Are you ready? Death asked.
Ever nodded. He floated in place in one of the hospital courtyards, holding the scythe upright. One of the nurses with hair greying at her temples had wheeled out an older patient to get some sunshine. She was looking lingeringly in his direction - or was she looking at him?
Get set…
Ever waited, but nothing happened.
You’re meant to get into position to launch.
Ever pursed his lips but obeyed his mentor.
Go!
He rocketed up, leaving no trail behind. The earth got smaller and smaller under him, almost as if he dropped it out of his pocket. After Death took him straight up for a couple minutes, he stopped.
*Mentor? Is there another soul to reap in the skies?*
Yes - but not like Sally. Hold on, let me just see if I can find it… Ever looked around at the cloud cover beneath him, waiting. Ah yes, there it is. OK, hold on.
Death pulled Ever at a ripping speed, this time horizontally. He weaved up and down through the clouds, until ahead he could see a commercial airplane, its back fin painted red with a white kangaroo on it.
*Oh…*
Yep, Death said, grimly. It happens. Gregory didn’t make it on time.
Moments later, Ever was in the cabin. He kept the scythe vertical so as to not touch any of the passengers. He floated up, pressing himself flat against the low ceiling to let an air attendant pass him with a trolley before continuing through.
Ever found Gregory in first class. His hands were folded across his tummy, head lolling to one side, mouth slightly open. There was a jolt as the plane begun its descent. The turbulence shook the soul out of the body. He opened his eyes.
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“Oh, I’m finally here.” He stretched, frowning.
“Hi Gregory,” Ever said, looking down at him. “I’m Ever, Death’s apprentice.”
Gregory looked up. He caught sight of the scythe, realization dawning on him. “No… no, no, no!” He floated up, looking at his cooling body. “Damn it!”
“Your daughter was looking forward to seeing you.”
“Yeah, I was looking forward to seeing her too, and my granddaughter. Damn it.” He put his hands on his hips, kicking his own body as if it were a car that decided to break down on the way to work.
Ever floated up as a red-lipped air hostess came from behind. “Sir,” she said, shaking Gregory’s shoulder gently, “sir we’re about to land, could you please put your seat up?” She shook him a bit more insistently. After ten seconds of this, she dropped her hands and slid two fingers to his wrist. She stood up suddenly, taking a half step back before turning and hurrying away.
It’s going to be a bit hectic here soon, better get a move on, Death urged.
*Yes, Mentor.*
“Gregory,” Ever said, “What has to happen before you can peacefully move on?”
Gregory raked his hand through his thin, gray hair. “I would have loved to have kissed my daughter on the head and held my granddaughter, but I ran out of time. If only I came a day earlier.”
The noise in the cabin had no effect on the scythe, which had heard Gregory's request. From a soft glow, it came to life, casting its otherworldly light over Ever and Gregory:
SENSES
—--
—--
Touch
Sight
—--
Ever looked at the options. He did say that he wanted to kiss and hug them… He chose ‘Touch’. The scythe trembled, glowed red, shook left and right rapidly before returning to normal. Did it just reject my choice? Gregory looked at Ever mournfully. Behind him, the first air hostess was back, this time with a second, holding an electric defibrillator set.
Ever, hurry up! Death pressed.
Ever brought up the scythe menu again, this time selecting ‘Sight’. Seemingly content with this choice, the scythe pulsed once then shrunk down to a little, square piece of film. It dropped into Gregory’s waiting hands. While the air hostesses hurriedly unbuttoned Gregory’s shirt, sticking the defibrillator pads on his chest, his ghost tears shimmered in the air, winking out of existence seconds after the soul took his first steps in the Underworld.
