Hidding in plain sight

[Reaper]

New York was a teeming mass of people coming and going, moving from place to place, all worried about their own insignificant lives, with their own little problems.

It was easy enough to get lost in the crowd. People in New York were trained to ignore each other. Every other street held a vagabond, or an evangelist who would vie for the public's attention, and few succeeded. Why should John be any different? People do not see what they don't want to, and so no one saw him.

He had taken up shop on the outskirts of a shanty town filled with other undesirables. Some were mutant, most were not. Mutants tended to be a class all their own, and those who could not hide their affliction, often were thrown out of the group and forced to fend for themselves.

This was something John, or the 'reaper' as they called him was use too. He didn't need much to survive on; it was easy enough to survive on the trash from others, in fact, it was something he preferred. Actual food rarely sat well with him. It required too much digesting, something that his body simply couldn't handle. Scraps, however, tended to give him the little nutrition he needed to 'live', if you could call it that.

John stayed in the shadows, like the shadow of a man he was. He kept an eye on the dead and the dying, and shepherded them toward their next destination, which was always far away from him. those who patrolled the land of the dead wanted him, and he didn't want to be found. Whether it was God's work, or simply a means of survival, John found himself being a 'reaper' to the living and a bridge to the dead, dealing with them the way God must have intended, or suffering the burning scythes of those who laid beyond.

The only thing truly conspicuous about John at the moment was how inconspicuous he was trying to be. He sat underneath a Large Oak tree with his hood covering most of his features, as he gazed down into the camp below.

He was paying special attention to a man who sat fifty yards away from him huddled in a tattered blanket. No one got near the man. The man sat shivering and alone..coughing up blood on to the grass occasionally, and no one, the vagabonds especially paid him any mind. John suspected along with the others, that the man had tuberculous, which was known to be contagious, and with no health insurance, and an outright fear of hospitals the man just continued to get worse.

John watched him intently as a raven might circle its prey. He was a person of interest, and something may have to be done.

[Kristy Fury]

Kristy had picked up a few things with her sort time with the Morlocks one was pick pocketing and getting things she wanted form people she chould only do it as a cat witch she didn't mind she understood that people didn't like people who where different then them most the time and so they delt with a “stray” cat a lot better then her most the time.

She was walking down one of the streets that people didn't go on most the time unless they where homeless they where nice people hear ass long as she didn't still form them they may give her a little snake but it wasn't the best place if she wanted to help everyone else Kristy was troting down the street when she realized it was more empty then normal it wasn't long before she hurd someone coughing she started to walk over until she saw him and the blood spiting out of his mouth she dove to hide.

People weren’t suppose to spit out blood there was something wrong with him she seen him before he was nice, why was he spiting out blood she watched intently form behind a trash can feeling bad for him but worried what ever evil thing was doing this to him was going to make her start spiting out blood to.

[Reaper]

The coughing was getting worse...and more frequent. The poor man, whoever he was, whoever he had been, wouldn't last much longer. A few hours...maybe another day, it was hard to tell in all honesty.

That's exactly what made John's job so hard. How much life would he be robbing from him? Life was something people clung to fiercely, instinctively. It wasn't something they just gave away, even the damned refused to give up what little life they had left in them.

But, this was something that needed to be done, at least if John wanted to go on living. Maybe it was God's plan, or maybe he was just too selfish and stubborn to give up his own mortal coil, he didn't know. What awaited John was worse then death. Those who die have a soul, which they live on through, existing in the beyond, in one form or another. If John were to die though, his soul would die along with him, or so he assumed.

His soul was now an abnormality searched and fought by the reapers from which he got his name. It would cease to exist and every trace of him along with it.

If this man were to die it would undoubtedly grab the reapers attention...and that was something that he, nor the people around him, could afford.

He was a living reaper, and it was his job to Shepard the souls before harm could be done to those around him. It was his punishment for his mockery of death.

John watched the man as his whooping cough grew stronger, blood spewing from his mouth forming a pool in front of him. Any life the man had left was sure to only hold agony. John got up and slowly shambled toward the man his hooded cloak draping him in shadows. When he reached him he simply put his left arm on the man's shoulder and the coughing stopped.

The man was dead, and now he needed to be shepared. John stood their with a cold glassy stare dead to the world has his other half did the work of calming the man and getting him on his way. He had become very practiced at it over the years.

