Moonlight Rising

by Linski, Megan

  Gigi was not fit to be a Bringer, and she often complained about it. Bringers were meant to transfer souls into other beings, to bring them to life. Gigi reveled in destruction, mostly Oliver’s.

  “You are dismissed now, Oliver. You can expect your next mission within a week, I'm sure.”

  Oliver bowed again, and turned to leave. Before he did, Jeyyal spoke again. “And Oliver? Be sure to tie up any loose ends you may have fraying about in your mind before she arrives. One soul is enough for today, wouldn't you agree?”

  Oliver paused at her words, and glanced back over his shoulder. The sad smile Jeyyal gave him set a great pit of worry within him, and he hurried out of the building.

  “What am I to do? I can't make him forget, they haven't taught me how yet! I can't just let him go, and I can't kill him. I'm so dead. Gigi's going to kill me!” Oliver paced about his room, ranting.

  His room was small and cramped, like the rest of his house. It was all he could afford, his fear keeping him from spending too much time in the world of humans. He had few personal affects in his house, losing everything along with his family. His home had one other room, a combination of a recreation area and a kitchen, and a bathroom. The emptiness of his living space reflected the loss he felt inside of him.

  He glanced at the sleeping young man sprawled in his bed. He had only recently learned the hex to send humans into sleep, and was surprised it had worked as well as it did. Coron wouldn't wake until Oliver wished it, that is, if he could build up the nerve to face him.

  Oliver ran his hands through his hair, his fingers caught in his constant knots. He tore his hand free in exasperation, pulling out a small mat of hair with it.

  “How did Jeyyal know?” he wondered aloud. He watched the peaceful face of his friend, and the image of him dead crossed his mind.

  “No! I won't let that happen. I…I'll figure something out. I just need…”

  A pounding at the front door of his house shattered all of Oliver's hope. Whoever had come to call, Oliver knew it wouldn't end well. Oliver threw on his cloak to hide his shaking, and exited his bedroom calmly. He shut the door behind him, and the click resounded in him dreadfully.

  “Who is it?” he called out, advancing on the door.

  “The bloody tooth fairy!” Gigi called back, her thick, drawling accent clear through the door. “Who else would it be, ya coward? Just open the bloody door!”

  Oliver opened it slowly, and Gigi burst through into his home. He was shoved aside by her large body, and he stumbled to regain his balance. She glanced back at him, her eyes narrowed.

  “What are ya doing wearin' yer cloak around the 'ouse like that? What if it 'ad been a 'uman, uh? What would ya do then?”

  “I didn't expect you until later tonight, Gigi. What a pleasant surprise,” Oliver muttered, backing away from the large woman. Gigi had died long ago. She had died with much fat on her body, and had since been unable to lose it. Though her weight didn’t hinder her work as a Bringer, her massive size made her that much more intimidating.

  Her gaudy pink clothes stuck out messily where it didn’t fit, and the seams of her dress were under great strain to stay together. Her large brimmed hat carried a number of plump feathers that drooped over her head, getting tangled in her mass of platinum blonde curls. She wore layers of makeup on her face, bright blues and greens above her eyes clashing with light orange lipstick. Bright white irises ringed with black bore into Oliver's soul, her stare was nearly enough to stop his heart.

  “I came as soon as Jeyyal informed me of the pick up. Wait till later, she said. Give the boy a chance to rest a little. It's not all about you, ya know. Stubborn bitch, all 'igh an' mighty on that bloody throne of 'ers. Makes me sick.”

  Gigi turned her head and spat onto Oliver's floor. She snarled as she caught sight of Oliver's vomit-covered cloak. “Speakin' a sick. Why did I 'ave to get paired with such a nuisance? Give me the damned bottle, boy, and let me be off.”

  “You shouldn’t insult Lady Jeyyal like that. She’s the most powerful of all of us, and she could dispose of you with the blink of an eye,” Oliver snapped, his anger giving him courage. Jeyyal had been nothing but kind, even though she had to have known about Coron. She cared about Oliver, and it enraged him for Gigi to be speaking so poorly of her.

  Gigi snatched Oliver up by the front of his cloak and hoisted him up to her face. “I'll admit, I'm impressed, Oly boy. Ya stood up ta me after all this time! Yer 'eart's actually beatin' at a normal pace,” she sneered.

