Death's Apprentice

Twenty years later

“Where am I? What’s going on?” the older woman said in a panic, looking around the room.

The woman at the desk whacked a young man, who was distracted by his headphones and bobbing his head to music, twirling around in his chair. He jumped and quickly took them off and brought his feet off the desk.

“Hello!” The woman with short brown hair said sweetly. “My name is Rose. Welcome to the land of the Inbetween!”

“Yeah!” the young man added, brushing off his black shirt. “I will be your reaper guide today!”

The old woman looked at them both in confusion.

“Last thing I remember was lying in that hospital bed. My husband… and children… my grandchildren…”

“Yes.” Rose said. “This is the next stage of your life. After death, everyone comes here to work for a time before moving on.”

“I don’t quite understand…”

“You will in time, don’t worry. So what’s going to happen now, is we are going to see where you will be working.” she said cheerfully, pulling out a blackboard. “You’ll adjust fairly quickly. The Inbetween is a very busy place after all! Now tell me, what do you see?”

The woman squinted at the blackboard.

“It… looks like a clock.”

“A timekeeper!! Very good!! Now normally, we would have you go straight to your new assignment and get started right away, but there is someone very special who would like to see you.”

The woman was still confused with everything going on. “I still don’t...Could it be…Oh well… I guess I’ll find out sooner or later…” she said, her face looking a little hopeful at something she didn’t want to mention.

“That’s the spirit!” the young man exclaimed, jumping up. “Follow me!”

He led her to an elevator and they stepped inside.

“I’m Edgar by the way. I’m a reaper.”

“Oh… Well nice to meet you. I’m-.”

“I know who you are. Everyone does. The Inbetween is in quite a tizzy that you’re here.”

“...Ok…”

There was a moment of awkward silence.

“So… what were you listening to?”

“That Hello, Goodbye song by the Beatles.”

“Oh. Good song.”

“Thanks. It kind of reminds me of the Inbetween.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, a lot of times, we’re sad because we have to say goodbye to someone. What we don’t realize is that sometimes we have to say goodbye to say hello.”

“I don’t quite get what you mean…”

Edgar simply winked at her, running a hand through his messy jet black hair.

As soon as the elevator door opened, the room erupted with applause, leaving the woman taken aback.

“What is all this for?” she asked as she looked around at all the curious people beaming at her.

“Welcome welcome welcome!” a curly haired red headed woman with a single ponytail on her head said with a smile, buttons covering a many pocketed dress.

“It’s so good to see you!” a man with short hair and an under the sea robe exclaimed.

An old man holding a staff gave her a thumbs up.

“I heard you’ll be a Timekeeper! That’s my realm! Can’t wait to have you! Hope you get my Harry Potter references!”

The woman turned to her reaper guide.

“I don’t understand.”

“I told you everyone is excited that you’re here. Lots of people couldn’t contain themselves when they found out you were coming. They had to come out to meet you. This way please!”

She followed the young man over to a door, where an old man with white hair and a worn jacket was standing in front of it, a smile spreading across his wrinkled face.

“It is so nice to finally meet you!” he said happily, shaking her hand respectfully.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Arno. I’ve heard a lot about you over the years.”

“What?”

“Just go through this door. I’ll give you two some time alone.”

“Give-who now? Who’s through this door?”

“Go on. She’s waiting for you.” Edgar encouraged, gesturing to the door.

The woman took a deep breath and stepped into the office.

There was a young woman with long blonde hair standing there, her back to her, apparently looking at an interesting portrait with a tree on it.

“Hello? You… wanted to see me?”

The girl turned around, causing the old woman’s eyes to grow wide.

“Lily?”

Lily smiled and opened her arms wide.

“Hi Mom. I’m so happy to see you again…”