Angel Corpse

Near the old town river, on a chilly afternoon, a soul reaper approaches an old woman sitting and staring at the rippling water. It’s been a long time since Rayne has been on a normal assignment like this. As a specialist, she's used to the more intense, complicated cases that keep her welled up in the dark reaches of the underworld. Though reapers are devoid of any feelings, even Rayne can appreciate a change of scenery.

“I guess my time is up,” the old woman says, looking up at the dark faced reaper before them. “My,” Yu awes, “Are all reapers this pretty?”

Rayne studies her latest assignment. She’s only been dead for an hour but her soul has already wandered quite a way from her body. She’s lucid and doesn’t seem to be hanging on to any regrets. This should be quick.

“Yu Kame, age 62. Cause of death: heart failure.”

“Yes, that’s me,” she says, “May I ask for just a moment more. The weather hasn’t been this nice in a while.” Yu pats the seat beside her and Rayne abides. Little courtesies like this make the transition a little easier. For a few minutes more, the two watch the sunlight glittering on the water.

“Say,” Yu twirls the pendant around her neck, “you reapers can see the entire timeline of our lives right? ”

“Yes,” Rayne says. “From birth to death, and everything in between.”

“Tell me then, do you think I’ve wasted mine?”

Rayne considers for a moment, watching this woman’s whole life cycle through in just a few seconds. It’s a hard question to answer. She’s never been alive and will never connect with the concept of emotions, feelings, and value. Rayne decides on a redirect, “Do you?”

Yu laughs. “Let’s see, I ran away from home, left school, began street working, picked up smoking and landed here, with no one left to remember her by, dying all alone in her house.” The thin veil of light around her shakes slightly. “That seems pretty wasteful to me.” Ryane sits quietly. She was never very good with dealing with these kinds of ramblings. Yu continues, “62 years and nothing to show for, absolutely nothing.”

Rayne opens the pocket watch attached to her coat, the hand swirling closer to the center of the white spiral. Yu’s soul will become unstable if she stays any longer in the mortal world. Rayne closes the watch, she’ll have to wrap this up soon.

Yu smiles and the light around her softens, “Though, it wasn’t all bad, I suppose,” she says looking out at the water, “No, it wasn’t all bad.”

Rayne wonders what she thought of to make her smile so reassuringly. In any case, it’s stabilized her soul enough to be ready for departure.

“Miss Kame, it’s time.”

“Yes, you’re right,” she nods, “But before I go, can I ask for one last thing.”

Rayne nods.

“Do you have a lighter?” She says pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

Rayne offers one from her coat pocket and Yu taps the box bringing out a single cigarette. She lights it gingerly, takes a long pull, and exhales towards the sky. She smiles, her eyes resting on the water. “I'm ready,” she says quietly, and Rayne waves a hand over her head.

Yu Kame’s spirit transforms into a grey sinuous trail and Rayne collects her into a small vial. She sends it off in a puff of black smoke to the next unit for processing. Done for the day. She thinks quietly to herself, looking out across the water as the sun begins in its descent. And with enough time to catch a sunset.

                                                                                 ***

Rayne walks through a trail in the woods behind the river, the leaves alight with the pinks,  and oranges, of the setting sun. She takes in the scenery, branches snapping beneath her feet. As she makes her way deeper into the woods, she notices the strange smell of rot and decay. She follows it to a small clearing steeped in glowing light.

There in the dry grass, a statued angel lies intertwined with a rotting human corpse. Lovers no doubt, the two grasping for each other, faces stained with longing.

Rayne approaches the scene, runs a hand along the two sensing for the souls within. The angel, her hair swirled around her featherless wings, everything made of smooth ivory bone, remains void of any essence. And what once was a young man remains still, glowing a strangely dark hue and putting out the most offensive aroma.

Rayne closes her eyes and runs a check for any records or assignments regarding the two but finds nothing. How strange. She prepares herself to enter the human’s soulscape and places a hand on the young man's forehead.

The world warps into a dark, sticky cave. Dark green acid swamps the floor, slipping down the ceiling and walls. The decay has infiltrated his spirit, his soul has been away from his body far too long without any proper severance from his mortality. The decay will continue to spread, infecting all it touches. As a reaper, Rayne is immune from such things. As for other beings however… Rayne stops.

She hears weeping and rushes ahead, finding the angel crying violently, her skin burning from the acid dripping within the cave. “Micah,” she cries, slipping about on the floor, “Micah where are you? What’s happening??” She screams as her skin burns away, renewing again due to her immortality. Her eyes meet Rayne’s and she crawls over to her. She grabs onto Rayne, pulling herself up, barely able to stand, pieces of herself continuously eaten at by the decay all around her. How long has she been like this??  Rayne holds her steady, her touch eases the decay from her spirit. The angel breathes out shakily, “Please, help us,.” She looks at Rayne tearfully, “Find him,” she chokes out, before Rayne is swept away from the soulscape.

Outside the bodies, Rayne collects herself, shaking away the echoes of the angel’s horrid cries. It seems, that with the human’s soul missing, his body has somehow trapped the young angel there in its place. Most likely, until his soul is returned, that angel will remain trapped inside her decaying lover's body, her spirit eaten away by the decay over and over again , both unable to to wither away as her angel essence will keep the body alive in a state of never ending decay. 

Rayne pulls a flask from her coat. She pours a cold, clear liquid into the young man’s mouth. This at least should slow the decay. She will still suffer, but not as much as before.

She places two fingers against her ear, contacting headquarters. 

“Senior Officer Rayne reporting: Sending over an emergency case. Place in the special circumstances unit for processing. ID: Angel Corpse.”