CHAPTER ONE
PENCIL PUSHERS IN HEAVEN

I'm not going to lie to you; dying sucks. Like, really sucks. The thing is, sometimes it's the stuff that comes after that's the hardest part.

How do I know, you ask? That's an easy one. Hi, my name is Ava, and I'm dead.

Don't feel bad. I'm totally over it. I mean, it definitely wasn't my plan to die at sixteen years old, but that's what happens when you hang out with a really psychotic group of people and don't have the common sense to walk away before it's too late. I kind of had it coming, I guess. I was murdered, it was sudden, and it really hurt, but it's all good now because I've moved on. Sort of.

Alright, maybe I'm lying... But I'm trying, okay?

Anyway, this story isn't about any of that. As it turns out, death isn't the end. It's actually the beginning. I must have screwed up majorly because I somehow ended up stuck guiding four teenagers on their mission to save the world. Not that there's any pressure or anything. I mean, you would think death would give me a break, vacation time, or something, but no. I have work to do. Well, at least I don't have to take gym class anymore.

Let me back up a little and tell you about the day I met Bob.

After wandering aimlessly for a bit, I opened my eyes and found myself in a busy lobby that was full of people. Some of them looked as confused as I felt. Others were eagerly working on some project or another. I noticed a girl who looked about my age handing out paperwork. She had a beautiful smile, smooth brown skin, and grey eyes that were full of life. That seemed ironic, as I was pretty sure we were both dead, but hanging out with a pretty girl didn't seem like such a bad way to spend eternity.

"Meyers comma Ava," a nasal voice called before I could approach her.

I was too busy looking at the girl to remember that was my name.

The owner of the nasal, monotone voice cleared his throat and tried again. "Meyers comma Ava."

I looked away from the girl and noticed a guy wearing a nametag that said Bob on a button-down white shirt, with black slacks, and eternally shiny black shoes. Plain silver eyeglasses framed his eyes. He had absolutely no outstanding features whatsoever. I might not have even noticed him if he hadn't been calling my name.

"Meyers comma Ava?" He called again in the same monotone way.

"Um... Present?" I finally replied, uncertain of what the protocol was here, or even where "here" was. I was dead. Shouldn't there have been a white light or the flames of Hell or the Underworld or whatever? Wasn't there supposed to be a God or a Goddess or a talking goat or something? Were the Powers That Be really just some guy named Bob?

He checked his clipboard and recited, "Hair, red. Eyes, blue. Race, Caucasian. Height, five-five. Age, sixteen." Bob nodded slightly and motioned for me to follow him. "Hello, Meyers comma Ava. Welcome to the other side. I am your case worker, Bob. It seems you have some unfinished business, so before I can move you to the Healing and Reincarnation Division, you'll have to complete a special assignment," he said.

"Great," I replied dryly. "I somehow managed to get stuck in Remedial Death."

"Pardon?" Bob asked.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "So, what's this assignment?"

"You're going to be guiding a group of four teenagers on a mission to stop an ancient evil from rising."

It was my turn to be confused. "Wait, I'm going to be doing what?"

In the same tone, he repeated, "You're going to be guiding a group of four teenagers on a mi-"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time Bob. What I meant to ask was, are you insane?"

He looked at me and calmly replied, "No, I do not believe so. Come along. I've got to send you on your way now."

I stared at him. "Wait! Don't I get any training or a manual or something?"

"We here in the Unfinished Business Division believe that on-the-job training works best. This is a list of your charges. Find them and get to work." He handed me a piece of parchment paper with four names listed on it. Before I could even read them, he said, "Go along now, on your way. I have others to tend to."

With that, Bob pushed me out of the other side and sent me back to Earth. I didn't have a body or anything. I could hold the parchment but nothing else, as I quickly discovered when I tried to touch a tree and fell right through it. I cursed as I got back on my feet. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

"Well," I mumbled, "this should be interesting."