4. The mistake and it's punishment

"What were you even thinking?"

He was mute. He didn't have any reasonable answers to that question, although he had reasons "I'm sorry, I was careless"

"Of course you were. And look what it led to." The man sighed.

"I'll do whatever it takes, to make up for my mistakes" He assured.

Being a man of perfection, He didn't like making mistakes! In the area of his job as a Grim reaper, he was one of the renowned professionals who most other looked up to.

He was dedicated to work and always did perfectly. He Never made mistakes, and Never gave room for any mistake. This was his first, and he felt terrible about it. Although he had a reason which he didn't want to share.

"Of course you're going to shoulder the mild punishment. Hopefully because you're a well seen figure and one of the best in this area,.The punishment won't be severe. Just something little"

He continued "You'll have to place everything back to normal, and for your punishment, You'll have to look after her"

He looked up at the boss in Shock "look after her? Why? It makes no sense" The Grim reaper pointed out.

"It might not, but that's the punishment. This girl will have to be brought back to life, And her life might never ever be as normal and bearable as it was previously, because she has passed through death's eyes...and now back to life"

"For a specifical reason assigned by the heavens, you'll serve as her guardian angel, even as the angel of death ( Grim reaper) Basically you'll accompany her....Lead her through and at the same time do you grim reaping duty"

The Grim reaper couldn't believe this. This was a pathetic punishment in his view! It wasn't better than a severe one!

"I....I don't understand why..." He didn't want to do it.

"It's the punishment endowed to you for your mistake, So it's either you accept it, or revolt"

"But...how long is it going to last?" He questioned. If he was eventually going to accept it, he had to know how long the nightmare would last

"Based on her analysis, she has barely three years left. She had initially died three years earlier than her time, and in place of someone, so going back she had to live her three years in her more abnormal life. So you have to be with her for three years"

The Grim reaper sighed, annoyed. He literally had no choice but to live three years of misery. By the way it was the punishment for his mistake. "Okey"

*****

"Mum! Dad! I keep having nightmares!"

A little girl's voice was heard echoing in the darkness.

"What's it about darling?" Came the mother's considerate Voice.

"I...I saw you and dad in the car..and then got hit by a bigger car and then...You two ..were hurt badly... bleeding...Mum, I'm afraid" The little girl Said.

"Don't be silly, it's just a dream" The father Voice said "Now you be a good girl and wait at home doing your assignment, I and your mum have an event to catch up with"

Slowly the darkness cleared as the sight of a little girl seen sitting on a sofa was seen. She was literally panicking with sweat running down her face. Her hands were clutched together, shivering.

She almost jerked up in fear as she heard the home telephone go off, Ringing. She quickly rushed to pick it up...

After a while of listening, her shivering hands had left the phone that fell dramatically on the floor, breaking into two.

The dreamlike scene changed as the little girl was seen walking through the hospital hallway with a woman who seemed to be close to her. She didn't pay attention to the woman but was rushing ahead. she finally arrived at a room where she barged in.

She gasped, looking at her mum and dad lying lifeless in the two beds, blood all over their faces... And the doctor was slowly covering their faces up..

She didn't cry, this little girl never did. Perhaps she was too stunned to talk or perhaps she had never really known how to...

The scene went dark... Light slowly faded...

"Mum...." The little girls Voice came "I told you ..I see dreams of people dying...and then soon, they die..."

****

YiMing flipped open her eyes with a quick gasp. She panted loudly and unsteadily. Her eyes looking up to the ceiling above her.

She had the nightmare, the nightmare she mostly had. And one of the many nightmares that tormented her.

It was after a while that she cared to know where she was. Looking to her left, she saw some hospital equipments hung around and then the drip attached to her hands , up.

Confused, she looked to her right, more astonished to see a man in black, sitting there on the seat and looking at her.

"O my Gosh" She was almost scared to death as though she had seen a ghost. Well, Maybe she did.

She had looked away to her left and slowly sat up in bed. She looked to her right again. He was still there, plainly looking at her.

He sat there, his legs crossed. He was still dressed in black, his hat on. But this time, his hat wasn't covering his face..

He could now see him. His human face that was flawlessly handsome!

She wasn't one who could rate one's good looks and all, but she knew attractive when she saw one. And right now, this Young Man sitting before him was What Youths called - Hot.

"You.....Are you.... That grim reaper?" She managed asking.

"....." He gave no reply but had his eyes on her. His attention fixed and making YiMing feel awkward.

"Why ... are you here.?" She asked as she looked around her "And....why am I in the hospital?"

"Because you had an accident of course" He replied. His voice as Unfriendly as always.

"But .... Haven't I died...Why am I in the hospital?" she was confused.

"No Miss, You almost died " He said, his expression depicting his annoyance at the lady before him. "But Luckily the heavens gave you a miracle Saving and now you're back to life .. Congratulations On Living again..and being my downfall, Miss Wu - Yi - Ming"