TITLE: A Day in the Life of a Grim Reaper; Behind the Cloak and Sickle (Part3of30)
AUTHOR: trista
DISCLAIMER: these characters do not belong to me, they belong to MGM, Showtime, the creator of Dead Like me, and the actors who portray them, please don't sue me, not that I have any money or anything you'd want! The song featured in this fic is not mine either and belongs to Peppersands, SOCAN and their label.
RATING: PG-13 (for language, but the kids these days…)
CONTENT: Reggie/Millie friendship, Mason/George UST
SUMMARY: Rube tells George she's going out of town with Mason, Reggie tells Millie she is back at school, George hears a song in a club that makes her think of Mason (THIS IS NOT A SONG FIC!!)
AUTHORS NOTES: this is the sequel to "A Day in the Life of a Grim Reaper; … (Part1?) posted under "my first attempt at a DLM fanfic" and "A day … Part2 (posted as such) it prolly won't make much sense if you haven't read the first two. I decided to leave the band unnamed so you can all think that they are ur fave band rather then mine. Peppersands is one of my fave bands based in Vancouver produced by Dave Genn (ex Matt Good Band) for more info go to This is my first non-half assessed attempt at a soul reaping.
Surprisingly today everyone was at the Der Waffle Haus, Roxy included, and we were all waiting for Rube to show up. I wondered where he was, it was unlike Rube to be late.
"I bet he went on a bender last night and is so hung over he can't wake up," Mason suggested.
"No, Mason, that's you!" Roxy snapped. "I've had to haul your wasted ass out of bed when you had work to do a couple of times."
Daisy and I laughed. About five minutes after we all ate Rube showed up. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed, I didn't think Rube could do the just rolled out of bed look, but there he was with disheveled hair and everything. I wanted to laugh but I'm sure under the bed head he still had the same Rube attitude.
"I slept in," he informed us.
I was surprised when Roxy didn't say "no shit!" But I think we all knew that it was a bad time to get under his skin. There was probably a damn good reason why he slept in, and he didn't want to share it with us. He handed us each our post it notes. We all went to leave.
"Mason, George," he said. "I need to talk to you."
We both sat back down, as Roxy and Daisy left, pretty quickly I might add. George? Rube never called me George, something really strange must be going on I don't remember him ever calling me anything but "Peanut" even when I was in a lot of trouble. I couldn't think of anything I had done wrong of late. I was really trying not to piss him off. I started to play with the straw from an empty drink that was in front of me.
"You're not in any trouble, you two have to go out of town for a few days," Rube informed us. "Mason procure a car, I'll give you all your post-its, they're all in the same place. Come back when all the souls have crossed over." He handed us each a huge stack of post-its, and then walked away.
"Well Georgie, it seems it's just you and me for the next few days," Mason said with a Cheshire cat grin.
"I'm late for work." I walked away, and I didn't even look back to see the look on his face.
I got to work, a little bit early. I had to think of an excuse as to why I needed to go out of town for a few days. I decided that the best way was to say I had to go to a funeral, I wasn't exactly lying. I actually worked really hard all morning until Delores walked by.
"Delores, I need to talk to you," I said.
"What's going on Millie?" she asked.
"I really hate to do this to you, but something things just cannot be avoided. I have to go out of town for a funeral for a few days."
"Oh, Millie, take all the time you need. Death is never easy."
Don't I know it! If only she knew the half of it. "She was my aunt, we weren't overly close, but you know she was still my aunt. I'll do whatever extra I can today, you know to keep my mind off of it."
"Oh, that's sweet of you Millie, but if you need to you can take the rest of the day off."
"That won't be necessary, really I want to work so that I'm not sitting all alone at home today thinking about it."
"Whatever you want, how are you getting there?"
"A good friend is driving me, but he works today too, so I can't talk to him to make me feel better if I went home.
Delores gave me one of her signature sympathy pouts. "If you need to talk just find me." I smiled. "I will, thank you."
She then walked away. After work when I was done I went to the park to see if Reggie was around. I sat down on one of the swings, and within a few minutes she showed up.
"Hey," we both said at the same time.
"How was school today?" I asked.
"It was all right, I guess," she answered.
"Yeah, school's no fun, but you have to do it."
