Angels (& Reapers) & Demons - Chapter One: The Outcast

 

The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, the sun shining brightly without any clouds to block its warm light. The view was the same as it had always been, though, for a young woman who was hidden away in the top of a large, white building.

It was relatively square in shape, with a couple domes resting on the roof. While the outside was a bright white, the inside was wall to wall with books, so no one could say for sure what color they were.

These were no ordinary books that filled the rooms of this massive building. They held the lives of each living person that has ever been and will be. They were known as cinematic records. You might wonder who would ever be in need of any of these curious items. Those who roam the halls of the library aren’t like normal humans, even if they could pass off for one if they wanted to. They were known as Grim Reapers, people who collected souls and judged if they would go on to Heaven with the Angels, or be sent down to the pits of Hell with Demons.

In this building, however, there was one room that didn’t hold any of these precious books. This room was hidden from prying eyes, but if you knew the way, you’d find it every time. In this place, a rarer treasure was kept away. Inside was a bedroom, but it didn’t belong to any of the regulars that perused the halls of this great library. It was the home of a young, pure white-haired girl, with piercing yellow-green eyes, and if you asked her, she’d tell you it was more of a prison than anything else.

She wasn’t a Grim Reaper like that of her caretaker, William Spears. She had large, white wings, like an angel. Like her mother. But because of her other features, everyone knew she wasn’t of pure blood, and shunned her away. Everyone but William.

He would always tell her the story of how she was left at the library. He would always remind her that it was him who found her in a basket, sitting outside the door of the library, no more than a baby. There weren’t any clues to tell him who this poor child’s parents were. All he had to go on were her reaper-like eyes and her angel wings.

But if you asked Katrina her thoughts, she would say it would’ve been best to have left her there to die. She wouldn’t have been a burden on the Reapers, or shunned by the angels and demons. She wouldn’t end up being a secret that needed to be hidden away.

“Are you listening to me?” William’s voice broke through the young woman’s barrier, bringing her head down from the clouds. “You deliberately disobeyed me, again. You know better than to sneak out, yet you continue to do so.”

“Any life I could have out there is better than the one I have here, if you even call this living,” Katrina shot back. “I was born to fly. I was born to be free.”

“You were a mistake, and everyone who takes a look at you knows that. Angels don’t have the eyes of a Grim Reaper, and we certainly don’t have wings to fly around like those of God’s Chosen Ones.” William pinched the bridge of his nose, a clear look of anger on his face. “Do you like to be punished? Is that it? You misbehave so you can receive the end of the whip, is that what’s going on here?”

“I never asked to be born,” she said, her heart aching as it did any other time they had to have this discussion. “I hate that infernal whip. I hate that I have to be stuck in here so no one has to know about me. You know, if I could figure out a way to hide my wings, I could easily pass as a Reaper, and I could train with this year’s new recruits. No one would be any wiser!”

“If you can stop acting up, then it would be worth a shot,” William sighed. “If you want any chance of that happening, then you need to stop sneaking away, Katrina.”

“I can’t help it,” she said as she turned to look out a window. “I want to stretch my wings. I need to keep them strong if I’m ever going to have any chance of using them someday. I can’t do that cooped up in this prison.”

A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump, but she relaxed when she saw it was William who was attached to it. “I’ll see what I can do. For now, you can walk around the halls, read any record you wish. I’ll fetch you when it’s time for lunch.”

He said nothing more as he left the room, closing the door behind him. Katrina sighed as she laid down on her bed, her thoughts echoing in her mind. It’s not my fault my parents were in love. It’s not my fault my father couldn’t keep it in his pants.

A gentle knock on her door caught her attention. She called for the person on the other side to come in, and she smiled when she saw who her visitor was. “Undertaker. What are you doing here?”

“Hehe, I came to see if you could use some company,” he said with a grin. “I see William has already left. Are you alright?”

“I’m okay. I promise.” She sat up quickly and patted the newly empty spot next to her. “Come, sit. Please?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t. I have to return to my shop, but I needed to bring some records back, and I wanted to see how you were.” He looked around for something, then turned his hair-covered gaze back to her. “Did William not bring you lunch yet?”

“He just left and said he’d be back with it later,” Katrina responded. “I hope he returns soon, though. I’m starving.”

“Then I hope your lunch is a fulfilling one,” Undertaker smiled as he left, closing the door as well.

While Katrina waited, she sat in front of a large window, looking outside at the clear, blue sky. Her mind began to wander, and she pictured herself up in that very sky, her wings spread and a smile on her face. The thought itself was enough to put a smile on her face, but it quickly faded when she thought of having to come inside. She closed her eyes, and pictured how she’d look without her wings, and to her, she looked somewhat normal. Then, she felt something move in her back, causing her to break free of her daydreaming. She tried to look behind her, only to be met with a sight she never thought she’d see. Her wings had retracted, disappearing from view.

She heard her door open, and it was William, holding a plate of food for her. Katrina couldn’t help but smile when she saw his shocked expression.

“Y-Your wings,” he stuttered. “They’re gone.”

“Isn’t it amazing?” She asked, twirling around in her floor length, black dress. “Now I can hide easier, and I can fit in! I can look like a regular Reaper, now!”

