Chapter 3: Daniel Waters

January 28th 2023

It was dark. The room pitch and endless. All except for a beam of light that broke through from up high, glowing over a patch of white in a pool of black.

Sitting alone in his chair, Daniel couldn't move. His legs sat like cold stone, unmoving and unfeeling. His arms felt sluggish, too tired to lift and heavy. And within his hands gripped tightly, a black notebook that dripped thick oozing blood from its pages.

"I'm sorry" Daniel muttered as the pages of the Death Note fluttered open and the name "Charles Curtis" appeared before his eyes.

"I'm sorry" he repeated but louder.

Erecting from the darkness, a podium of decaying wood stood tall in the light and a man garbed in grey appeared from the warm glow and took his place.

His face was obscure but Daniel knew who he was.

"I'm sorry!" he shouted towards the man, his words choking on his tears as they poured down his cheeks.

The garbed man did not respond, he watched and waited as the Death Note flipped through its pages again.

Staring down as the white flutter slowed to a stop. Daniel screamed in anguish at the sight of the name scrawled in blood within.

"Daniel Waters"

"AAAARRRGGGHHH!"

Screaming as his arms flailed and his legs kicked off the bed covers, Daniel found himself awake in his room and partially on the floor.

The back of his head and shoulders lay flat of the soft carpet while his legs rested on the bed. The feeling of fibres on the back of his neck felt relaxing, comforting to know that he was awake and back in his room.

"Shit…" he sighed in relief while wiping the cold sweat from his brow onto the back of his hand.

Daniel lay there for a moment while he collected his thoughts and composed his feelings. He couldn't remember much after the incident; he didn't know when or how he got from the sound of his little sister knocking on his door, they all made it home safely.

"Are you okay? I heard screaming" she said concerned, her voice small and muffled.

"I, I'm fine-" he started as the words struggled to leave his uncomposed mouth.

"-just… it was just a nightmare"

Grabbing the edge of his bed, Daniel slid his legs off the side carefully, making sure they didn't drop to the floor and make a loud sound in the Livingroom below.

Rolling onto his side, Daniel pushed with his tired arms and got onto his knees. He didn't sleep very well, and from the look of the digital clock on his nightstand, he didn't sleep very long either.

"Eight oh four. Damn it"

Using his bed as leverage, Daniel forced himself up from the floor and sat on the comfy springs of his mattress.

However, for some reason, the bed wasn't comfy, not as it should be. Daniel could feel it, there was something underneath his behind.

Curiously reaching for the object, Daniel leaned slightly to remove his weight from it and pulled it out. Revealing to his startled eyes, in his hand was a familiar black book with the words "Death Note" screaming in his face.

"Augh!"

Startled like it was a creepy spider, Daniel flung the notebook to the corner of the room and on top of his dirty laundry. As the notebook slowly slid from the mound and onto the floor, Daniel watched and wondered why he would bring "that" home with him.

The thoughts of Father Curtis's last moments flashed before him; he could still see the poor man's twisted face as he reached out for help.

"I'm sorry" Daniel muttered as he rested his face between his hands.

"Why do you apologise?"

Eyes widened; Daniel's back stiffened as his neck shivered at the deep hoarse voice. Somebody was with him in his room and he didn't recognise who it was.

Frightened, Daniel slowly lifted his face from his hands and quickly surveyed the room around him.

Bookshelf, chest of drawers, tv unit with a broken tv. All objects but no person. Daniel sighed in relief as his muscles loosened.

"For God's sake. I'm hearing things" his words muffled with a deep sigh as he stretched his cheeks with his hands.

Once I've done my job searches for the day, I'm off back to bed. He promised himself.

Standing up from his mattress with a tired yawn, Daniel shuffled around in one spot so that he could open the curtains of the window next to his bed.

But as he looked up to the window, it was not thick purple fabric that greeted him. Instead, it was a wide grinning, red lipped demon dressed in black.

"Good morning. Did you have fun last night. I did" the creature said amused.

"Ugh!"

Taking a step back, words wouldn't leave Daniel's mouth, not even a scream or cry for help. His eyes couldn't understand or believe the being that was standing tall before him.

Jet black spiky hair, large yellow eyes and a grey body that seemed stitched together with black latex. Whoever he or it was, they were standing through his bed. It was as though his mattress wasn't there as the demon took a step forward for every step Daniel took back.