  After a moment with the sound of a single beating heart echoing around them, her face scrunched up.

  Gigi dropped Oliver to his feet. She ripped open the front of his cloak, and stared at the hole in his chest that showed his heart. “It's not even beatin' at all,” she hissed. A fire sparked in her eyes and she shoved Oliver behind her. She barreled through his small house towards his room, and broke down the door in her rage.

  Oliver chased after her, looking for any space to squeeze around her as she moved, but it was no use. She would get to Coron before he even had a chance.

  She stood fuming in the middle of his bedroom, towering over Coron, who was still sleeping soundly. Her hand was perched on the hilt of her weapon, a spear with a wide, curved blade that resembled a shovel.

  “They aren’t supposed ta know we exist, Oliver. It’s a great big mess when ‘umans get involved in the lives of the divine, ya know that. I’ve warned you before ta get rid a’ this maggot before somethin’ like this ‘appens. Let the ‘umans have their myths an’ legends, but they can’t know they’re true,” Gigi whispered menacingly. Her usual shrill voice had taken on a darker quality, and her spade gleamed in tune with her malicious intent.

  “He’s my responsibility, Gigi. I’ll handle it. He doesn’t know anything, there hasn’t been any harm done yet,” Oliver protested, creeping into the room slowly. The cramped spaces of the bedroom made it difficult to maneuver, and he knew that if it came to a fight, Gigi would have the upper hand. He had to find his opportunity, and take it without hesitation.

  “Yet,” Gigi echoed. “If ‘e reveals anything, if ‘e’s allowed to live after finding out the truth, the consequences could be detrimental. You don’t care, ya just want to do yer time and be done. Ain’t that right, Oly? But if ‘umans know what we do, and try to stop us, the balance of the universe will be ruined. All life would cease to exist without us ‘ere to redirect it.”

  “He won’t do anything, I know he won’t. He wouldn’t betray me,” Oliver argued. He was inching toward his weapon, lying on the ground from when he had snatched up his cloak.

  “Ya mean like ‘ow you betrayed ‘im? Bringing ‘im straight ta me like this. Ya do know what happens to a soul if a Bringer tries to collect it, don’t ya? It’s destroyed, eradicated, as though it never existed at all. And still ya brought ‘im right ta me. Ya should’a saved yer friend the torture and taken ‘im yerself. But ya couldn’t bring yerself to do it, could ya. Too bad.” Gigi ended her rant with a smile, raising her spade above her head.

  Oliver took his opportunity without thinking. With one great sweep of his arm, his scythe unsheathed and slashed across Gigi's large stomach, but the wound was shallow. She teetered in place for a moment before falling onto her knees. Her eyes stared up at Oliver with shock, and even a bit of admiration.

  Oliver scooped Coron into his arms before Gigi had the chance to recover. He bounded through the window, leaving the Bringer behind, who was yelling like an animal who had lost its prey.

  Chapter Four

  The scattered sunlight glinted off Gemini’s blades. The branches of the trees bent down menacingly toward the two boys, daring to grab them up. Though they hadn’t gotten far from the village, the world they had entered was treacherous.

  “Coron. Wake up now, Coron,” Oliver muttered as he shook the human gently.

  Coron's eyes fluttered open and focused on Oliver easily. “Oliver? When did I come over?”

  “You didn't.
We're in the woods right now, Coron.”

  “The woods? Why are we here? Did you carry me here, Ol?”

  “Yeah, I did. Coron, what do you remember?”

  “Remember?” he echoed. He sat up and leaned forward, crossing his legs beneath him. “I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a walk. There was a scream. I followed it. I thought I could find a Reaper, and stop it from taking someone. Maybe even capture it.”

  “Well, you found one,” Oliver whispered sadly.

  Coron looked at him then. Really looked. He took in the dark cloak, and the skull mask that hung from his neck. His eyes widened at the long, double-bladed scythe that lay across his lap.

  “You're actually a Reaper. Oliver, you…you kill humans?” Coron breathed.

