The cold breeze blew right through Mallory's clothes as she continues to hug herself for warmth in the chilly weather. She could feel the hairs on her arm raised and the bite of the wind had left its mark in the form of small bumps that were tingling on her arms. "What a cold night." She said looking at the moon that hides behind the night sky. If anyone could see her right now, she could easily be mistaken as a walking zombie as she starts to feel fatigue about to overtake her.
Out of nowhere, a bright white light completely blinds her and just as suddenly, her vision turns black. "Huh?"
"Where am I?" In the pitch-black darkness, she suddenly sees scenes flying past her. It's just like she's watching an old movie except it's about her harsh, unlucky life.
At the age of five, Mallory was left alone in front of an orphanage one night and since then she never saw her parents again. "Hey, look! It's the ugly orphan, Mallory!"
"Haha! You're so ugly even your parents don't want you!"
For some reason she never understands why people don't like her. No matter how much she tried to be nice to everyone, they never accepted her. "Ugly! Ugly!"
She learned that there is nothing good in fighting back the bullies. As the more she fights back, the harder they push her to the ground. It hurts to see that people wants her to disappear even though she did nothing to offend them. "Why?"
"Is it too much to ask to be your friend?"
"Whoops! Is this your bag, Mallory?"
"Aww! I'm so sorry for dropping it in the pool." Mallory cried silently as she watches her school things sinks deep into the pool.
"Don't worry. I'm sure your parents can get you a new one, right?"
"Oh, wait! You don't have any! Hahaha!"
Once they left her alone, she dove into the pool to get back all of her things. Her tears disappeared along with the pool water but the pain stayed for so long. "I just want to die."
When the time comes that she was old enough to leave the orphanage, she did various part-time jobs. It was nice to live independently but once again, life brought her down. "Please! I beg you. I just lost my apartment!"
"Please, don't do this to me. I have nowhere else to go!" She pleaded the manager.
"I don't care! You're fired!"
"I'm begging you, sir!" She winced painfully, falling on the tar road.
"I wouldn't hesitate to call the cops if I see your face around here again!" He shouted.
And just like that, her life starts to crumbled into nothingness again. She kept walking aimlessly down the dark alleyway hoping to see any glimmer of hope but to be honest she just wants all the pain to end already.
Once the dreamlike movie ends, she heard distant voices. Mallory flutter her eyes open to see an unfamiliar place. "Oww. Where the heck am I?" She quickly sit up, head whipping left and right.
'Wait, this is not the alley!' She thought.
Sitting in the middle of huge gates, she tried to look for someone who could help her. "How did I even get here?" She gulps nervously when she sees two figures arguing in the distance. She leans closer, trying to hear them. Based on their deep voice, they are both males.
"Why can't you trust me just like the old times?"
"Why are you wasting your hard earned wish for useless things? Do you even realize how serious your request is?"
"You said you would grant me any wish, Damon."
"Then with all due respect, this is my only wish." Both of them are locked in an intense staring contest.
"Since you seem sure, I will grant your wish but only under one condition." The moment the other man nods, Mallory can't hear them anymore.
'Damn it! Just when it gets to the good part.' She rolled her eyes as she continues to look around the surrondings.
The two men move to shake their hands then lights suddenly swirl around them. Mallory can feel something strange between the two men like power is emitting from them.
'Oh, I'm dreaming. I am definitely dreaming!' She tried to rub her eyes to see if she was dreaming or not.
When the light show is finally over, the man named Damon waves his hand and a round portal appears in from of him. He disappears into it, leaving the other man alone.
'Is portal even a normal thing?'
Mallory clamps her mouth shut when the other man turns his head in her direction and strides quickly towards her. 'Oh no no no! I've been caught, his going to kill me for eavesdropping!' She quickly tried to get up but a strong force just pushes her down.
"Huh? Why can't I move?" I whisper angrily.
She sighed and just decided to gives up on trying to get up as she put her hands up into fists. 'If I can't run, then at least I can put a fight!' The moment the man steps in front of her, Mallory put on her toughest face and voice. "I'm warning you! Don't go near me or else I will punch you!" He stares at her with wide eyes for a few seconds bursts into a laugh.
"I'm glad to see you're in good spirits!" He gives her a gentle smile before waving his hand around and then Mallory's body suddenly feels lighter.
'What's going on? How I can feel I just feel my legs now?'
"You couldn't get up just now, right? I'm really sorry but I placed a binding spell so you wouldn't wander off." Mallory stares at him in confusion. His gentle smile still hasn't left his lips.
He offers his hand to Mallory. "Let me help you up, at least, as an apology."
She hesitantly place her hand in his. "There we go. How are you feeling?" He said after easily pulling her to stand upright.
"Okay I guess. I'm not really sure. Anyway, where am I? What is this place? How did I even get here? And most importantly who are you?"
"Whoa, whoa. One at a time please. Just take a deep breath for now."
"Not until you tell me where I am!" The stranger smile trembles a little. Mallory can feel a hint of sadness in his eyes as he looks at her intensely.
"There's no other way around this. Mallory you just passed away and this is the afterlife." She blink at him a few times, waiting for him to say this is all a prank but seeing his sad smile and this strange place, it must be true.
'So I really am dead.' She take a deep, shaky breath to brace herself for what's coming.
"If this is the afterlife, then that means you are?"
"Ah! Forgive me for being rude. I am the Grim Reaper." Hearing his confident answer and title just confirms it all.
Mallory square up her shoulders facing him readily. She don't feel a shred of hesitance. "This is where I belong..." She whispered.
"I see. In that case, I fully accept my passing. I'm ready to move to the other side." She was expecting him to start reading her sins and good deeds but instead, he just stares at her.
