Chapter 1 — Chapter 1

"I'm very sorry, but your son's heart has stopped completely. We couldn't restart it, you know it was inevitable with his condition!" the doctor stood beside me, and for some reason, it seemed to me he was making excuses.

"And what reason do I have to live now?" I lifted my eyes to him.

"You're young, you still have time to have more children!" he said, startled, and hurried away. "I'll prepare the documents!"

I remained sitting, watching him leave.

This damn world has left me all alone...

I don't want to stay here alone, a whole series of images with my son flashed through my mind...

I desperately want to be with him!

***

"Welcome, child!" the voice didn't catch me off guard; I've been hearing them for a while, existing in a strange haze of dreams and hallucinations. "I want to offer you a position that will help you become someone else..." the voice in my head promised something.

With difficulty, I dispersed the other ghosts begging me to take them away from somewhere and help them, and asked:

"Will you bring back my son?"

"I will..."

"What do I need to sign?"

"Just read it..." the voice said.

I struggled to focus my gaze on the sheet of paper I held in my hand.

"I will collect souls, and in exchange, you'll return my son?"

"Yes!" the voice firmly declared.

"I agree!" a pen unexpectedly appeared in my right hand, and I signed with a flourish.

"I'll give you a little gift..." the voice promised something before disappearing without a trace.

At that moment, I did it thoughtlessly, reading only a couple of lines, as always, skipping the fine print...

***

"What?" I woke up startled, not knowing where I was. Strangely, my head was empty, without the endless cacophony of voices.

I sat up in bed and looked around.

"Where am I?"

The surroundings were strange, with overly luxurious furniture in an antique style reminiscent of royal palaces. Thick fabrics everywhere, even the curtains were made of purple velvet. I stood up, tangled in the hem of a long silk shirt, and approached the window, pulling back the curtains and looking at the glass, beyond which was a lawn, and then a river...

Adding light to the room, I looked around again. It was small, with limited furniture. A bed, a vanity, a pouf, and on the opposite wall — two doors, and another one opposite the bed. The entire floor was covered with a huge carpet.

Gathering the hem in my hand, I walked to the double doors, turned the handle, and opened them.

"Wow..." I examined the huge space of the wardrobe, packed with women's clothing, shoes, and other boxes.

On the edge hung something like a robe; I pulled it off the hanger, threw it over my shoulders, and slipped my feet into backless shoes. Next to it was another door; turning the handle, I found a quite modern bathroom. Sea-blue tones, a large jacuzzi, a separate shower cubicle, a countertop with a sink, cabinets...

"Nice..." I noted, heading to the sink and turning the golden faucet handle.

After washing my face, I found a towel in the cabinet, and while I was at it, I checked what else was in there. Well, basically everything I was used to, even skincare products from my favorite brands.

I took out the face wash foam, face cream, and body lotion. I placed them on the countertop next to the sink. I decided to check the drawers in the vanity; the first one was full of combs, hair ties, and clips. The second one — boxes with various beauty tools.

In the bottom one, there were wet wipes, cotton pads. Out of curiosity, I looked further, opening the door to find paper towels, toothbrushes, a large quantity of toothpaste, and mouthwash. Taking what I needed, I washed my face again, brushed my teeth, and combed my long chestnut hair.

"What care..." I marveled, looking at myself in the mirror, where I looked slightly different. Or rather, it was me, but different... Something had changed in me, but I couldn't quite understand what.

After applying the face cream, I went to another door and opened it.

"The living room, I guess," I surveyed the room — a sofa, two armchairs, several tables. A couple of cabinets with dishes, shelves with figurines, and even a few books. I was getting curious, so I headed to the next door.

Behind it was a hall... Yes, a real one, large, bright, with potted trees and a staircase leading upstairs. I walked to the middle and looked around. Next to the door I had opened, from which I had come out, there was another one; I'd look at it later... In front of me was another door, and for some reason, I wanted to peek inside.

I hurried across the hall and opened the inviting door... It was a kitchen, quite modern, and large, about thirty meters!

My stomach immediately growled, demanding food. Standing hesitantly at the threshold and realizing no one was there, I walked to the refrigerator and opened it. To my surprise, it was packed with food... though not ready-to-eat, except for cheese and sausage.

So, putting the kettle on the regular gas burner on the stove, I made myself some sandwiches, found a jar of my new favorite coffee, sugar, and cream.