“Then I guess now would be a good time to tell you that you’ve been invited to join us in the human world tonight.”

She froze in place, her eyes wide and her jaw slack. “You’re serious?”

“I am,” William said as he placed her plate on her bed. “I was able to convince the others to let you join us tonight as we hunt for a rogue demon. You would be observing. Nothing more, nothing less. Understand?”

“Thank you!” She cheered as she threw herself at him, hugging him tight. “Thank you so much! I won’t let you down, I promise!”

“I know you won’t,” he said, standing stiff as a board. “You know the punishment if you do.”

“It won’t come to that. I can assure you that I’ll be on my best behavior.” Katrina let him go and bowed, smiling brightly. “Thank you so much for this opportunity to prove myself.”

“Wear your suit and join us outside when the sun sets. We leave then.” He went to the door and grabbed the knob, but turned his head and spoke over his shoulder. “Do not disappoint me.”

Then he left.

With a deep breath, she was able to calm herself, but the smile never left her face. Not that she wanted it to. She scarfed down her lunch then left her room, searching for her friend before he had a chance to leave. Thankfully, she caught up to him in a hallway just before reaching the main entrance.

“Undertaker!”

The grey-haired man turned around and smiled from under his bangs. “What’s going on, Katrina? Where did your wings go?”

“William’s taking me to the human world tonight!” She bounced up and down, no longer able to contain her excitement. “I finally have my chance to prove myself! Oh, my wings?” She turned around, showing they’d completely disappeared. “I pictured myself without wings and they retracted. How do I look?”

“Stunning as always. I’m surprised you’d rather be talking to little ol’ me instead of taking the time to get ready. I’m glad you found me, though, Little Bird.” He chuckled before turning around, waving back at her. “Have fun tonight!”

After he left, Katrina rushed back to her room, her excitement turning into anxiety. The last thing she wanted to do was screw everything up, so she told herself that if anything happened, she’d think, “What would William do?”

She shed out of her dress and tried to figure out how to properly put on a suit. She figured the white, button up shirt would be the best place to start, so she slid her arms though each sleeve and started to do up the buttons, but noticed the fabric was a bit restraining around her rather full breasts, so she decided to leave the top buttons undone.

Next were the pants, so she donned the black fabric and fastened them around her waist, tucking the shirt in like how William does. “So this is what pants feel like,” she muttered to herself. “No wonder men like wearing them so much. These are much more tactical than a skirt. Noted.”

Then she put on the suit jacket, finding it tight as well, and finally she slipped on a pair of black flats. She was about to close her closet doors, but something familiar caught her eye. It was the blanket that she was found in, but there was a peculiar shining item that had gotten her attention. When she picked it up, it was a silver cross necklace. It sparkled brighter than any star she’d seen, and even though she couldn’t remember seeing it before, it gave her a sense of familiarity. It could have been her mother’s for all she knew. So, for a way of hoping for good luck, she put it around her neck, smiling as it fit perfectly.

She closed her closet door and looked in a mirror, admiring her finished work of putting on the suit. Hopefully her superiors wouldn’t be too upset about the top buttons not being done. Her smile grew once again, her anxiety replaced with her excitement. To help her keep her mind occupied until the time to go arrived, she did her hair up in a bun wrapped in braids.

She couldn’t keep still as she waited for the stubborn sun to set. She paced around her room, convinced she’ll create a rut in her floor. Before she knew it, the sun had finally disappeared behind the horizon, and she rushed to the lobby by the main entrance, where William and four other men were waiting for her.

“You came,” William said, pushing his glasses further up his nose. “Good. We’ll need all the help we can get without causing too much overtime.”

“What is it with you guys and overtime, anyway?” Katrina asked. William glared at her in response, then started making his way to the door. “I’ll ask later, then.”

The doors opened, and the breeze from outside sent a shiver up the young girl’s spine. This was it. She could finally taste her freedom, but she knew that she was the dog on the leash; she could only go so far before being pulled right back. 

“Are you ready?” William asked, giving her a look he hadn’t given in a long time; it was a look of concern.

“Yes, sir. I’m ready.” She watched as the others went ahead, making sure to follow close behind so they couldn’t say she ran - rather flew - away. Before she knew it, the six of them were standing on a rooftop in a London town.

Her eyes widened, taking everything in for the first time. The fire in the lampposts that lined the street, the people walking along as they continued their normal lives, even some of the beautiful dresses the women wore while accompanied by their lovers. Katrina looked up to the sky, amazed that clouds could be any color other than white. She smiled at the dark clouds rolling in the night sky, giving the moon and stars company in the black background.

“Wow. William, this is beautiful. I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on sights like this all this time.” She looked down to her guardian, feeling a mix of pure joy and sadness. “Being locked in that library robbed me of moments like this.”

“Correct,” he said, fixing his glasses. “If you continue your recent behavior of sneaking away, then you will be staying in the library for much longer than I care to admit. Do you understand, Katrina?”

Her heart broke at that. Staying in the library? He’d keep her stuck in that awful place for who knows how long? He wouldn’t do that to her… would he? “Y-Yes, William. I understand.”

