Epilogue
In every story, I read there are two endings. It's either happy or sad. Half of my life was revolving around thinking how a fairy tales book, novel, short story or parable would end. But this time I was thinking about how would my story end. Is it true there is a happy ending? Is it true that everything has an ending? Or is dead the end of everyone? Because while thinking deeply my story started when I died. So if death is the ending of everyone, it seems very impossible. Yet in life, I know everyone has a role to play before they passed away and that thing God has shown me that many times in different ways.
"Class dismissed!" I quickly stood up when I heard that word from our last professor today. I quickly put my things in the bag before standing up to leave. But Stephen suddenly approached me.
"Hey!" he greeted me still hesitant. Yet to get rid of his hesitation I smiled back at him.
"Hey!" I greet back. "Why is that?
"I just want to ask if you're okay now?" That's when I sighed. Earlier when I woke up with Saint next to me I seemed to have lost sight of everything that had happened. I was happy we were together all night. I am happy to give myself to him again. I'm happy that he takes me to school and I hope he'll pick me up too. That thought brought back my joy so I smiled at Stephen again.
"I think I'm fine now I'll overcome it. Stephen, thank you for your concern."
"It's okay then, so, do you have something to do today? Do you want to hang out with me?" that question is no longer new. I've always heard him say that for the past month. It's only been last week that we haven't been together and now, I want to think about whether I'm coming. Maybe Saint won't pick me up.
There I thought for a moment. If I let him, maybe Saint will see him and maybe when Saint sees us together he will get angry and then he will burn Stephen alive. That grim reaper is a jealous freak. So with that thought, I decided to decline.
But when I was about to decline Stephen's offer, someone hugs me from behind. I was completely surprised by it.
"She can't be with you." With that voice, I knew it was my grim reaper boyfriend. When I turned over, there Saint appeared in front of me. I didn’t think he wouldn’t use Albus’ body today. This time he chose to appear now as he is. He is not wearing a hat now so everyone can see his face. It was also refreshing to see him wearing a white polo. It was tacked in his pans. His hair was also neat, so well, that it seemed like he prepared before going here.
"Saint." that's all I can say to make our eyes met. Although I knew that my block mates were looking at us, I still chose to focus on Saint who hugging me until now. "What are you doing here?"
"Hailey who is he?" I heard that question from Stephen but I just ignored him. I'm noticing Saint's bad mood right now, I don't want to add more.
"I'm going to take you somewhere. You're not busy right, babe?" He even intensified his question that thing I want to laugh at. Obviously he meant to let the majority know.
'Stop laughing I hate you!' I heard him uttered his ability to communicate with the mind. Something I also haven’t heard in a month. The bell spell seems to have expired. The reason why he can hear my thoughts again.
I can't believe he's sulking now. Damn it!
"Yup, I’m free babe, wanna hang out?"
"That's the plan."
"Where?"
"It's a surprise." that's where I got bored. I don't seem to like this surprise of him.
'Babe I can hear you.' There's a warning in his tune when he uttered it in my mind again. At that point, I frowned.
"Okay, I'm done here, let's go." After I said that I left without bidding goodbye to Stephen. I quickly pulled Saint out of the room and outside the academy as well. He put his arm around me when we reached the parking lot. I was no longer surprised when I saw Gavin riding in a car and peering out the driver’s seat window as if waiting for someone. When he caught sight of us he waved quickly. Something that made me wince when Saint covered my eyes.
"Don't look at him. Don't you dare even think of him," he said quickly.
"Oh god, Saint! Is that even possible? We're with him how can I not look at him?"
"All right then sleep." After he said that he led me into the car while he still covered my eyes. Laughing, I let him go.
"You're so jealous." I heard Gavin's comment.
"Do you want to die? I have allowed you all creatures to stare, hold and talk for almost a month to my Mary. I will not allow that to happen again!" At that point, Saint's voice rose. I couldn't help but flattered the reason why I was silent on one side when the car started to run.