"Aren't you going to say "good morning" back to me? You're rather rude for a human you know"

Tripping on his discarded shoes that lay in the middle of the floor, Daniel made a huge thud as his behind slammed into the carpet. Dad definitely heard something as he could hear his muffled voice asking Eva to go check up on him.

No! don't come up here! Daniel wanted to cry out as fear stole his words.

Crawling backwards and towards his laundry, Daniel found the Death Note under his hand once more.

He's, he's here for this! The demon wants to take it back to the underworld!

Grabbing the cursed object roughly, Daniel threw it at the demon with all his might.

"YOU CAN HAVE IT!" he shouted desperately.

Oddly, the demon did not attempt to move as the book quickly reached towards its face.

"What are you doing?" the creature asked as he caught it with his black hands, a mere inch from its nose.

"The Death Note shouldn't be treated with such disrespect. It would make the old man angry if he knew that you did. Not that I care"

Reaching out as if to give the black book back, Daniel sat in fear, daring not to take the object back.

"What are you?" he instead asked as the question raced across his mind.

"Heh, heh, heh" the thing chuckled roughly.

"I'm the Shinigami, Ryuk. But to you I suppose, I'm a God of Death. A Reaper"

"The Grim Reaper!?" the words fell out easily as he stared at the strange God before him. It claimed to be a biblical monster and Daniel could believe it.

Ryuk was clearly nothing of this world. He did not look like your typical Grim Reaper from fantasy novels or gothic art. But then again, Daniel didn't think for a moment that anybody had actually seen a Reaper before to use as comparison. And the Death note, a book he seemed very familiar with.

"Is that your book" he asked politely, not wanting to upset a God of Death.

Ryuk turned the book in his hand and motioned a chuckle but no voice left his mouth.

"It was mine. But now it is yours" he explained as he reached out to give it back.

Within grabbing distance, the Death Note seemed to stare at Daniel. He felt like the object was judging him, valuing his worth to hold such wicked power.

Danial didn't want it though; he knew that demise and terror held within. However, it was a God that was handing it to him. To turn down a being that lorded over death, it could mean his own end.

His mouth was dry and his palms sweaty, Danial reached out with both hands, his knees firmly pressed onto the floor. He took the vile book into his grasp as the Shinigami let go and took a step back.

Swinging the door open abruptly, Eva burst in the room cheerful and full of energy "Dainel! Dad wants to know if you are okay?"

"Ah, ah!?" Daniel stammered with his arms held up high holding the black book.

"Oh my God!" Eva replied startled as she looked towards Daniel and Ryuk.

"Eva! It's… it's going to be okay" Daniel stuttered as he tried to think of a way to explain the near seven-foot-tall monster in the room.

Eva's eyes beamed with delight as she gasped "Mom, Dad. Daniel's praying with the holy book!" she shouted with glee as she ran out the room and down the stairs.

Ryuk laughed while holding his head before stating "She's a lively one, isn't she? Don't worry Daniel, only those who have touched the Death Note can see me"

Relaxing his arms and holding the notebook close to the floor, Daniel sighed in relief "Good thing too. I'd hate to explain who you are" he smiled. It was strange, he felt more calmer now, perhaps Eva's sudden outburst had snapped Daniel back to reality. He felt like he could talk now, and with luck, reason with the demon.

The Shinigami lightly bounced as if he was amused by Daniel's comment.

"Oh? I don't think so"

"What do you mean by that?" Daniel asked in a confused response, but before Ryuk could answer, Dad called from the stairs and asked for Daniel to come down soon.

Out of his pyjamas and into something more comfortable; black buttoned shirt and matching trousers. Daniel descended the stairs and walked slowly into the kitchen. He wasn't in a hurry to meet his parents after last night's affair, and Eva's sudden announcement of Daniel's worshipping this morning might complicate things even further.

The kitchen was small in size, roughly the size of a single bedroom. It felt even smaller with the folding table fully laid out.

Reading the morning Sun paper, Dad turned the pages as he scanned the articles like he does every morning. He never reads the paper like it was a book, he first picks out stories or events that takes his interest first and skips the rest. He enjoys it better this way.

Mom was busy making a small pile of toast for the family with a side of lightly melted butter. She seemed to be in a happy mood as she was humming a tune to herself.