"I know, it sucks."
"Just try to look on the bright side." That sounded really lame. "On second thought I'm not sure that there is a bright side to school when you don't have many friends."
Reggie laughed. "I'm going to try really hard to make friends."
"Good for you! I guess I should tell you that I'm going out of town for a few days."
"Why?"
"Work stuff."
"That sucks, I'm sorry I can't stay long today, but I have homework to do, but when you get back I want to show you something."
"All right, later then Reggie."
I stayed at the park a little while longer, thinking about having to go away for a while with Mason, sometime on the way I knew that the reason I've been avoiding him would come up, and I just don't think I could lie to him. I wanted to but for some reason I knew that I wouldn't be able to. Why can't this be easy? I mean I was really good at telling guys to go fuck themselves when I was alive, and now that I'm undead the most annoying guy is after me and I can't tell him off.
Why was I so afraid of loosing him? He's just a stupid pothead! I knew that I was only kidding myself thinking that Mason meant nothing to me at all. From the first time I met him I was drawn to him, and for whatever reason fate was forcing me to explore whatever feelings drew me to him. To get my mind off of Mason I looked at my post-it note, and realized that I had no idea where I had to go. I left the park in search of a phonebook.
I looked at my post it note again when I got up to the building named "the Lucky Hen," what the hell kind of name is that anyway? I was expecting a restaurant bar and grill thing, instead I was standing in front of a rather dark looking music club. It could be worse it could have been a strip joint. The idea of going to a loud dark pit with a ton of other people never much appealed to me when I was alive. It still didn't much appeal to me especially since I was alone. Who the hell goes to places like this by themselves anyway? With all these people how would I know which one was the person who's soul I needed to take?
I think it was the being along thing that got to me the most, especially considering the first time I was at a loud bar was with Betty, and I kind of felt more at ease with her there. I couldn't ask Daisy to go with me, it's not her scene, she thinks that music is a waste of talent when you can be an actress. Yes, I was that desperate I actually asked her. Normally I would have asked Mason, he would have fit in perfectly, but considering the circumstances of the whole kissing thing that didn't seem like a good idea.
So I went and opened the door to the place and there was this guy sitting there. Mason had given me a fake ID for some reason, I was glad to have it now.
"It'll be five dollars tonight, and can I see some ID please?" the bouncer asked.
I wasn't pissed about the ID, cause he hardly looked at the thing, but no one said that I'd have to PAY to get into a place that I had to be to grab their soul! I gave him a five dollar bill, and he gave me back my ID.
"Wait!" the guy said.
"Huh?" I replied.
"You need a stamp, give me our hand."
I held out my hand and he moved it so that my palm was up and stamped my wrist. Why the hell are the people so fucking picky anyway? When I went to the washroom a little later, and washed my hands I figured out why. They didn't want people going in who said that their stamps had come off when really they had never been in in the first place. I got in and there was already a band on stage. Perhaps finding the person I was looking for may not be as hard as I had thought. The place was pretty empty there was no more then fifty people in there including staff, but nothing looked particularly suspicious. Although what does look strange in a dank music club? There was still twenty minutes before L. Penny was supposed to die.
The band on stage were all right, not ever having seen a live band before I thought that they'd do more then just stand there. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a graveling, creeping around two people. One was a guy and the other was a girl. They exchanged something, and the guy took off, I followed him, and he left the club, and he seemed to be moving pretty fast. Why would a graveling be hanging around a petty drug deal? I had to figure some way of talking to her, and touching her without looking like a perv.
A few minutes later the band stopped playing, and the DJ started to play some music. I sat down and the girl was not to far from where I was sitting, she was standing against a wall, singing along to the songs. Then I heard one song that just kind of spoke to me.
"Sometimes I wanna change you
Sometimes it always seems to
Sometimes I think you're so fine
Sometimes I wanna change you
Sometimes it always seems to
Sometimes I think you're so fine
So fine, so fine, so fine, so fine ow!
