A Final Hoorah

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Tonight was a big night. Titus Woolley smiled as he skipped down the stairs from the bedroom. His muscular six feet two-inch frame had no problem bounding down the steps. At the bottom he paused and listened. He could clearly hear water running from the sink in the kitchen. Smiling, he brushed his black hair from his forehead and took time to stroke his well-manicured moustache and goatee. This was going to be fun.

After removing his shoes, he tiptoed into the kitchen in an attempt to sneak up from behind and surprise his partner. She was at the sink washing dishes and was well aware of what he was trying to do. Before he could wrap his arms around her, she spun around with the faucet sprayer and caught him directly in his face. Forcing his way through the stream of water, he grabbed her, which resulted in both of them getting wet. Laughing they fell into each other’s arms and passionately kissed.

He and Blair Rizzi had lived together for the last five years, and now, they were going to announce their engagement to be married to their friends and family. The two had planned the party together and were having everyone over for dinner. They had decided on having Meaty Meat cater the event, which took a lot of pressure off them, and allowed them to work on pulling off the surprise announcement. It was going to be a wonderful day.

“You need to dry up, old man,” she teased as she turned back to the dishes in the sink.

“I don’t know,” he chuckled. “I hear you like it wet and wild.”

“In your dreams.”

“Hey, I’m just telling you the rumor I heard,” he declared with feigned innocence.

“And who started that rumor?” she smirked.

“Well, it’s the rumor I’ve been spreading,” he offered. “You never know how those things get started.”

“Yeah, right,” she laughed as she handed him a towel.

“Are you ready for our grand hoorah?” he asked as he wiped his face.

“Absolutely,” she declared as she pulled him close. “You know I’ve always wanted to marry you, and now you want it, too.”

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and offered, “I want to spend my life with you, but I’ve never been sold on that marriage thing.”

“That marriage thing?”

“You know what I mean,” he said as he rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a marriage certificate to tell me I’ve found the love of my life. I’m a slow learner, but I finally realized it means a lot to you.”

“It does.”

“So, if it means that much to you, then it means a lot to me, too,” he declared.

“That’s just another reason why I love you,” she said as she kissed him. Then after a moment hesitation, she offered, “I guess we need to start getting ready for the party.”

“If we really have to,” he smirked as she pushed him away.

“Even with the catering, we still have plenty to do,” she stated. “Now, why don’t you start by checking with Meaty Meat to make sure everything is on schedule. I’ll finish the dishes and then we can get dressed together.”

“It’s going to take us all afternoon to get dressed?”

“It could,” she said with a smile.

“Oh,” he muttered when he realized what she was implying. “I’ll make the calls right away!”

As he was walking toward the living room to find his cell phone, he couldn’t help but think of how he and Blair came to find that they loved each other. Titus was one year old when his next-door neighbors welcomed their second daughter into the world and named her Blair. As children, they played together along with the other kids in the neighborhood. There were times when they were the best of friends, and there were times they couldn’t stand the sight of each other. But, they really were friends and continued that way through school. Neither one of them gave much thought to the possibility of them falling in love, especially since they were always interested in someone else.

He always thought she was cute, but sometimes it’s hard to notice the real beauty of a person when you’re so close to them. In high school, he did notice how she had blossomed into a fine young lady, with her long brown hair. She stood five feet ten inches, and even though she was slender, he thought she had developed some nice curves. He started to compliment her one time on her looks, but decided not to as he knew she would think he was being silly.

Blair did think he was a little too irresponsible for her taste. The men she was attracted to were serious about their lives, had a well-thought-out plan for their future, and were men of action. She just never thought of Titus being that type of person.

After high school they went off to separate colleges, with Blair going to one in another state. Titus became a meteorologist, and she became an elementary teacher. They stayed in touch mostly through social media as each had their own separate lives. It was by chance that another teacher invited Titus to come to her class and talk to the students about the weather. It was the same school where Blair taught. He ran into her in the hallway, and something sparked. They found out each one of them were single, not dating anyone special, and really enjoyed each other’s company. It wasn’t long until they were dating, and a year later living together.

Now, five years later, it was spring break for the schools, and as usual, Titus coordinated his vacation to coincide so he and Blair could spend the time together. This was an opportune time to have a party and surprise everybody with the news of their engagement. Everything was going as planned until there was a soft knock on the front door.

Titus entered the living room and saw his phone lying on the sofa. He started to grab it but stopped when he heard the noise.  Listening closely, he finally realized someone was lightly tapping instead of ringing the doorbell. He went to the door and looked through the peephole. There on the steps stood an elderly man with a tattered shirt, wrinkled blue jeans, and a hoodie pulled up over his head hiding most of his face. He thought that was odd as it was springtime, and it was quite warm outside. So, he opened the door just enough to look out and be able to talk.