  “No. I don't kill them. Humans kill humans, or nature does. Reapers come to collect the souls, that's all. We deliver them to Bringers, and they transfer that life force into something else, another human, animal, or back to the world itself. We are what keeps this world alive, literally.”

  Coron was silent for a long moment, his eyes piercing into Oliver. “So, what now?” he whispered. His voice was eerie in the stillness of the woods Oliver had taken them to.

  Oliver stood abruptly, startling Coron. “Now, I leave. We're not far from our…your home village. Humans aren’t supposed to know that we exist outside of lore, but if you don't mention me to anyone ever again, you should be safe. Don't worry. You'll forget about me before too long.”

  Oliver pulled his mask from his neck. He held it at his side, but it was snatched from his grip. Oliver whirled to face Coron, who was clutching the skull mask with trembling hands.

  “What about you?” he asked, his face pale.

  “I'll find work wherever I go.”

  “That's not what I mean! Why are you just going to leave me here? How can you do that?” Coron burst, tears brimming in his eyes. He turned away suddenly, and threw the mask back at Oliver.

  Oliver stumbled to catch the mask, staring at his friend. He held back his own tears with difficulty. Coron had always been popular back in town. He had never realized how highly his friend thought of him.

  Oliver opened his mouth to give any excuse, to take the pain away from his love, but there were no words for him. There was nothing he could do that would both keep his friend alive, and spare him the pain of departure.

  Oliver stuffed the mask into his pouch, where it knocked against his confined scythe. Knowing he wouldn't have the strength to leave were he to wait any longer, he turned away from his human friend, and proceeded toward the inviting darkness of the woods.

  “Wait!” Coron called out, grabbing Oliver's wrist. Oliver shut his eyes against the desire to stay. His stomach flipped inside of him nervously. Worried his racing heart would fall out of his chest, he grasped at the hole desperately.

  Now or never. With the most courage Oliver had ever shown, he spun on his heels and embraced Coron. He stiffened when their lips met. Oliver could taste the salt from Coron's tears. He melted against Oliver, Coron's arms wrapping around him slowly.

  Oliver jerked away from him, and his heart ached. Coron's cheeks were flushed, and Oliver turned away to hide his own blush. Coron reached out to him yet again, but Oliver didn't give him the chance. Before he could put either of them in any more danger, he ran into the woods at a speed that only a Reaper could achieve.

  “Get back 'ere, you little shit!” Gigi's voice resounded clearly in Oliver's dream, though there was nothing but darkness surrounding him.

  “With you gone, I can finally get a new partner! All I gotta do is kill this 'uman!”

  Human. The word hung in the air a moment before the darkness parted, revealing Oliver’s next assignment.

  He was running, loping from side to side as he went. Gigi's spade-like weapon flailed around to his side. He was watching the scene through her eyes, feeling her elation from the hunt.

  “Come 'ere, little 'uman! Big Gigi only wants to play wit' ya!” Gigi crooned as she ran through the edges of the woods, barely able to fit her body through the trees.

  She turned around a thicket of trees, her thick lips splitting into a nasty smile. “There you are. You are a puny thing. I'll get ya, then go after that worthless Reaper a yers when he comes. I'll call him right to this very spot for ya, 'ow does that sound? You do want ta see 'im again, right?” Gigi taunted.

  Dark gray hair. Pale complexion. Frail, yet athletic.

  No, Oliver thought as the description filled his head.

  “Yes,” Gigi hissed as the words flitted through her mind. “He’ll be coming any time now. The call’s been made.”

  Light blue eyes. Barefoot and bare chested, white slacks.

  No, no. Please, no! He tried to shut his eyes, but the scene played out before him as Gigi advanced on her target. Stop it, stop it!

  Cause of death, execution. Time of death, sunset. Placement of body, site of death.

  Oliver forced himself awake, writhing on his side. His heart lay on the cold ground in front of him, twitching with the effort to stay beating outside of his body. He scooped it up in a panic, brushed the dirt from it, and set it back into his chest.

  Tears were flowing freely down his face. Gigi's going after Coron, and is summoning me to collect his soul. What do I do? What can I do?

  Oliver looked to the sky. The sun was just beginning its descent.