Did he call me my Mary? Damn, I am so flutter.
"Do you like it?" Saint asked me while still not removing the covering of his hand from my eyes. Yes, I was not surprised that he heard what I was thinking. Yet his question now made my cheeks blush with embarrassment.
Why did he even ask that?
"Oh, my guardian of soul is shy. How I love that side of you." Because of that, I chose to squeeze my face into his chest and hug him while we were in the backseat.
"Damn it PDA! Get a room!" I heard Gavin's complaint but we just ignored him. However, on the trip, I didn’t expect I could fall asleep. I just woke up that car already stopped and the saint's hand was no longer covering my eyes. I rolled my eyes around and it hit Saint who was just staring at me and Gavin who was still in the driver seat.
"Hello, how's your sleep babe?" Saint asked me that in the way his voice was deep. Seems enticing, seems fascinated. At that point, I couldn’t help but laugh.
"What's with you today?" to my question he frowned. Something I'm wondering about. Wait did I forget something today?
"You don't remember?" Astonished, my forehead furrowed at his question. But my forehead furrowed, even more, when I noticed Gavin's grin.
Okay, what the hell is this?
When he noticed my confusion, he frowned too.
"You forgot." at that point, his eyebrow met. What is this? I don't remember.
"Damn! That was epic. I think I should record this." Gavin didn't hesitate to comment. He was about to speak again when Saint threw a fireball at him. Fortunately, Gavin escaped immediately and quickly turned the fireball thrown at him into ice. "Good God Saint! You can't  take a joke anymore."
"I'm not asking for your opinion. Go away!" When Saint said that, Gavin instantly disappeared. After that event, Saint turned his gaze back to me. This time his face was still frowning however I smiled at him.
"Today is our 50th day's babe," he said sarcastically. Something that made me cares my forehead. I think for a moment of what he said until I understood what he was referring to. To sum up, he is right, today is our fiftieth day as lovers. At that point, I couldn’t help but laugh again. It's funny to think that he knows that thing better than me. "And you're laughing again." that's when he got mad so I hurriedly closed my mouth.
"I'm sorry I forgot, I'm sorry I laughed too. I just didn't expect a grim reaper like you to even think about that." I explained something that the evil had lost when he thought.
"Fine! Let's go." there he got out of the car. Spinning to open the door next to me that I let go. When the door opened on my side he immediately held out his hand to me. And I give my hand. When I got down, I immediately looked around. It was there that I realized we were here again in a classy restaurant that is close to the alley. This is the restaurant we used to eat at. I remember him saying before that he likes this place and he often eats here.
"What are we doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious? We're going to eat of course!" I winced at his statement. Of course, what else to do in the restaurant? Of course to eat. That's where I rolled my eyes. However, I just smiled when Saint took my hand and guided me into the resto. I like this place but this time Saint and I visited as a couple I liked it even more.
As usual, a crew accompanied him for a reserved room. This is also the room where we ate back then where from here I could see the alley as well as the beauty of the restaurant location.
Its set up hasn't even changed. There are two chairs at both ends and a small table with red wine, tableware and an overturned plate. There is a white handkerchief folded neatly. There are lit candles around but it smells good. I think those candles made this whole room smells good. There is a Chandelier up the ceiling that gives a good mood and makes it even better when this time moonlight sonata piano piece starts to rise. Making such glamours and godly vibes on our surrounding.
The crew left without a word when Saint turned to him as to what happened too back then. As if it were one of the signals of the grim reaper with me for him to leave.
"We eat here before right?" I comment.
"Yeah, I remember."
"Can I ask why here?" I asked gently. He didn't answer right away instead pulled me a chair so I could sit down. Then he pulled his chair next to mine, to seat next to me.
"That's because this place is special." That was his answer when he sat down. Special? Is it because this is his favourite place to eat? "You're wrong, this is not because this place is my favourite but because this place reminds me of heaven where I came from." He uttered while busy serving cutlery and even table napkins on my lap. I want to be fluttered with what he does but curiosity takes precedence. "Wait," that's when he looked up. "Didn't I tell you that this place is only for souls and grim reapers?" at his statement today my eyes widened. I didn't have to tell him how shocked I was because I knew he could see it thru me.
