The Untold Story of a Grim Reaper: Chapter 12: Ethel & Julius

It had been a few, silent minutes before the vulture recovered and was back on its feet. Lilli had relaxed and stretched her wings out, “It’s fine, we’ll talk later. I’ll explain when I get back.”

Before I could respond she took off and left me alone with my crow. I collected a set of questions and concerns in my thoughts and tried to organize them so, when I saw her again, I would have a well articulated complaint and set of demands to if we were going to be friends. 

Relieved I wasn’t in any danger, I sat and decided to lie flat on my back. I was a strange kind of tired, more emotionally exhausted than physically.

I heard voices from a couple yards from me and sat up. I realized I was in someone’s backyard. My anxiety rose as I worried if the people on the house had seen everything. I assumed what Benzion had said about it being impossible to reveal myself had played into effect since the earth didn’t rip open and suck me in.

“Are you alright?” A middle-aged woman sprang from the house, waving her hand as if it wasn’t clear I was looking straight at her.

I stood up and brushed the dirt from my pants, “Yes, I’m fine.”

She slowed down and breathed hard to catch her breath, “Well you were laying on the ground as if someone knocked you over. What are you doing back here?”

I quickly thought of a cover, “My bird flew into your pond, I ran over to come get it.”

“Your bird?”

My crow flew from behind the bush and landed in my open hands. 

It adjusted itself on my arm, “Yep, here it is.”

“A crow? Dear, those things carry germs. Please, come inside and wash-up.” She gestured for me to come in, “Please, dear, put down the crow.”

I looked down at my spirit and it gave me an approving nod. It pushed itself off my arm and soared toward the roof of the house. 

“Alright, I’m coming.” 

I looked down at my clothes and discovered I was covered in wet dirt and grime. I stepped onto the back porch. the woman introduced herself, “I’m Ethel.”

I smiled, “I’m Noa.”

“What a pretty name. Come in, Noa.” 

I followed her gesture and I walked into a well-decorated cottage home. White-wooded flooring and knick-knacks scattered on the white walls. An older man, about Ethel’s age, sat at the kitchen table reading a book. He broke his stare from his story and seemed less than enthusiastic about my presence, “Ethel, how did she even get in our backyard?” 

I looked out the screen and a saw tall wooden fence surrounding the lawn, “I climbed over. I’m… athletic.”

“Oh, Julius she lost her pet in our yard and had to get it. She’s a mess though and I don’t want her going home all messy,” Ethel was taking towels from a cupboard and handed them to me, “I’ll pour you some tea while you dry off. What school do you go to?”

“Mortimer Private High”

She adjusted her glassed, “Oh my, that’s about seven miles from here.”

Ethel went to her cupboards to pick me out a cup. I studied my surroundings and was taken off-guard by two small boys standing in the living room side by side. Hands tucked behind their back, they giggled to one another. Their hair was brown and long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail. Their clothes rather formal. I guess they were their grandchildren because Ethel and Julius seemed too old to have children as young as them. 

I waved to them, “Hi, what are your names?”

I turned to Julius as he huffed, “We already told you. I’m Julius. She’s Ethel.”

“No, I meant,” I looked back to the living room but the children were gone, I stammered, “The two little boys… With ponytails. They were laughing.”

Ethel handed me the tea and worriedly touched my forehead, “I think you might have caught something.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, speaking of people that aren’t there sure isn’t a good sign.”

I felt queazy, for by my heart and soul I knew those boys were there. I knew that as death nothing was a figment of my imagination, everything existed and existed with a purpose. They were real. And they knew something I didn’t. 

I stuttered, “I’m sorry, yes, I do feel a bit ill.”

“Well, you feel absolutely out of sorts. I can’t even find a temperature.”

I tensed a little in memory of Jonah’s comment to my temperature. 

Cup of tea at hand, she stepped away and picked up the phone hanging from the wall, “We need to call your parents.” She stopped and pondered a thought, “How did you get all the way down here anyhow? Don’t you live near the school?”

I nodded but a thought occurred to me as well and without thinking it over I pursued it, “Can you two please look at me.” Confused they lowered their cups of tea and exchanged looks, “Look at me and don’t say a word.” Their eyes dilated, Ethel dropped the phone and both dropped their cups. “You two adopted me four days ago. You both love me and wanted me as your daughter. I’m an orphan who’s been alone all my life and you two are the only family I have. I attend Mortimer Private High and… am a straight A student,” I turned to Ethel, “Ethel, please go to the store and buy me a closet full of new clothes for school.” I turned to Julius, “Julius, please find me a birdcage.”

