Grim Reaper • Chapter 13

by Megan W., 12

A Summer 2025 Monthly Story Challenge Winner 

I could feel dad seething in his silent fury.

“What did you think you were doing?” All of a sudden, our living room felt like a stuffy interrogation room. He dusted the shards of glass off of the couch and sat me down.

“I, I, um…” I started crying.

Dad didn’t react. He just handed me a box of tissues and again asked: “What did you think you were doing?” I could feel dad couldn’t contain his anger for any longer. His hands where shaking and his eyes slowly started turning from deep black to glowing red.

“I don’t know!” My face was now framed with tears and I could barely speak.

“I just heard mom scream, and, and…” I was on the verge of screaming myself. I stopped forming real thoughts and just started feeling. I only felt. I didn’t react. My body responded first. It shut down. I could look, but I couldn’t see. I could hear, but I couldn’t listen. I could only taste my tongue, and could only smell clear air. But I felt. And for the first time, I felt like I was gonna die.                                           

“Nicola!”

My brain slurred awake into the bright colors of the sky and mountains. Blue, and pink, and purple mountains, and white, fluffy clouds. My head rang with noises and sounds. Were noises and sounds two different things? My thoughts slid through many side quests before arriving back at the noise. “I, I, um…. What were you thinking? I don’t know! What were you-I, i, um” the words we spoke earlier bounced around and radiating heat. Their distorted calls spoke countless times to me before someone shook me awake.

“Niiiiicooooooola!!!” A different voice called out.

I snapped up, screaming.

“Woah there, calm down!”

I could see Quinn in my foggy vision.

“Where…”

Then I see it. The tall sharp buildings and the busting city street. Ghost City’s dock.

We’re here.