He nodded, “Good. Now, follow closely. We’re on the hunt for a rogue demon.”

Her eyes widened as she followed down off the building and into an alley. A demon? She didn’t know there was anything other than angels and reapers. Katrina followed the five men, but stopped in her tracks when she smelled a foul musk. For lack of better words, it smelled like death, a scent too much for any human to bear.

“William?” She covered her nose and mouth, trying her best to rid her senses of the ghastly smell. “Do you smell that?”

“That hideous odor? Yes, I do. You are to stay here while we follow the scent trail. Consider this your first test.” He waited until Katrina nodded in understanding, then he and the others ran off in pursuit of whatever the source of that smell was.

She let her mind wander, trying to deduce what could be causing the heavy musk to begin with. A dying animal? Or someone carrying an already rotting one? Or could it truly just be the cologne of a gentleman who can’t smell?

A low, sultry voice came from behind her, seeming to whisper in her ear. “My, my. Don’t you look beautiful?”

A chill ran down her spine, catching her off guard. “Who-Who are you? Show yourself.”

“As you wish.” A shadow came out from the alley directly behind Katrina, dark black feathers falling to the ground as it moved. Its figure wasn’t well defined from the lack of light, but she could see heels touch the ground, having an odd shape to them. As her eyes ran up this thing’s body, settling on its face, she saw two piercing red orbs staring back at her. A pure white smile appeared from the mist, revealing pointed teeth. “Did I startle you, my dear?”

“N-No,” Katrina stuttered, her eyes adjusting to the dark and seeing more of this mysterious figure. “You didn’t startle me. Just caught me off guard, is all.”

As the figure came closer, a familiar scent filled her senses, making her eyes water from the foul odor. A musk that wouldn’t benefit any living soul to wear, but one that would cause a group of grim reapers to follow its trail. Katrina covered her mouth and nose, trying to subdue the smell at all, but to no avail.

“Is something the matter?” The voice asked, its head tilting to the side.

“It’s you,” she choked out. “That smell, it’s awful.”

“It’s possibly because I’ve just fed, dear. I don’t usually smell this foul, but I’ve just been so hungry.” A hand came up and gently touched Katrina’s face, like he was mesmerized by her features. “What’s your name, pet? I wish to properly introduce myself, but I can’t do that unless I know your name first.”

“Katrina,” she said, noticing her nose was slowly getting used to the scent. “My name is Katrina. What’s your name?”

He chuckled softly, pulling his hand away. “Well, Katrina the Reaper, I go by many names, but you may call me--”

“There he is!” William’s voice came from behind me, his footsteps quickly joined by the others. “Katrina, get out of the way.”

“I think she’s perfect where she is, where she has been since you left her behind.” The demon smirked then looked down at the young woman. “Come with me. I can see it in your eyes that you love being out here. Let me guess, you’re a reaper in training? Yet, you don’t have a scythe, and this suit is clearly too tight on your body. I can show you the world, my dear.”

“I don’t know,” Katrina said, her voice conveying the panic inside. She looked back and forth from the demon to the reapers, from the promise of freedom to the threat of punishment. “I don’t know.”

“Then, I think it’s time I take my leave,” the demon said, his smirk long gone. “If you manage to break free of whatever prison these fools have placed you in, then come find me. I’ll keep my promise.”

She looked back at William and the others, but when she went to return her gaze to the demon, he was gone without a trace. A hand gripped her wrist and dragged her along, bringing her back to the group of reapers.

“What were you thinking?!” William yelled, his eyes showing the anger inside. “You don’t converse with filth like that. They are known for being manipulative toward their prey, and the last thing we need right now is for you to fall victim to that piece of trash. Let’s go.”

“We’re heading back to the library?” She asked, feeling smaller than ever before. “I thought you wanted to catch him before we left.”

“We’ve lost his trail, and if we follow him now, he’ll be expecting it,” another reaper chimed in. “Leave him for now.”

“Since you did as you were told and stayed put,” William started, putting his scythe away and fixing his glasses. “You should know, we were discussing having you join our ranks as a reaper in training.”

Katrina’s eyes widened. “What? You’d let me be a proper reaper?”

“You certainly pass as one, except for that angel hair of yours,” one of the reapers said. “Although, William probably should’ve had you follow the trail, since you were the first to find it.”

“We didn’t need to risk her finding a way to run away,” William said as he stared at the other reaper. “Tonight was her first task. Tomorrow, we’ll bring her back and see if she can find his trail again, then she can lead.”

Tears swelled in Katrina’s eyes, some spilling over and sliding down her face as she covered her mouth. “You’re kidding. I get to come back out tomorrow?”

“You proved you could follow instruction,” William looked at the young woman, a hint of softness in his eyes. “Tonight was your first test and you passed. Be proud of yourself.”

“I won’t disappoint you, William. I don’t disappoint any of you. I’ll make you proud, I promise.” She smiled as she wiped her tears away, then she bowed in respect. “Thank you very much for this opportunity.”

The other reapers turned around and led the way back to the meeting point, Katrina’s thoughts going a million miles a minute.

I’m finally getting a chance!