And Eva, she was in her tall chair, feet dangling over the edge as she ate her Weetabix, watching cartoons on the tv. She smiled a milky large smile as Daniel walked in.

"Dad! Dad! Daniel's here" she gleefully pointed with her spoon, spilling milk and wheat onto the floor.

Mom turned from the toaster fast and clasped her hands cheerfully.

"There's my boy. Worshipping Kira diligently"

Daniel stammered at the awkward praise as his mom rushed over to give him a loving hug.

"Mom!? You- you got it all wrong. It wasn't praying" he tried to explain as he pushed his mom away.

"Atta boy son" dad said proudly as he laid down his paper.

"Never admit to worshipping Kira. The world isn't ready for such open discussions. Tsk, not like it used to. Anyway, this book Eva mentioned you've been praying with-"

Goose prickles ran across Daniels neck and arms as dad started talking about the book.

"- I don't suppose it has anything to do with Father Curtis last night?" he asked.

What is he saying? Is he implying he knows about the Death Note? He knows I wrote down that man's name? He knows I killed him?

Daniel's left arm started to twitch and in the corner of his eye, he could see Ryuk enter the kitchen like a curious animal as he searched the counter top and table. The demon walked briskly, searching around the room completely being unnoticed by everyone around him, all except Daniel whose eye's followed his movement.

"Do you keep any Apples in the kitchen? In a fruit bowl or the fridge perhaps?" Ryuk asked as if he expected a response.

"Daniel!" dad called out suddenly.

"You seem distracted son. Is everything okay? You're not upset over Father Curtis, are you?"

Clearing his throat with a dry gulp, Daniel had to think and choose his words carefully as to not rise suspicion.

"No. Nothing's wrong, I, I just didn't get enough sleep is all"

The silence between the two men was unnerving as Daniel expected accusations and mistrust from his dad. However, to his surprise, dad simply raised his paper once more and said "Good. That man doesn't deserve our sympathy or love. Getting killed by Kira. Praise be to our Lord for getting rid of a criminal in our midst."

Daniel's legs started to feel weak as he took his seat at the table. He wasn't sure if it was the tense conversation or lack of sleep, but Daniel couldn't stand any longer as dad disrespected Father Curtis.

"Are you sure it was Kira who killed him. He was an old man, it, it could have been a bad heart?" Daniel had to ask, the question was dangling at the back of his head for a while like a nasty blob of phlegm at the back of the throat, he had to get it out.

Dad coughed up a chuckle at the question before responding "I forgot, you ran out to the car with Eva by this point. Mr Hardy, one of the regulars at our gathering is a part time doctor, got his license and everything. Father Curtis… or rather Charles now I guess, Charles was a regular of his and Hardy said the man's ticker was very healthy for an eighty-two-year-old. He checked the body at the plinth, turned the bastard on his back and tried resuscitating him. Mr Hardy had such a smile as he declared heart attack, heh, heh"

Daniel couldn't believe it, he knew it to be true but, the power of the Death Note really hit home when his dad confirmed it just now.

The power of Kira, sitting upstairs on his bed. No, he was not Kira. Daniel had killed an innocent man for no good reason. Only because he felt pressured to write… but as he saw the rules…a mere whim of trying out the book shouldn't have hurt anyone… but it did… Father Curtis is dead.

And now Daniel was a murderer. Unlike himself, Kira wouldn't kill the innocent, only punish the unjust and the criminally insane.

"I'm a murderer" he muttered in defeat under his breath.

Lifting down his newspaper to take a slice of toast his darling wife had placed on the table, dad glanced at Daniel and asked "Did you say something son? You're seem rather upset this morning"

Before Daniel could respond, dad grew annoyed with the tv channel as another round of advertisements began showing.

"Sodding things, I just want to listen to something good, not this rubbish" he moaned as he grabbed the remote.

Flipping through the channels one after another, Eva voiced her complaint as she enjoys the commercials, especially when the toy ones come on.

Dad didn't seem to pay attention or care; he only had an hour in the morning to relax before he was off out for the day. He worked the odd Saturdays to cover a colleagues shift if they were sick or late. Dad never was fond of spending his weekend away from the family, but the extra day pay was welcoming.

"Oh, here we go. Something's going on today" dad seemed pleased as he stopped on BBC news.

Daniel watched and listen with his family as a live broadcast was airing. The camera showed a classic red double decker bus in the streets of London.

