[s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]stood back, watching as Lee pulled herself away from the road and onto the pavement. They were quiet in their curiosity, observing how the woman dealt with her very near experience with death.

Lee would not know just [i]how[/i] near that experience was. She was supposed to be dead; [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]knew that much, they knew that they should have untangled her soul from the threads of mortality and set her free. But [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]had not and so Lee lived still.

“Hello, Lee,” [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]spoke in that ethereal voice, one difficult to place but soft and calming, “perhaps you know me. Who do you think I am?” [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]did not know who they might be appearing to Lee as; even if they had had chance to stare into a mirror, [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]would have appeared to themselves as they always did. They wondered who, or what, was important enough to Lee that she would see them as she died.

Or in this case, didn’t.

The wind blew down the street, echoing between the buildings and scattering leaves and litter. [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]did not shiver; they did not feel the cold on their plane between worlds. [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]had no idea what was to come; they had never not reaped a soul before, nor did they of any who had failed in their task. Reaping souls was all [s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]existed for, and by allowing Lee to live they were defying their very purpose.

What was a reaper who did not reap?

[s]死̵̪͕̯̊̂̈́̇̚͝神̵̺͖͈̦̝̳̈̆͌͛́̋̅͘ [/s]could not say why they had done what they did, but they were glad they had.

They rested their gaze on Lee inquisitively.

“Tell me, Lee; what is it like to live?”