Between Hell and Heaven

THE GRIM reaper stood on top of a building across the street and watched his target close the coffee shop.

The guy was Jonathan San Miguel, a twenty-two-year-old self-supporting student who works as a part-time barista.

He fished the death card on the inside pocket of his suit. It was written there that at exactly twelve midnight of Christmas day, Jonathan will die. There were only a few minutes left before he escorts him to the afterlife.

He jumped from the rooftop when he saw Jonathan rode his motorbike. He followed him swiftly, and no one will ever notice. After making sure that Jonathan will take the collision route, he teleported to the accident’s exact location.

The grim reaper stood near the intersection and waited patiently. Soon he heard the sound of the motorbike approaching the area. He looked in the opposite direction and saw the red car that will collide with Jonathan’s motorbike. A girl was driving it, but unlike Jonathan, the lady driver will live.

The death bell started ringing. Only the grim reapers could hear that sound because it was an indication that death is about to come.

And then… the accident took place.

The moment the motorbike exited the alley, the car appeared. The two collided. The impact was too strong, Jonathan and his motorbike flew several meters away. At the same time, the lady driver lost control of the steering wheel and bumped into a post.

The grim reaper walked towards Jonathan’s body that was now bathing in his blood.

“Ah, you’re not even wearing a helmet.” He kicked his head to check if he was dead.

The grim reaper wondered what kind of man was he. Jonathan has such a tragic ending.

But wait… where the heck did his soul go?

He looked around the area. There was no sign of Jonathan’s soul. Supposedly, when a person dies, its soul should be staying near its body. But Jonathan’s soul is missing!

The grim reaper tried looking farther, but he still could not find it.

He brought out the death card once again. He scoffed upon seeing that the date and time of Jonathan’s death had been erased. And that phenomenon only meant one thing. Jonathan cheated death! People may call it a miracle, but it was equivalent to penalty and additional work for grim reapers like him.

The thought of the penalty that he had to take already made him cringe. Ah, he will make sure to give Jonathan a good beating before he tosses him to the afterlife.

A messenger appeared in front of him afterwards.

“Reaper 2011-20005, you’re being summoned to the court of the Afterlife,” the messenger informed him.

SHE CHASED the man in a black suit with a matching fedora hat who walked past her. There was no way that a grim reaper like him would not be able to notice someone like her—a wandering soul. Maybe the grim reaper tried to snob her this time because he grew tired of her. She kept bugging him each time she would see him.

“Grimmy!” she called. Grim reapers were nameless. So, she decided to give this one a name. “Grimmy!”

But the grim reaper did not bother to acknowledge her. He continued walking away from her.