Do not go gentle into that good night but rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

-Dylan Thomas

"You killed me?!" She blinked staring back at her own serine reflection.

"Oh I fucked up good didn't I?" He noted, crossing his arms like it was an expensive vase he broke and not someone's life.

"You think?!"

"I'm sure we can fix it." He gave a less than a reassuring grin.

"They just cremated me"

She watched the flames lick the sides of the tube as her perfectly healthy body turned to dust. This was a disaster.

It had been a week since her death. Much to her dismay, the dumb ass beside her was her stupid guide to the afterlife, who went by the name Finn. Reaper, harvester, angel, whatever being he was, it didn't matter because he was a complete and utter fucking idiot.

"It'll be okay sweetheart." Mrs. Thompson gave her spirit a pat on the back which felt like little shocks of energy. She shook at her touch, still adjusting to being dead.

Oh yes, Mrs. Thompson Kate thought, reflecting on the week's strange events.

After learning of her death she made a break for it to the waiting room, only to see the doctor give the news of her death to her mother. Her heart ached at the memory; watching her mother sobbing wildly on the floor of the hospital as nurses tried to coax her up. As an only child, it was just her mom and her after their dad left to be with another woman. She was six yrs old running after his beat up volkswagen as it pulled out of the driveway for the last time. She wasn't bitter though, her mom had been enough of a parent to make up for his absence.

Kate had kneeled on the floor beside her, reaching out trying to hold on to her mother. She cried out for someone to help her it was useless. Finn had caught up, dragging her sobbing spirit back to the room where he explained that it was her time to go. He comforted her saying that it was a natural part of every human's journey...blah blah blah and that she, Mrs. Lily Thompson would be reunited with her loved ones in the waiting room of the afterlife.

Except Kate wasn't Lily Thompson. LILY THOMPSON was the frail old woman in the bed next to hers, and it took another 7 days for the little old lady to die! This left Kate stuck with Mr. Fuck-up-Finn, the angel, for a week, until the right person could be harvested.

"Kate," Fin reach out a hand to her shoulder, she shrugged him off, shooting him a death glare.

His was face somber. "I don't know how many times you want me to apologize. It was my first time on the job I'm not used to this line of work!"

"How do you mess up reaping someone?! It says my name right on the papers, Kate Eyre!"

"In my defense, your heart did stop for a few seconds,I took it as a sign." The pitiful face he gave her was not what she wanted to see.

Kate turned back to look at her burning body, hugging her arms to her chest, too tired to fight anymore. It was a surreal experience to watch your body burn She thought she would have had more attachment to it. Now her short 20 yrs had come to an end. She would never know life past it.

The flames had died down. The charcoled remains of her body now ashes; forever to sit in a jar on a shelf. Her mom couldn't afford the casket. Dying is so expensive. Finn's voice snapped her from her trance.

"The Oracle will know what to do." Finn reassured for the hundredth time like it was a mantra to solve all their problems, "I'll take you tonight after you've both said your last goodbyes to your families."

"No that's okay," Kate mumbled. Seeing her mother again would only make it harder to let go. She couldn't bear that heartbreak again.

"We'll leave a guardian to watch over her Kate, she won't be alone."

"Thanks," she gave a weak smile. The thought was comforting.

"Okay let's be off then," Finn reached out to grab both ladies' hands. After a week of waiting this was finally it, Katie thought. She would finally see what is beyond the veil.

Finn summoned a swirling golden circle at their feet. "Off to Ms. Thompson's children's house!"

...Or not

With a flash of brilliant light, they were gone.

***

Whatttt? Kates off to the Afterlife  ! What do you guys think it will look like? Let me know in your comments below :P And thank you for taking the time to read this with me :)

~Miss Foxx