The morning light warms my face. As my eyes open the first thing I see is Alice's sleeping face. She's curled up in a ball, mouth half open. I couldn't help but find it a bit funny and smiled. I got out of bed and went down stairs to eat. I rent a small townhouse just outside the city with three bedrooms, two baths. Down stairs Jacob is playing games on his xbox, his headset is plugged in so he can't even hear me. I wouldn't be surprised if he was on all night with his so called friends.
I ignore him and go into the kitchen for some bacon and eggs. There was plenty for three people as Jacob would ask for some, as well as Alice. Just as the plate was finished he walked in and grabbed it. With a mouth full of food he managed something like a thank you and walked back to the TV.
"Morning Sammy," Alice said as she slipped past me for her plate. She took it to the table along with the ketchup and proceeded to what I can only imagine as to drown her eggs. "I had the strangest dream," she began to stuff her face. "I was at some weird place with a bunch of people and everyone was calling me… I don't know. I can't remember..."
"That's not that weird."
"Hand on, I was getting to it, I was with a bunch of people with swords and we all were going after those monster things. It's weird that I would dream about them using swords, since Quincy's use bows?"
"Those don't sound like Quincy's."
"I know that's what I mean; I just thought it was funny."
"Sounds like you dreamt about Soul reapers. They use swords and live in Soul Society, another dimension most would think of as heaven."
"Oh, you know what? We should go to the park and you can tell me about them." She jumped up and ran up the stairs; moments later I heard the shower going. Once we were both cleaned up we got in my car and drove to the park down the road.
Alice left her hair down, the sun making its red/orange color dance like fire. Her Velvet eyes were all over the place as she danced in her seat to the music. She sang every word of every song until we got to the park. We parked and started walking down one of the trails.
"So who are the Soul reapers and why haven't I heard about them before?"
The topic is a sour one for me and my kind. "They are a small bunch of warriors that think they have authority over this world." Alice gave me a surprised look. "About a hundred years ago a war broke out between us and them. We disagreed on what should happen to the souls of the dead."
They believed they needed to be sent to Soul Society right away. We believe they need to find their own way to what is next, whether that is Soul Society or somewhere else. Quincies believe that when we die we will be sent back around to be reborn as another Quincy. We forbid reapers from sending our kin to Soul Society, but they did anyways."
Alice moved close into me with an arm around my waist. I put my arm around her shoulders. "One day they offered for some of us to go to their home and see it for ourselves. Most did not agree with the idea of going there but a select few went but they were killed by the reapers. From that day we have hated and fought them."
"You keep saying we." She looks up at me with her velvet eyes. "I thought you gave up on that part of your life."
She was right. I had given up all ties to being a Quincy but you cannot fight what you are, who you were raised to be. I cannot stop from seeing the dead around me or stop from feeling hollows that are nearby. Today is not one of those days. The field is empty of souls and demon alike.
"I have, it's just a force of habit."
"Promise?"
I smiled, "promise."
But it won't ever give up on me.
We changed topics and lazed around for most of the day. We ended up at the playground and swung on the swings for a while, most of the mothers kept their kids away from us. I guess so not to be kicked or crushed.
"Bet I can jump farther than you," she laughs. That's my Alice, always wanting to turn everything into a competition.
"You're on," I smile back. I go first. I land at a respectable distance, and then wait for her. She continues to go higher and higher up. "Babe, be careful. You're going to land on your face if you go much higher."
"What's that I hear? Is it fear that you might get your butt kicked?"
"Maybe a little." I caught her smile just before she jumps. A tingle shot through me as she flies more than fifteen feet into the air. Soring past me she lands on her feet and hands.
"And I win by a mile." She jumps up and dances a victory dance. "Never mess with the champ." She walks over to me with finger pointing, "Looks like you are buying drinks tonight."
"When don't I?"
"Exactly." She sticks her tongue at me before going to the backroom. I laugh off the idea of one having to be brave or crazy to use those toilets and not knowing which one Alice is.
While I wait a young girl maybe fifteen walks past the playground. She looks lost but mostly okay. She's wearing a blue sundress and her brown hair is braided, hanging over her left shoulder. Her feet are bare against the dirt and grass.
She's dead. Even for me it's not hard to see and tell the difference between the living and non. The dead emitted energy far different then the living. Along with that, they cannot interact with the living except for Quincies and a few humans that are sensitive to otherworldly things. Alice is one of those people.
She looks over to me, her face in a daze. She must have just died recently. Normally we… the Quincies will try and help any soul they come across hoping to guide them on their journey. I pull out my phone and make call.
"Hey Sam," Isaac answers happier than normal. "What can I do for you?" He is a cousin of mine, and a Quincy like all my family.
"I have a plus out here in the park. She looks pretty messed up. You think you or someone can get out here to help out?"
"Why don't you?"
"You know why."
He went quiet for a minute, then a sigh. "You know the family isn't happy with you." I didn't answer. We have been over this many times over the last year. "Look, I'm not trying to start anything but this is important to your dad. I'm pretty sure there is an old bangle around-"
"Just get someone out here." And I hung up on him. Alice came out of the bathroom and we left. I don't think she ever noticed the plus at all.
Across the field I can feel it. A small amount of energy scurries out of the tree line. It is impossible to mistake what it is, and worse where it is going. Damn!
I start looking though my pockets, "Man. I forgot my phone on the bench. I'll be right back," I toss her the keys and ran off.
It's too far from here for me to make the shot. I need to get right in front of it. I try and focus my strength but can't use hirenkyaku very well only managing to travel a few feet at most. I'm unable to tell if I can make it. It's fast but weak, weaker than me. But still.
In the distance the girl is standing looking around. Her hand is up to her mouth, maybe pondering where she is. It is not uncommon for pluses to wonder for miles before coming to their senses. It's unlikely she would even answer if I yell at her.
Finally I've made it. With the girl at my back I raise my arm to the hollow charging at her. It runs on four muscular legs resembling something of a rabid dog but with a bone mask covering its head. Its eyes were little more than red dots in a lake of black.
I raised my arm and focused. The park is full of energy but holding it together is like trying to grab water out of the air. I focus harder. A faint blue forms around my arm. It begins to take shape, as my own energy makes a thin layer around it to hold its form.
It could barely be called a bow. Its form is ruff and shaky in places but it will have to do. I grab it and begin to pull back, with the same method an arrow forms. At a full draw I take aim. It's going in a straight line; all I have to do is line up and fire. The arrow whistles in the air, striking the hollow in the shoulder.
"Damn," I yell. I pull back again and fire. This time it falls short, landing just in front of it. I can do this. I draw one more time, taking a deep breath to steady my hands. This time the arrow hits its mark. It enters the eye socket dropping the hollow immediately. It begins to fade away, the energy dispersing into the air.
As soon as my hold over the energy fades the bow disappears. It's difficult to catch my breath. Looking over at the girl she does little more than stare at me. I pull out my phone and text Isaac to hurry up.
Back at the car Alice waits with the engine running. I play off the missing phone and drive off. She turns the music off, then sits with her arms crossed. I know what's coming.