"1, 2, 3, 4...5."

"Full sweep, huh? Even got the dog."

"Poor thing..."

It was the last call of the workday, the five bodies laid out before them in a bloody pool of what was clearly a murder scene would put Tujin just at his quota. The reaper would surely get chewed out again for just barely making it, but that wasn't exactly on his mind when seeing the brutality of the scene.

"We'll have to call the animal force to take the dog." The other reaper that was called to the scene with him remarked.

Tujin groaned, "I hate taking out full houses. It's too depressing and so much work..."

"Yeah well, that's just how life goes, also it fills the quota faster which is what you need, right?"

"I guess so."

"Say how much more money do you need for your next piece of flesh anyway?"

"Er– only 200 more dollars."

"Sheesh... Flesh prices just seem to be rising. I mean, it took me twice as much money to get a pair of eyes than last time. I can't keep up!"

Tujin, with his only one eye that wasn't even an eye, rather, it was just a white dot in his right socket, could not yet relate to what seemed like extreme privilege to even afford something like eyes, so he huffed in annoyance.

"Alright, that's it. Let's wrap it up." the other reaper said as he pressed a call button on his tablet for the animal force while Tujin bent down and scratched the dog's furry head.

"Have fun in Heaven, little guy..." Tujin got up and the two headed for the backdoor of the house which they came as the backdoor to any house was the proper entry point for entities like him. Before Tujin could follow his co-worker through, the front door to the house opened and a woman's voice came calling out to its inhabitants. Keys jingled through the halls until they were interrupted by a gasp and blood curdling screams. It seems that it wasn't a full sweep after all. It was time to go. Now... The reaper flew through the backdoor back to his realm.

"Hey Tujin, care to head out for some drinks or something?" his coworker suggested.

"Ah nah, not in the mood." The sights of the day made him not privy to drinking at the moment.

"Alright. See you, then."

The last task left in the day before he could clock out was to get his performance for the shift submitted and logged. The important things the report contained were the names of the souls reaped, how many were reaped, how they died, and their age range. All data would be compiled each month to go over and see any trends popping up to decide if more reapers needed to be recruited. Tujin sent his report to be accepted and hoped that the confirmation on his tablet would show up soon. Looking over, he noticed the man he was working with before chatting it up with some of the popular folks in order to try and get a ride and drink with them.

"Hey Tujin!"

"Woah!"

A shorter reaper named Ligon, who died when he was a teen, came up and surprised him. He was also under the same management as Tujin and possibly his only "friend".

"Seems even in the after-life people are still trying to get attention." Ligon remarked on seeing the popular guys. He looked down at Tujin's tablet and noticed that he didn't go over his quota again.

"Oh– Veal is gonna be angry at you again~! Especially because she's been more stuck up lately, you know with progress reports and all."

Tujin sighed, Veal was such a pain, he didn't see the logic in putting in so much effort especially since bonuses for it were so low.

"She wants all of her workers to put in 120%!" Ligon exclaimed. "And well...you've been missing quota too." he muttered.

"She shouldn't be putting so much pressure on us. She should be grateful we aren't applying to go under other management and that we're even listening," Tujin huffed.

"Well you know, missing quota means hauntings in the real world. Some spirits are still forgotten and never reaped... We kinda have no choice. Also, ghosts are embarrassing for the company to account for!

"Did you know there are thousands of ghosts still unreaped and the number keeps adding up every year?!"

"Ahuh..."

"And the more time a soul spends unattached from its body in the mortal world the more hard it is to take them to Lord Ron to be judged, and the extra effort to take them is hard to do because so many people die! So the spirits end up being left in order to go for easier, fresher targets—"

Tujin's tablet lit up with a green checkmark and message for confirmation on the receival of the report.

"Oh thank the Lord." He uttered.

The two reapers flew out of the building which was located in the neutral land of Purgatory after clocking out. Purgatory was black and gray and the common place for reapers to congregate as that was where the Lord of Purgatory, Ron Luan Rujox was, and he was responsible for creating them. It was only natural that the land was the easiest to gravitate to.

