[Sarah]

“I don’t like this,” Chrysies said. They were standing over the waterfalls. Even in greyscale they were beautiful. To her, even with the tragedy that had happened, was happening, they were beautiful. She doubted her companions saw as much with the first responders still trying to rescue a score of people. The initial loss of color was almost nothing. Warden and Adam hadn’t even noticed at first. Then it seemed like everyone seemed to notice at once and mass panic ensued.

[Sarah]

Their own hospital was swamped. Chrysies didn’t know why they’d been flown into another continent just for this. Certainly, there were doctors nearby. “Why?” Warden asked, bringing her attention back to her main concern. “They’re calling in doctors from everywhere,” he reminded her. Like she needed reminding. No, she wasn’t worried about the musical chairs of the doctors.

“Reapers don’t like other Reapers taking souls in their territory,” Chrysies answered slowly. Death sung in the air and she could feel the souls as they passed over her skin.

[Sarah]

She watched the wayward incorporeal beings begin to understand they were no longer of the living plane. They called out to her and she was being implored to help. No Reaper could hold out against such a death place for long, yet Chrysies was forbidden to touch them back.

“Yeah – well – we weren’t going to leave the hospital unless you came with us,” Warden said. He was snapping on gloves and heading over to where they had injured people lined up for sorting. They’d all go to hospitals, but the extent of their injuries would decide which ones they’d end up in.

[Sarah]

“Really?” she asked, trailing after him. “Why?” She couldn’t puzzle out his logic. They did stuff without her all the time. Surely leaving the hospital was no different.

Adam scoffed behind her and began inspecting the nearest civilian. “Warden don’t act like there is some flattering reason,” he said. Chrysies furrowed her brow and pursed her lips. Rude.

“Why are you here again?” she snapped at Adam. He just looked at her with mirth shining in his eyes and got back to work.

[Sarah]

“I’m just saying,” Warden shot a glare at Adam, “is – well…”

“You had to come with us because if we left you at the hospital, you’d be no help because all you’d be doing is worrying. Don’t take it the wrong way. Its sweet really how you can’t function without us,” Adam said as he stitched.

“I can function without you!” Chrysies half-exclaimed, throwing her arms up in exasperation. “I do things all the time without you there,” she reminded them.

[Sarah]

“Do you remember the last time I didn’t go into work?” Warden asked.

“Yeah,” Chrysies replied.

“Because Mat was pregnant and we were going in to get the ultrasound and some tests,”

“Yeah,”

“And you called me five times and then had a breakdown in the emergency room because I didn’t tell you what I was up to because we didn’t want to announce that she was pregnant yet,” Warden finished, giving her a look.

[Sarah]

Chrysies flushed despite herself. That had happened. She hadn’t been proud to have a meltdown. There were excuses she could use. She could tell him about how her charges are human and fragile and mortal. She could tell him about how many she’d lost, how many she’d cared for, how many she’d never see again. That wouldn’t be fair.

“Alright so you have to babysit me,” she conceded. “Or,” she said loudly. “You could just tell me where you’re going and what you’re doing and how long you think you’ll be,” she said.

[Sarah]

Adam was chuckling to himself and she left him be with his stitches to follow Warden to the more pressing cases. The emergency services had gotten to the first people in the wreck, and the ones that were still alive were in bad shape. Chrysies spotted the Reaper as she walked across the scene, but the being left her a wide berth. Apparently Chrysies had done right to not respond to the souls. So long as she didn’t interfere the other Reaper would more than likely leave her alone.

[Sarah]

“It is kind of sweet that you can’t function without us,” Warden said once Adam was out of earshot.

“No, it isn’t. It’s annoying,” Chrysies said. Warden was too focused on making sure his new patients weren’t going to die of something heart-related to talk.

“Did you see that?” he asked, once he’d made his rounds on the new victims. Chrysies made a noise of questioning. “You saw I was busy, and you didn’t interrupt, and you weren’t in my way. You needing Adam and me? Its not annoying, its endearing,” he said.

[Sarah]

She pursed her lips but let him have the victory. If they were so adamant she wasn’t annoying then she’d let them have it. She didn’t annoy them. It was a good thing to find out. Chrysies knew it would help her to have that information on some other day. Right now, she felt boxed in and nervous at invading another Reaper’s space. If they were so concerned about the wellbeing of her mental health, then she’d have to make sure they knew not to do this again.

[Color Harvested]