The intense stare is making her feel a little self-conscious. "Uh- did I say something wrong?"
He blinks a few times as if she just woken him up. "No, it's no wrong but I am a little surprised. Most young people have hard time accepting this. You're practically the first young person to take this news well."
"O-oh! Thank you?" She said, thinking it was a compliment.
"Am I overstepping if I want to know the reason?" She look at him for a moment. Mallory is a little hesitant but this is the Grim Reaper. This is probably the last person she'll talk to. Well sort of.
She give him a small smile. "I don't have anything to live for. Whether I'm dead today, tomorrow or ten years from now on. No one would even notice. No one would even care or cry. I have no blood ties, friends, home and most of all I have no purpose in life. So why should I waste any more time there? That's why I don't mind moving to the other side." Mallory look deeply into his eyes. She wants to know that she really have no regrets - she's ready to die.
The Grim Reaper studies her carefully as he moves another step towards her. Mallory immediately notice his beautiful kind face. There's some sort of an ethereal feeling surrounding him. 'Well that's not something I'd expect from a Grim Reaper!'
After a moment, he breaks their staring contest with another smile. "As much as I am touched by your honesty, we have a small problem."
"Hmm? What's the problem?"
"Well, to put it bluntly, we made a mistake."
"Uh, what kind of mistake? I am dead, right?"
"Yes… and also no." Mallory tilt her head to the side, looking in confusion.
"To put it simply, you are scheduled to die… but not today. It's supposed to be a hundred days from now on."
"What difference does it make?"
"Everything..." The Reaper continued. "Did you ever heard of stories where people have a near-death experiences? You could say this is one of those cases."
"So what happens if I die right now?"
"It would cause an imbalance between life and death. I would also be in big trouble if the council finds out about this." Mallory nod slowly, doing her best to process his words. Before she can ask another question, he continues…
"But not to worry! I already talked to the King of Hell about this and cut a deal with him."
"The King of WHAT?"
"The other man you saw earlier is Damon, the king of Hell."
"He's given me a permission to revive you for the next hundred days!" He smiles as if he had just done Mallory a huge favor.
Once again, he continues before Mallory can utter a word. "I know it's not a long time but you can make use of those days to the fullest! Maybe you can even start doing things you always wanted. Oh! And as an apology for my grave mistake. I'll gladly look after you for the next hundred days." He has such an excited and earnest smile.
She feel awful for feeling this way but still, Mallory have to stand on my ground. For once, at least… "This is really nice of you but you don't need to go so far for me. I really don't mind dying early." Mallory give him her sincerest smile.
'Please, just end my suffering.' She pleaded silently.
The Reaper's beautiful grey eyes dig deep into hers. "Don't worry, Mallory. I promise to watch over you very carefully this time, okay?" For a split second, she can see his eyes turn sad before a warm smile quickly masks it and that is the last thing she see as the darkness clouds her vision once again.
'What did he mean by this time?'
"Miss, please wake up!"
"Uhhh."
"Miss, can you hear me? Please say something!" Mallory heard a distant masculine voice getting louder.
Her eyes flutter open again and thr first thing she see is an attractive man but it's not the Grim Reaper this time.
'Why do I like I've seen him before somewhere?' She thought to herself as she see that his face is in a panic. She quickly sit up to take in her surroundings.
'What? How am I back in the alleyway? Was it all a dream? But why does it felt so real?'
"Miss, are you alright?" She turn her head back to look at the man. His eyes are wide in shock. She's in such a daze that it takes her a while to recognize that stranger is the famous actor, Axel.
She stand up quickly, hoping the sudden rush will wake her from this long dream. 'Just what is wrong with me tonight?!'
The strange night doesn't stop there. The Grim Reaper suddenly appears out of nowhere next to Axel. Her wide eyes look between him and the famous actor. The Reaper responds by placing his finger on his secretive smile. "Don't worry. He can't see me, only you can."
"H-how?"
"You seem a little confused. This man here is the reason you just died a few minutes ago." The Reaper nods at something behind her shoulder. Mallory turn to see a car with the engine still running and a pair of headlights lighting up the alleyway. Now she turn to study the fear-stricken look in Axel's face. When she meet the Reaper's eyes next, he only gives her a nod.
"I'm not going to tell you what to do or say but if you want my advice. Why don't you start living your life the way you want for a change?" In an instant, he vanishes into thin air once again. Only his words and playful wink stay with her.
"Miss are you hurt anywhere? I can take you somewhere to heal any injury." She snap back to reality and eye the nervous man. He approaches Mallory hesitantly as if afraid she might run away.
'What does he mean somewhere?'
"For your information, I'm not hurt anywhere but even so shouldn't you be calling 911 by now?" At the mention of 911, Mallory can see him turn even paler. Even though he tries to look calm, she can still see how much his hands are trembling at his sides.
'Oh my, was he planning to leave me here for dead all along?' She look around the empty alleyway and then examine herself.
"Please don't misunderstand. I really do want to help you just tell me if you need anything." Mallory look at him straight in his eyes. Something is stringing inside. Something she've bottled up for so long.
'A hundred more days to live, eh?'
The Reaper's word keep ringing in her head and it silences every single doubt. She can feel something finally snap inside of her.
'That's it! That's the last time someone thinks I can easily be discarded! From this day on I am going to do whatever I want!' She should be tired now but surprisingly she suddenly feel very much alive.
There's sudden energy running through her veins. Mallory square up her shoulders confidently in front of the tall man and say that words that will change her life for the next hundred days.
"You want to help me, right?"
"Then take me home with you right now! Or I will tell every single media outlet that you ran me over!" She curl her hands into fists at her sides.