I don't want to be surprised anymore because after all, it should be normal for me to hear impossible things. But in the very normal environment here, I didn't think it would be another world.
"I'm sorry for not telling you about it back then. So, in order to get back to you. Today I will welcome you to Afterlife Inn." I didn't know that there was anything more surprising besides the contract he gave. I couldn't believe it as I looked around. Saint called this place Afterlife Inn. It was the literal meaning of course!
Damn! Is this what they call purgatory?
"Saint is this purgatory?" It was there that Saint stopped attending to me and from staring at the cutlery he looked up again at me. When our eyes met it was there that he spoke.
"The place we are staying in is less than half the size of the Afterlife Inn. This is where the souls we fetch grim reapers go. Those souls who are going to heaven for forty days are just staying here. While the souls who are going to go to Hell will travel forty days to the destination to which they will be assigned. " There my eyes widened at the thought of something.
"Saint isn't it when a grim reaper has a soul to fetch it has to be written in the library of death like we did the first time?" He nodded. "Then what about those I picked up recently that I didn't report?" It was there that he raised his hand and one by one removed a few strands of my hair blocking my face before speaking.
"I'm the one working and finishing that. I'm visiting here or in hell to talk to the soul you've picked up, that's my duty as the assigned grim reaper that should reap you up." With what he said I couldn’t help but be touched. Because after all, he was also doing something. There are also those assigned as his duty too.
With that thought, I hugged him, something he seemed to enjoy. "Maybe it's beautiful inside it," I stated happily.
"Babe listens, I don't want to visit you here because that only means one thing and that is that you have to leave me and leave this world. You won't do that, will you?" At that point, his voice was sad which is why I hugged him tightly. I want him to feel that he is not alone and that I will not leave him alone. Something that looks like he got.
That heavy conversation had just ended when the food arrived. There we just ate and sometimes he even teased me and I did the same to him. After we ate, he even made me dance in the middle, drank wine and then we talked again. He laughed for a while and so on. That we end up going back to Albus home, lay on the bed naked.
For me, that day was the happiest day of my life. Probably because no more questions were bothering my mind. I already know everything. I was no longer confused and even less worried. Maybe because I am happy in the company of Saint, I am happy in the company of my most beloved creature in this world.
The next day I woke up early. I didn't expect to see Saint next to me because he doesn't usually do that. When I went down he was also gone however there's a portion of food ready and a post-it note in the fridge.
'I made breakfast for you. I plan to have breakfast with you but I have to go reaping souls, so, go to school safely babe. I love you.'
That is what is written in the post-it note and has a heart attached after Saint's signature. I couldn't help but feel fluttered. The reason why I bit my lip before taking the post-it note to kiss it. Then I opened the refrigerator and there, I saw a cold vegetable salad. I was even shocked to see that because it was only lately that I've been inclined to eat that kind of breakfast but here he is making me this.
I can't help but think that he's only been following me for the past month. There, I smiled.
When I finished eating, I decided to get dressed for school. It looks like Saint is ready because when I came to the bathroom I already had clothes ready there. When I looked for my bag, he put a post-it note on the vanity mirror that my bag is in the car he also left the keys there. Now, I feel like I have a husband who knows me very well and is very reliable in things.
The fun fact was Saint seems to be a real person now because he already knows the name of things, just like his post-it note in the car dashboard that I will have the car full tank the car before I go straight to the Academy. Something I followed because it was early.
After refuelling, I went straight to Academy. The fact that I still enjoy playing the stereo and keeping up with the song unfolds not until my car reaches the crossing. I stopped for a moment because the traffic light turned red which meant I needed to stop there. Yet I was stunned when I saw Gavin stood sharply on the other end of the road. He wasn't that far away so I knew he was crying. At that point, I was suddenly nervous and for a moment tightened my grip on the steering wheel. I don't know but right then my eyes started wondering to see Gavin's hand and there, he was holding a Death note while looking at me.
