[ WP ] Everyone has a reaper . The further away it is , the longer you have left to live . Every day it inches a little bit closer , but it is always there . Except yours , which disappeared three weeks ago

I have n't written anything in a very very long time so please forgive any errors. Thanks!! 
 
 “ Have you ever heard of that rumor, Paige? ” Anna asked me, her deep blue eyes not leaving the outside scenery. 
 
 “ What rumor? ” I asked, already having a feeling I ’ d know what she was talking about. 
 
 Anna briefly looked at me with a half-smile before her eyes darted back out her third-story apartment window. She took a slow drag off of her cigarette. “ Well, the rumor that reapers follow us everywhere… They ’ re close when your time is near and that they ’ re far away otherwise. Everyone has one. They decide when our time is up. ” 
 
 I mustered up the best dismissive laugh I could before saying, “ That ’ s absurd. Do you actually believe that? ” 
 
 Anna breathed another drag from her cigarette before pressing it into her ashtray. “ I mean, why not? There ’ s no evidence proving it but there ’ s so many stories I ’ ve heard that are supportive evidence in itself. ” 
 
 “ Yeah, but reapers? And what… They live in another dimensional plane that just happens to reside next to ours? Or are you saying people see them? ” I leaned against the window with her, watching her eyes study my dismissive demeanor. 
 
 The last wafts of smoke drifted out of her nose similarly to a dragon taking a breath and it intrigued me. “ Yes. ” she stared at me and laughed one of her bubbly laughs. 
 
 I shrugged, unsure of how to continue the conversation. “ To me it sounds like a good ghost story and nothing more. ” I smiled slightly and turned away to sit down on her couch. I didn ’ t want to admit to her that I ’ ve not only seen them, but I know more about the subject than I ’ m willing to share. 
 
 Anna seemed to be picking up on my awkwardness so she sat down next to me. “ You know something, ” she pressed on. “ I can see that look in your eyes. ” 
 
 “ Like what? ” I asked her, laughing nervously. “ After all, it ’ s not like anyone ’ s actually seen a reaper, right? ” 
 
 “ You tell me, ” she shot back, watching my reaction to see if it would change. 
 
 I cleared my throat and shook my head. “ No, Anna. I can ’ t say that I ’ ve actually seen a reaper. ” 
 
 Anna nodded once before standing back up. I could tell by the way she got up that she wasn ’ t thrilled with my answer. “ Well, ” she started to say. “ I think you know something. ” 
 
 I sighed quietly while debating if I should let her in on all I do know. “ Well… Let ’ s say that I don ’ t know much about them other than the fact I ’ ve seen mine before… ” 
 
 Anna ’ s eyes lit up and she jumped back onto the couch next to me. “ Paige! I knew it! When? How? ” 
 
 “ Calm down! ” I practically shouted at her and put a finger to her lips. “ I ’ ll tell you a little about this but you ’ re going to have a hard time believing me. ” 
 
 “ Try me. ” she said, settling back into the couch. She grabbed a decorative pillow and clung onto it in suspense. 
 
 I sighed again. “ Remember the car accident I was in a couple months ago? The one where they didn ’ t know if I ’ d pull through? ” I looked down at my hands, trying to find a way to word what I wanted to say. “ My reaper came to me. And it told me that I wasn ’ t done yet. ” 
 
 Anna stared at me while trying to interpret what I was telling her. “ Really? ” was all she was able to say. 
 
 “ Yes. ” I said, looking back at her. “ And I ’ d see it every so often after that. At least every few days. Lingering far away but close enough that I could see… But at the hospital, it also told me that one day I wouldn ’ t need it anymore. ” My voice started to shake. “ And… I don ’ t know what that means. If I ’ m now some kind of… immortal being too or it ’ s taking a vacation… I don ’ t know! ” I shot up off the couch and walked over to Anna ’ s liquor cabinet. “ It ’ s been three weeks since I ’ ve seen it! ” 
 
 “ Slow down, ” Anna protested and got up to follow me. “ You not only saw one of these things but it gave you a premonition? That ’ s so cool! ” 
 
 I grumbled as I pulled the cap off of a bottle of vodka. “ I think you ’ re missing the entire point to my story. I don ’ t know the outcome for the rest of my life! What if I live to be two hundred years old now or older!? ” 
 
 “ Paige… No one knows the outcome of the rest of their lives. That ’ s part of being a human. ” Anna rested her hand on mine before I was able to pour out a glass of vodka. “ In the meantime, remember that you have me here for you. ” she smiled sweetly at me. 
 
 I set down the bottle that was in my hand and turned to hug her tightly. “ Thank you, ” I whispered and shut my eyes to take in her embrace. When I opened them, I gasped. My reaper stared at me from across the room and nodded once. I swallowed hard, and watched as it disappeared out of my sights. Somehow that moment gave me enough sense that everything was exactly how it was supposed to be. 

