The Reaper & Aiyanna

“Why me? I don’t understand.” Derek asked the hooded figure that sat in the armchair that faced catty corner to his bed at the Hospice facility.

Though Derek is only twenty-eight, a couple of years ago he had been diagnosed with stage three lung cancer. Both of Derek’s parents had been smokers his whole life and would smoke in the house, the car, and anywhere they could. Derek’s parents had both died from stage four lung cancer, Derek’s mother when he was and Derek’s dad on Derek’s twenty-first birthday. Now it’s Derek’s turn to accept his fate.

“It has been told for thousands of years, for when the Grim Reaper must pass down their scythe they will choose another close to death to pass it down to.” The Grim Reaper told Derek.

“But again, why me?” Derek asked.

“Each Reaper is given a list of candidates to follow this person's whole life. The reaper chooses this candidate on the day of their birth and watches over them their whole life.” The Grim Reaper explained.

“So like a Guardian Angel?” Derek asked a little confused.

“Not quite, Guardian Angels are meant to protect. I was only there to watch and decide if you were truly worthy and capable of the job of Death when it was your turn.” The Grim Reaper said.

“What makes me a good candidate?” Derek asked.

“It’s your ability to have always accepted death, even when it was the one you loved the most. I know it was not just your parents you lost. When you lost both your Uncle and your grandmother to their suicides, it was your response that really marked you as having the capabilities of being a Grim Reaper. You not only accepted their fates but you chose to still remember and cherish them all the way until it was your time to go.” The Grim Reaper said, sitting in the chair now sipping on a warm drink that Death summoned.

Derek sat in his dark hospice room with the Grim Reaper across from him. Derek’s body was weak and he could feel his breath becoming shorter, pain in his chest and the fatigue never wore, it got worse. The Grim Reaper approached Derek at his bedside.

“You have truly earned the title. I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines.” The Grim Reaper said as Derek’s heart stopped and the machines started making all these beeping sounds. Alarming the hospice care workers of Derek’s human death, but not the death of his soul.

Derek’s first couple of years as the Grim Reaper were a little rocky as he helped guide souls to the afterlife. There was that time Derek accidentally for the wrong Bruno Mars and mistakenly took the singer mid song during a concert. Derek had to undo the whole thing, everyone freaked out at the concert and Derek had to go through the Council of Deaths to get the situation sorted out and reverse the whole thing. Another rocky situation in Derek’s third year as a Grim Reaper was when he was there to help guide one of the parents of the Bride, but had mixed it up and taken the groom's dad instead. Turns out the Groom’s dad was only a couple of days away from his meeting with Death, so the council allowed it and just took the Bride’s Dad a couple of days later.

Derek was now entering his fifth year as the Grim Reaper, and one day right before a visit to help guide a dying child to the afterlife, he received a visit from four councilmen of the Grim Reapers.

“Reaper Derek for it is your time now to find who will take over for you when it’s your time to retire.” One of the elder Grim Reapers stated.

“Remember, whomever you choose, you will watch them for their entire life, from birth to death.” Another Elder Reaper said.

The four councilmen Reapers held out four cards, each with a child’s name and the date on which they will soon be born. Derek inspected the four cards closely but felt significantly drawn to one of them. A soon to be born baby-girl that will be named Aiyana which in this family's Native American culture means “eternal blossom.”

“Never did I think we’d see the day a Lady Death would be selected,” an Elder Reaper said.

“It has been hundreds of years since the last Lady Death was selected,” another Elder Reaper replied.

“So, none of the other deaths selected a Lady Death?” Derek the Reaper asked.

“None,” one of the Elder Reapers replied.

“This must be a very special selection Reaper Derek,” another Elder Reaper says.

“Yes, for you don’t truly pick the cards. The cards draw you to the next Reaper through a spiritual calling.” an Elder Reaper says.

“This must be a very important choice Reaper Derek. This Lady Reaper must have energy that radiates. She will be one to the books.” The other Elder Realer says.

