July 2023 Storytime Blog Hop

Once again it’s time for a fun adventure. Enjoy my story below, then follow the links to other stories of participating authors in the blog hop.  Leave us comments.  We love hearing from you!

This is the 10th installment of GRIT’s adventure. To start at the beginning for context, start with Grim Failure.

From Bad to Worse

When my parents, school counselors, and then reaper training instructors warned me about the dangers and risks associated with being a reaper, I don’t think this is what they had in mind. Nothing was ever mentioned about pacing outside of Administration.

For the third time in my young career, that’s exactly what I found myself doing—anxiously waiting outside of the Administrative offices worried about the conversations taking place within the walls about my future as a Reaper. I had no reason to believe I would learn anything today or that any decision would be made. Supposedly, the meeting was to discuss the earthquake and whether preparations and actions by all parties were appropriate for the natural disaster. My career wasn’t on trial, yet. I just didn’t know what else to do with myself and since I hadn’t been given another assignment (a fact I took as a very bad sign), I paced and waited in hopes that I would retain my job. At best my failure probably meant an extended probationary period.

I heard her before I saw her, Samantha shuffling up behind me while I sat on the bench with my head resting on my arms on my lap.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” she said kindly as she sat next to me and gently rubbed my back.

I wanted to believe her, I really did.

But I couldn’t so I ignored her, wallowing in self-pity.

“What you did was brave and selfless,” Samantha scolded me. “I told my uncle the whole story and he was moved. Cried even.”

“That’s nice, and I appreciate it, I really do. But your uncle’s a collector. He might be able to pull some high strings, but the trouble I’m in is well beyond his reach, I’m sure.”

She sat up straight and stared at me until I looked her in the eye. She had very intense, serious eyes. “That might be true for most collectors, but you don’t know Stan, he has a way—”

I jumped to me feet. “Wait! Stan? Your uncle is Stan? The Stan who helped us capture those evil souls?”

“Yes, of course that Stan.” She puffed out her arms, slumped forward, and spoke in a gruff voice, trying to make herself look and sound like her uncle. “He said, ‘I’ll make sure GRIT gets what he deserves.”

It was a decent impression and she sounded as ominous as he uncle.

I slumped back onto the bench. “Oh, no…” My career was over.

Maybe I should contact one of the counselors recommended by Administration.

Check out the other stories in the blog hop and leave us comments.

Timeless by T. R. Neff
Desire by Katharina Gerlach
Covenant by Chris Makowski
Autonomous Militarized by Gina Fabio
Pipes by Barbara Lund
Under Surface Of The Stars: A Story Poem by Juneta Key
Un-Nefer’s Triumph by Kate Flint
Super Jill by Vanessa Wells