Grim With Blood
(The author Darren Shan and Margaret Peterson Haddix inspired me to write this)
Chapter 1
Stories Of Horror
Hello. My name is Alex Burnfeld. I used to be a human, until I died. Are you confused? Well anyways here is my story…
“Tap…Tap…Tap…Tap…” I was drumming my pencil on my desk while I was listening to my teacher trying to explain Algebra. He can’t teach anything. But the only reason why he is one of my favorite teachers is because he always tells stories to us. Usually involving demons, witches, vampires, and goblins. They are very interesting.
“And so class this is why we…” Mr. Turner stops midsentence. “Alex are you paying any attention at all?” Mr. Turner asks.
“Oh uh yes. I am. Sorry Mr. Turner.” I reply. Then he goes on explaining things. I wish that he could finish the lesson up so he can tell us stories about dragons. That’s what his story is going to be today. I seem to be most interested in his stories so that’s why I stay after class so he can tell me more about the stories. He seems to like me the most for being so interested in his stories. But a few other kids absolutely hate his stories. They say that his stories are immature and are for nerds and 6 year olds. Well I am a really popular guy in school so they are not saying that Mr. Turner’s stories are for nerds anymore. I have a lot of friends. My best friend is Harold. He is crude, fun, and a little crazy. My second best friend is Andrew. He is irresponsible, funny, and weird. I have another friend that’s not a best friend but he is cool. His name is “Jonathan.” But he has been acting a little strange lately. He looks tired, stressed, worried, and pale. But that’s not my problem.
I look at the clock. There’s only one minute until class is over! But he didn’t even tell us a story yet! That never happens!
“Sorry class but there is no story today. The bells about to ring, so go!” Said Mr. Turner in a worried and half angry tone. Everyone gets up and starts walking out the door. Then the bell rings. I walk quickly up to Mr. Turner’s desk.
“Mr. Turner how come we don’t have a story today?”
“Because we just don’t! Now go!” Says Mr. Turner now a little panicked.
“I’m not going until you give me a story.” I say sternly.
“Uh! Fine! But quickly.”
“That’s fine with me.”
“Umm. Okay. Once upon a time there was a man named Drew Grace. He was walking through the cemetery at night, he was a grave robber. Then he saw a woman walking with jewelry, he decided to kill her and take her money. He ran up to her then he stabbed her with his knife. Then her ghost comes out of her body. Then-”
“This isn’t a very good story. Your others were better.” I said.
“Just shut up a listen!” Mr. Turner almost screams.
“Okay… Jeez.”
“Then when her ghost comes out a Grim Reaper comes right next to her, then-”
“I thought this was about dragons…” I say.
“No. No it isn’t.” Mr. Turner says impatiently. “Anyways the grim reaper starts writing on a pedestal with a blooded pen, he was writing in cuneiform. Then he grabbed the pedestal then he smashed it against the man’s head. He died. Then the ghost of the woman took his hand and they disappeared. Then the woman was screaming, although she was invisible. Then the pedestal appeared on the floor. Then it sank into the ground.”
The End.”
“This story doesn’t make much sense.” I told him.
“I gave you a story now GO!” Mr. Turner yelled. He started yelling. So I walked out the door before he took his anger out on me. I was halfway walking through the hall then a thought came in my mind. I wanted to know what was stressing him. Maybe it was something life threatening! But little did I know that going back to that room was going to turn my life upside down…
Chapter 2
After Class
I tiptoed to my class very slowly. If Mr. Turner wanted me away so bad I should be silent so he won’t hear me coming. I walked up to the class room door then I looked through the tiny window. Mr. Turner was not the only one in there, Jonathan was too! Jonathan was whispering something through Mr. Turner’s ear then Mr. Turner turned even paler. I really wanted to hear what they were saying but this room is like completely sound proof! I found a littered straw on the floor. I pick it up. If I could just stick it through the small space under the door…. Yes! I got it in! I bend down to hear what they were saying. I can barely hear anything but I could hear Jonathan saying,
“Give me the pedestal! They are coming back to get you anyways!” Then I hear Mr. Turner saying,
“No! I will not! I will use the pedestal against them and I will kill them!” Mr. Turner says.
“Ha! You don’t even KNOW how to use it! Just give it here and you won’t get hurt!” I hear Jonathan saying.
“No, I do! I have read the Code Of Death! I know how it works!”
“Wha-where did you get that?!” Jonathan screams.
“Perhaps I can save myself first then I will save you.”
“Oh please! You cannot help me! You’re hopeless! I have a better chance of saving us! If not, oh well its your death not mine! And come-on! I am a kid! Just give it to me! You have lived your life longer then I have!” Jonathan says.