"Anyways, as I was saying before, we could really just blame it on Veal if we get called out for 'slacking' even if that's not what I'd call it." Tujin continued while they floated, "You know, blame it on her harsh personality or something...

"It has a negative effect on my work ethic." Tujin said in a mocking voice.

Ligon sighed and tried to make him reconsider, "Well she's the best chance you've got for a good pay. She sympathizes with your cause and sticks her neck out for us when she can."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah! She also doesn't have many people under her so it's easier to get bonuses because of less competition. I mean have you seen some of the other guys?

"They have to go over like 30% in order to even get recognized!" 

"That's crap. She's the stingiest chick I've ever known!" Tujin retorted, "And it's thanks to those bonus chasers that the prices of everything's increased, they're so desperate to spend all their money on things that don't even matter." 

His hands clenched in what seemed like excessive annoyance, "I mean we seriously don't need to eat and yet the shops are always filled with those idiots!"

"C'mon Tujin! Eating's just something to feel connected with the mortal world again! No harm in it. Also...don't you go to the bar??"

"Uh– Well that's different! The drinks actually make you feel something long term. The food doesn't."

Ligon side eyed him but chose not to argue further, "Alright man..."

Maybe I could go for a drink... Tujin thought.

The reapers stood at the single train station that ran to Hell. This one was reserved for average travel, people not cursed to damnation in the fiery pits but just the folks who were cursed to the damnation of working even in death. The silver train entered its station and the two got on. 

There were only 2 other's on the train: one had a half head of flesh and the other was less well off with just an arm that was revealed from a cut sleeve. People loved to show off their gains, no matter how small. If someone's pinky finger was fully fleshed up then they would flaunt it everywhere and maybe even get a new ring with the scraps of cash they had left over to make it even more noticeable. It's said that reapers have an inexplicable urge to regain their flesh back, like they feel incomplete without it. This is the reason the flesh market is so valuable, but also so expensive. This is also why Tujin, the rookie reaper, has not yet acquired a prominent piece, only being afforded a scrap on his finger. Also... the trips to the bar and rent costs didn't help! Tujin didn't want flesh to just flaunt it to his fellow coworkers, or try and stand out from the brain dead souls in Hell. What he wanted was to look normal. Normal as in a full body of flesh and hair, all so that he could go up to the mortal world and see her one more time. Ligon didn't have any flesh either, but he did have hair which Tujin found strange. The train stopped at their station in the main city and they got off. The familiar dark scenery made itself apparent. There was always a distinct smell in Hell and in the more heavily populated parts, the air stunk of sulfur from the demons which could quickly become overwhelming. Being here so long though allowed for a certain immunity, but when Tujin first arrived he nearly vomited. The two floated past the mindless souls that wandered the streets without purpose. They were preyed on by the demons and while It wasn't allowed, the patrol officers who were supposed to protect them usually couldn't be found. It was akin to newly hatched sea turtles being picked off by seagulls. The souls that survived would turn into demons too, continuing the cycle.

"Gosh the air's real thick isn't it?" Ligon commented.

"Yeah, it feels terrible down here. And the sky's been filled up."

"It must be the influx of new souls from the war going on, even Heaven feels like this I heard."

High up in the red sky was a rush of thousands of judged souls rocketing to their destination in Hell, their shrieks could be faintly heard from where the two stood.

"Seriously? Even in Heaven, huh?"

Ligon placed his finger up to his mouth in thought, "Yeah, I wonder how many ghosts have been left in the rubble~" he smiled with a morbid curiosity.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Yeah..." Weirdo...

They arrived at the bar and Ligon said his goodbyes as he turned to head home. The bar was a smaller place run by an old man disillusioned with death and who had turned into a demon after 100 years of being a soul.

"I thought this was gonna be my way out! No workin'!" was something he'd said plenty of times before, "That was the whole reason I'da done killed myself!"