[gabbie]

Gabriella was enjoying the summer back in the good graces of her parents she already had to preform tonight and was only out here enjoying the day because she told her parents she had nothing to wear for her act tonight. They gave her a little money and sent her on her way. Smiling at how easy it was to talk her parents into letting her go, later she would just put the money back knowing how much her family needed it. Quietly walking down the path in the park she hummed to herself thinking about what she could get her twin to do when they preformed the last time she was on the bars she dropped from the top of the tent and scared everyone but used the wind around her to safely get to the ground on her feet. She lived for scaring her parents and her twin always forgave her.

Stopping suddenly when she saw a cat smiling she wondered if she could take in the kitty and see what her family would say. Mostly her husky would hate it but come on now this cat was so cute. Moving closer as quietly as she could not to scare the cat away. She once again stopped as she heard someone coughing and what looked to be blood around him. Was it really blood? was he really hurt? debating on going over there she froze in her spot to scared to move. What if he was a killer and that wasn't his blood? Taking a breath she felt the cool breeze and moved it around herself as she stood there out in the open where the man could see her forgetting all about the kitty she wanted to take home.

"What should I do?" She asked herself.

[Kristy Fury]

Kristy watched in horror as the man kept coughing up blood the pool getting larger and larger at his feet Kristy didn't even hear the girl that was getting near her she watched as a man then came down and placed his hand on the man shoulder and the coughing stopped and the man feel limp to the ground.

Kristy made a load meow sound not sure what to do that guy just killed me by toughing him maybe he was the one making he cough up blood she came out of hiding only to hiss at the guy every hair on her little kitten body standing on end. And then runing behind the garbage can again she wanted to get home but she wasn't going to move away form her hiding spot unless she had to and that mean scary guy had just killed someone.

Kristy watched realizing that there was someone else there a girl she looked scared...O know was he going to kill her too she didn't want to see someone else die, and not a girl that only looked a few year older then her. From behind the garbage Kristy reached her paw batting the girls foot trying to tell her to get out get out before she got hurt to.

[gabbie]

Gabbie blinked as she was stuck in her tracks she didn't know what to do and really wished her brother was here. She really needed him right at this moment. She had really never been this scared before and she could feel the small breeze that was wrapped around her growing stronger and stronger. This wasn't a good thing seeing that she was still out of control of you powers when she was scared. She could feel the wind acting angry as if it was ready to protect her at any minute. “Stay calm...” she tried to tell herself. Suddenly the wind started to react to her fears and panic as it started to grow all around herself and the man with all the blood.

This was not what Gabbie wanted as she looked down and saw the kitten batting at her foot still shaking as the wind moved violently around them she picked up the kitten to protect her from the wind. Gabriella screamed as she noticed the other man she didn't see him before and wondered if that was where all the blood came from. Was this man a killer? Did he just kill that man? Ella blinked as she realized that this guy could kill her as well. Panic started to explode as she started to back up slowly.

Tripping over her own feet she screamed again as she fell and hit the ground twisting her ankle as she went down. She made sure the kitty was safe and sound she cared about animals and would rather get hurt saving one. But she was in trouble with all the noise she was making and the wind beating around the scary man she feared he was going to come after her now. Looking at the kitten she started to cry “What do I do little one?” she didn't know why she was talking to the kitten but it helped her not feel so scared.

[Reaper]

John watched the darkness intently for any sign of light. Where there was light there were souls, and where there were souls there was always danger. Next to him his charge screamed in bloody agony, as most did. It was rare that he would rip the soul out of a person only to have them thank him for it. No, they always fought and kicked and screamed commanding, or begging him to return them to life.

When people got like this there was no reasoning, no explaining to them. They were like children throwing a tantrum, and they would fight with all the will they had. John silenced the man and pulled him along by an unseen tether toward their destination.

If he had time, John could pull a man's soul conceivably to the ends of the earth, as far away from him, and hopefully danger as possible. All John could hope to do is get the man away and out of sight. Once that was accomplished the man would be on his own. Most likely he would stumble and fall blindly into one of the many traps that lined this realm and its guardians. John theorized that this realm was something of a purgatory, and they were simply fish swimming in a barrel, simply waiting to get caught.

John had long ago learned not to waste his breath on his charges. Few would ever listen to the advise he gave, if they were indeed still sane, and of those who did it often only gave them a short respite from their eventual fate in the hands of the true reapers. As long as the man was far away from him that was all that mattered. [/color]

A girl screaming caught his attention. He turned his focus toward his living body and turned to face her.

His face showed no emotion has he took his dead hand off of the man's shoulder causing his body to fall unceremoniously to the ground before erupting in blue flames.