At the moment, I swallowed one after another. I seem to have lost my former calm feeling and that has been replaced by anxiety. I knew what was going to happen, I had an idea. I can step back. I could have escaped but when I saw a rushing track carrying large branches towards the crossing where many people are walking, I seemed to have decided. At that point, I had no fear of my own life. Not with Saint or anyone I love in this lifetime. That day, I didn't know if I was mad or if the screw had come out of my brain because that day I chose to start the stirring wheels to blocked the track from coming.
"I think I'm gone crazy. I'm sorry Saint, I'm so sorry. I love you, babe." Those were the last words I said before the track finally hit my car. The impact of that was so strong that the vehicle almost flew away. The window shattered and some glass splashed in my face. My head hit something that caused me to lose consciousness of the world.
During those times, I remembered the death bell ringing when I saw Gavin then. Now I realize this is the reason for that. Whether I admit it or not, I know I am at peace to know that it was Gavin and not Saint who will fetch my soul. Because if it was Saint, it would be harder and more painful. It was also the point that I realized that this was probably why I had to live in Hailey’s body. Why I still have to live. That is to save the people who are here today. And for me, to know the importance of someone’s life. It's just sad that it seems like the time God has given me is too short to be with Saint. I didn't even have a chance to wake up in his arms for the last time. We didn't even eat breakfast for the last time. I couldn't even bid goodbye.
"Name: Mary Sean Ivanovich
Age: 21 years old
Cause Of Death: Fated Death
Time of Death: 7:42 am." My mind was blank and I could only hear that voice of Gavin's. I couldn't feel anything else but after that, I seemed to be completely out of confinement. That's when I opened up my eyes. Gavin was still shaking. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to say that everything was fine. That I accepted, that it was okay but I knew he wouldn't believe and I would just make myself tired. Besides that, I would make myself feel worse. Even if I force myself to say something, I can't do it. I have no choice but to smile at him to convey that it's okay.
When Gavin finally disappeared from my sight I knew he wasn't the one who disappeared because it was me. At that point, I couldn’t help but think. Is this true? Am I dead? Is there no hope? The questions were gradually replaced by tears and pleas. I was too unprepared for this to happen. I was so shocked.
However, when I woke up again a gate greeted me. At the top of it, was written Afterlife Inn. On the inside view, there seems to be a lofty palace at the end. It was so far away that I can barely see.
At that point, I couldn’t help but cry sadly. I didn’t expect after Saint and I talked yesterday about the Afterlife Inn I would be here early.
When a limousine appeared in front of me and the gate opened. I tried to wipe away my tears because at that point those around me seemed to be telling me to accept the things that were happening now. After all, I had no other choice but to accept it. When the limousine driver came out, he asked me to open the door. In his clothes, he looks like a royal guard however like a royal guard he has no emotions and seems to just move as ordered. I could do nothing but ride and quietly let him drive me wherever he took me. But soon, I saw a very tall palace that seemed infinitely tall, barely beyond my sight. I’m sure that’s what Saint calls the Afterlife Inn an Inn where souls stay for forty days. But to my great surprise, we did not go straight there but instead, the limousine turned towards an underground tunnel. Even before we got in there, the car stopped in front of it.
When I looked around, the surroundings were strange as I watched the plants stand tall. There were many fireflies around and since it was the night it was obvious with so many stars in the sky.
The driver got off after that he opens the door next to me, so I got out of the limousine. However, before I could stand up straight, someone suddenly rushed to hug me.
"Oh god! This is so unfair. You're so unfair Mary! Why? Why did you do this to me?" I could feel his trembling. I could feel the tears dripping down my shoulder from his eyes. I heard every rattle of his voice big evidence that he was crying now. Something I didn’t want. It was only then that I knew he was Saint.
