuff?� He sticks his hand through a random manga back on the shelf.
�What, can�t an undead girl have a hobby?� I grab the latest yuri manga from Seven Seas, �Anyway, how could I take you to a place I don�t know. This ain�t an escort service.�
�Well then how did you know I was going to die?� Toby walked through the shelves as I went to the register.
�I get an email every morning telling me the times, places, and names of people who are going to die. I don�t get reasons.� I sigh as I watch a clerk scamper from somewhere to the register, �If you really want to know, you could try and ask one of the deathlings. They are the ones that do the killing.�
�Sorry about that.� The clerk says as he scans the manga, �Find everything you are looking for?�
�Yeah,� I point to the police that were entering, �A bit crazy today.�
�Someone fell down the stairs.�
I hand the clerk me credit card, �You don�t say.�
�Sign here,� The clerk handed me a receipt.
�How tragic.� I glance at Toby, who is trying to grab a pen that sat on the counter.
�Have a good day, ma�am.� The clerk says as I grab my bag and leave.
�How did you get this job anyway?� Toby asks as we leave the store.
�I died.� I say flatly as I check the PDA again. I look at Toby, �So, you gonna pass on or what?�
�I just ask how I am to do that.�
�And I said ask someone else.� I open the door to my car, �Well, get in. I have a 4:30 appointment at a sushi bar.�
Toby reluctantly sat down in the passenger seat, �Who�s going to die now?�
�An A. Lewis.� I toss my bag on the back seat and close my door, �My sickle is in the back seat.�
�Are there more of your kind?� Toby asks as I back out of the parking spot.
�I told ya this ain�t the middle ages. We�re broken off into different departments. I�m in the outside influence department. Everything from falling down a flight of stairs to suicide. Worst one I�ve seen was in a meat packing plant. Dude fell into the grinder.�
�How did you get into the plant?�
�I�m undead, if I don�t want to be seen then I won�t be.�
�Ah.�
We spent the rest of the drive to the bar in silence. I have been to this place before, and if I remember correctly there is a hibachi side. Most likely some drunk idiot will get it. When the goblins don�t help me, it�s like a game of Clue. Find the high risk factors and the potential victims. If I�m lucky, A. Lewis will have a reservation.

�Welcome,� The cute looking hostess greets me as I enter, �Will you be at the bar today?�
I shake my head, �No, I am actually with the A. Lewis party.�
The woman nodded, �They are at table 4.�
�Come on,� I motion for Toby to follow, �If all the seats are taken you�ll have to stand.�
�Whatever.�
As I arrive at table 4 I see a very business looking man with other business looking people, �Mr. Lewis?� I stop behind the group.
A thirty-something black hairs man looks at me, �Yes?�
I extend my hand, �I�m Allison Long from the New York branch.�
�I don�t remember hearing about anyone from New York coming.� He took my hand all the same.
�It was last minute. I was in town and my boss told me to come here.�
�Well, have a seat Allison.�
I sit at the end of the table and watch as the chef comes with the food cart, �Ah, looks like we have a new guest.� He bows slightly towards me, �And what will you be having?�
�Whatever you got with you.� I grab the sake and pour myself a cup.
The chef smiled and started his cooking show. I look at Toby, �So how do you think it will happen?�
�I don�t know.� He watched as flames shot up from the grill, �The dude catches fire.�
�I was thinking that, but from the look on the deathling�s face that killed you, it most likely will be more gruesome.� As if coming at request, one of the goblins appears in the seat next to me. I lazily pour him a glass of sake, �Speak of the devil.� I check my watch, two minutes.
The goblin downs the drink and gives a quiet growl. The chef was doing some kind of knife show. Is was only a flash, a small speck of light as the tip of one of the knives breaks and lodges itself into A. Lewis�s neck. A spurt of blood and an all to familiar scattering of people.
�You�re not from New York are you.� Mr. Lewis says as he watches his co-workers try and help him.
�I lived there some time back.� I grab the sake bottle and hook my arms in my two dead guy�s and leave the bar. I�ve got a schedule to keep and death waits for no one.


NNM
Nana has been a bit violent lately so today she will be killing with extreme cuteness
Comments (3)