“May I help you?” he inquired.

The man cleared his voice, and then answered with a raspy whine, “Please excuse my intrusion, but are you Titus Woolley?”

“Who wants to know?”

“Well, I do,” the man replied somewhat bewildered at being asked.

“And who are you?” Titus asked as he was starting to feel uneasy about the stranger on his front steps.

Ignoring the question the man continued, “It’s urgent that I speak with you. May I come in, please?”

“No.”

Titus quickly closed the door and turned the deadbolt lock to keep the man outside. He decided to call the police and let them know in case the stranger was up to no good in the neighborhood. When he turned around to find his phone, he was startled to see the man standing in the middle of his living room.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” he almost yelled in panic. “How did you get in here?”

Once again, he ignored the question and stated, “Titus Woolley, I must speak with you.”

“Look, you leave my house right now, or I’m going to call the police and have them remove you!” Titus declared with more confidence than he was feeling.

“No, I don’t think so,” the man declared with a shake of his head.

Slowly backing up without taking his eyes off of the old man, he reached down on the sofa to get his phone. He tried to pick it up, but it wouldn’t move. He pulled as hard as he could, and it still wouldn’t budge.

“I tried to tell you,” the stranger smirked. “You no longer have the strength to lift something as light as your phone. That’s why I need to talk to you immediately.”

“All right,” Titus uttered as his mind raced to not only determine what was happening, but to figure out what he could do to stay out of harm’s way. “I’ll talk to you, just don’t hurt my girl friend.”

“I have no intention of doing anything to her,” the man declared with a slight hint of annoyance at the thought of him harming Blair. “I’m here only for you. May I sit down?”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” Titus stammered.

“I insist,” the old man declared as he coughed and took a seat in the recliner beside the sofa.

He looked up with piercing eyes which made a cold chill crawl down Titus’s spine. Ignoring the feeling, he took the opportunity to observe the stranger that had invaded his home. His skin was wrinkled, as if he had been working in the sun for too many days and too many years. The man’s eyes were sunken, giving him more of a skull-like appearance than was normal. Titus couldn’t help but detect a putrid odor, and he guessed it came from the man as there was nothing in the house that would smell that way.

After taking all this in, he asked, “So, what do you want?”

The man gave a brief sigh and replied, “It’s your time.”

“My time for what?”

“Your time is up,” the man answered. “I’m here to help you transition to the beyond.”

This was not what Titus was expecting to hear, and it startled him to where he exclaimed, “What are you talking about? Are you saying ‘beyond’ to mean I’m gonna die? You’re crazy old man. I’m too young.”

“Yes, I agree you’re quite young,” the man said as he shrugged his shoulders. “I know you’re only thirty-two, but it is time.”

“What game are you trying to play?” Titus sneered. “You think you’re the Grim Reaper, or something?”

The old man stood, and took a step toward Titus before declaring, “I am the Grim Reaper, and I’ve come for you.”

“Yeah, sure you are,” Titus laughed at the absurdity of the idea. “If you’re the Grim Reaper, then where is your scythe?”

“Oh, I quit carrying one of them centuries ago,” the man revealed. “I never did use it. It was just a prop.”

From the kitchen, Blair heard voices coming from the living room and became curious as to who Titus was talking with. Surely, no one had shown up for the party this early. She rounded the corner from the hallway and stopped in her tracks when she saw the old man with tattered clothes standing a few feet away from Titus. Her instincts told her something was wrong.

“What’s going on?” she almost shouted.

The old man looked at her, and declared, “You have nothing to fear, Blair. I’m here only for Titus.”

Glancing at her, Titus said, “The old coot says he’s the Grim Reaper and that he’s come here to kill me!”

“I never kill anyone,” the man quickly inserted. “I simply eliminate their strength to resist death. That way death can take it’s natural course, and I help them transfer from life to the beyond.”

Blair could feel the panic spreading through her when she shouted, “Get out of our house!”

“No,” the man calmly replied.

“I’m calling the police,” she firmly declared as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket.

“Yes, please dial 911. The paramedics need to get here. It’ll be too late, but they need to get started on their way,” the man said as he waved his hand in front of Titus’s face.

All of a sudden, Titus found it difficult to breathe. He grabbed his throat and gasped for air. His eyes filled with panic as he struggled to catch his breath. A sharp pain hit him in the middle of his chest and intensified to where he could no longer stand, so he sank to his knees. Blair screamed and rushed to him as he collapsed onto the floor. His whole body briefly shook. What air he had in his lungs hissed as it rushed out. His eyes set in place as he fell unconscious. He lay on the floor staring at the ceiling, not moving nor breathing.

“He can’t breathe!” Blair shouted. “Help him!”

The old man shook his head and said, “I told you to call 911.”