“Bu-but I found it first!” Mr. Turner says almost crying now. I got up and looked through the window. Then all of a sudden I see Jonathan pull out something, silver and sharp. It was a knife!
“Mr. Turner, give me the pedestal right now or Ill hurt you with this knife!” Jonathan said.
I couldn’t just stand there. I opened the door and barged in.
“Jonathan STOP!” I screamed. I jumped at him and I grabbed at the knife and I tackled him to the floor. I tried to pull the knife out of his hand but he was much stronger then I was. But I somehow pulled it out of his hand. I got up. Jonathan got up.
“Alex? What are you?-” Before he finished his sentence I pushed down Mr. Turner and grabbed the pedestal out of his hand.
“NO!” Mr. Turner screams. He lunges at me, but I point the knife at him so he stops in the middle of running.
“Ok what the heck is going on?!” I yell. Then all of a sudden a giant puff of smoke appears at the side of the room. Then a floating figure comes out of it. The person that came out of it had a black coat and he was holding a scythe and he had a skull for a head. It was a grim reaper! Then the figure said
“They were fighting for their lives.” He grinned.
Chapter 3
Death Is Upon Us
I stared at the grim reaper in disbelief. I started screaming. But Jonathan and Mr. Turner didn’t look as surprised. I ran for the door but then black slime covered the doorknobs. I was about to reach it but then the grim reaper said,
“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you.” His voice was raspy and croaky.
“Wha- Why? What does it do?” I say panicked.
“Why, it will burn your hand off!” The grim reaper said. Then he started laughing. I noticed how close I was to touching it.
“I have nothing to do with what’s going on! So why won’t you let me go?!” I scream.
“You said you wanted answers didn’t you? So sit, and lay back and relax while I sort things out for you.”
“I don’t want answers anymore so let me go! And how can I relax when- when you’re a grim REAPER?!” I yell.
“Just sit down and listen.” Said the grim reaper calmly. I walked over to a desk and sat down. Then I decided to get up and stab the grim reaper with my knife but I was glued to the chair. His special powers were forcing me down. “Well okay. I will start explaining everything. First of all… People die, but they refuse to pass on with their life, that particular day the grim reapers make deals with them. We tell them they have a certain amount of days to stay alive until they are finally taken away. And well I made this deal with Mr. Turner and Jonathan because I felt sorry for them.-”
“Wha- Wait a second! So you’re saying that Mr. Turner and Jonathan are…are…” I say unable to finish my sentence.
“That means we are dead.” Jonathan said dryly. This was too weird for me. I just wanted to go home! I did notice how Mr. Turner and Jonathan were pale and white for the past couple days, but I thought it was just some sickness.
Then the grim reaper speaks up again,
“Then apparently Mr. T and your friend Jonathan found the pedestal in the cemetery that I accidently lost.-”
“Wait, so Mr. Turner so that story you were telling me earlier before was true?” I ask.
“Yes. It is true.” Mr. Turner replies.
“Mr. Turner how come the Grim Reaper killed the grave robber Drew Grace?” I ask.
“Well obviously because he caused a sin!” The grim reaper roared.
“Uhh I have another question. Why were they fighting over a pedestal?” I ask.
“Ahh. Good question. It is said that if you smash the pedestal against a grim reapers head you kill the grim reaper. Then you pass death and live again.” The grim reaper replies.
“But Mr. Turner is already alive. So does that mean he’s a g-g-ghost?” I ask frightened. “ B-But if he and Jonathan are ghosts how come I was able to touch Jonathan before when I tackled him?” I ask.
“Because they are in their bodies, but they are really ghosts inside. There bodies are decaying anyways.” I turn my direction to Mr. Turner and Jonathan now.
“Mr. Turner, why can’t you just use the pedestal and give it to Jonathan when you’re done using it?” I ask.
“Because we both are assigned to die at this very day. Both of us.” Mr. Turner replies. I look back at the grim reaper.
“So… You’re here to take them away now?” I ask.
“Why yes. Yes I am.” The grim reaper says.
“Do you have to take them away?” I ask.
“Yes. Yes I do. Alex you can go now.” The slime came off the doorknob and I realize that I’m not forced down onto the chair anymore.
“I have one more question. Umm why is the pedestal written in cuneiform instead of English?” I ask.
“Because it’s a lot cooler and more mysterious.” The grim reaper smiles again. “Oh. That’s why.” I reply. I started to head for the door.
“Oh don’t go yet Alex. Give me the pedestal.” The grim reaper says. I walk over and shoved it into his hands. I started to head for the door again.
“Oh so you are just going to abandon us are you Alex? You were never good friends anyways! I hate you!” Jonathan screams. I look down at the floor so I won’t have to see Mr. Turners and Jonathans disappointed faces. The grim reaper floats to Jonathan and Mr. Turner, he raises his scythe to finish them off and make them ghosts again so he can take them somewhere for the afterlife.