Sometimes I wanna build you
Say things that only hurt you
I seem to do that all the time
Sometimes I wanna build you
Say things that are gonna hurt you
I seem to do that all the time
All the time, all the time
All the time, all the time, yeah
All I need is just one last fix of your unforgettable sunset kisses
Now I'm back to the roll I promised you -
I only wanted to hold you
Forgetting everything I've told you that could give me away
Oh hey! Don't get too carried away -
Don't get too carried away
I'm standing my ground my head in the ground
Everything's floating away , oh no
I'm standing my ground my head in the ground
Everything's floating away
I'm standing my ground my head in the ground -
Don't get too carried away
Away, away, away, away"
It almost seemed to sum up everything that I was feeling about Mason, well kind of as much as a song about a living girl liking a living guy could appeal to and undead gal liking an undead guy. But just the way the girl acted was so like me, doing something that's uncharacteristic and then just then just shrugging it off. I wanted to know what song it was, I had to know what song it was. Then it hit me that I could kill two birds with one stone. I walked over to the girl who had been singing, and tapped her on the shoulder, and took her soul.
"Sorry to bother you, but could tell me what song this is?" I almost had to scream to be heard.
"It's called "So Fine" by a band called Peppersands!" she told me, louder then she probably needed.
"Thanks."
"They're a really good band, you should listen to more of their songs." "I'll have to remember that." I walked away. I was still curious about how that girl was going to die in less then fifteen minutes, but mine is not to question why.
A few moments later I lost track of her, and I looked for her for a while, but soon got engrossed in the band that were on stage. They were really amazing, kind of loud, and energetic, and the few people there were freaking out and dancing. Between the time I got there and the second band went on the amount of people in the club close to doubled. I almost wanted to join in but L. Penny had died about five minutes ago and there was probably a very confused soul walking around the bar. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw her heading toward the dance floor, I didn't want her getting there cause there were so many people it may take some time for her dust particles to become a soul again.
"Hey!" I said to her. "I didn't ask you your name."
"It's Leslie, but everyone calls me Penny Lane."
Like as in the Beatles song? Why the hell would anyone want their nickname to be a song? "All right then I'll call you Penny. I'm George."
"You wanna know something, George?" She giggled.
"What, Penny?" I played along.
"I am on the worst trip EVER!"
"Why do say that?"
"Well I locked myself in a bathroom stall downstairs to sniff some shit, and when I was done it felt like I walked right through the bathroom door!" She was laughing madly at this point. "Then I don't remember unlocking the door. Cause I lock the whole bathroom so I won't get caught. And then I went to go get something to go with the coke and the bartender didn't even come over to me, and no one seemed to notice me standing there."
"I hate to tell you this, but it's more then just a bad trip, it's your last trip."
"Who are you? One of those like undercover angel people who help kids get off drugs?"
"Not so much." Just then someone walked past me, and thru Penny, she turned to dust.
When she came back she coughed. "What the fuck!?"
"You Penny Lane, or whoever are dead."
"Dead?"
"Yeah, some poor person working at this bar is going to find you in that bathroom stall at some point tonight. I just took your soul when I knew that you were the right person so that I didn't have to wait around."
"Dead? No way!"
"I'm afraid so, and then soon you're going to move on."
"Not without seeing this band first! After that how will I know?"
"You'll just know."
So I had to stand and watch that band play with the soul I had just popped, and worst of all she didn't just make me stand there, she made me dance. ME dance! I don't dance I look like a dumbass, but she told me that since she couldn't dance and I was her reaper fairy. Yes! She actually called me a reaper fairy! She told me that I had to do whatever she said so that she's actually move on, and that was dance and get into the show like she would have had she not had the slight handicap of being dead. It wasn't actually that bad, the band was really good, and I would have found it very heard not to move throughout their entire set.
After the band finished their set they got offstage, and the crowd dispersed. Then over the real stage was another stage with three guys, all of them young and pretty hot; one with a guitar, one with a bass, and one behind a drum set, and the mic was empty. The three guys seemed to be motioning for her to come forward, she took a running start and then hoped up on stage, and took the mic, and then the apparition disappeared.
That night I hardly slept thinking about having to go away with Mason for a few days. What am I going to say to him when he asks me why I've been ignoring him? Why must fate fuck so much with my afterlife?