The news reporter and cameraman were in front of a few officers and amongst a crowd of people as the police tried to usher them away from the bus. There was clearly something going on inside as screams and wails could be heard on the tv.

"Darling, could you grab our "Book of Kira's" from their hiding spot. I do believe we need to pray to our Lord for another criminal's passing"

Mom hurried into the Livingroom like a happy child searching for gifts and presents. She quickly returned in less than a minute with three shoddy looking black books and a handful of pens.

Each book was made by hand as the Church of Kira didn't hand out their own. It was out of necessity in keeping their whole affair a secret from public eyes.

Dad loved the Book of Kira so much, that he had to have one even if he required to make it. One Sunday afternoon some time ago, after long toil and several failed attempts the first Holy Book in the family was born. Ever since then dad had the book with him during harrowing events on the news and he would write down names with a glorious smile.

Mom soon followed as she saw how much fun it was to pray to Kira while watching the tv. Her book wasn't poorly made or modestly well done like dad's. Mom bought a simple hard black notebook from the store and modified it slightly.

Eventually when Eva came to understand Kira at the tender age of five, her book was made with mom and dad helping. Though black on the cover, the book was covered in stickers of ponies and glitter. She claimed that since Kira was special and magic, he should have magical ponies that deliver justice around the world.

Daniel had owned a "Book of Kira" once. Like Eva, it was made with his parents love and attention. But only after a year or so of making it, Daniel lost sight in Kira and the book, and thus stopped writing all together. His parents weren't all too thrilled but they never inquired or harshly judged him. They were happy he was still attending church with the rest of the family and prayed with them dutifully.

"Ah, excellent my sweet pea" Dad cheerfully shook his hands and then he happily planted a kiss on mom's lips.

The books were handed out between the three of them while Daniel sat awkwardly at the table, with nothing in front of him except for a plate of toast and a puddle of butter.

"Daniel-" dad started while he flipped through his pages, trying to find a fresh page to write names on.

"- you should go and fetch your Holy Book too. The one you've been hiding from us. It would be nice if we could enjoy Kira's work as a family"

You want me to kill someone? The thoughts clawed at Daniel's mind like a nail to glass.

Ryuk seemed very amused by the family activity as the Demon stopped searching for apples and stood next to dad and started watching the family ready their books with pens in hand.

"A loving family unknowingly worshipping the Death Note. I wonder what would happen if you told them, you own a true book of death. Would they worship you as Kira, I wonder?" the demon laughed.

It took Daniel five minutes to grab his Death Note from his bed, he would have taken longer but dad insisted he'd hurry or miss the events unfolding live on tv. Daniel would have preferred that, but disappointing his father on matters of Kira could leave him homeless.

Instead, Daniel took his seat near dad and Eva, carefully not sitting too close or one of them might touch the Death Note accidently and see Ryuk.

Dad immediately took interest of Daniel's new Holy book and was quick to comment on it, almost touching it until Daniel shied it away.

"Death Note? Not book of Kira?" he asked confused as he saw the title.

Turning the cover swiftly and into a fresh page to hide Father Curtis's name, Daniel hesitated at first for an explanation but in the heat of the moment, the lies came easily to him.

"j-just in case the police find it. If they see the names inside, I could explain I'm keeping note of supposed Kira killings, as an interest or hobby. You know, Death. Note. A notebook about death"

Dad nodded slowly and showed a surprised but acknowledging expression.

"Good choice. A bit edgy but I would buy that explanation"

A gun shot on tv suddenly grabbed all their attention as they watched a man inside the bus wave his gun towards the reporters.

"BACK OFF! BACK THE HELL OFF, OR I'M KILLING EVERYONE INSIDE!" the man yelled.

Kneeling down and using a police car as cover, the reporter continued to relay the situation as the camera still fixated on her and the criminal behind her.

"As you can see, the alleged highjacker; a man named, Henry Price, age forty-two has taken hostages and is wielding a firearm. The police-"

Dad clapped his hands with joy before greedily squeezing his ballpoint pen as the reporter spoke the man's name.

"Ah ha, there you are. Henry price… Hear me oh lord, another sinner has revealed himself to your most loyal. Please take his name as proof of his wickedness and cleanse his soul, so that we the innocent may walk unabated in your world" dad prayed as he finished writing Henry's name.