John slowly limped toward her, the body nothing more then a pile of ashes now being blown away by the strong wind. His face was cloaked, but it would have been plain to see from his vantage point that he had only half a face. The other half was nothing but bone, an empty eye socket that stared father than his living eye could ever dare.

His pace was agonizingly slow, but it was steady. Any moment he would be standing over her. What then would the girl do?

[Kristy Fury]

Kristy didn't like the fact that she was just picked up by the girl Kristy hissed at the girl but hid her face into the girls face that was until she felt the girl fall to the ground. Kristy winced and only poked her head when the girl started to talk to her.

Kristy looked at the girl and towards the man seeing he was getting near her Kristy wiggled her way out of the girls hands and glared at the guy he looked odd she hissed at him the hairs standing up on her back he looked odd witch made kristy want to kind of see what he was about and touch it to see if it was cold but he just killed a guy and then turned him in to ash he wasn't going to do that to some little girl well that was if Kristy didn't run away first scared out of her mind she didn't understand why the girl wasn't running even if it was a sprain ankle they whent the worst thing to walk on a broken foot was far wost Kristy was fully away of that so the girl needed to run.

[gabbie]

Gabbie was still frozen and lost she didn't know what to do even through her mind was screaming for her to run...run. Holding the kitten in her arms she winced in pain when the kitten got out of her arms and ran away. Sitting up slowly she blinked her head hurt bad but she had to focus she didn't think she had time. When her eyes focused she looked around there was ash on the ground and the bloodly man was walking towards her. She started to get up but she was shaking so bad she fall to the ground again. The wind started to die down as she calmed herself down enough to stand up. She looked over at the guy he was moving so slow just maybe she could get away.

Taking a breath she looked at the ground and was surprised to see that the kitten was standing there acting like it was protecting her. Gabbie being the kind girl she was couldn't just leave this sweet animal here, what if the man step on her? *Shaking her head she didn't want to image that in her head. Moving towards the kitten slowly as she limp she gently picked up the kitten. “I hope you don't try to scratch me again I'm going to get us out of here I promise.” Of course Gabriella knew that the kitten couldn't talk back but talking to her like that was helping Gabbie stay strong.

Trying one more time to get the wind to attack the man but it failed she hated that she was still learning and sometimes her powers didn't work. “Okay” she whispered as she turned and started running as fast as she could while limping her ankle and her head really hurt but she didn't have time to think about it she had to get to safety she had to get out of this alive. Tears ran down her face as she started to think about not making it home and being killed right here in this stupid park. “I want my mommy..” she said as she continued to run away.

[Reaper]

Reaper continued forward, the air screaming around him as he went. His slow limping walk began to dissipate as he began to flicker in and out of existence. His movement became like that of a liquid shadow, flowing like ink across a landscape.

He was a phantom now, an illusion, nothing but a trick of the light in peoples' peripheral vision. He seemed not to move, yet at every blink he drew closer to the girl.

A skeleton hand reached out and grasped the girls shoulder causing the icy chill of death to flow along with it. The girl now was still her tears frozen to her cheeks, her eyes full of dread.

John had her soul in hand, clutched at the core of her very being. Both of their bodies remained still and dead from the moment he touched his disfigured hand to her. Within however their souls burned brightly.

Reaper stood a figure formed of light blue flame, his cloak fluttering by some unfelt wind. His figure was the same, except that what had once been skull was now skin and viceversa. His eyes shined with an intensity unseen in the land of the living, and it was near blinding to look at.

In his now good hand he held the girl by the mouth. She too was now made of this light blue flame, but otherwise she looked most the same.

They were two lights shining in perpetual darkness with nothing around them for miles on end. The girl hung suspended by the man's grip as he looked at her, the fear evident in her eyes.

If you wish to live you will stay quiet. More hangs in the balance then you realize.

And with that he released his grip returning them to the land of the living. The girl shook violently from the ordeal as John watched her in silence.

[Kristy Fury]

Kristy watched as the girls eyes seemed to grow dim when the guy touched her she didn't know what had just happed something very bad she was sure. Kristy hoped out of the girls hands and started meowing very loud to get the girl to move but she wasn't she was in some wired trance or she was dieing kirsty didn't know what.

When the guy let go of her and the girl started to shake Kristy didn't know what to do but this guy had just done something to her. The small kitten in moments turn in to an an adolescent Tiger, Kristy glared at the man moving inbewteen the girl and the guy she made a large growl and looked like she was ready to attack the guy. Her bright green eyes showed with fear she didn't want to die but this guy was attacking young girls and old men that was bad she was sure it was...wasn't it..?