The main reason Tujin went to this bar though was not for the drinks or rambling old man, but for the television. This TV played things from the real world, anything and everything. Other bars played sitcoms and reality TV shows and anything else that wasn't the news or that could give any insight into what was happening up there. 

The old man said he hates what the people play down here, that 'It's all propaganda and blah blah blah blah...'

Tujin usually tuned him out after a couple of words. He ordered something cheap, drank, and watched; the pretty women there made him want to be alive again even more.

"Isn't it crazy! Those idiots up there...Killing each other! Idiots! A war in this age? How ridiculous and pointless and blah blah blah blah."

Tujin just stared at the TV while he sipped his drink. After a short while he'd run out of alcohol (Which he wasn't willing to pay to refill) so with one final minute of watching the news, he left his money and got up to leave, "Thanks again, old man."

"No problem, Reaper! You keep that good head on you, you hear? And blah blah blah..."

Tujin exited and looked at the bright red sky that was muffled with the transparent colored souls.

He sighed, "Off I go then."

Tujin was lucky enough to live somewhere not completely disgusting plus not far off from the main city. It had less developments as it was a new project so it was a more open area. There was still a population of demons about but they didn't really bother him so it made his life just that more easier. He got up to his place that was messy and barren, his window saw out to a work in progress fountain but not much else. He removed his cloak, placed it on the rack, then put on a thinner cloak for sleeping in the warm weather. The reaper then analyzed his sole piece of skin on his finger. He had hoped the skin and muscle would just expand if given enough time, but it seems that kind of magic was not possible. Tujin hopped into his bed, beside him on the nightstand was an empty picture frame he was saving in case he managed to get a picture of his special someone. If he wanted it now, something like that would probably require opening a window to the mortal realm specifically on her and snapping a shot, but that would cost a lot of money. He was getting fed up with the idea of money, earning money, spending money not even on things he wanted to spend it on–he was starting to sound like that old man at the bar! He grumbled then drifted to sleep at the thought. He had a dream about his life while alive, everything was distorted. The more time he spent dead, the more he seemed to forget how things looked, which he supposed is also a reason he went to that bar for the TV, so he could be reminded of life. The TV though, would never show his own home city, so he filled it in with things from the cities the TV did show. His special girl was in the dream, at that familiar coffee shop where they sat outside on a nice day as usual. She seemed to be fading ever so slightly each time he saw her. She spoke but no words came out. Maybe he was forgetting her voice too... he needed to get out of here.

The morningstar rose up to serve as an alarm clock for Tujin who, with usual reluctance, floated out of bed. He looked into his broken bathroom mirror, splashing his skull face with water before making his way to the kitchen. In his fridge was a half empty carton of orange juice that he promptly poured for himself for breakfast. A knock at his door startled him and he flew over to see who it was.

"Morning dude!"

"Oh, Ligon, hey."

"You ready to go?"

"Uh– Let me finish my breakfast." he said while floating back inside.

Ligon followed, "Your breakfast is orange juice...?" he asked as Tujin downed his glass and threw it in the sink.

"Ugh, yeah. You know, it's good to wake me up." Tujin changed his cloak and hid his scythe under it.

"Ahuh-Hey have you ever tried, I don't know...bacon or like–pancakes maybe?" the smaller reaper suggested as the two started to leave.

"Didn't I tell you already? That's for idiots!"

Veal stood there clenching her clipboard and scowling as everyone else's teams were starting to head off to the mortal realm to start their shifts. Veal felt...embarrassed to say the least. Everyone else had already had their team meeting and were starting to head off to work. Her team was very small and it was a miracle it didn't get disbanded to just be merged with another one, but she supposed the higher ups were realizing things were getting too crowded and they needed more managers. The only problem was that because the big teams were so well known, new reapers would apply to go to them instead of the small ones which led to nearly stagnant growth for people like Veal, but too much growth for the pros. New reapers would only be created every month if they were lucky aswell. Ron was a picky man. The 5 other reapers around her were starting to get more and more annoyed at having to wait. Veal was trying, trying to do good for herself, but these guys...no, that guy, Tujin, was really bringing everything down! She was sweating with a nervous face, her anger turning further into sadness. She turned her head as she noticed two figures moving towards her,

"Ah—you guys!" she called out.

