Dreamland

Don't Fear the Reaper

I live in a small town where everyone knows everyone. I drive an old Mercury station wagon, a rusty, dented twenty year old car with peeling fake wood paneling. Not a pretty vehicle, but it's good for hauling stuff, and I don't make enough money to buy anything better.

I live in a cheap apartment, the top half of a rented duplex on the west side of town, just below the hill. I've got a pet white rat, his name's Benji.

I'm out walking when a sudden storm hits. Lightning bolts are striking everywhere, igniting small fires. I'm afraid, but fascinated by the lightning. One of the bolts hits me and knocks me out cold.

When I come to, I get to my feet and realize that I'm OK. The storm has passed, so I continue my walk. I'm passing a kid on a bike who's starting to cross the street. I grab the back of his shirt: "Wait!"

A truck speeds by. The kid would've been flattened if I hadn't stopped him. "Thanks mister," the kid says, somewhat shakily, before pedaling away.

The funny thing is, the reason I stopped the kid wasn't because I saw the truck coming. What happned was I looked at the kid and saw a vision of him mashed into the pavement underneath the wheels of a truck. As soon as I was next to him and he started to leave the curb I realized it would happen unless I stopped him.

Other things like that start to happen to me, and I realize I have the power to see into the future, at least as far as death goes. I tell this guy not to drive his car one day, but he doesn't listen. He's killed in an accident. One of his friends heard me warn him, so he tells his friends & family. Soon everyone in town knows I have this power.

Sometimes I can prevent death, but most times not. I tell people when I see it coming for them anyway, so they can at least get things in order before they go. They respect me for the power I have, but they call me the Grim Reaper behind my back, and all the kids in town fear me like I'm the Devil himself.

One day I realize that my time is up. I know today is my last, but I don't know how it will happen. I drive into town; drawn there to look for a replacement. I've got Benjii with me; he's in a paper sack with holes punched in it, so he can breathe.

I end up on a dirt road outside of town. A goup of teenagers are hanging out there on the bridge, drinking beer, smokin' and jokin'. I stop the car and get out. I hear one of them call out, warning the others: "It's the fuckin' Reaper!"

I approach the group, looking one of the boys in the eye: "George, Please take care of Benji for me."

"Go away Reaper, we don't want you here!" he says.

I put the paper sack down on the side of the road and tell him "My time here is getting short," as I get back into my car.

"How much time you got left?" he asks.

I look at my watch and say "About fifteen seconds," as the realization hits me that in fifteen seconds I am about to die.

I start the car and drive away. I get about a hundred yards down the road and my car is hit by lightning. The bolt wraps itself around the car, ignites vapors from the leaking fuel pump, and the car bursts into flames. (Damn, I knew I shoulda fixed that thing!)

I'm killed instantly, and my soul rises above the burning car. I look across at the group of teens on the bridge and see a second bolt of lightning hitting George. His friends rush over to him. "Shit! Man, are you all right?" one of them says as George gets to his feet.

"Yeah, yeah, I think so," he says.

He walks across the street and picks up the paper sack. "Hey Benji... Sorry about your Dad and all.. I guess it's you and me now..."