End notes: I have another idea that starts with something along the lines of; '"Georgie, why do you hate me?" Mason inquired giving a sad puppy dog face from the driver's seat.' I also have some ideas that will take bring the fic into its own not following the series. Tell me what 'ya think. trista aka the dustytiger
AUTHOR: trista
DISCLAIMER: these characters do not belong to me, they belong to MGM, Showtime, the creator of Dead Like me, and the actors who portray them, please don't sue me, not that I have any money or anything you'd want! The song featured in this fic is not mine either and belongs to Peppersands, SOCAN and their label.
RATING: PG-13 (for language, but the kids these days…)
CONTENT: Reggie/Millie friendship, Mason/George UST
SUMMARY: Rube tells George she's going out of town with Mason, Reggie tells Millie she is back at school, George hears a song in a club that makes her think of Mason (THIS IS NOT A SONG FIC!!)
AUTHORS NOTES: this is the sequel to "A Day in the Life of a Grim Reaper; … (Part1?) posted under "my first attempt at a DLM fanfic" and "A day … Part2 (posted as such) it prolly won't make much sense if you haven't read the first two. I decided to leave the band unnamed so you can all think that they are ur fave band rather then mine. Peppersands is one of my fave bands based in Vancouver produced by Dave Genn (ex Matt Good Band) for more info go to This is my first non-half assessed attempt at a soul reaping.
Surprisingly today everyone was at the Der Waffle Haus, Roxy included, and we were all waiting for Rube to show up. I wondered where he was, it was unlike Rube to be late.
"I bet he went on a bender last night and is so hung over he can't wake up," Mason suggested.
"No, Mason, that's you!" Roxy snapped. "I've had to haul your wasted ass out of bed when you had work to do a couple of times."
Daisy and I laughed. About five minutes after we all ate Rube showed up. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed, I didn't think Rube could do the just rolled out of bed look, but there he was with disheveled hair and everything. I wanted to laugh but I'm sure under the bed head he still had the same Rube attitude.
"I slept in," he informed us.
I was surprised when Roxy didn't say "no shit!" But I think we all knew that it was a bad time to get under his skin. There was probably a damn good reason why he slept in, and he didn't want to share it with us. He handed us each our post it notes. We all went to leave.
"Mason, George," he said. "I need to talk to you."
We both sat back down, as Roxy and Daisy left, pretty quickly I might add. George? Rube never called me George, something really strange must be going on I don't remember him ever calling me anything but "Peanut" even when I was in a lot of trouble. I couldn't think of anything I had done wrong of late. I was really trying not to piss him off. I started to play with the straw from an empty drink that was in front of me.
"You're not in any trouble, you two have to go out of town for a few days," Rube informed us. "Mason procure a car, I'll give you all your post-its, they're all in the same place. Come back when all the souls have crossed over." He handed us each a huge stack of post-its, and then walked away.
"Well Georgie, it seems it's just you and me for the next few days," Mason said with a Cheshire cat grin.
"I'm late for work." I walked away, and I didn't even look back to see the look on his face.
I got to work, a little bit early. I had to think of an excuse as to why I needed to go out of town for a few days. I decided that the best way was to say I had to go to a funeral, I wasn't exactly lying. I actually worked really hard all morning until Delores walked by.
"Delores, I need to talk to you," I said.
"What's going on Millie?" she asked.
"I really hate to do this to you, but something things just cannot be avoided. I have to go out of town for a funeral for a few days."
"Oh, Millie, take all the time you need. Death is never easy."
Don't I know it! If only she knew the half of it. "She was my aunt, we weren't overly close, but you know she was still my aunt. I'll do whatever extra I can today, you know to keep my mind off of it."
"Oh, that's sweet of you Millie, but if you need to you can take the rest of the day off."
"That won't be necessary, really I want to work so that I'm not sitting all alone at home today thinking about it."
"Whatever you want, how are you getting there?"
"A good friend is driving me, but he works today too, so I can't talk to him to make me feel better if I went home.
Delores gave me one of her signature sympathy pouts. "If you need to talk just find me." I smiled. "I will, thank you."
She then walked away. After work when I was done I went to the park to see if Reggie was around. I sat down on one of the swings, and within a few minutes she showed up.
"Hey," we both said at the same time.
"How was school today?" I asked.
"It was all right, I guess," she answered.
"Yeah, school's no fun, but you have to do it."
"I know, it sucks."