  “I have to stop her,” he breathed. Shoving himself to his feet, he fixed his mask over his face. He made his way back through the woods with the power of a Reaper on a hunt. It had only been a few hours since he parted from Coron, and Gigi was already on the move. He could make it, but could he do anything once he got there?

  He followed the sound of Gigi's taunting voice, but the echo of the trees made it impossible to place the sound. Over Gigi's yelling, he could just make out Coron's muffled footsteps as he ran.

  “Don't take him. Kill me, and leave him alone. You won't have to hurt him if I'm gone,” he begged breathlessly as he desperately sought out hunter and prey.

  “You do want to see 'im again, right?” Gigi called out, followed by maniacal laughter. Her voice was near, but there was no time left. He pushed himself harder, weaving around trees as fast as he could.

  Coron slammed into him and they both tumbled to the ground. “Oliver, run!” he yelled, trying to push him to his feet.

  Oliver only stared in terror at Gigi as she loomed over them. A dark substance flaked from the blade of her spear. Oliver wished more than anything that it was only dirt, but he knew it was blood. Coron's unusually pale face clogged Oliver's throat with fear.

  “Well, looky 'ere! I've never seen ya so early fer a job, Oly boy! Looks like yer finally takin' yer work seriously, eh? Good to 'ere, but it's a little late fer that!” Gigi cackled, raising her spear into the air.

  Oliver caught her attack easily with a flick of his wrist, his own weapon holding strong against her assault, though it was still confined. He shoved her back, and she stumbled a few steps away. Oliver swung his arm out, his scythe spreading to its full length.

  There's no way I can handle her. I can at least give Coron a chance to run, but. . .why hasn't he left yet?

  Oliver glanced back at Coron, staring up at him with deep admiration. “I'm not leaving without you,” he breathed. Oliver held his breath, knowing he couldn't argue with him now.

  “Neither Bringers, nor Reapers, are permitted to harm humans, or allow any harm to come to humans unless it is their time. You know that, Gigi. If you intend to hurt him, then I will have no choice but to execute you on behalf of the Council of Life and Death,” Oliver said, surprised at the sureness in his own voice.

  “You? Bring me down? With what, yer sense a 'umor? That was a good joke, but ya got no chance against me. Only someone as skilled as the Grim Reaper 'imself could take me on. You stand no chance!” Gigi taunted.

  Gigi swung her spear in a wide arc, and Oliver jumped back. He nudged behind him with his foot for Coron to bac
k away from the fight, but he had no time to check if his friend did. Gigi swung again, and again, slicing into his cloak as it billowed around him.

  “Yer not even gonna try to 'it me, are ya? Don't matter. I'm gonna cut that pet a yers into pieces. Then I'm gonna shred yer legs an' arms, and take ya in for the 'igher ups to decide what to do wit' ya. Maybe I'll even get a promotion, fer preventing the biggest disaster the C.L.D. woulda seen in history! All because a idiot like ya couldn't keep yer hands to yerself!” Gigi broke off her rant to laugh sadistically.

  Oliver reared his scythe back and swung it in a full circle around him. Everything went still, the echo of Gigi's laughter still fading into the distance. He opened his eyes slowly, and watched Gigi fall to the ground, her chest spewing blood.

  “Oli. . .ver. . .” Coron said from behind him, his voice thick. Oliver turned, a small, triumphant smile on his face.

  Blood dribbled down Coron's chin from the corners of his mouth. His eyes were already starting to dim. The hand that clutched his throat was stained red, and more blood covered his bare chest.

  “Coron?” Oliver asked as his friend fell to the ground. “Coron?”

  He lunged to his friend’s side, Gemini falling from his hands. He shook his shoulders, and checked his eyes for any remaining life. “Coron, wake up! Please, I'm sorry, just wake up!” he begged. The wound that cut Coron's throat was from Oliver's own weapon.

  As Oliver screamed in agony for his friend, he was swarmed by other Reapers. They grabbed him by his arms and tore him from the body of his friend. He kicked and screamed at them, but he had no strength, no will, left. He stared through tears as one of them stabbed their own scythe into Coron's chest, and collected his soul into a small jar.

  “White. You were a white soul, a pure soul. Of course you were. Of course,” Oliver sobbed quietly to himself until he blacked out from the immeasurable pain in his chest.