With disgust at the insensitivity of the old man, she started CPR as she put her hands together and started pumping on Titus’s chest. Between breaths, she yelled, “Don’t just stand there. Call 911!”

The Grim Reaper simply folded his arms and watched her trying to save the man she loved. Finally, he snarled in a whispery voice, “Blair, let him go. It’s his time.”

Not being trained in how to administer CPR, she quickly tired. Her efforts to save Titus were poor at best. In anguish, she quit trying, sat on the floor beside him, and bawled, “I can’t lose him! After all this time, we’re going to get married. I love him! Please, can’t you do something?”

The Reaper just kept staring at her and didn’t say anything.

“Please, I’m begging you,” she shouted. “I can’t live without him.” Jumping to her feet, she moved to within a foot of the Reaper and pleaded, “You can take me. Just let him live. I’ll go with you right now. Please take me! He’s got to live.”

The Reaper studied the sobbing woman standing in front of him. With a sigh he declared, “This is why I try to do my job when no one is watching. I can avoid all this drama.”

“What do you want?” Blair continued. “I’ll give you anything, just don’t let him die.”

Looking down at the floor, the Reaper scratched his left eyebrow as he thought about what he could do. “All right,” he offered. “I’ll give him another day.” He snapped his fingers, and Titus suddenly took a deep breath, gasped for air, and then started coughing. Blair fell to the floor and took him into her arms. It wasn’t long until he was conscious. His breathing was no longer labored, and he started regaining his senses. He lay in her embrace while looking up at the old man. “I believe you now. You are the Grim Reaper,” he said in a feeble voice.

“You’re alive!” she cried with relief as she realized he was going to live.

“Yes, yes, he’s alive. For now,” the Reaper offered.

“Thank you,” Blair said as she wiped the tears streaming down her face.

With a huff, the Reaper turned and again took a seat in the recliner. “I’m going to have to lay out some rules you’re going to have to follow. If you don’t, then I’m coming back, and I’ll take both of you, and anyone who tries to stop me. Is that understood?”

Titus pulled himself off the floor and set up with Blair’s help. He stared at the Reaper, and then asked, “Why are you doing this? I’m young. I’m healthy. There’s no reason for you to be here trying to take me.”

The old man gazed at the couple sitting on the floor in front of him. With a snort, he declared, “You humans are so naïve when it comes to life and death.”

“I don’t think it’s naïve to want to live,” Blair shot back at him. “Life is good.”

“If you say so,” the Reaper smirked. Then, with a sigh, he offered, “All you want to think about is life, your life. You emphasize living so much, you forget about how important death is.”

“Death is the end,” interjected Titus with a cough. “Living is everything.”

“Yes, that’s what you’ve been taught. It’s accurate that without life there is no death, but the opposite is true, too,” the Reaper explained. “Without death there is no life.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” objected Blair.

“It does if you think about it,” the Reaper said with a grin. “Simply put, something has to die for life to exist.”

“I still don’t see it,” offered Blair.

“If you eat meat, or meat by-products, something has to die,” the old man explained. “If you eat vegetables or fruit, then a plant or seed dies. Without death there would be no life.”

“That’s a weird way to look at it,” Titus muttered.

“Life and death are weird,” the old man laughed with his wheezy voice. “Now, look, I’ve spent far too much time here with you. We should’ve been gone some time ago, so I need to know, do you want one more day or not?”

“Yes, I want that, in fact, I would like to live to a ripe old age,” Titus bellowed.

“Well, that’s not going to happen,” the old man declared as he rose to his feet. “Your time is up, and all I’m offering is one more day. Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it.”

“Okay, done,” the Reaper said. “I’m going to send a text to your phone with an address. That’s where I’m going to be. I’ll give you to noon tomorrow to show up there and let me help you transfer to the beyond.”

“You want me to come to you?” Titus asked with surprise.

“That’s the only way it will work,” the old man continued. “And, please, don’t try to run off somewhere, or hide, or whatever else you’re plotting to do. It won’t work. If you show up before noon tomorrow, then this will be between you and me and no one else. You try to avoid me, or hide, then no matter where you are, or what you’re doing, you will die. So will Blair. In addition, anyone who is within eyesight of you will die, too. I hope you understand the seriousness of this.”

Titus stared at the man who held his fate in his hands. He tried to process all of this, but it was all too much too fast. His concentration was broken by his cell phone buzzing. He reached over to the sofa, grabbed the phone, and read the text.

“It reads that I’m to go to 2244 Last Lane in Glariville,” surmised Titus.

“That’s correct,” the Reaper said as he started walking toward the front door. “Don’t be late.”

Still looking at his phone, Titus sneered, “Your text number is 666. Really?”

Without looking back, the old man replied, “Yes, it is,” and then disappeared through the door.

