Free Reapers, Inc. - Brigit's Cross by B.L. Newport

Brigit guessed the woman to have been in her mid-fifties.
Her children were finally grown, her husband almost ready to
retire. Sarah McDowell seemed not to be bothered by the loss of her
golden years. Instead, a sense of patience emanated from her – even
after all this time of waiting.
    “I apologize for the delay, Sarah. Are you
ready to go?” John asked. A pleasant smile came to the waiting
woman’s face.
    “Yes, it’s time,” she said.
    Brigit studied the other woman’s smile as she
moved away from the window and approached them. She was unsure
whether the smile was one of relief or one of true happiness that
the wait was over. As they entered the hall together, Sarah looked
up at Brigit. There was an inquisitive expression in her green
eyes.
    “Will you be crossing as well, dear?” she
asked.
    “No ma’am,” Brigit replied. “It’s my first
day on the job.”
    “Oh, I see. You’ll do fine, I’m sure,” Sarah
said kindly.
    “Thank you, ma’am.”
    They turned down a glass corridor that
connected one section of the building to another. Half way down, a
wooden door had been mounted. It was a plain door that refused to
look normal against the glass and the scenery outside. Brigit
wondered why anyone would put such a design error in this type of
building. As her confusion continued to grow, John stopped in front
of the door and turned to face Sarah McDowell.
    “Is this the place?” Sarah asked, stopping as
well before the door.
    “It is. Sarah McDowell,” John’s voice took on
a solemn, almost priestly, tone. “May you find eternal peace,” he
wished her. Slowly, he extended his left hand and opened the door
for her. Sarah nodded and winked at Brigit.
    “Better late than never,” she sighed.
    As Sarah stepped through the opened door,
Brigit detected the scent of flowers wafting from the other side.
They accosted her senses so quickly that she was unable to discern
each individual fragrance. It was sweet and warm – like rich honey.
Brigit closed her eyes momentarily to savor the smell and its
affect on her mind. There was a peace felt within the affect unlike
any she had ever known with the exception of being in Maggie’s
arms. When she opened her eyes again, the door was gone and John
was staring at her with a slight look of amused patience.
    “Where did the door go?” Brigit asked.
    “Sarah has passed through. There’s no further
need for it.”
    “Where did it lead to? How did you know to
bring her here to the hall?”
    “The hall seemed more picturesque, don’t you
think? As for where it lead, it was to my left; so, it lead to
Heaven, the Summer Land, eternal peace – whatever you want to call
it.” John explained as they began walking along the corridor
again.
    “Was that your decision?” Brigit asked as she
opened the little black folder to see if a judgment had been
previously issued and recorded there. Her brows knitted together
upon the sight of a blank page where Sarah McDowell’s life had been
just minutes before. All that remained were the woman’s name and
her passing date.
    “We are not judges, Brigit, merely the
deliverers of a soul to their fate. Come, we have more work here to
be done,” John said without looking at her. Brigit lengthened her
stride to keep up with him while her mind continued to race with
questions.
    “How do I know where they go? Do they always
have a door to go through?”
    “They do.”
    “How do I know which one to send them
through?”
    “Did you really read the guide, darling, or
just skim it as if preparing for an early morning quiz?” John asked
patiently. He didn’t wait for an answer. “You will have one of two
options when dealing with a Reapee. A door will always appear
either to your right or your left. Do you believe in Heaven?”
    “I don’t know,” Brigit replied honestly. She
had never subscribed to any particular faith’s belief in the after
life and as a consequence, had never given the after life much