I poured a large cup of the drink and took the first sip with pleasure...

The last memories flooded back so suddenly that I dropped the coffee cup, spilling it, and jumped off the stool, gasping from the rising panic...

"Where's Stepka?!" I screamed to no one in particular.

But the only response was silence and a strange rustling along the walls. I looked fearfully at the dark spot moving in the shadows across the ceiling. When it reached me, a scroll emerged from it and fell at my feet, then another, and another.

"What is this?" I was afraid to move; something was rustling in the shadows everywhere.

"Read..." a whisper came from all directions simultaneously.

I forced myself to pick up the scrolls and place them on the table. I unrolled the one marked with the number "one".

"I've been appointed a Junior Reaper... So, rights, duties," I skimmed the lines, looking at the scroll in confusion. "Collecting souls? What nonsense?"

I put it on the table and took the second one.

"Employment contract..." I read the sheet, starting to remember that last night. "So..." I found the line about my son. "How is it — return him when I fulfill the contract conditions?"

I started reading the sheet again. Collecting souls, their transportation, accounting, and storage, and further distribution. Until there's not a single unnecessary soul left in the castle...

With a trembling hand, I put the scroll on the table and took the third one.

"I've been given a castle, a salary, servants, for the entire duration of the contract — timelessly," the word alarmed me. What does "timelessly" mean?..

The scroll listed what was in the castle. Essentially, a personal floor, only the first one; all the others were soul storage rooms, a warehouse...

At my disposal, there was also an office with the necessary educational literature. And what about the servants... I got so engrossed in reading that I stopped paying attention to my surroundings. And there was plenty to see...

Several large hairy spiders quickly cleaned up the coffee spill, picked up the stool from the floor. They even poured a new cup of the drink...

"One spoonful of sugar, please..." I said in a hoarse voice. The spider, who was about to pour a second one, returned it to the jar.

The coffee cup was quickly brought to the already clean table.

And no, I wasn't afraid of spiders—I didn't suffer from arachnophobia...

On wobbly legs, I approached and sat back down at the table, sipping my coffee. I massaged my temples.

"Will I not get my son back until I've settled all the souls?" I asked aloud, realizing that, generally speaking, no one was listening.

What have I gotten myself into?..

And why am I just nervous, and not having another hysterical fit?

Pulling the plate of sandwiches closer, I began to eat. I unrolled the scrolls one by one, reading them over and over again. Ah, yes, the "gift" from Death—a dulling of all human emotions, and self-control.

Yes, perhaps that's a good "gift"; lately, I've been out of my mind. And, it seems, they've put me in a mental hospital... The rest was shrouded in darkness. After the injections, I was always in a state of hibernation, turning into a vegetable...

So...

I stopped chewing—what if all this is just the delirium of a fevered brain?

I scanned the room, my gaze stopping on the clusters gathered on one of the walls opposite me. Their numerous eyes were staring right at me...

Delirium or not, I have a chance to get my son back, even if it only happens in my fevered brain!

"Okay... How do I start my duties?" I found the relevant line, reading it again. "Organize the soul warehouse, rewrite, number them... And give them a chance to start a new life. What does the last part mean?"

I finished the sandwiches, drank the rest of my coffee, and stood up decisively, ready to begin. I took the scrolls and went to the room, throwing open the wardrobe doors. I chose some underwear and a dress; by the way, there were no simple, homey ones here—all were fancy, with full skirts, though at least not long... Putting one on, I picked out shoes with a small square heel and braided my hair into a plait.

I still need to take the documents to the office...

Turning the handle, I froze. Death was standing there... I, afraid to move, and she didn't move either... The little spiders suddenly started bustling on the curtains, pulling them apart to let in more light.

It was a mannequin with a black cloak and a mask on its face. Next to it, on a special stand, was a scythe... I exhaled in relief.

"Well, what an unpleasant surprise. Do I have to stick to this look? Is that a rule?" If I understood correctly, this is my work uniform.

I walked around the mannequin.

"I'd prefer dark purple... And remove the mask entirely! Or replace it with a silk scarf... And instead of a scythe, just a staff, like wizards have!"

Before my eyes, the outfit changed according to my preferences.

"Cute! And how am I supposed to travel? Is it a magic carpet, a broomstick..."