I sat down at the table and was swarmed with guilt. Thinking how awful it was of me to take advantage of these people, but it was not as bad as replacing a dead child. They stood, staring straight ahead, blinking very hard and fidgeted with their hands. Their eyes readjusted as they swapped glances again. 

Ethel looked down and saw all the spilt tea, “Oh, dear, what a mess.”

“I’ll clean it up.” I got up from my chair and used one of the towels Ethel had handed me.

“Okay, that reminds me. I’m heading to the store to pick you up some new clothes. Just don’t get them all dirty and torn up. Just look at your clothes now.”

“Sorry bout that… mom…” I felt like I was betraying my real mother.

“Well, you’re adjusting. Things like this happen. We’re just happy you’re here.”

I soaked up all the tea from the floor and table but the guilt wasn’t so easy to wipe away.

I just need a place to stay, I don’t want to change their entire lives. 

I put away their dishes to idle my mind with something else to focus on. Trying my best to ease the shame.

Julius stood up from his chair and placed his book on a nearby shelf, “I’m going to go get you that birdcage I’ve been promising you.”

“Thanks so much, Julius.”

He patted my shoulder and smiled, “Please, Noa, call me dad.” 

I returned the smile and waved as he collected his things and headed for the front door. 

I stared back at the living room where the giggling boys stood. Trying to recall everything about them to bring up later to Eliakim, or even Lilli.

To shake the eerie vibe from my thoughts, I gave myself the liberty to explore the house since I was a new resident to. The house was quite neat; by looking at the photos I could tell they had children who already graduated college. I just hoped I wouldn’t have to confront them and manipulate their memories. I’m sure I’m killing their many brain cells and acts of free will by doing this to them.

I searched for the room that I would sleep in; out of the five one of them was clearly made to be a guest room. Meaning it was vacant and now it was mine. I found the shower closest to the room and collected the towels Ethel had brought out earlier. I neatly folded my clothes on my new bed and wrapped myself in a large blue towel.

The shower was nice looking. It was simple but the showerhead looked expensive. I turned the water on but the temperature meant nothing. It was a different sensation than I was familiar with. Hot or cold were not the right words to label how my flesh reacted to the water. I rubbed the dirt off my pale skin and sat down with the shower still running. I clogged the drain with my foot and let the water fill around me. 

I daydreamed about my future and reflected on the people I had met in my new life. Jonah and Aaron, Camilla and Jessie, The Gelof Triplets, Salvatore, Lilli, and now Julius and Ethel. They each strummed on my heartstrings and I found myself already growing very attached to each of them in a different way.

More than anything, I wanted to be able to sleep. Just to have the bliss of a dream… or even a nightmare.

I must have stayed in the shower for quite some time because the water had risen close to the edge of the tub. I released my foot from the drain and continued sitting as the water around me depleted. When the tub had finally emptied and all that was left was the running showerhead, I decided it was time to get out.

I thoroughly dried myself and shook my head like a dog. I used the extra towel I had with me to dry any water that dripped off onto the bathroom floor. I tightly wrapped my self in the large, blue towel again as I heard the front door open and shut. The sound of car keys being hung up on a wall-hanger filled the house. I poked my head down the stairs and politely requested for the new clothes she had bought. She handed three bags up to me and told me dinner would be ready in an hour. I smiled and nodded. 

I felt a bit silly on how excited I was to hang up and try on these new clothes. It was the same feeling when my mom would surprise me with new clothes for school and, yet again, I felt like I was betraying the memory of my mother by replacing her. 

They were exactly the right size and what I wanted too. Out of the dozens of clothes I folded, hung, and put away; I decided to put on a white shirt decorated with small flowers embroidered on the collar. The skirt was burgundy and hung above my knees. The shoes were simple and comfortable for strolling around the house. And with my newfound wardrobe I headed to the kitchen to join my new family for dinner.

The circular table had five chairs surrounding it but three placemats were laid out. Organized with two plates and silverware on each mat. Ethel had her head buried in spices trying to decide how to finish her dish. 

I tapped her on the shoulder, “Anything I can help out with?”

Ethel smiled at me, “No, shoo, I want you to just relax. Get you and your father a glass. Start preparing the drinks.”

For this moment in time, I granted myself permission to act is if everything was as it should be. I cheerfully strutted to the cupboard and chose two glasses. I set them on the table and headed towards the fridge. I took out a carton of milk and orange juice, unsure of what Julius might want. 

I was just about to close the fridge door when I heard a tap at the backdoor. I turned around to find Lilli standing on the back porch with her hands covered in blood.