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Penny was surprised to hear the commotion as she made her way through the entrance hallway that housed the main front death-k. She was used to hearing souls yelling at the hellp desk but it was more unusual up here where everyone was still being processed. Not that it didn’t happen, just that it was less common.
Figuring she had the expertise to deal with Karens more than some of the Front Death-k employees did, she headed in the direction of the commotion, only realising as she drew closer exactly what this was about.
“No, you have to send us back!” the soul was yelling.
She moved closer, pushing through the souls until she could see. And then she understood.
The soul was tall, still wearing the turnout gear that signified they were a member of a fire department. And they were holding… something. Another soul. Oh god, they were holding the soul of a small child.
“What seems to be the problem here?” She asked, looking between the employee of the desk (a young demon, not someone she knew) and the soul.
“You have to let us go back. You have to let me take her back.” The soul protested, still holding onto the girl who was clinging to him just as tightly.
“Okay, first thing, what’s your name?” Penny asked.
They took a deep breath, “Buck. Evan Buckley.”
“Okay Buck,” She reached behind her and picked up the file that appeared on the desk, flicking through it physically to disguise the fact the information was already in her mind. “We can’t send you back this time.”
“But-”
“What about her? What’s your name, sweetie?” She leaned in and spoke directly to the young girl, who turned her head to look at her.
“A-Alyssa.” The girl said quietly, “I want to go home.”
“I know you do, we’re going to see what we can do, okay?” Penny barely needed to take the file before she knew. The kid was in holding. She might be okay.
“So?” Buck asked, watching her closely.
Penny straightened up to look at him, “She’s only here temporarily. She… She’ll be either taken back or taken to reincarnate soon. Depending on what happens in the mortal world.”
“I promised I’d get her to her parents…”
The broken note in his voice made Penny’s heart ache, “I know. I know you did. But she’s going to be okay. How about you let one of my colleagues take her from here so we can get you processed.” She looked for someone appropriate, calling them over.
He didn’t want to. That much was certain.
“Hey,” The young demon said as they approached, scratching awkwardly at the first of their two sets of horns, “Miss Penny, what’s going on?”
“Hey Dante, can you take young Alyssa here to where she can get some ice cream while she waits to go home?”
“Sure thing.” He looked at Buck, reaching his arms out for her.
Penny waited until both soul and teenage demon were gone before looking at Buck again. He’d calmed down a lot but there was still a desperation in his bright eyes. His skin smudged in dirt and soot, though she could still see the birthmark above his left eye.
“So,” She said, “I’m sorry you can’t go back this time.”
He nodded, looking around, “I… I’ve been here before. After the lightning strike.”
“Yes.” She was still holding his file. Still aware of the life he’d led. The pain of it. “This is the entrance hall to the afterlife.”
“I’m sorry,” He said, aiming this at the employee behind the desk, “I’m sorry, None of this is- I shouldn’t have taken any of it out on you.”
“Do you remember what happened?”
“We- We were clearing the building. I was supposed to get her out but the fire- We got trapped. I couldn’t get past it. The smoke was too thick so I– I gave her my oxygen. Will they find her in time? Did I do enough?” His voice dropped to barely a whisper, “I did good, right?”
“You did. You did good, Buck. And they’ll find her. In the meantime, Dante will take good care of her. The focus now is getting you Processed and Judged so you can be placed in your proper afterlife.”
“I still can’t… quite believe I’m really dead this time. My boyfriend- I was going to propose. I was going to spend the rest of our lives with him.”
“I know.” She said quietly, “Come on, I’ll come with you.”