Free the Souls.

Walking through the park at night, dragging my trusty sledgehammer behind me, liking the random sparks it makes every now and again on the concrete.

I look around and breath in the dewy night air. Ahhh this is living man.

Dressed in a short black skirt and ripped fishnets and a black singlet, gotta always wear black, it hides the blood better, duh, and of course got my platform DrMarten's on, must have my shit kickers on.

See that’s my job here, I go around at night and take out these shit kicking arseholes. No one ever see’s me, no one knows who is cleaning up the streets at night, I seem to go unnoticed. Maybe I’m doing the Gods work and they let me be. Who knows.

I carry on to the next piece of shit on my list, my blood lust isn’t sated for tonight yet.

Sometimes I see them in my minds eye and find them naturally, sometimes I see them by their aura. Shit stained colour brown and yellow and just all out awful looking, I see it during the day sometimes and I’m like oh jeez, another one, surely I’ve taken out enough by now. But no, this job seems endless in this city, in the state, hell the country. I go wherever the jobs take me. Sometimes I see them lit up like a Christmas tree, not colour though, just a bright light over them, those are the ones I know are urgent, and need to be taken out at the first opportunity. Whoever controls this whole thing, including me for some reason seems to know when the piece of shit is going to strike again soon and must be handled quickly and quietly.

I’m now holding the sledgehammer across my shoulders with my hands hanging by my wrists, singing loudly, on of my favourite lines from The Plot in You’s song Forgotten, ‘ I HAVE SPENT MY LIFE, CHASING THINGS THAT HAVE ONLY BROUGHT ME PAIN, IN THE END, WHEN IM DEAD, HOPE IT WAS FOR SOMETHING!’

And hell yeah I know it was for something, taking out these slime bags, those who prey on the weak and young, you know who, I don’t need to spell it out, they will go down by my hands and sledgehammer.

I do like to get messy with it all. Hence the wearing black. I smile in glee and do some jumps and spiral in the air, fuck I love my job.

The next hit is one with the light about them, shining brightly for me to see, to follow, to stalk, I make them insecure, maybe they feel like the prey for once in their lives, how do they like the feeling of being watched and stalked and worried for their lives as they just try go about their day?. Well night, this guy is high up in the city elites, it’s taken a while to track him, even with the light above him. Oh, I see the light, but it’s preferrable if they are alone.

This shit bag himself is stalking a young girl through the park, and I follow him, waiting for the perfect time to hit, to smash, to pull apart, you know how it is.

I’m right behind him, but he is focused, I use that to my advantage, I breath onto his neck, in alarm he turns and tries to brush away what he might think is a bug, I giggle in glee.

This time I poke him in the back of the neck, that disturbs his focus, he turns and looks angry now, oh am I interrupting your hunting, you vile creature? Sorry not sorry.

I quickly do a chop to the throat, hahha love that move, he drops like the sack of poo he is, oh well that was too easy, I roll my eyes, I thought this one would give me a good show at least, always the way. Those who like to prey on the weak are also very weak themselves, sometimes they surprise me and put up a good fight and I’m like fuck yeah, let’s dance.

But sadly, most of them end up asking why me and please don’t hurt me and I’ll offer you anything, I have money. Oh, I don’t need your money honey, I just need your soul. I like to rip it from them before they actually die, cause that’s the worst part about dying, your soul leaving, the ripping of soul and matter, it’s excruciating. And oh, how I love to see that moment in their eyes. When they know their money, their pleas, their begging wont work on me. I’m here to rip your soul and free those who you have hurt along the way. You see, something magical happens In the healing process, when your abuser finally dies, it doesn’t even matter how they die really, any abuser who dies, your soul is then free, this abuser does not hold your soul over you anymore, it’s like that part of your soul returns to your body after the thing who hurt you dies. No closure, no answers, zero forgiveness. I get that back for the victim.

I can see his intended victim running out of the park now, not knowing that it was nearly her turn to become a victim. I’m happy she gets away from this nightmare of a human, who has become creature.

He’s now on the ground trying to get breath in, so I kick him in the ribs for good measure. Now he’s my little bitch lying on the floor for me.

I stand over him, my hammer at the ready, but I wanna draw this out a little bit. I’ll try not be too graphic, but isn’t the blood the best bit?

Oh, you know I have a few knives strapped to me, walking arsenal that I am. But my hammer is my best friend. Especially when the tougher ones try fight back. This bitch is moaning on the ground already, what a piece of bum scum.

I smash my hammer down on his dick and balls. He doesn’t even get to start pleading for his life, this is an urgent one after all.

And I see why, I pull out the knife he had on him, pull the rope out of his pocket, I forcefully open his eyes, slapping his face a bit to get his attention away from the immense pain that he is in, ‘what are these for?’ I ask him, before he can even take a breath to answer, I stab him in the throat, missing the arteries, but blood still gushes, ahhhh there’s my favourite liquid; while staring into his eyes, I take some blood from his throat and draw a dick and balls on his face for when the cops find him. I know, bit immature, but who cares, I do what I want to do these creatures. They are my playthings; I must leave my signature after all. The cops make these cases go quiet quickly, knowing I’m helping them with their job.

He manages to talk, ‘who are you?’ oh I must’ve missed the voice box, damn it. Starring down at him, ‘oh I’m just your worst nightmare, don’t worry not much longer now’.

‘Please I …

He doesn’t get a chance to say anything more, as I line up his head with my hammer, like I’m about to tee off in golf. I make a couple of mock swings, he flinches, ‘how far you reckon your heads guna roll? His eyes about fall out of his head once he catches on to what I’m about to do, ‘don’t... he tries to say as I finally take the shot, straight to the side of his head, oooooo, his eye actually came out! Fuck yeah. I pick it up and leave it on his chest, hahha. He was dead as soon as the hammer smashed into his head. Brain matter and blood everywhere. I do actually feel bad for those who have to clean this mess up. I quickly ring 000 and leave a tip, ‘oh my gods, I found a dead body, in the park on king St. Quickly hang up. I also snap a quick pic, that was a good one. Happy with my work for tonight, I see no further lights above heads, I know I can rest for a bit.

I walk towards the pier, walk out to the end and sit and think about how that went. What I could have done better or worse. Always thinking about how I can make it worse, but also make it somewhat quick, I don’t want to get caught, this is the best job I’ve ever had.

I hear someone come up behind me, and sit next to me, it’s the girl I just saved.

She quietly looks out at the night, the lights reflecting on the water.

She looks right at me, ‘thank you’ she says.

‘You can see me? I ask in shock. That’s not meant to happen, I walk in the shadows, in limbo, how can she see me.

She simply nods and gets up and walks away, I know I don’t have to follow her this time, she is safe to walk home.

How did she know, firstly that it was me, secondly that I saved her, she was being followed by that man, that creature, I thought I was fine to do what I do.

I look around me, did I become human for a second, no one else seems to notice me. I look to the sky for answers. Of course none come to me.

I am left wondering, the girl must be one of the special ones, one who will eventually enjoy the job I am doing now. Gods know there are not enough reapers for all the creatures of this world, we always need more. I just hope she doesn’t become a victim first, like I did. I shake my head as I slip back into limbo and fly to go home. It was a big night; I will keep a further eye on my girl from tonight.

As I settle in, I hug my hell cat a little closer tonight. It’s always a little bittersweet when a hunt is finished, but I know the list is never ending and I fall into sleep and rest for now.

This job will never be done. I’m just a reaper girl in a ugly world.

The end.

Written By Cassie Smith.