At that point, I cried out loudly something I had previously declined to do because I didn’t want to think that everything had happened is unfair. I don't want to blame god again for taking back the life he gave me because that's the last thing I want to do now. Because I believe the life he gave me has a reason and whatever happened a while ago is the reason for that. All my life, I've always wondered why someone like me lived just to see all sorts of souls around. I wonder what is the reason why I see them but now I realize something. That reason was to land me in the situation earlier and to rescue people who need to live more than me.
"I'm sorry Saint, I'm so, sorry, I love you. I'm so, sorry." At that point, I could feel the tightness of Saint’s embrace on me. I feel like he doesn’t want to let me go but no, I have to leave.
That is why during those times I chose to hold back my tears again. I chose not to cry in front of him in order to say goodbye to him that I wanted and I intend. Something I am so thankful to God for allowing me to bid goodbye to Saint.
So as much as I could, I forced myself away from him and held his cheek so that we could face each other now. Then I could see how the tears were flowing in his eyes. It hurts so much, I can't stare at it but it's necessary. I need to leave, I need to leave to fulfil the destiny of death.
"Listen to me, Saint." I force myself not to cry and I tried not to make him hear the rattle of my voice so he won't feel bad anymore. My Saint doesn't deserve this kind of pain. Saint deserve everything that God can give and everything that this world can give to him. He, he doesn't deserve to be hurt. He doesn't deserve this pain. "I love you so much, don't forget that. And then, of course, eat right. Don't starve. Always take care of yourself. Don't bully Gavin too much either, he's your only friend. " As I say that I carefully wipe away the tears dripping from the eyes of my dear grim reaper. Then I forced a smile before I kissed him on the lips. A strong kiss and liberating. When our lips parted I still tried not to cry in front of him. I don't want him to see me struggling to make it easier for him to move on. To make it easier for him to set me free. Not because I want it but because he needs to.
"Why are you doing this to me? Why didn't you even say goodbye? I hope you waited for me first. I hope you told me first. Why are you giving me this pain? It's so unfair Mary. It's so unfair babe." My hands trembled as I dropped it to both of his shoulders. I tapped it for a moment before I took a deep breath.
"Saint, I won't be gone forever. But my return will be long. So you, take care of yourself. Continue what you started to get back to your home. We'll meet again for a long time but I'll wait for you, I will wait for your return. "
I don't even know what's going on now but I guess I need to leave. My soul is not like a normal soul. I cannot stay at the Afterlife Inn because I am the guardian of soul and I have the ability to free the souls here if I wish from the hand of this mysterious Inn. And that thing will ruin the design of death.
"Why do you seem ready? How about me Mary? I'm not ready for this. You didn't prepare me! I didn't know it was going to happen! I didn't expect it! Don't leave me! I beg you!" He begged but at that moment I already accepted my fate that I had to leave him. Because I am not part of this world anymore. My duty is done.
"I love you so much don't forget that. But I have to leave, I need to leave you. It'll be a while, we'll meet again. I'll be back, we'll see each other again and then maybe we can be together. We can love like what we want. If this time is not for us next time, next time it will be for us." After I let go of those words I walked away from him as well and started walking into the underground tunnel. Before I could get away, Gavin approached me, I did expect that he was already here. Thought when he gave me a flower, a white flower. I saw that he was crying too, Gavin was also crying in front of me and his hand was shaking when he handed me a flower.
"I pray for your peaceful journey guardian of soul. This is so unexpected but I want to say see you soon." When he said that I just smiled at him. After that, I turned my gaze to Saint who could barely move from where he was standing as he stared at me. At that point, I decided to not make him see the pain I was feeling right now. So, I raised my hand to wave at him. In that way, I want to convey my moment of farewell and love that I will leave to him and bury for me so that the next time we meet I will remember that I once loved a grim reaper and he loved me too.
After that I turned my back on him and there, there I realized that human life does not end in death. Death is not an end but a new beginning with a new hope that one day people who separated by life and death will meet again.