The two continued sitting on the floor staring at the door where the Grim Reaper had walked through, and vanished. Finally, Titus shook his head and asked, “Did this really happen? It felt real.”

“It was real to me,” declared Blair. “What are we going to do?”

Shaking his head in disbelief, he offered, “It appears I’m going to die tomorrow at noon.”

She slid over to him and wrapped her arms around him to hold him close. “There’s got to be a way around this. I can’t lose you!”

“I don’t know,” he pondered. “You saw what he did to me with a wave of his hand. I couldn’t breathe, and it felt like I was dying. I think I blacked out.”

“I thought you were dead,” she agreed. “I was so scared.”

“The panic I felt when I couldn’t breathe was very real,” he said. After a moment’s hesitation, he asserted, “You heard what he said. There’s nothing I can do to avoid it without other people being hurt.”

“I know what. We’ll fly out of the country,” she offered. “If we get far enough away, surely he won’t be able to do anything.”

“We can’t take that chance,” he said as he shook his head. “If I don’t show up at that address, then he’s going to kill you, too. I won’t let that happen.”

“No, that’s just a bluff,” she cried. “It has to be!”

Titus turned, and put his arms around her before gently saying, “I saw what he can do, and I believe he’s the real Grim Reaper. I don’t want to, but I’m going to die tomorrow, and I won’t chance anything that will put you at risk.”

“So, we don’t do anything?”

“Yeah, we do a lot. We spend this time together, and make the most of it,” he proposed. “If I have to die, then I can’t think of anything else I would rather do.”

They kissed each other as tears flowed down their cheeks. Blair gently wiped them away from Titus’s face, and then asked, “What about our party?”

“We cancel it,” he answered. “I don’t think I’d be good company around people this evening. I only want to be with you.”

“Yeah, I can’t celebrate anything now,” she acknowledged. “I’ll send a message to everybody and tell them we’re not feeling well. That’s not a lie. I feel awful. What about your parents and family? You’re going tell them, right?”

He thought for a moment, and then replied, “No, I think it best not to say anything. They’ll rush over here, and I think that’s more than I can handle right now. Let them think I’m sick, and then tomorrow, they’ll find out how sick I am.”

“If that’s what you want, then I’ll let everyone know,” she declared.

“I’ll call Meaty Meat and see what we can do to postpone the catering,” he offered. “Maybe you can use them in a day or two, to feed everybody after…oh, you know what I mean.”

The idea of a funeral brought their emotions rushing to the surface. They held each other again and cried their hearts out. Eventually, to help take their minds off of what was coming, they got busy doing things around the house. They didn’t do much, but it kept them busy and lifted their spirits some.

A couple of hours later Blair came into the kitchen and found Titus sitting at the dining table. She gave him a kiss, and said, “Everybody’s messaging back saying they understand, and hope we get well soon.”

“Yeah, my mom called and wanted to know what was wrong,” he said with a grin. “I told her I just wasn’t feeling well. She wanted to bring some soup over. I told her no. Then, she wanted to bring me a laxative. She said I needed to flush all the toxins out of my system.”

Blair laughed, and then added, “That’s her cure for everything. My parents called and wanted to come over and take us to urgent care. When I told them no, mom wanted to know our symptoms so she could Google them. Dad said he saw you out in the rain the other day without a rain coat, and he knew you were going to catch a bug. I finally convinced them we’ll be okay.”

“They mean well,” he offered.

“They’re parents, and they’re going to look after us whether we want them to or not,” she said with a smile. “I’m glad that they’re that way.”

“Me, too,” he agreed. Then, after a pause, he announced, “Maybe we should go ahead and get married today.”

This surprised Blair, and she asked, “You really want to do that?”

“I do if that’s what you want,” he replied. “We need to do it today or it'll be too late.”

She gazed into his eyes as she tried to gauge whether this was a good idea or not. Finally, she offered, “We haven’t applied for a marriage license, so I really don’t see how we can do all of that this afternoon.”

“I’m willing to try,” he objected.

She walked over to him, sat down in his lap, and he pulled her close. “I think we’d be rushing things a little too much,” she quietly said. “That’s what I wanted, but now things have changed. All I want now is to be with you as much as I can. Nothing else matters.”

He nodded his head, and then raw emotions rushed to the surface, and he cried, “I don’t want to die!”

She held onto him, and sobbed, “I know.”

“Oh God, why is this happening?” he blubbered. “I know people die all the time, but not me. Not, now! God, it’s not fair.”

All she could do was hold on to him as he continued, “I’m not sick. I’ve been healthy. I don’t get it. I’ve been a good person. I’m not perfect, but I try to be good.”

“You are good,” she bawled.

