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The Reaper 
by Kathleen McCluskey 

The Grim Reaper sighed loudly as he walked through the beautiful dark realm. He had become complacent and unfulfilled as he ushered the many dead across the barren wasteland. it was the bleak underworld and his sheer existence that made him melancholy. His thoughts drifted to the glorious world of the living and how his visits to that domain were always brief. The sights, sounds and smells intrigued him. The reapers never lived on the uppermost level with the living; they only encountered them when their souls had left their biological selves behind. He longed to remove himself from the grip of the somber overlord that dwelled within. The master of his confine was a being that every reaper feared. The authoritarian was terrifying; his absolute power to eradicate reapers as he fancied made them all do exactly what was asked.

A voice from beyond called to him; its deep grumbly voice resonated in the reaper’s chest. He went to one knee and bowed his head. He waited to be punished for having thoughts of the humans and their world. He braced himself for the inevitable. He thought to himself, “This is it. This is how it all ends.” The reaper continued to kneel as the voice began again.

“I am the ruler of this inferno. I am the one that is the beginning and the end in this realm. How dare you fantasize about the living world. I am guessing this world is no longer good enough for you?” The dark master appeared before the reaper. He dared not look his king in the face. “Look at me you pathetic reaper. This burnt world seems to not be to your liking.” The reaper stood and looked at the absolute ruler of this domain, he stumbled backwards as the two beings’ eyes met. The ruler of the underworld’s eyes glowed like the fire of the sun. The reaper had to squint his own eyes. He lifted a scarred and burned arm to shield his eyes. The master touched the reaper and they vanished.

They reappeared near the glowing circular gate to the upper world. The reaper was momentarily elated at the chance to go to the surface. The dark lord spoke again, “You don’t think this domain is good enough for you? I will show you pain. I will show you suffering. I will show you to obey. You don’t like this desolation; the warmth and flames?” He pushed the reaper into the circle. He briefly screamed and vanished. He appeared onto a plane far worse than the searing fires of his past; he stepped out onto a frozen, barren wasteland. His destiny was sealed.

There are always places far worse than the ones you find yourself.

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Fiction © Copyright Kathleen McCluskey
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

More from Kathleen McCluskey:

The Long Fall: Book 1: The Inception of Horror

Lucifer always cunning and intelligent challenges father to a battle of wits. Being the angel of light he casts a judgemental eye upon mankind. He begins a war with his fellow archangels and God. Michael, along with his siblings defend their home and mankind from their deranged brother. Broad swords and hand to hand combat drench heaven in blood. The four apocalyptic steeds are released, each having their own destructive power. Betrayal and lust are at biblical levels. Understand the very creation of evil and the consequenses that transpire in the first of THE LONG FALL series.

Available on Amazon!