Chapter 1 - Don't Fear the Reaper

30 pictures. Triggers of domestic violence, animal abuse/death, suicidal ideation and generalised wankery.




In the cold, Northern town of Alpine Valley, there resided a witch and her two horses, a cat and her consort. She was happy, and content - or so she thought he was. Things were good at first, the consort was cheerful, happy, and loving.

Then, when circumstances and her employment required it, they moved from Alpine Valley to Twinbrook, and all hell broke loose. The consort felt he didn't have to play nice anymore, and the real claws came out. The witch endured the abuse the best she could, but one summer night, she had had enough.

The small house at the edge of the reclaimed bayou rang with shouts. Sean was at it again, arguing with his mistress.

"I don't see why we moved down here! The weather sucks, and all you do is write and do your hoodoovoodoo crap! You did this on purpose, to take me away from my dealers!" the tall, thin man shouted.

"Oh yes, Sean, it's alllllll about you. You didn't think uprooting myself from a cold, comfortable climate to this hot hellhole was my idea? I had to go where the jobs are and where we can afford to live! Maybe if you got a JOB..." Karena snapped.



'You know I can't get one here, because everyone hates me!" Sean whinged.

"Gee, I wonder why." Karena said icily. "You've only been an absolute shit since we got here."

"No, this is all your fault, and I'm going to make you pay for it. Better not fall asleep tonight!" Sean threatened.

"What? You're actually threatening me?" Karena scoffed.


Karena did not anticipate the first blow, but the second one she dodged. Ears ringing, she backed away from Sean, her face a picture of fear.

"Stop it! Just stop it!" she cried.


Sean raised his arm again and feinted a punch, delighting in the way his girlfriend shuddered in terror. Grinning in diabolic glee, he continued to heap verbal abuse on her.



"Like I said, you'd better not sleep tonight. That's just a preview. There are other ways I can hurt you, and I will." Sean threatened as he stalked out of the bedroom and towards the front door. He had a lead on some good weed in the area, and he was going to score tonight, one way or another. Fuck that stupid witch and her stupid animals, he thought darkly.

Karena's small gray familiar paused in mid-lick as he saw Sean come out of the bedroom. Debating whether or not he should run and hide, the cat seemed to freeze in place. There was a darkness about the consort tonight.

The small cat suddenly had the urge to cough, and cursed his hairball as the noise alerted Sean to his whereabouts.

"There you are, you rotten bag of bones." Sean snarled as he approached the cat.

Sean tried to kick the cat, but the cat was quicker, and several large, bloody stripes were applied to Sean's shins before he was able to retaliate and kick the cat, hard, into the wall, where the animal landed with a loud thump and did not move.

Satisfied, Sean stole the keys of Karena's car and made for the hookup.

Karena heard the thump and was terrified. She rushed out of the bedroom to pick up her stunned and injured cat, who mewled piteously at her, his lower fangs broken and bloody. 

Setting the cat down gently on the chair, Karena ran into the kitchen to brew the healing tea recipe she had found under the floorboards of this rickety old house, hoping it would work.

While she was waiting for the tea to cool, however, the small cat had passed away. Devastated, Karena could not control the emotions that flowed through her.

She ran for her small hut at the back of the house, where she kept her emergency cell phone. She called the police, then turned to her magic mirror.

With a sigil in her own blood smeared across the glass, she called for the Grim Reaper and an avenging archangel to come.Enough was enough, she thought.


Karena positioned the little cat on his favorite chair, and cried some more. She could tolerate the abuse if it was on her, but to attack her familiar was too much. Hopefully, they'd find Sean and haul him away for good. Thank god she had never married the jackass; she thought. Everything was in her name, so with some legal help, it would be easy to permanently ban him from coming anywhere near her.

She had dealt with the local cops here before, on several occasions. The last time, Officer Racket had offered to draw up some paperwork that would help should things "come t'a head", as he had told her in his soft Bayou drawl.

A knock at the door interrupted her tearful reverie. She crossed the room and on the threshold, there stood a small, pale, skeletally-thin man, which surprised her, as she was expecting Officer Racket first.

"Can I help you?" Karena asked.

"You called me. Can I help you? " the man replied, his voice like the leaves in autumn.


"Death? Is it really you?" Karena asked.

"In the... flesh, as it were, madam. What is your request?" Death intoned.

"I... I need you to return my cat's soul. He didn't deserve this fate. I'll... I'll do anything. Give you mine in exchange. I'm ready to go." Karena sobbed.

Death stared at the middle-aged woman before him with an air of concern. He'd seen auras like this only too many times; tattered and torn at the edges, barely holding on to the meat-sack they occupied. It bothered him each and every time he saw it; knowing that it was usually the result of the world they occupied, and the society they lived in. It had not changed in eons, and was unlikely to change.

"Where is the body?" he asked.

"In the bedroom, on his little chair." Karena murmured.

