Deadly Kisses

Nine





I was losing my scary Grim Reaper façade thanks to Bee. When it came to her, I was a pile of mushed potatoes.

I followed Bee to the kitchen. Her mother stood at the white porcelain sink washing dishes. She had lost her roundness and her cheeks were sunk in showing a shadow from her jawbone. Her brown hair was now streaked with strands of gray. Life seemed to be draining from her.

“Honey, please tell me that your report is finished. Just because you’re as smart as a whip and homeschooled doesn’t mean you can’t do the work.”

“I was done with that report days ago.” Bee walked to the desk next to the refrigerator and weeded through papers until she found it. “Mom, you haven’t looked at anything in over a week.”

“Going to Sabrina’s grave was exhausting. I’ll correct them tonight.” Her mom wiped her hands on a flowered dishtowel.

I would have given anything to have a mother that cared. I could have gotten straight Fs and my mother would’ve done nothing.

“Reading about how chlorinated water affects plant growth will cheer you up, Mom.” Bee handed her the papers.

I backed up into the hallway just enough where I could still see Bee. I couldn’t hear about Sabrina. It brought on my flashbacks in IMAX movie mode. I put my hand to my head trying not to let my death flashback overtake me. A piercing pain spliced my chest and went to my head.

I remember every detail after I accidently drove my car off the collapsed bridge. I awoke to find Sabrina’s hand was in mine. I turned to see if she was okay, and there was a look of horror on her face. I looked down to see a tree branch lodged in my chest. There wasn’t time for me to panic because the rough water shook the car. Sabrina’s already ajar door tore off, floating down the river. I’ll never forget how the car tipped and Sabrina’s hand slipped out of mine. She was losing consciousness and falling into the water, but I was pinned in place by my seat belt. It gave me the adrenaline to pull out the tree branch that was lodged in my chest, but it was too late. She woke as she fell out of the car, screaming as the river took her away.

I slumped against the wall.

“Mom, I love you so much.” Bee wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist. “You’ll get through this. We all will.”

Her small hands smoothed Bee’s hair. “Sabrina was so young. I would die if anything happened to you.”

I clutched my stomach and keeled over. If only I had paid attention to the road that night, I would have seen the collapsed bridge. I shook my head; beads of sweat fell to the ground.

“Don’t say that, Mom. Please don’t ever say that. If something happened to me then my time was up. Live and be happy. Know I would always be with you.”

She sighed and held her tighter. “Listen to you mothering me. This is hard on you too.”

I managed to stand back up. My death flashback lingered, a constant reminder why I had stayed a Grim Reaper, because I regretted killing my best friend.

Tears raced down Bee’s cheekbone and met at her chin. “My gift or curse does have advantages. Sabrina and I had said our goodbyes already, and our family had spent the week with her. It was our closure.”

I forced thoughts of Bee into my mind and the flashback lessened. “Bee, ask her about your family,” I managed to say.

If her mom held Bee any closer she would cut off her air supply, I envied her. “Aunt Anita is grateful for that. I’m not like her. I don’t think I would want to know. Would it be selfish if I tell you not to inform me of what you see?” Her mom started to sob in gasps. “I need a break from death.”

“No Grim Reaper talk. Got it, but I do need to ask you one thing and I promise to never ask again.”

Her mom smoothed down her hair. “What is it, sweetie?”

“Do you know why there is always someone in our family who can see Grim Reapers?”

Her mom went ghostly white and froze. Her mouth started to move, but nothing came out.

“Please,” Bee begged.

“I don’t know for sure, Bee, but Dad says we need to live here and nowhere else. Your Dad and I tried to live in Concord once, but bad things kept happening. He lost his job, the cars broke down almost daily, birds would fly into the windows and die, Jaleb would get hurt for no reason, and he almost died once. I was pregnant with you at the time.”

“After Jaleb recovered, Dad insisted we move back on the family land and promised things would get better, and it did. Before Grammy passed away she told me we were bound to cursed land and we couldn’t leave.”

“What if it’s not the land? Mom, I need to know if you or Dad ever bargained with the Devil to be able to see Grim Reapers.”

“What a silly thing to say, Beatrice. Dad and I love you and Jaleb more than life itself. You’ll always be our little bumble bee, and we would do anything to protect you. No more talk about depressing things.” Her mother seemed to escape into the past, staring at the bubbles in the sink.

Bee looked to me and I nodded. It was a good start. I rubbed my hand on my forehead, but it didn’t release the built up tension. I turned around and made my way to her room. I just needed five minutes to get my thoughts together.

When I entered Bee’s room, I dodged her brother who was searching every nook and cranny trying to find me. He threw punches into the corner and came inches from my shoulder. Blood shot webbed veins circled the brown of his eyes. He looked like a rabbit in panic, running for its life.

I lay down on Bee’s bed. I moved until my back touched the wall in case Jaleb sat down on the edge. My eyes drooped like lead to the bottom of the sea. I pushed thoughts of Sabrina out and replaced them with Bee. It worked.

I inhaled deep until flowers and the scent of her wafted from her pillow, invading my nose. Her soul responded and swirled in excitement. A pull drew her to me.

Jaleb still paced her room.

I didn’t have to open my eyes to know when she walked into the room. A fire sparked in my soul when she was close. I had to get my soul back because the longer she held it hostage the more entangled they became, and the more I wanted her to keep the small piece of my soul she had inside of her.

“He’s not here. He’s probably sleeping or something. He seemed tired.”

I opened my eyes and peeked out of the hood so I could see her. Jaleb put his hands on her shoulders and shook her. “Bee you act like you sympathize with the thing. He. Wants. You. Dead. Did you forget? This isn’t like the other Grim Reapers you see. This one wants you.”

“No. How could I forget especially with you looking at me like I’m a ghost? Maybe I shouldn’t have told you.” She ducked away from him and went to turn on the radio.

“I’m just freaked out, but understand why you want to have fun—just in case.” He switched the station and an indie rock song was playing. “You ready for tonight?” He pointed to the radio. “Keep listening. I made a request for you and it’s the band that’s playing tonight. I scored us some tickets. I’m determined to go down as the best brother ever—you know, just in case.”

“I didn’t know there was a show going on tonight. Mad Dogs?” She jumped up and down clapping, her hair bouncing. “You have to let me raid your wardrobe. I want to dress biker chick tonight. Come on, I love dressing up and Halloween is still days away. Please!”

The request line opened and the DJ announced the Mad Dog’s song, “When Death Comes Knocking on Your Door,” to Bee from Jaleb. I admired the boy’s twisted sense of humor, but in a way, the song fit. The lyrics were that when death knocks, you don’t answer. In Bee’s case she had already opened the door and let me in.