[ 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

“ Nashca! Nascha he ’ s here! ” 
 
 “ Who ’ s here? ” although I already knew the answer. 
 
 “ Nascha, he ’ s a wolf ” still smirking, Caleb looked around at our classmates who had all gathered around to hear the news. A predator. The emergence of a reaper is a huge event for all kids, and the mood was high, a cool animal like a wolf was great gossip, and it was common knowledge that people whose reapers were predators were due a longer life. The lore said it was because the predators watched over you, I thought it was because they got more pleasure out of stalking their victims. 
 
 “ Congratulations ” I grinned, Caleb deserved some good news. After being discovered by the side of the road at roughly 4 years old, he ’ d had no real clues to who his family might be. I raised my eyes skyward and muttered a quick prayer to whoever was listening that this clue would help lead him home. Caleb had wandered away and was laughing with some of the older boys, all of whom boasted the most dangerous predators as their reapers. Throwing a mock exasperated eye roll my way, Caleb shrugged, as if in apology, and allowed himself to be swept into the crowd of boys who congratulated him with manly pats on the back and toothy grins. I shuddered and decided to leave him too it. 
 
 I flicked my gaze back towards Twyla. My mother ’ s reaper is a wren. My father ’ s is a raven. It would make sense that mine would also be some sort of bird, so the day I noticed a snowy owl over my right shoulder, perched amongst the bare branches of the yew tree like a ghost against the black night, came as no great shock. I named her Twyla, after my sister who died last year in the cholera outbreak that shook our city. In part it was because I missed her, but it also seemed fitting that she would be the one to come to fetch me, so that we could be reunited. 
 
 As I glanced around at the faces of our peers, some looking at him with outright admiration, others with jealousy, I noticed a flutter of movement over my left shoulder. My stomach turned, as I spun to face Twyla, expecting to see her gliding towards me talons outstretched. But instead, I saw her glide to a branch a few feet further away, and turn to face me. 
 
 Our eyes locked. The brilliant amber sent a gut-wrenching chill down my spine, and as I stared helplessly, Twyla left me for a second time. 

