A Lily Blossom's on Death's Bed

"Tch! My head is pounding!" Lily exclaimed now sitting up in her hospital bed. "How long was I out for? That slip I had along the river bank sure did a number me!"

"It sure did." Lily squealed upon hearing this and darted her gaze around the dimly lit, freshly cleaned hospital room; looking for the source of the mysterious voice.

"W-who said that?" Lily whimpered upon not seeing anyone. "Is it the doctor? Have I been released?" Lily's eyes gleamed. "Can I go see my family?"

"I'll answer you in order no, yes, and eventually. I'm not a doctor, you have technically been released, and you'll eventually get see your family." The mysterious voice spoke in a grim tone, whilst it explained. "Technically, I'm what is called an Undertaker, some call us Ferrymen, others call us Reapers. You have been released -- at least your soul has been released from your body. So by that logic you can see your family -- when they die."

Lily fell short of breath, "No, you're lying, haha, funny joke you can cut it out now". Lily nervously retorted. "I mean me being dead, no way, it's not possible".

"It is, as it says on this coroner report, you died three days ago, from drowning. This was believed to be from a fall off a river bank, which caused blunt force trauma. It's to be believed that the fall knocked you out and you sank into the river and drowned shortly after." The Undertaker spoke as if he struggled to read something. "Well whatever, I'm here to let you know your options, during your postmortem crisis." The Undertaker clarified, with the comforting tone of an insurance broker. "You have three options here: one, give up your Danake and go on your merry way to the afterworld, where you will meet Saint Peter who will tell you yea on going to heaven or the nay. Two, I can ignore your soul, and you can slowly decay the living world around you until you become an earthbound demon and I have to annihilate you.

"Annihilate? Doesn't that sound harsh and messed up?" Lily uncomfortably exclaimed. "And what's a Danake?"

"It's not bad annihilating earthbound demons, every annihilated earthbound demon is one new star in the sky." The Undertaker chuckled at their own joke. "And a Danake is what is used to pay me for letting you into the underworld, all spirits have them."

"I see."

"Finally, the third option is to sign a contract with me and become an Undertaker. One downside is you become quite literally immortal. With a physical body too, but no one will ever be able to see you unless they have a direct connection to the ethereal or demonic plains." The Undertaker boomed.

"So what you're saying is be alone until the death of my loved ones, be destroyed, or live for life among people who can't see me? Does that sound about right, Mr. Undertaker?" Lily harrumphed with a side of sass.

"You got it right on the ball, little lady."

"Well isn't it obvious what I want to do?"

"Alright, earthbound demon death it is!"

"No, no, no, idiot I was referring to the Undertaker job. I mean eternal life on Earth, where I can secretly watch my family. It's obvious isn't it?" Lily began to gleam a Cheshire smile.

"Are you sure? This is a decision you have to live with for all eternity."

"I'm sure."

"Okay I just need to have you sign a form, and for you to give up your Danake to me". A shadow from the corner of the hospital room began to personify and sauntered towards Lily. By the time the shadowy figure reached Lily, certain characteristics took form on the figure. A long, dark, hooded robe, which had the characteristics of tattered leather. The structure of the figure was skeletal with noticeable pieces of flesh still clinging to the bones, like moss to a rock. The figure carried a clipboard and had a pager on its robe. "Don't mind my appearance, this won't happen to you unless you really mess up."

Lily stares a the figure with awe and disgust, "mess up, how? Fall into a vat of acid?" Lily jeered at the skeletal figure of the Undertaker. "Or is this what you always look like Undertaker?"

Annoyed the Undertaker sneered back with its skeletal smile, "no this is from agreeing with this job at the beginning of life on Earth. Anyway, place your Danake on the square with your name on the clipboard. The Danake should be in near you."

Lily scanned around the room and found it on the hospital nightstand. She gingerly grabbed a silver coin with the image of a man on one side and the image of a woman on the other. Lily takes the Danake and presses it on the clipboard contract, which the Undertaker handed her. Smoke begins to billow out the Danake until it vanishes into nothingness. The Undertaker sees the sublimation of the Danake and takes the clipboard abruptly from her hands.

"That's enough! Congratulations! You are now an Undertaker!" The Undertaker exclaimed unenthusiastically. "Now you just need a mentor to train you."

"Grim! The hell you doing at my job?" The Undertaker stops with a grimace and slowly turns towards the hallway door. To meet eyes with a red-eyed, pale, dark haired teenage boy who is holding two hand sickles.

Lily looks towards the hallway door with a quizzical look and looks up towards the Undertaker. "Who is this Undertaker? He looks a little sour."

The Undertaker clears his throat and throws his arms towards the boy as if presenting him. "Lily, this is your new mentor for the foreseeable future."

The boy scowls and grits his teeth, "Mentor? Piss off, Grim!"

"Grim? Wait, you're Grim? As in the Grim Reaper?" Lily mouth drops open upon her realization.

"Yes, that is true I am Grim the Reaper, and this is, Russ, my disciple, and your mentor!"