"Just try to look on the bright side." That sounded really lame. "On second thought I'm not sure that there is a bright side to school when you don't have many friends."
Reggie laughed. "I'm going to try really hard to make friends."
"Good for you! I guess I should tell you that I'm going out of town for a few days."
"Why?"
"Work stuff."
"That sucks, I'm sorry I can't stay long today, but I have homework to do, but when you get back I want to show you something."
"All right, later then Reggie."
I stayed at the park a little while longer, thinking about having to go away for a while with Mason, sometime on the way I knew that the reason I've been avoiding him would come up, and I just don't think I could lie to him. I wanted to but for some reason I knew that I wouldn't be able to. Why can't this be easy? I mean I was really good at telling guys to go fuck themselves when I was alive, and now that I'm undead the most annoying guy is after me and I can't tell him off.
Why was I so afraid of loosing him? He's just a stupid pothead! I knew that I was only kidding myself thinking that Mason meant nothing to me at all. From the first time I met him I was drawn to him, and for whatever reason fate was forcing me to explore whatever feelings drew me to him. To get my mind off of Mason I looked at my post-it note, and realized that I had no idea where I had to go. I left the park in search of a phonebook.
I looked at my post it note again when I got up to the building named "the Lucky Hen," what the hell kind of name is that anyway? I was expecting a restaurant bar and grill thing, instead I was standing in front of a rather dark looking music club. It could be worse it could have been a strip joint. The idea of going to a loud dark pit with a ton of other people never much appealed to me when I was alive. It still didn't much appeal to me especially since I was alone. Who the hell goes to places like this by themselves anyway? With all these people how would I know which one was the person who's soul I needed to take?
I think it was the being along thing that got to me the most, especially considering the first time I was at a loud bar was with Betty, and I kind of felt more at ease with her there. I couldn't ask Daisy to go with me, it's not her scene, she thinks that music is a waste of talent when you can be an actress. Yes, I was that desperate I actually asked her. Normally I would have asked Mason, he would have fit in perfectly, but considering the circumstances of the whole kissing thing that didn't seem like a good idea.
So I went and opened the door to the place and there was this guy sitting there. Mason had given me a fake ID for some reason, I was glad to have it now.
"It'll be five dollars tonight, and can I see some ID please?" the bouncer asked.
I wasn't pissed about the ID, cause he hardly looked at the thing, but no one said that I'd have to PAY to get into a place that I had to be to grab their soul! I gave him a five dollar bill, and he gave me back my ID.
"Wait!" the guy said.
"Huh?" I replied.
"You need a stamp, give me our hand."
I held out my hand and he moved it so that my palm was up and stamped my wrist. Why the hell are the people so fucking picky anyway? When I went to the washroom a little later, and washed my hands I figured out why. They didn't want people going in who said that their stamps had come off when really they had never been in in the first place. I got in and there was already a band on stage. Perhaps finding the person I was looking for may not be as hard as I had thought. The place was pretty empty there was no more then fifty people in there including staff, but nothing looked particularly suspicious. Although what does look strange in a dank music club? There was still twenty minutes before L. Penny was supposed to die.
The band on stage were all right, not ever having seen a live band before I thought that they'd do more then just stand there. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a graveling, creeping around two people. One was a guy and the other was a girl. They exchanged something, and the guy took off, I followed him, and he left the club, and he seemed to be moving pretty fast. Why would a graveling be hanging around a petty drug deal? I had to figure some way of talking to her, and touching her without looking like a perv.
A few minutes later the band stopped playing, and the DJ started to play some music. I sat down and the girl was not to far from where I was sitting, she was standing against a wall, singing along to the songs. Then I heard one song that just kind of spoke to me.
"Sometimes I wanna change you
Sometimes it always seems to
Sometimes I think you're so fine
Sometimes I wanna change you
Sometimes it always seems to
Sometimes I think you're so fine
So fine, so fine, so fine, so fine ow!
