The Destiny of a Missing Soul
She was driving to her meeting, humming softly to herself. The broadcasting had gone well today. The listeners had given her good reviews and everything had gone to plan. It was what you would call a perfect day. When Eun Tak finished the meeting, she would be able to go home early too. From across the street, she saw the grim reaper standing with his black hat on his head. He was probably working. Eun Tak waved her hand, and he waved back.
The phone rang, and she answered the phone handsfree. The Goblin’s voice came through the speakers of the car.
“Where in the world are you? Do you know how dangerous it is these days? Haven’t you looked at the time?”
She rolled her eyes.
“It’s four in the afternoon, and I’m going to a meeting. Wait a second, I’m turning right.”
“Right is the hand you eat with.”
Eun Tak laughed at the Goblin’s weird teachings, when she saw something through the window on her right. A heavy truck was slowly moving down a steep hill towards her direction. She turned her head the other way, not giving the truck much thought, when she noticed something weird about the truck. There was no one in the driver seat. She blinked and looked again, but there was no driver. The brakeless truck rolled down the hill with faster acceleration. The speed was intimidating.
That was when she saw the preschool bus parked on the side of the curb.
“Hello? Eun Tak. Eun Tak Ji.”
She realised why she had seen the grim reaper; the Goblin’s voice seemed too far away. The teacher who had realised the accelerating truck, hugged one of the toddlers tightly, scared. The speed of the truck was too fast, it would be impossible to evacuate everyone.
“The truck- The preschool bus- If I- If I avoid it, those kids will-”
“I can’t hear you? Speak louder. What’s going on?”
The Goblin’s voice seemed further than ever.
“What’s wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with me?!”
It had been a perfect day. Every day had been perfect after reuniting with the Goblin, but today it had been weirdly perfect. She had woken up today in the arms of the Goblin. The fried eggs she cooked had come out in the prettiest shape, and the live broadcast was good. Maybe all of it had been leading to this moment. She couldn’t miss it. She couldn’t be late.
With a trembling body, Eun Tak stepped on the brake and stopped her car.
There was a crash of colliding metal. Glass exploded into dust, and the force of the truck demolished Eun Tak’s car. If she had been a second late, the truck would have rolled past her. It was her destiny.
The loud accident could be heard over the phone. The Goblin, who had been waiting for Eun Tak’s reply, let go of the phone in his hand. The phone hit a glass of wine he had been pouring, and the red wine spilt all over the floor.
Hot, crimson blood gushed out of Eun Tak’s head. Under the flipped car, Eun Tak opened her eyes with the last of her strength. She could see the clear, blue sky.
“Good night. I love you.”
She could still hear his voice whispering to her the night before. Her eyes closed again.
“Me too…”
Eun Tak wished her words had gone over the phone. A tear dropped from her closed her eyes.
The grim reaper watched the whole scene not being able to do anything. A human’s sacrifice could not be predicted. Sacrifice wasn’t something the gods could do anything about. It was the choice of one human for another.
His junior reaper gave him a death card that had been sent down late.
“The god’s have asked such a cruel question to you, and you have answered in the most saddest way, missing soul.”
The sound of sirens filled the town. People had crowded to get a peek of the accident. The toddlers had all been safely evacuated to the side of the street, most of them crying at the shock.
The soul of Eun Tak stood at the other side of the road, watching the toddlers with a warm smile. Streak of tears flowed down her smiling face. The grim reaper walked towards her.
“Eun Tak Ji. Age 29.”
They met like this in the end. He opened his mouth slowly.
“Are you Eun Tak Ji?”
She nodded.
“I was wondering why everything had to be this way, but it’s always my choice.”
He couldn’t speak.
“I was really scared, Yeo.”
The grim reaper looked at the girl smiling behind tears. She must have been terrified. No one was afraid of death. Whatever the end was, there was no such thing as an easy end. The only thing he could do for her now, was to lead her to the other side.
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