"Good morning, Ms. Veal!" Ligon smiled.

Veal rushed over, "You guys are late!"

"Sorry, was eating breakfast." Tujin said nonchalantly.

"Wha– Breakfast! I thought you said you didn't eat!"

"I don't."

Veal glared at him in confusion and anger.

"Arrgh! Well whatever! We don't have time!" she turned away to speak to the others, "People, people, listen up! Let's make this quick so gather 'round!"

She pointed at each of the members as she listed off their names from the clipboard, "Okay, same thing as usual alright! Tujin, you're with Baman, Ligon, with Bao, Velle, Julie, and Marton, Solo! Alright?"

"Veal when am I off full sweep duty?" Tujin groaned.

"When I tell you you're off." She growled.

"Veal? Are we ever gonna get to go to the warzone?" Ligon beamed with innocent eyes.

"W-Well...when we get assigned to it by the higher ups, maybe..."

"Sooo, Never." Tujin said.

"Be quiet! You can't speak!" Veal huffed, "Now you guys go!"

"Yes..." The group was unenthusiastic besides Bao and floated off.

"Hey Veal, how's your group treating you?" another manager walked up and scared the woman.

"Oh good! Fine fine haha! Never been better!"

"Oh yeah? Hey I heard that there's a bit of a shortage of reapers and because of that, everyone's supposed to be putting in 150%, you know?" He smirked.

"150...percent...Yes! Yes I know that and I am absolutely aiming for those numbers– e-even higher than that!" she pumped her fist up to try and seem more confident than she really was.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Well I mean, it's not like it applies too much to you. After all, none of your reapers are in the warzones where the real numbers are." He shifted his weight and crossed his arms as he still smiled wide, "Just yesterday a group from my team reaped 1000 souls in an hour– now that's what you call 150%."

"Ahuh..." She smiled nervously but being judged with such smug eyes caused her to shy away.

"Attention! Attention!"

"Huh?" Veal's eyes were brought to the sky as distant muffled trumpets sounded out which caused an eerie atmosphere.

"Angels?" She said to herself as the figures coming through the gray clouds became clear.

"Attention! Attention!" the two angels crowed again as they swooped down to their target. The yellow skinned girls flapped their giant wings which were placed upon their bald heads and hovered in front of Veal. Their bodies were unclothed and undetailed, their chicken eyes looked outwards, and the talons on their chicken feet were sharp enough to scratch out Veal's nonexistent eyeballs.

"W-What are angels doing here?" Veal said shakily, the other manager who confronted her slipped away without a goodbye.

"Dear Veal!" they said in unison, "You are to report to Lord Ron, yes! Report to Lord Ron!"

"Lord Ron..?"

"Yes! Yes! At this time! Report to Lord Ron Luan Rujox of Purgatory at this time!"

Veal could feel her legs giving out, or atleast the pointy stubs she called legs. 

She tried to smile, "F-For what?"

The chicken angels stared at her, "...Report! Report!" they squawked, "Report!"

"Okay! Okay...Yes, I will...Thank you..."

The two's wings flapped harder as they made their ascent, they called out to Veal, "Yes yes! That is all, yes! Goodbye! Goodbye! Yes! Bless you!"

As fast as they entered they left and flew back up to the clouds. Veal was left standing there while the others around her stared intently whispering to each other. Being called upon by Lord Ron was not the most common thing in the world for a nobody like her. He was a nice lord though so although her nonexistent heart was beating out of her chest, it would be beating even harder if it was the Lord or Lady of Heaven and Hell respectively. Veal fidgeted with her cloak as she floated to the large gray palace. She was let in without a word and at the end of the large colorless room sitting on a high throne, was the Lord of Purgatory. Veal got near the edge of the throne and kneeled. Ron smiled like usual, but although he tried to put on a friendly demeanor, his hulking stature of over 9 feet (which was not even his true height) was nothing to casually look past.