“I know life’s not fair, but this sucks to high heaven,” he cried in anguish. After gaining some composure, he declared, “The worst part is leaving you. That’s almost too much to bear. I thought we’d spend the next fifty years or more together.”

“Oh, Titus, I love you so much,” she cried.

They continued holding and consoling each other without speaking. It was therapeutic for both of them as words had not been invented that would ease their pain.

Blair wanted so much to help, but it was becoming evident nothing could be done. She was willing to try anything, leave no stone unturned, if she could only save the man she loved. Feebly, she asked, “Do you want me to call and have the priest come over?”

“Thanks, but no,” Titus answered. “I’m feeling a little better now that I’ve cried it out. It’s terrible. It sucks. It’s awful. But I think I’ve had a moment of clarity where my dying has become real to me. It’s crazy, but I’m beginning to accept it, and I’m feeling a little better. I’m just not going to worry about it.”

“Well, I don’t accept it,” Blair stated matter-of-factly. “I wish I could think of something to do.”

“Look, we’ve got tonight and tomorrow morning,” he offered. “If we think of some way out of this, then fine. But I’m not going to waste my last hours with you worrying over something I have no control over. Just being with you is enough. Then, tomorrow I’ll just go and accept whatever fate is waiting for me.”

“Well, I’m going with you,” she declared.

“No, no, I don’t want that,” he objected. “It’s too risky.”

“I don’t care. You’re not going alone, and I’m the one who’s going to be there with you,” she proclaimed. “The old man said if you went to Glariville, then it was only between you and him. I won’t be in any danger.”

Titus rubbed the back of his neck, and then observed, “So, you’re going to see me die.”

“I don’t want to, but I’m going to be there,” she proclaimed. “I’m not going to give up hope that there’s a way out of this until it’s over. Quit trying to talk me out of it.”

He smiled weakly, and said, “All right, I can see your mind’s made up.”

“It is.”

The rest of the day the two talked, watched Titus’s favorite movie, cooked dinner together, and shed some more tears. They did think of a couple of ideas to try and outsmart the Grim Reaper, and on the surface they looked promising, but fell apart when thought through.

Later in the evening, Titus said he was tired and was going to bed. Blair knew he was emotionally exhausted. She told him to go ahead while she made sure everything was put up for the night, and all the lights were off. It wasn’t long before she joined him. He was lying on his back on top of the sheet staring up at the ceiling.

“I think this is the earliest we’ve ever gone to bed,” she observed as she crawled in and snuggled up beside him.

“I think you’re right,” he agreed. “There’s not much else to do. I’m tired of watching the minutes tick off. It’s almost maddening.”

“You’re handling this better than I ever would,” she declared. “You know me, I’d be in a straitjacket by now.”

He laughed and kissed her on her forehead. “I can see that.”

“It’s not that funny,” she teased.

“I know, but the way I feel, I’m either going to laugh or cry,” he explained. “I’ve cried enough today, so give me that one laugh.”

“Okay, just that one.”

After a few minutes of silence, Blair said, “A penny for your thoughts.”

He glanced at her and then offered, “You know, the Reaper said he wanted to help me transfer to the ‘beyond.’ He didn’t say anything about heaven or hell or the afterlife.”

“That is a strange way to put it,” she observed.

He took a deep breath, and asked, “Do you think there’s a heaven?”

“Of course, there is,” she quickly answered. “They’ve taught us that all our lives.”

“I’d like to believe there’s an afterlife,” he revealed. “It’d be nice if it was heaven. I guess I’ll find out one way or the other in a few hours.”

Blair raised herself up on her elbows, and declared, “If there’s anyone I know who deserves to go to heaven, then it’s you. Don’t you dare think any other way.”

He smiled and said, “If you say so.”

She snuggled back up against him and asked, “So, when you get to the pearly gates and God is looking at you, what do you want to hear him say?”

“That’s interesting,” he said as he thought about a response. “I think I would like for him to shout, ‘Oh God!’”

“You’re awful!” Blair said as they both burst out laughing.

They kissed and held each other until Titus said, “You know you’re going to meet someone and fall in love.”

“I don’t want to think about that.”

“Well, I do,” he acknowledged. “I want you to be happy. You deserve it and there’s a lucky man out there who needs you. I just have one request.”

“What’s that?”

“That you never forget me and what we had together,” he declared as he fought to hold back his tears.

“How can I ever forget the love of my life?” she asked as she kissed him again. With obvious intent, her hand moved down his chest and slid under his pajamas and briefs. He pulled her even closer, and they made love until the wee hours of the morning, after which they slept content and satisfied.

Titus woke with a start. He felt as if he was missing something but couldn’t remember what. Grabbing his phone from the night stand, he looked at the time and realized what he had forgotten. He had to find the Grim Reaper before noon.

“Blair, wake up!” he shouted. “We’ve got to hurry.”