Death took a deep breath in and exhaled through his nose. He did not relish this job one bit, despite having held it for millennia.

Death sighed and entered the room where the little cat's body lay; but his vision was drawn to the side table by the bed, where he noticed items familiar to his trade residing.

Normally, someone self-reaping didn't bother him. Less work for him to do. But this one did, for some reason. He'd wait until the archangel summoned finally appeared before addressing the cat. Reaping was his game, not returning souls. He hadn't done that since the Winchester brothers, and he wasn't about to do that shit again.

 
Death came back out of the bedroom, a look of concern on his face.

"Madam, what would be the point in taking your soul for the soul of your cat? You have three lives depending on you, and have already lost one in Alpine Valley. Yes, yes, I know that one was not your fault."

"How did you know?" Karena asked.

"Madam, I am Death. I know all. I am older than your Gods. I unfortunately cannot return your cat's soul to him. I vowed I would not do such a thing again, unless under very different circumstances."

"Oh. Then... then... can you make sure he's well taken care of when you take him? He was such a good little cat." Karena whispered.

Death folded his arms and looked at the mortal in front of him. It felt wrong to him, to leave her without her small feline companion. He sighed and resigned himself to wait for the Archangel.

"We are waiting for the archangel you summoned. We will decide then." Death said.

With that sentence, a light grew behind the bedroom door, and a small, red-haired man came out, with the little gray cat held in his arms, alive and well.

"You rang, child?" the archangel asked. "I would assume this is the miracle you wished me to perform. This small puma told me everything. We need to get you out of here." the archangel said.

"Gabriel; I should have known." Death grumbled.

"Yes yes, hello to you too, Grim. Whatsa matter? Got burned with the Winchesters and have performance anxiety? This is something you could have done, easy. Didn't need for this daughter of Eve to make with the blood sigil and everything." Gabriel prattled on.

Karena turned to Death and gave him the look she usually reserved for people trying to "scam the psychic."

"You told me... you couldn't resurrect him. What kind of game are you playing, Grim?" she said softly, but menacingly.

"Madam, I assure you.... ... you...." Death stuttered as he saw the woman's aura increase exponentially. He hadn't seen THAT since that small town in France, in the 1600s.

"Not a Daughter of Eve." Gabriel sighed, still holding the cat.

"No, I am not. I serve other Gods." Karena replied.

Death looked through the woman's body, into her soul; blinking twice as he recognized the connection. Same bloodline, he thought.

"You carry a heavy burden, Madame." Death said.

"Heavier than you'll know, Reaper." Karena replied.

"I believe Gabriel is right. We need to get you out of here, into a safer home. This one is not fit for you and your abilities. The swamp is sucking you in, figuratively." Death explained.

"But where?" Karena asked.

"I just Reaped a couple with no children, no will, but a huge home on top of the highest hill here. It will be ideal for you to continue doing what it is that you do. Just..... don't mess with the local Reapers. They get testy, and then they'll complain to me."

"I'm not grokking what you're putting down, Grim." Karena said.

"What?" asked Death.

"What do you mean, are you going to just move me into that vacant place?"

"Yes, I know a lady who will be more than delighted with the commission." Death replied.

Officer Racket arrived 15 minutes later, and took down the report, leaving to look for Sean. He did not see the two additional entities in the house, as they remained in the back room, out of sight.

They remained in the home for three days while the logistics of the house transfer were worked out; the same realtor who sold the place acquired the house Karena had lived in, and the horses and few pieces of important furniture were moved into the new abode.

"Quite the swanky digs, here. What am I going to do with such a large house?" Karena asked her two immortal companions, holding the reins of her horses.

"While you were sleeping, Gabriel did some checking of the area, and I did some reading of your life file upstairs. Turns out there's a reason for you coming down here." Death said.

"As it was writ in Ecclesiastes, hell-ooooo...." Gabriel drawled sarcastically.

Death grunted. "Never mind him. Madam, how long have you been able to talk to the dead?"



"Um, all my life, why?" Karena replied.


"That's it! This town lured you here for a reason. What is Twinbrook known for?" Death asked.

"Um, dark voodoo and zombies; and curses." Karena replied.

"Wow, what a winning town." Gabriel muttered.

"Exactly. Something is about to come to a head here, and you're going to be the antibiotic that clears up the infection, like... boric acid and Leviathan."

"What?" Karena stammered.

"Never mind, let's get your horses settled." Death said.

"Quite a few stalls for just two horses, Death." Karena murmured.

"You'll need them, trust me." Death replied.

The Grim Reaper went on to describe, as best he could, the situation that was developing in Twinbrook, and to an extent, what he knew Karena's job to be, without revealing too much of what he had learned.

Gabriel had warned him not to be too forward with the information, as some of the things that needed to happen needed to do so organically, without interference from Karena. The Archangel was being not his usual mirthful self lately.