She steeped closer to the man snarling at him she needed to get the young girl to run away form the creep go get someone to help maybe o home to her mommy what ever see could do it didn't matter even if the little girl now ran away because the little stay cat now was an almost full grown tiger.

[gabbie]

Gabriella screamed in her mind as he mind froze why was she here? Why didn't she just stay home with her brother. Backing up slowly as she saw the skeleton hand that in its self scared her what kind of man was he? When he rested his hand on her shoulder she was about to scream when her whole body froze. She was scared, confused and freaking out in her head. Suddenly she felt as if she was being pulled apart. Still frozen in her spot she stared at the man with fear and terror in her eyes almost begging him to let her go as well.

He was blue and she was blue and on fire but it didn't hurt was she dead? Bella's eyes grew big at the thought of being dead. She struggled but it hurt she was hanging and he had a hold of her by the mouth she couldn't even cry she was so cold. Listening to him she understood what he was saying and besides who was going to believe her. Feeling herself back in her body she started to shake as if she was seizing everything that just happened had effected her in so many ways.

Falling to her knees as she continued to shake she stared at the man in fear she wanted her parents so bad she wanted to run but she couldn't stand up tears flowed down her face as she watched the little kitten that must have gotten out of her arms at some moment or the other changing into a tiger. Blinking in shock she didn't think she could take much more of this. Screaming really loud in fear she struggled to back away. “no..no.. don't kill me...” she said in a shaky tone.

[Reaper]

John watched the girl as she lie screaming and sobbing on the ground before him. Her lungs were full of life and fear, but her voice was barely a whisper. “no..no.. don't kill me...” her voice quivering just loud enough for him to hear.

He stared at her with the same deadpan emotionless look he had when he first laid eyes on her. His cloak fluttering like a shadow against the light, he raised his boney undead finger to his lips and motioned her to hush. Only then would she, or her pet, get any respite from him.

He pivoted now, his whole body turning to rest his eyes on the would-be tiger among them. He had paid the beast little attention until now, but if she were to cause a fuss, she would also need to be taken care of. His boney finger still at his lips, he stared at the cat instantly aware that she was in fact a human being.

Animals, he had found, did not have souls, or at least they didn't in a traditional sense. They didn't have the capacity to remain intact once separated from their bodies. This girl, however looked perfectly stable, and she was all the more dangerous for it.

[Kristy Fury]

Kristy growled at that man and took a steep closer to him her teeth bared at him the girl needed to run away right now she didn't care if the guy wanted her to be quit he killed the old man and then he did something to the girl and he wanted them to be quite.

Kristy had been called a monster for most her life there was a reason, monsters can kill and even for being a little girl she could rip someone face off though as far as she remembered she never had hurt anyone before so attacking someone was actually new to her but she figured it chouldn't be hard she had claws and sharp teeth. Kristy eyes still showed with fear for the man and what he could do to her.

Kristy gave a large roar and lunged at that strange man hoping the girl whould get threw her head to run away and get help if she did Kristy could just turn back into a kitty and then go home go and hug Xander and make this hole thing go away that all she wanted but if the girl didn't get out and get help what else was a 13 year old girl and a 10 year old to do.

[Reaper]

Reaper watched as the young feline prepared to pounce. His expression was cold and confident serving only to warn the young girl of the folly of her actions.

There was no need to stop her; she was no threat, and yet John felt at odds with her. She was young, even younger then the girl in front of him, and she seemed clearly incapable of grasping the gravity of the current situation. She was like a young child, trying desperately to get their parents to stop fighting. In the end she would only aggravate the situation, and hurt herself in the process.

John pitied the girl. She had no understanding of the situation, and clearly she thought herself righteous and just in her cause. Just like the girl who was weeping before him, this girl was lost. They had done no harm other then to witness that, which should not be seen. Innocent lambs such as these should not be sent to the slaughter, yet he could not allow them to run amok causing havoc where they pleased. It was important that they know their place.

The young tigress lunged toward him. His eyes reflected the sadness within, as she came colliding with the thin air, and was subject to the horrors that lay beyond.

Like the elder girl before her, she was subject to the flames and the screams of torment that plagued those who first entered here. Her vision would be but a blur of darkness, fire, and death, a glimpse of what lay beyond. It would last only a moment leaving behind a cold numbing sensation that would plague her as a reminder of her visit. Undoubtedly she would come tumbling out the other side of him, her body cold from what she had just seen.