Kayanne Marti

It’s Never Too Late to Hate Your Job

Unknown Backroads, 1990. 

Regardless of the amount of times that Niran did his job, it never got easier. Others in his place might say something along the lines of “You become numb to it over time.” It was different for the living. They had avenues that they explored to cope with these feelings. Some good, well, some. Like alcohol. Humans loved that. 

[The dead can’t get drunk. Well, that doesn’t mean they can’t try.] 

It never got easier. Never. The feeling was fleeting for Niran because it never erased the mournful goodbyes or confusion of these spirits. Families separated or children taken too soon. 

A boy stood over the ditch, his blank eyes staring in at the worst sight he’s ever seen. But he said nothing, didn’t cry, nor did his figure move. It was snowing with terrible winds that threatened frostbite and death. Who should fear death? The living?

Niran watched from a distance, near a tree on the side of the road. He watched how the boy stood, his pale skin nearly transparent, and his blood stained clothes hanging off his figure. 

“He needs time.” Niran thought to himself. After all, it was a lot to take in for such a young soul. How long had it been since he had taken on a job for someone so young? It was a tragedy. 

Niran only had one soul this time. The parents were alive. 

Red and blue lights appeared from over the snowy hill, tires slipping on ice as they flew to a stop. Sirens flooded the dark forests, which frightened the animals that ventured closer to investigate the scene. 

“Grab the flares! I want this road closed down! Damn it! Where’s the fire truck?” One of the police men hopped out of his car and yelled back at his colleagues. 

Officers rushed around the boy, who seemed to snap out of his trace. Tears flowed from his dim eyes. Was it almost time? Niran stepped out of the treelines and inched closer to the soul. 

“Please help us! My parents are still in the car!” The boy cried to the officers. His little hand reached forward at a passing firefighter, who barked out orders, and passed through the living’s body. 

The boy fell forward and crashed onto the snow ground below. In a frenzy, the young soul bounced up and desperately tried to grasp for the bodies of the living. The result would always be the same. 

After a few attempts, the young soul froze and stood still as officers ran past him. Niran knew it was time. 

He walked next to the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy turned, a glimmer of hope in his eye faded to horror at the black clothed figure behind him. 

The boy screamed and pulled Niran away, “Get away! Help! Help!” He ran forward and fell into the snow once more. 

It really never got easier. But Niran understood where the young boy was coming from. He wasn’t ugly but the black cloak that he had to wear wasn’t the most comforting thing to behold. The high-ups were too traditional to change it though. 

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you.” Niran sighed and slipped off the hood of his cloak. He reached out a hand to the unsure boy. 

“Who are you? Why are you here?” The boy cried, still in fear.

“I’m here to guide you to your next journey.” Niran smiled, “You can no longer stay in this world.” 

“What do you mean?” The boy whimpered and pointed to the firefighters, who were using equipment on the wrecked car, “I’m leaving with my parents. Then I’ll go to the hospital and figure out why I can’t touch others.” 

“You’re dead. You can’t stay in this realm anymore.” Niran told the boy, who could only stare at him in horror. 

“No…” The boy whispered, “No! You’re lying.” 

“We need to go before you get lost.” Niran held out his hand once more, only to drop it in defeat. 

“Okay. Let’s try another approach.” He thought. It had been awhile since he had dealt with a young soul. 

“Look,” He sat fully on the ground, next to the young soul and pulled him closer as he tried to get away, “Time passes differently in the spirit realm. You can’t stay with the living because you’ll end up hurting them more.”

The boy stopped squirming. His silence was a gentle okay to continue.

Niran continued, “Souls are meant to exist within a body. If they don’t then they’ll get corrupted.” 

“Corrupted? Like a monster?” A glimpse of curiosity flashed in the young boy’s eyes, almost a reminder of how young he was.

Niran nodded, “Yes, like a monster. They’re pretty scary.” He leaned forward into the snow and traced a stick-figure, “They look like this.”

“A stick figure?” The boy let out a small laugh, “That’s not very scary.” 

“Well, you’ll have to take my word on it then.” Niran huffed. 

“Have you seen them before, mister?” 

They were called Decay. Mainly because that’s what they were. It’s been centuries since the concept was explained to him. Basically, they were spirits without a body and purpose to stay. Without that, they slowly would corrupt and lose their human mind completely. The Decay were just former souls that can harm the living. There is nothing human about them any other, they’re more like… well. 

Not friendly. 

Niran knew that he shouldn’t tell the boy the gruesome assignments that he has been put on. It was a big reason why he hated the job. But honestly, if he had to pick which type of assignment to take it would be dealing with the decayed. At least, you could put aside your emotions then. 

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I’ve butted heads before with them.” Niran told the boy, who seemed to glance at the stick figure in the snow.

“So that’s what I’ll turn into if I stay? I’ll hurt mommy and daddy?” The boy sniffled again and wiped away at his eyes, “Is the afterlife scary, mister?” 

Because the boy was so young, he would end up being reborn. Children were innocent, despite how bratty they were sometimes. You couldn’t blame them for behaviors they learned and emotions that they don’t know how to handle yet. 

It was just a shame that this boy’s life ended so soon. He never got to learn. Not in this life and no longer with the people he knew. 

““The afterlife isn’t scary at all,” Niran tried to soothe the young boy and thought back to the times that he’s visited that realm, “It’s a very peaceful place, but you’ll have the option to be reborn if you would like.” 

“Can I come back as a dog?” The boy seemed to enjoy that idea. So I nodded. 

“Do you like dogs?” I asked. 

The boy nodded with a smile, “Yup! I had an old dog named smokey! I can go see him now!” 

“I got a pulse!” One of the firefighters yelled over to the other workers, “Get the jaws!” 

The boy shot up and peered back over at the trench. He sighed in relief before turning back to Niran, “Does this mean they’re going to be okay?” 

I got up and stood next to him, my hand resting on his shoulder, “I’m only here to collect one soul tonight.”

“And that’s me?” 

I nodded, “You’ll be okay. And your parents will be taken care of.” 

With that, the young boy smiled and grabbed my robe, “Can you let me stay till they’re out of the car? Please…” 

“Of course, kid.”