"I will be giving you a book that will let you know what you need to, with some more effective spells than you've been using. I need you to start getting to know the people better in the area; with the assignment you are going to be working on, a good rapport with the locals will be essential. Sean is still out there, so you will also need to work with that knowledge. I managed to get him imprisoned for a good 1-2 years with a little... planting of evidence." Death explained.

Karena gave Death a confused look.

"Okay, I'll do what you ask, but you have to tell me - what assignment do you have in store for me?" Karena asked.

"It's more of a task, a tit for tat. Self-reaping, you know, carries consequences. In order for you to avoid said consequences, I'm binding your soul to this spot, and to the tasks I'm assigning you. It is either this path, or the Empty. Do you understand?" Death murmured softly, to lessen the blow.

"I.... I do." Karena said sadly.

"Don't worry, this won't be a hard task that I ask of you. It may even be rather enjoyable, at least some parts, that is." Death tried to cheer Karena up.

"I'll be back from time to time, or send one of my brothers, to check on you. Don't let this musty old Reaper scare you." Gabriel said, turning Karena away from Death for a moment.

"You humans have always been my favorite of Dad's creations to watch; and I know that you, in particular, have a preference for me personally." he continued.

"That's true, Gabriel; though this form of yours I'm not that familiar with. I've always interacted with you as an energy before, not... like this." Karena admitted.

"It's a borrowed form; you may recognize it as a different pantheon's deity." Gabriel explained.

"Yes, Loki. So, does that mean the Old Gods are just forms you  and other hosts take or...." Karena asked.

"Oh, no, they're real. Though their followers are few and far between. They know you, for example." Gabriel said.

Death harrumphed and suggested the three go to the greenhouse, where there were some plants that he'd need to use to implement the next phase of his plans.

"Oh, these are Death Flowers!" Karena exclaimed. "I've been looking for these for a long time! I can make ambrosia and...."

Death held up his hand and Karena stopped suddenly.

"These have other uses. Which we will see, in time."

Gabriel scowled as he knew what Death was planning. An easy assignment, my ass, he thought.

"There are eight flowers here. Make sure you cut them with a bolline, and then hand them to me. The plants will grow back when watered from water collected in the local mausoleum." Death said.

Karena nodded her head, and left to get her white-handled harvesting sickle from her box of magical items.

Returning to the greenhouse, she stopped as she heard a hissed conversation between the archangel and the reaper.

"... and I'm saying that you bring those two back first, and the other one second. She doesn't need that kind of annoyance so soon after what just happened." Gabriel sounded angry.

"...and  I'm telling you, archangel, that bringing him in first is exactly what she needs. It will take more energy to bring the other two, their horses and that damn dog he insists on bringing everywhere." Death hissed back.

".... and so I've gotta be the one to yank them out of the Heavenly Hilton and bring them here? I haven't been up there in EONS."

Karena coughed outside the greenhouse, and the two stopped mid-conversation.

The two men watched as Karena carefully cut the death flowers and gathered them into a bundle.

"Excellent. Now, you two follow me and we'll get this going." Death said.

In a small spot just outside the greenhouse, Death directed Karena to put the death flowers down on the ground and take up her wand.

"Now, it's time to repeat after me." Death said, drawing a summoning sigil in the air.

"Spirits of the past, I beseech thee,
Find favor with mine call and summons,
On the seven winds I beg thee travel,
And greet me in mine presence,
For a speaking of things that need bespoke,
From this moment hence,
Thy powers do I wish invoke,
For things that need be done."

A blinding flash light up the night sky, striking the spot where the flowers were placed. The group stepped back, continuing the summoning spell and sigils; Gabriel rolling his eyes at the superfluous show.

When the flash disappeared, a strange plant appeared where the flowers once were.

"Well, shit. That wasn't what was supposed to happen." Death muttered.

"You think? Pfft, must I do everything?" Gabriel groused.

"Damn, it was supposed to be a portal, not this... this... whatever it is." Death explained to Karena.

"Oh. Maybe I did something wrong?" Karena asked.

"No, no, it wasn't you, child. Grim has not done life spells in a very long time." Gabriel said.

"So what happens now?" Karena said.

"Yeah, Grim, what happens now?" Gabriel asked sarcastically.

"I'll... I'll be right back." Death stammered, clearly upset.

With a muffled pop, Death disappeared, leaving Karena and Gabriel in front of the odd plant.

"This has a strange energy, don't you see it?" asked Karena.

Gabriel looked hard at the plant, which was beginning to glow, a beam extending to the Heavens. He looked up and saw a Solomon Key forming in the clouds.

"Ah, shit. It IS a portal. Just like Grim to bugger off right when we need him. Don't say another word, child. I'll go get that dried up old fossil immediately. Just... stay here."

With that, the archangel disappeared, leaving Karena to stare at the plant, which had started to glow brighter and hum.