Selena Bennett had been missing since the middle of the night on December 25th, with her boyfriend being the last person to see her. He was the one who dialed 911 after being unable to reach her all day. Her parents made an official announcement to start searching for her. The police department established a hotline for people to report the incident. According to police, Selena had a quarrel with her boyfriend that night, which caused her to return home instead of staying at his parents' house. The cops hardened herboyfriend, believing he had anything to do with the case. He asserted his innocence and stated unequivocally that he would never harm Selena.
For the first two weeks, everyone kept praying that they would soon discover her. After some time had gone, hope began to dim.
The wait ended on February 4th. The woman's body was discovered floating in the East River by police. They were soon able to identify the deceased. Selena's identification was confirmed by her family. It began as a missing person case and quickly escalated into a murder investigation. According to the autopsy report, she died as a result of strangling. Because the MO was identical to the Carver, the boyfriend was no longer a suspect. On her flank, the killer carved the word "whore." They searched the neighborhood near where the body was discovered for the crime scene or the location where the body was dumped. Like always, he left no evidence behind.
I wasn't present when the incident occurred. The killer was loading Selena's body into the car when I arrived, while her spirit sat motionless on the floor, staring into space. I escorted her to the wooden door in the void and watched as she entered in, her eyes full of despair.
My cowardice resulted in harshness to a woman. Death assured me that I would be able to collect the murderer's soul. He didn't mention when, though. It might happen in a year, five years, ten years, or twenty years. How many more people must die before justice is served?
I learned about the case when August and I were collecting a soul at a residence. He was a 72-year-old grandfather who died while sleeping. It was unusual for me to see a peaceful dying. Death was no different than sleep. Then there were my death and the deaths of the other three victims murdered by the same perpetrator. My image emerged on a screen in a living room with three other women. They were young and naïve, hoping for a bright future. It was the Carver special scoop. The host retold the story starting with the first victim. Except for the missing jewelries that they didn't reveal, the contents were very similar to what I saw in Detective Carhart's residence.
"Let's go, Lilith." August stated.
We returned to Jericho after sending the elderly's spirit. As I walked away from August, I noticed numerous grim reapers cruising on duck paddle boats on the lake. Mandy remained seated on the same bench. She was alone today.
"Welcome back. Are you alright?" Mandy welcomed me with a worried expression.
I was going to tell her, but I decided against it and sat down instead. No one knew how I died except August. However, as news about the Carver became more common on the living side, grim reapers might stumble across it and recognize my face. I didn't think my death was a secret, but August said I shouldn't mention it, so I didn't. As a result, I had no one to talk to. It was impossible to talk to August. I wanted someone who would listen to me without passing judgment.
"Lilith," Mandy said again while I remained quiet.
"Uh, nothing. It's just that when I was collecting souls, I came across something really depressing."
"I see." There was a moment of silence before she continued. "If you have someone you can talk to, you should talk to them. As opposed to keeping things to oneself, it's the better option. True, they can't help you, but keeping it to yourself only makes it worse. It's not always obvious when we're in need of support. By the time we knew it was too late."
Her voice carried a note of sorrow. Her statements sounded more like an experience than a mere nonsense.
"Thanks."
Mandy grinned. She sat with me for a few minutes before leaving for work.
The lake was filled with duck paddle boats. Evening sunlight reflects off the river, making it shimmer. It was a beautiful and peaceful scene, yet it was also lonely and sad. It was as though we were looking at something wonderful that we couldn't get to, that we didn't deserve. I had no idea what Mandy saw each time she sat here. What I saw was something I couldn't have, a tranquil moment I would never experience.
In Jericho, time did not exist. It was strange that grim reapers knew the date and time even though we had the same sky every day and didn't need to sleep. We could see how many days we had been a grim reaper, but there was no way to find out how much time remained till the contract expired. One thing was certain: new grim reapers had arrived, and some old ones had left. August's name didn't sound modern, so I questioned how long he'd been a grim reaper. Of course, he didn't answer.
In my spare time, I went to the shooting range. Who would have thought I'd have the opportunity to utilize gunfire after death? Despite the fact that it wasn't an actual gun. However, my ability had developed to the point where August complimented me. But what good was this skill to a dead person like me?
"How are you feeling these days?"
August's voice caused me to pull my gaze away from the target in front of me.
"Eh, I'm fine."
August paused for a bit before speaking.
"If you want to talk to someone," he grinned broadly as he patted his chest.
That smile was quite irritating.
I acknowledged by nodding. If he told me on that day, I would tell him. I felt better after some alone time.
August placed his palm on my shoulder.
"Don't forget. Selena said it wasn't your fault."
His remarks brought back memories of the night I collected Selena's soul. Her spirit stood there while the killer carried her body into the car.
"I remember hearing about him in the media. I recognize you from television." She said, "You…"
I didn't say anything, but Selena got it. She was terrified but relieved at the same time. It was as if the cruelty had ended.
"I'm sorry you had to go through this."
"It's not your fault," she argued quickly. "He should apologize. I hope he receives a fair punishment."
My hands tightened unconsciously. I wanted him to be punished as well. But when exactly? What if he died with no repercussions?
I used to wish I could murder him, but I couldn't. What was the point of becoming a grim reaper if it didn't make my anguish go away?
"I guess you're bored," August added, "come with me."
"Where are we going?"
He put his index finger to his lips to stop me from asking, extending his other hand to imply that we were going to blinksomewhere. I stared at him, examined his hands, and grasped his hand in mine. A strong burst of wind blew right through us.