"Please, Veal, get up! I just want to talk."

Veal glanced up and smiled as sweat beaded down her skull.

"Veal, I hope the angels presented to you well? Not too frightening?"

"No, no. Of course not... The angels were great like always."

"That's good. I am quite fond of them myself. They are so silly looking!"

"Haha, right...with the chicken features..."

"Haha! Exactly! It's funny that they're simple chicken people!" Ron giggled, "And they are kind."

"Ah, Yes– oh so kind haha..."

"Would you consider me kind, Veal?"

Veal clenched her jaw shut as she stared into his black sclera and white iris eyes that portrayed a carefree demeanor and yet burned a hole through her head as they stared back.

"O-Of course Lord Ron!" She forced herself to speak.

"Is that true?"

"Ah–"

"Oh who am I kidding! Of course it is! Thank you Veal."

Veal sighed in relief, it really wasn't a lie but she immediately second guessed herself when she was questioned.

"Anywho, I called upon you to ask some questions, is that alright?"

Veal shook her head yes slowly.

"Thank you." Ron cleared his throat, "Well Veal, I just have some small concerns about the performance of your team."

Oh great! I knew it! It was just a matter of time! They're gonna disband us and I'm gonna have to live as a soul for 1000 years and then get turned into a demon who hates my life even more than now! Oh why me God!?

She started to silently cry to herself at the thought.

"And I mean really, I appreciate all our reapers, even more so the people like you who step up and manage them! But ... Well, you know, with the whole war going on..." he looked to the side and gestured with his hand.

"Yes! Yes sir 100% I understand! I respect the reapers out in the warzone having to do double what they were previously!"

"Exactly exactly! Er...it was asked that there would be all hands on deck for the death toll sweeping the world! But I mean, the reapers not helping with the war still have to work, right!? I mean seriously!"

"Yes yes! Of course!"

"Right, so this is where my concern comes in..." His demeanor slightly shifted to a more colder one, "Why is your group not putting in the numbers required?"

"Well...! It's..."

Ron looked at her with a smile while he waited for her answer.

"Um...well Ahaha! We're a small group so... " 

Ron was not convinced.

Veal paused, huffed, and closed her eyes for a moment to compose herself. She had to be real, had to speak her mind.

With a new seriousness in her voice, she spoke, "...To be honest with you sir, I'd pinpoint the issue on one specific man in my group."

"Oh?"

"Yes! His presence alone brings down the entire group's completion percentage by tenfold!"

"And who would this reaper be?"

"..." She looked down in contemplation but quickly decided this was her chance to set things straight, "His name is Tujin, and he's relatively new to this whole thing."

"Tujin...Tujin– Ah! Tujin! Yes, that nice fellow. Continue."

"He's been nothing but lazy! Never going over quota, sometimes going under it–" She used her hands to visualize her frustration, "He doesn't listen!"

She looked down, "And it's the damnedest thing because It doesn't make sense! He wanted this! He wants to make money and yet..."

"He does everything that contradicts that?"

"Yes! Exactly...I don't understand. I've tried to cover for him but it's getting harder. I'm sure some higher ups have already reported him to you in order for you to revoke his reaper status but... I don't know..."

"Hm... Perhaps..." He leaned back in his throne, "From what I'm hearing, you have quite the problem. That Tujin... yes even when I met him for the first time he seemed bored... Hah! I found it amusing."

She shot her head up to look at him, "Do you have any advice? Anything? I mean my team's already so small and– I feel for him. I truly do! Even if he annoys me I want him to succeed! I don't want him to just become a soul so–"

"Well...how about this? Keep him on your team for one more day. If he doesn't step up, then I'll speak to him. Alright?"

"Speak to him... Yes, okay! Please have mercy... I don't want him to lose his chance."

Ron eyed her with a large grin and crossed his legs, "Well, we'll just have to see how things play out, won't we?"