The day of Aiyana's birth arrived and Reaper Derek awaited in the hospital her parents were in. Derek could hear the loud screams of a woman followed by intense breathing. Derek could hear the doctor yelling “Push!” Ever so often. Though no one would see him Reaper Derek awaited Aiyana’s arrival into this world in the hospital waiting room, drinking a cup of black coffee, the preferred choice of beverage by all Grim Reapers.

It was silent and then in the waiting lobby Derek the Reaper could hear the cries of Aiyana, the one who would take over for him someday. Derek the Reaper appeared in the delivery room looking at the baby that would one day take his place. Clearly not visible to anyone, Derek hovered over Aiyana. Aiyanna was a little over seven pounds, with dark hazel hair, dark green eyes, and a tan complexion. Derek waved at baby Aiyanna while she was crying up a storm and after doing so she completely stopped crying.

A couple of years had passed before Derek would get that close to Aiyanna again. This time Derek attended her kindergarten graduation ceremony, where she had won the most caring award. Derek smiled at the award and without thinking waved at her as she walked up to accept it. Again forgetting no one could see him. Derek would watch over through the bad and good. Derek was there for many birthdays, graduations and even her wedding day and soon after the birth of her child.

Between helping guide others during their last days on this Earth, Derek would check in on Aiyanna often. Derek the Reaper had been checking in on Aiyanna for roughly eighty years when one day he felt her time was nearing its end.

Aiyanna was in her eighties now and spent her days at a memory care facility in Sarasota, Florida. Aiyanna was suffering from Alzheimer’s and was getting her daily treatment from the nurses. Derek the Reaper took his place in a chair catty corner to her bed, just as the Reaper did to him.

The nurses had left and now it was just Aiyanna and Derek.

“I remember you!” Aiyanna said pointing to Derek in the chair.

Aiyanna could make out Derek in the chair now that she was close to the end of her life or so that’s what he thought.

“Hi Aiyanna, I’m Derek the Grim Reaper. I am here to pass on the Reaper scythe that was once passed on to me.” Derek said

Aiyanna shot up in bed.

“I remember you! You've been around my whole life!” Aiyanna shouted with excitement.

“You could see me?” Derek asked.

“This whole time,” Aiyanna said nodding her head.

“I remember seeing you at my kindergarten graduation, my wedding, I remember it all,” Aiyanna said.

Derek thought this to be strange since Aiyanna had Alzheimer’s.

“How could you see me? And why did you never say anything to your family?” Derek asked.

“My parents always said I was different, I thought you were just my guardian angel,” Aiyanna said as her breathing began to shallow.

“You’ve accomplished so much in your life and done so with such integrity, I think you have what it takes to be the next Grim Reaper,” Derek said.

“What’ll happen to you?” Aiyanna asked.

“My obligations to fill this role will be over, and I can either retire on the beach, be with my loved ones who’ve passed before and after me.” Derek the Reaper said.

“Do you like what you do?” Aiyanna asked curiously.

“I do. Getting to help others after their passing is fulfilling and it’s fun getting to be around for your prodigy's life.” Derek responded.

Aiyana hurt, she could feel her mind slipping.

“Does the pain stop?” Aiyanna asked.

“It does. I did from Lung Cancer, didn’t feel a thing.” Derek the Reaper said.

“Well, you sold me right there!” Aiyanna said accepting her role as the next Grim Reaper.

Derek went to her bedside as she drew her last breath. Derek the reaper stuck out his hand for her to shake while laying now Aiyanna’s scythe by the hospital bedside. Aiyanna shook her head no at the handshake. “That’s how you say bye to someone you’ve known their entire life? Give me a hug!” Aiyanna said laughing. Derek the Reaper leaned down to hug Aiyanna as she dies right in his arms.

“She’ll be a great Grim Reaper and the Council of Reapers will love her!” Derek the Reaper said to himself while smiling, now wearing a Hawaiian shirt which replaced his black robe and shorts.