Sometimes I wanna build you
Say things that only hurt you
I seem to do that all the time
Sometimes I wanna build you
Say things that are gonna hurt you
I seem to do that all the time
All the time, all the time
All the time, all the time, yeah
All I need is just one last fix of your unforgettable sunset kisses
Now I'm back to the roll I promised you -
I only wanted to hold you
Forgetting everything I've told you that could give me away
Oh hey! Don't get too carried away -
Don't get too carried away
I'm standing my ground my head in the ground
Everything's floating away , oh no
I'm standing my ground my head in the ground
Everything's floating away
I'm standing my ground my head in the ground -
Don't get too carried away
Away, away, away, away"
It almost seemed to sum up everything that I was feeling about Mason, well kind of as much as a song about a living girl liking a living guy could appeal to and undead gal liking an undead guy. But just the way the girl acted was so like me, doing something that's uncharacteristic and then just then just shrugging it off. I wanted to know what song it was, I had to know what song it was. Then it hit me that I could kill two birds with one stone. I walked over to the girl who had been singing, and tapped her on the shoulder, and took her soul.
"Sorry to bother you, but could tell me what song this is?" I almost had to scream to be heard.
"It's called "So Fine" by a band called Peppersands!" she told me, louder then she probably needed.
"Thanks."
"They're a really good band, you should listen to more of their songs." "I'll have to remember that." I walked away. I was still curious about how that girl was going to die in less then fifteen minutes, but mine is not to question why.
A few moments later I lost track of her, and I looked for her for a while, but soon got engrossed in the band that were on stage. They were really amazing, kind of loud, and energetic, and the few people there were freaking out and dancing. Between the time I got there and the second band went on the amount of people in the club close to doubled. I almost wanted to join in but L. Penny had died about five minutes ago and there was probably a very confused soul walking around the bar. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw her heading toward the dance floor, I didn't want her getting there cause there were so many people it may take some time for her dust particles to become a soul again.
"Hey!" I said to her. "I didn't ask you your name."
"It's Leslie, but everyone calls me Penny Lane."
Like as in the Beatles song? Why the hell would anyone want their nickname to be a song? "All right then I'll call you Penny. I'm George."
"You wanna know something, George?" She giggled.
"What, Penny?" I played along.
"I am on the worst trip EVER!"
"Why do say that?"
"Well I locked myself in a bathroom stall downstairs to sniff some shit, and when I was done it felt like I walked right through the bathroom door!" She was laughing madly at this point. "Then I don't remember unlocking the door. Cause I lock the whole bathroom so I won't get caught. And then I went to go get something to go with the coke and the bartender didn't even come over to me, and no one seemed to notice me standing there."
"I hate to tell you this, but it's more then just a bad trip, it's your last trip."
"Who are you? One of those like undercover angel people who help kids get off drugs?"
"Not so much." Just then someone walked past me, and thru Penny, she turned to dust.
When she came back she coughed. "What the fuck!?"
"You Penny Lane, or whoever are dead."
"Dead?"
"Yeah, some poor person working at this bar is going to find you in that bathroom stall at some point tonight. I just took your soul when I knew that you were the right person so that I didn't have to wait around."
"Dead? No way!"
"I'm afraid so, and then soon you're going to move on."
"Not without seeing this band first! After that how will I know?"
"You'll just know."
So I had to stand and watch that band play with the soul I had just popped, and worst of all she didn't just make me stand there, she made me dance. ME dance! I don't dance I look like a dumbass, but she told me that since she couldn't dance and I was her reaper fairy. Yes! She actually called me a reaper fairy! She told me that I had to do whatever she said so that she's actually move on, and that was dance and get into the show like she would have had she not had the slight handicap of being dead. It wasn't actually that bad, the band was really good, and I would have found it very heard not to move throughout their entire set.
After the band finished their set they got offstage, and the crowd dispersed. Then over the real stage was another stage with three guys, all of them young and pretty hot; one with a guitar, one with a bass, and one behind a drum set, and the mic was empty. The three guys seemed to be motioning for her to come forward, she took a running start and then hoped up on stage, and took the mic, and then the apparition disappeared.
That night I hardly slept thinking about having to go away with Mason for a few days. What am I going to say to him when he asks me why I've been ignoring him? Why must fate fuck so much with my afterlife?
End notes: I have another idea that starts with something along the lines of; '"Georgie, why do you hate me?" Mason inquired giving a sad puppy dog face from the driver's seat.' I also have some ideas that will take bring the fic into its own not following the series. Tell me what 'ya think. trista aka the dustytiger