“AGHH!” Jonathan screamed. I couldn’t help it. I dashed over to the grim reaper and stuck my knife into his hard white shallow skull.
Chapter 4
The New Reaper
Jonathan and Mr. Turner seemed surprised about my actions. But then Jonathan started cheering me on,
“Go Alex! Yeah you rock! Kill him! Save our souls!” Jonathan roared. I tried to pull the knife out of the grim reapers skull to make a second stab but it was completely stuck in there. I tried to pull it out but it wouldn’t budge. Then the grim reaper put his bony hand on my throat and said
“Stupid actions like this one could get you killed! Of course you can’t kill me with a knife fool!” He threw me across the room. I landed on the floor with a hard thump. He pulled out the knife and threw it at the ground. He rose up his scythe again to finish off Mr. Turner and Jonathan, but then I piped out
“STOP! Don’t do it!” I screamed. “Don’t kill them! Let them live! Give back their lives!” I yelled.
“Now WHY would I do that?” The grim reaper asked.
“If you spare them… I will make a deal with you…”
“What kind of deal?” The grim reaper asks curiously.
“I don’t know… What would you like?” I ask.
“I would LIKE YOUR LIFE!” He roars. “I see many powerful things in you Alex! I want that power with me!”
“N-No not that. Please choose something else!” I plead.
“Hmm I really want your power…. Fine I have decided. You will become my worker. You will do everything for me. Understand?” He asked. I got surprised by his answer.
“Does that mean I will have to leave my family and everyone I’m close to? I ask.
“Yes. You will look normal in day but at night you will transform into a grim reaper. You don’t want your family finding that out would you?” He asks.
“No. No I won’t.” I say.
“Exactly” He says.
“But if I am normal in day how come you’re a grim reaper in day too?” I ask.
“Because you’re just a child! And please no more questions. I find them very irritating. So Alex will you do it? Would you become my slave to save them?” He asks. It was a very long decision. I thought over it for about 5 minutes then I finally said “Yes I will.” Then out of the corner of the room Jonathan screamed out,
“No! Don’t give away your life for us! Don’t throw your life away!” I ignored him and walked up to the grim reaper.
“So how do I become a grim reaper?” I asked. He walked up to me and he raised his scythe then he directed it at my head then he brang it down then- SLICE!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Ughhh. Where am I?” I moan. I open my eyes. I was still in the classroom. I look around. Why was I on the floor? I look around and see a headless body laying on the floor. Wait… THAT’S MY BODY! I start to scream. “What the heck?! I scream.
“How is that possible?!” Then all of a sudden the grim reaper grabs my head and turns it upside down then he starts pouring some liquid into my neck. It stung a lot! He then put my head on my body. Then he told me to get up. I got up. I shook my head once. And twice. And three times. But it didn’t fall off.
“Weird…” I mumbled. “Is my transformation done?” I ask the grim reaper.
“Yes. Yes it is.” He replies. I look around.
“Where are Jonathan and Alex?” I ask.
“They are alive. I gave them amnesia and teleported them into there homes. They will never remember any of this. I gave back their souls.” The grim reaper says.
“Come-on lets go.” The grim reaper says.
“Before we go…. Could I go to my house and see my family one more time?” I ask.
“Of course not!” The grim reaper roared.
“I’m not going to go inside! I just want to see their faces one more time… Could I just do that? Please?” I ask.
“Time is of the essence, but I suppose you could because I feel sorry for you.” The grim reaper says. “Here take my hand.” The grim reaper said. I held onto it. Then he and I teleported. We landed on the hills above my house. I landed with a hard thump. I got up. I saw my house a few distances away. I got lucky I saw all of their faces through the window. I had a camera in my backpack. I pulled it out and took a picture of them. It was the most beautiful picture I have ever seen. Then tears trickled in my eyes. I wiped them off so the grim reaper wouldn’t think of me as a baby. Then I just realized I made the most stupid deal in the whole world. So who cares if Jonathan and Mr. Turner died? I would still have a normal life if I didn’t save them! But I instantly wiped that thought off my mind. No. I didn’t want them to die. At least I’m a hero. Although Mr. Turner and Jonathan will never knew I saved their lives. Because they forgot everything about this. That’s sucks. I look at the grim reaper. Then he says,
“My names not ‘Grim reaper’ it’s actually ‘Death” Death says.
“So I can call you death instead? Ok. I will.” I say.
“So are you ready to go and serve as my worker?” He asks. I didn’t reply for a few seconds. Then I finally said,
“Yeah. Let’s go.” He looks at me for a few seconds and said,
“You will be a good assistant. You are Alex, The New Reaper.”
~THE END~
To be continued in “Grim with Blood #2 The Blood Fest.”