She turned over and moaned, “Five more minutes.”

“No! It’s ten after eleven,” he declared. “We’ve got to find the Grim Reaper.”

“What?” she asked as her senses came back to her. “Oh my God, we over slept.”

“Yes, come on. We can’t be late,” he demanded. “The map showed it takes at least twenty minutes to get to Glariville. We’re gonna have to hurry!”

“I’ve got to take a shower,” she asserted.

“No, we don’t have time,” he objected. “Just put some clean clothes on and spray some deodorant.”

She looked at him with surprise, and proclaimed, “I’m not going out in public smelling like sex.”

“You wouldn’t be the first. Look, we’ve got to get going,” he insisted. “The only thing that matters is that we get there before noon. Now get going!”

She jumped out of bed, ran to the bathroom, freshened as quickly as she could, got dressed, and caught up to Titus as he was walking out the front door. He stopped in the driveway, turned and looked at their house and yard.

“I just need to see what we have here one more time,” he revealed as he bit his lower lip to control his emotions.

“Take whatever time you need,” she offered. “I’ll get the car. I’m driving.”

After a moment, he turned and said, “That’s it. I’m coming.”

Blair punched 2244 Last Lane, Glariville into the navigation, and backed out of the driveway just as soon as Titus was in the car. Ten minutes later, she missed the turn she was to make.

“You missed that turn,” he calmly said.

“I know. I was going too fast,” she agreed with a frustrated look. “The navigation will guide us to the next one. Don't worry, I'm going to get us there on time.”

She made the correct turn, and they were making good time until she looked in her rearview mirror to see blue lights flashing from a police patrol car directly behind her.

“Crap!”

“You’d better pull over,” Titus declared as he tried not to laugh.

“You think this is funny?” she almost yelled out of irritation.

“Yeah, a little bit.”

Reluctantly, she pulled over at the first safe location and came to a stop. The officer parked behind her and took his time getting out of the car. Finally, he made a slow stroll up to the driver’s side window.

Before he could speak, Blair said, “I’m sorry officer, we’re in a big hurry. May I just come later to the police station and get my speeding ticket from you?”

He smiled and replied, “No, it doesn’t work that way. I need to see your license and registration.”
“Please,” she begged. “We really don’t have time. We’ve got to go.”

“I don’t doubt it with as fast as you were driving,” he offered. “Don’t you know that speed kills?”

“Yes, but we…”

“Look, lady,” the officer interrupted. “The longer I have to listen to you talk, the slower I’m gonna be writing that ticket.”

“Okay, okay,” Blair said with a huff. “My license is in my purse and the registration card is in the glove box. Give me a minute.”

“Hey, you’re the one in a hurry,” he smirked.

Titus found the registration while Blair pulled her license out. She went to hand them to the officer when his portable radio started blasting. He turned to his side and listened. After speaking into his mic, he turned back to face her, and stated, “I gotta go. There’s an armed robbery in progress at the hardware store around the corner.”

While running back to his patrol car, he shouted, “Drive safe!” Pulling around them as fast as he could, he made his tires squeal. Blair just watched with her mouth open and her eyes blinking in disbelief.

Titus glanced at her and then asked, “Can we go now?”

“Oh yeah.”

It was five minutes to noon when they drove up and parked at 2244 Last Lane. Getting out of the car they looked around at the surroundings. The parking lot was empty, and as far as they could see, there was no one else around. It all appeared to be abandoned.

“This is just an old warehouse,” Titus said with some disbelief. Then glancing quickly at the time on his phone, he asked, “Are you ready?”

“No,” Blair replied with tears in her eyes. “But, let’s do this.”

When Titus pounded on the metal door, it swung open. They cautiously peered inside and saw it was empty except for an office on the far end of the building. There was a light on, and there appeared to be someone sitting at a desk. The couple held hands as they walked across the vacant room and came to the office. Since the door was open, they went directly in and stood there observing what was in front of them.

A man sat at the desk with his back to them. He didn’t turn around or acknowledge their presence. From their view, the back of his head looked to be that of an old man with receding hair. He was busy studying a tablet propped up in front of him.

Titus glanced at Blair, and then announced, “I’m here.”

Without looking around, the old man said, “Yes, you are.”

With a bewildered look due to the man’s reaction, Titus declared, “Look, you told me to be here by noon, and so, I’m here.”

The man took a long deep breath, turned to face them, and offered, “I haven’t told you anything. I don’t know you.”

It was instantly obvious to Titus and Blair that this was not the same man who had invaded their home the day before. This man was old, but it was easy to see he was much younger than the Grim Reaper. His face was fuller, and he didn’t look quite as intimidating as the other man. He wasn’t wearing raggy clothes, in fact, he was smartly dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and a chocolate brown tie.