"Come on Daniel! Your turn now. Your mother and sister have already written his name in their books. Kira needs to hear all of us if he is to heal our world. Write in your notebook… for us" he said with a warm smile.

Ryuk chuckled and grinned as the Shinigami shuffled through the table to be by Daniel's side.

"Don't mind me-" the demon said as he leaned in closer.

"I just want to be a part of the family and enjoy this moment together"

Picking up the pen his dad rolled to him, Daniel bit into his lip as he nervously looked at the man on tv while touching the Death Note with the tip of the ink.

He is a criminal his thoughts began, trying to justify a man's death.

Observing the man as the camera zoomed in closer, Daniel could see the face of a terrified girl in the front row. The criminal's gun was only an arm's length away, waving the barrel towards her forehead.

He's a criminal. She's innocent… if I don't do this… will she die.

Before he could think further, another gun shot rang from the tv as screams on the bus startled Daniel.

Without even realising it, the words Henry Price were being scribbled into the Death Note as Daniel's family watched with pride and joy.

"I'm proud of you son-"dad remarked as he patted Daniel on the shoulder.

But he couldn't reply, Daniel felt sick and empty inside as the pen dropped from his fingers.

"I've killed another…" he muttered quietly.

Ryuk shook like he was enjoying himself, Daniel could only watch the tv with his family as the forty seconds of Henry Price ended before his eyes.

The criminal abruptly stopped waiving his gun and shouting demands. The police waited as Henry walked off the bus calmly before stopping a foot away from the vehicle.

"POLICE! DROP THE WEAPON AND HANDS ON THE GROUND" an officer yelled.

But the man did not comply. He instead raised his hand and placed the weapon to the side of his head before calmly stating "I'm coming for you"

BANG!

A splatter of blood and brains blew from the man's head as the camera turned to the ground.

Silence befell the Waters family as each one held their mouth open in shock.

"Well…" dad started as he cleared his throat.

"I guess Kira didn't need to listen to us after all" he shrugged.

Leaving the table with his Holy Book and a piece of toast in his mouth for the car ride to work, dad left the rest of the family to enjoy the tv to themselves.

Mom started to clear dad's plate and empty tea cup from the table while Eva continued to eat her soggy Weetabix and flipping through channels on the tv remote.

What was that? Daniel wondered like he was the only one who saw that event on television.

Resting an elbow onto the table, Daniel rested his head into his hand as he stared at the name in his Death Note.

I only wrote the name? he was supposed to just die of a heart attack?

He couldn't understand how Henry Price reacted as he did. The rules of the Death Note clearly stated that "If the cause of death is written within the next 40 seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen"

There was no cause. Only a name.

"Daniel-" Ryuk started as if he was trying to remember something important.

"I forgot to mention something. Well not really forgot but more, didn't have a chance to mention yet. I know you can't respond right now so listen closely as I am not going to repeat myself. There are more than five rules to the Death Note"

Daniel's brow raised in surprise as Ryuk revealed this important information. He had not considered more than five rules, why would he? It was a God's book, why would a God hide such valuable information?

"I only wrote those five in the notebook because it covered the basics of what the Death Note was used for. If I were to write down the rest of the rules… well, most humans tend to skip or ignore long boring rules and I have no patience to write them anyway. Not that even I know all of them of course. However, there is one rule I do want to mention. And I must tell you first; I am not your friend or ally, I don't care what you do with the Death Note, I only care about the fun and amusing things that you could do with it. So, when I tell you about this rule, it only serves to amuse me"

What are you trying to say Ryuk? Daniel wondered.

"When the same name is written in two or more Death Notes, the Note which was used first will take effect, regardless of the time of death. Basically Daniel… you are not the one who killed him"


Authors corner;

Helloooo Ryuk. I could have made an original Shinigami for Daniel's Death Note, but I felt a familiar face would be best.

In the manga, Ryuk met Light after, I think five days. For the sake of the story, I had to reduce that time limit. I do think Ryuk normally waits to see what a human does with the death note first before he makes an appearance, how long he waits might differ between humans.

Daniels unwillingness to use a Death Note is used to contrast Light's. I didn't want another user that was eager to use the Death Note quite readily. Daniel will use it though, even if he doesn't want to.

I tried to make the family relatable but creepy. Like unsettling as it goes on. The more I write, I try to wonder what they have been through or how many others have been through the same ordeal.

The next chapter we meet someone new.

May Kira be with you.