Collapsing into the office’s overstuffed armchair with a huff, she glared balefully across the desk, eyes narrowing at the Collection Assignment Officer, an affectation that would have been on the intimidating side if she weren’t so petite.
Arms crossing over her chest as the burearcrat’s lips twitched in a barely smothered grin, her gaze turned thunderous, quietly thinking she’d gladly endure whatever penalty the Man Upstairs doled out for ripping the idiot’s wings off if he uttered any variation of the word that had plagued her for her afterlife entire; “cute.”
“Come /on/. The guy’s a priest! So it’s bound to be interesting! You like interesting!”
Curiosity rising, refusing to show it, she heaved an overly dramatic sigh, gazing at the center of the adjacent empty wall. “I guess. What’s his name?”
“Dorian. Father Eli Dorian.”
“Eli? Wow… His parents never gave him a chance, did they. Can you imagine going through school with that moniker? Why not just punch him and take his lunch money before he got on the bus? Time saver.”
Turning her petite frame towards the desk, she eyed the open file, brow arching as she stared down at the Recently Deceased’s photograph, taken by the hardness in his eyes. “No wonder the kid turned out rough.” Reaching out a hand, she traced the contour of the captured image of the priest’s jaw, pads of her fingers languidly learning his face, humming thoughtfully. “And the Boss thinks, there’s something here worth saving?”
“Wouldn’t be sending you if he didn’t. Do you accept your posting?”
“Does it make the slightest bit of difference what I say?”
“Then /fine./ I’d be delighted to accept.”
The all too familiar sensation of being pulled downwards washing over her, she glanced to the Assignment Officer, rolling her eyes as he gave her a thumbs up.
“Remember to smile! You’ll put him at his ease if you smile!”
Landing in a crouch outside the church door, she slowly rose to stand, looking furtively left and right to see if her dramatic entrance had captured an audience. Nodding, she walked up the cement steps, flashing a dazzling smile skyward as she pushed the door open. “Smile! It’ll put him at his ease! Right. What about /my/ ease, you pompous blowhard…”
Stepping into the church, she saw the priest and bowed her head; putting on the reverent expression she’d worn so many times before. Always the same looks on the Newly Dead’s faces.
“You must be Father Dorian. I have some… Ew.” Sighing heavily, she stared down at the caramel of her designer boot, nose wrinkling at the copper bloodstain already setting into the buttery soft leather. “… news. I have news. Tidings from on high, if we’re getting all fancy about it. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a decent pair of Docs these days?”
Gliding across the stone floor, she eyed the Father, nodding towards his bloodied corpse. “Do you have any idea what those tidings might be? Kind of a simple concept. Not a lot of gray area.” Rolling her eyes at the stunned silence in the space, she smiled thinly, planting her hands on her hips. “Fine. You’re sleepy. You need a clue. Ready? If you’re not alive anymore, you’re….”
annaxmalina
titsay