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on here,” Titus said as he felt his anger building. “A man told me he was the Grim Reaper, and that I was to come here today by noon as it’s my time to die.”

“He said if we didn’t come, then he would kill me, too,” Blair added.

“I don’t doubt it,” the old man offered as he shook his head.

Titus was about to blow his top. It was frustrating enough to have to die when he wasn’t ready, but now, it appeared they wanted to play games with him.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he almost shouted. “Where can I find the Grim Reaper? You’re not going to waste time to where it’s too late and he demands to take Blair, too.”

The old man looked at the couple, took a deep breath, and said, “I’d explain it to you, but I’m very busy right now.”

“Well, you just get unbusy,” Blair demanded as her face was flushed with anger. “You start explaining things or I’m going to call the cops. I know one, and he’ll make you talk.”

“Yes, yes,” the old man exclaimed. “You’re the fifth one today. Why am I not surprised?”

“All right, old man,” Titus said with annoyance. “You’re talking about my life here, so have a heart and tell us what’s going on. How do I find the Grim Reaper?”

“I am the Grim Reaper,” the old man revealed.

“What?”

“Yes, I’m GR7248-C,” the man offered. “The Grim Reaper that came to you is GR3291-E. He’s an older model.”

“What? You’re saying there’s more than one Reaper?” a surprised Blair asked.

“Yes, there’s over a thousand of us,” the old man answered. “Each are assigned a particular region that we are solely responsible for.”

Titus was shocked at this turn of events. “So, where do I find this, what did you say he was?”

“GR3291-E,” Blair responded.

“He’s not in charge around here anymore,” the Reaper revealed. “So, don’t worry about him. He has no control over you anymore.”

“Okay, so you’re the Grim Reaper,” Titus continued. “What are you going to do to me?”

The old man stood to face the couple, and answered, “I don't know you. Look, this place is a mess. The home office finally had enough and removed 3291-E from running this operation. If you ask me, they should’ve thrown him out decades ago.”
“Am I supposed to go looking for him?”

“Good luck with that,” 7248-C answered. “They sent him off to a portion of the Sahara Desert where the only living things he can look after are snakes, gerbils, and spiders. I guarantee you, he’ll screw that assignment up, too.”

“So, Titus is not going to die?” Blair asked with a slight hint of hope.

“Oh, I don’t know,” the Reaper replied. “Look, I’m so far behind in straightening this place out, it’s going to be decades before I catch up and get on schedule.”

“How can this be?” Titus asked with skepticism. “The other reaper was so sure of himself.”

“I know,” the Reaper agreed. “That’s one good thing I can say about him: He never lacks confidence.” After thinking for a moment, he continued, “Come with me. I want to show you something.”

Titus and Blair followed the old man to a large room behind the office. He slung open the door and they walked in to face stacks and stacks of papers piled high, some all the way to the ceiling.

“Do you see this mess?” the old man almost shouted. “This is what he left me. Every piece of paper in here is the information on someone who is to be helped to the beyond. Now, I’m finding out some of them have, but there’s so many of them who haven’t. I’ve got thousands and thousands, maybe millions, of people who are living in agony because of diseases or injuries, and they should have been helped to cross over. For some they’ve been that way for years, some ten or more. This is just a disaster, that’s all it is.”

“Does one of those papers have Titus’s name on it?” Blair shyly asked.

“Who knows?” the Reaper answered. “It’s evident 3291-E has never heard of a computer. He wrote everything on a piece of paper, if he wrote anything at all. My God, this is the 21st century, and he still acts like it’s the Dark Ages. I could be working out of a nice cozy downtown office instead of a warehouse with this trash heap. What an idiot!”

“Wow,” was all Titus could say.

“Let’s go back to the office,” the Reaper directed. “This room depresses me.”

Back in the office, the old man sat back down in his chair as Blair and Titus joined him. He took a long look at the couple and offered, “So, let me guess. 3291-E decided to show mercy on you and give you another day so long as you came here today and turned yourself in. If you didn’t, then he was going to take you anyway, and take her, and anyone else that was around you. Did I guess right?”

“That’s exactly what he said,” Titus replied.

“Yeah, he told a lot of people that,” the Reaper said with a disgusted look on his face. “That pisses me off! It’s like I said, you’re the fifth one today. He’s such an imbecile. He loves playing his silly games.”

“Life and death is just a game to him?” asked a bewildered Blair.

“It is,” the Reaper answered. “He got his kicks out of making people squirm and beg him to let them live. If he was still here in charge, he would want to see you begging again. So, he’d grant you another day, or maybe even a week. He’d keep having you come back, begging for your life, and he’d keep extending it until he got tired of playing with you.”

“That’s sadistic!” Blair almost shouted. “I almost wish he was here, and I’d show him who he was messing with!”

The Reaper laughed and said, “I don’t doubt you would try. Thankfully, the powers-that-be finally decided it was enough. After he got back from seeing you two, the home office had already taken over this office, and he was quickly escorted to the desert. No more games with people here for him. So, you in effect, became his final hoorah.”

“Well, I’m glad he’s out of the picture,” Titus asserted. “So, what now?”

“Well, I can assure you that you’re not going to die today,” the Reaper answered. “You’re not on today’s list. I’ve already got my schedule made out, and I’m not going to deviate from it.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Blair cried. “Can I give you a hug?”

“If you insist,” he replied with a smile.

After being hugged not only by Blair, but Titus, too, the Reaper said, “I have no idea when I’ll come across your file. I’m trying to work through that mess you saw, but I have to keep up with what’s needed for today. So, by the time I take some of those papers and enter them into my tablet here, I usually can only take care of a handful or two at a time. It’s a slow process, and it’s going to take me years, but I’ll get caught up eventually. The head office knows that, and that’s why they put me here.”

“I’m happy to live beyond today,” Titus declared with a nervous laugh. “Don’t be in a hurry to get to me.”

The reaper smiled, and offered, “You know, you look fairly young and healthy. I wonder why 3291-E picked you. Are you sick? Do you have cancer, or something?”

“No, I had my yearly checkup just last week,” answered Titus.

“We’re both in good health,” Blair added. “In fact, we were supposed to have a party for our family and friends last night, and announce our engagement, but 3291-E showed up instead.”

“Well, congratulations,” the Reaper offered with a smile. “I can see you two together. You have that look of love in your eyes for each other.”

“I would like to be married to Blair for a long time,” Titus declared as he took and held her hand.

The old man took another long look at the couple and then asked, “Okay, so what are your names?”

“I’m Titus Woolley.”

“I’m Blair Rizzi.”

“All right. I’m sure 3291-E unnecessarily put you through a rollercoaster of emotions, and we probably owe you some leeway for it,” the Reaper offered as he typed their names into his tablet. “Who knows, Titus, you may not even be on one of those papers in that storage room. But, just in case, I’ve entered your names, and if I come across a paper with Titus Woolley on it, I’ll just put it aside for, oh, say the next fifty or sixty years. The same goes if I see Blair Rizzi.”

Blair shouted for joy, and Titus grabbed her, and they hugged and kissed. Then, they grabbed the Reaper and kissed him, too.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” the Reaper declared. “Look, you’ve got to promise me a couple things. One, if you get sick or injured, and there’s no hope for a normal life, please get word to me. There’s no need to suffer when I can help you transition to the beyond. Is that a deal?”

Both of them quickly agreed. Titus asked, “What’s the other condition?”

“You two promise me that you will stay away from the Sahara Desert,” he said with a smile. “3291-E is crazy, and if he happened to see you there alive, well…just don’t go there. Agreed?”

“He’ll never see me there,” asserted Titus.

“Me neither,” affirmed Blair.

The Reaper chuckled and said, “You two get out of here. Go get married and live.”

Titus choked back tears of joy and said, “Thank you, sir.”

Blair gave the old man one more kiss and whispered, “Thank you, 7248-C.”

He gently pushed her away and demanded, “Go on, get out of here.”

They turned to leave, but Blair couldn’t help herself. She said, “I’m sorry but I’ve just got to ask: What is the ‘beyond’ that you help people transition to? Is it heaven or a place of nothing, or what?”

The Reaper shrugged and replied, “I haven’t a clue. I’ve helped millions get there but I’ve never seen it for myself.”

“Well, I just thought you might know,” she declared.

“Blair.”

“Yes?”

“Good-bye.”

The happy couple didn’t run, but they walked fast through the warehouse and out onto the parking lot. Titus stopped at their car, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. When he opened them, Blair grabbed him and held him tight.

“What just happened?” he asked as he looked into her eyes.

“I think there’s a good chance that you and I are going to be together for a long time,” she replied.

He gave her a quick kiss, and then offered, “You know, if I’ve learned anything in the past twenty-four hours, it’s how much I love you, and how much I want to marry you. So, let’s not wait. Let’s drive to Nevada and get married tonight.”

“Just us?”

“Just us.”

“What about our families and friends,” she asked as she searched his face to make sure he was serious.

“Look, we can have any ceremony you want when we get back,” he declared. “We’ll include everybody. But right now, I don’t want to waste another minute. I want to marry you today!”

“It would be nice to go to bed tonight with my husband,” she teased. “Are you going to let me drive to Nevada?”

“No.”

“What? You don’t trust my driving?” she asked with mocked annoyance.

“Oh, I trust you,” he replied. “You’re a great driver, but I don’t want to take a chance. I hear the cops are looking for you.”

THE END