The room was dark, with the only source of light being a dimly lit lamp.

In the room, a trio of rugged men seated anxiously at a desk.

Across from them, a slender man dressed in blacks and grays and a crow-like mask covering his face's upper half.

“We’ll ask one more time.” One of the three men barked.

“Can we trust you to carry out this mission?”

The shaded man relaxing in his seat with his arms stretched behind his head chuckled.

“For the last time, I’m sure I can help assist those already doomed by fate.”

The men exchanged looks and begrudgingly handed the paper to the masked man.

“We’ll see how you do within a month.” One of the men said, sighing.

Carelessly skimming the paper, the man couldn’t help but think; how hard can this mission be?

*

The bell rang faintly to signal the start of lunch. The hallway, usually quiet with just whispers, and the faint sound of IV drips, was now filled with the loud chatter of a variety of different conversations buzzing around the cafeteria.

Three children sat in a row at the left end of the cafeteria. One with her head down, focused on drawing, one smiling as he bit into one of his rare treats from his Auntie, and one staring out the window in a daze.

Suddenly the girl’s attention was grabbed by the boy, offering her a quarter of his sandwich.

Just finishing her masterpiece, the other girl turned her head around, revealing a piece of crust in her mouth.

“No, thank you.” The girl quickly turned her attention back to the window.

“Come on!” The boy protested. “You haven’t eaten anything yet!”

The girl keeping her attention on the window gave an uninterested nod.

“By the way,” the other girl said, wiping away eraser shavings on her drawing.

“Did you hear that there’s a new doctor in our unit?” The boy turned curiously.

“Another one? Isn’t this the third already?” The girl gave a nod.

“I heard it’s because they can’t take the job.”

“The job?” The girl took her attention away from the window curiously.

“Wow, how do you know all of this, 247?” The boy asked, intrigued.

“Well,” the girl started as a guard towered over them.

“Lunch is over; get back to your rooms now.” She glared.

The boy quickly handed the girl the rest of his sandwich and smiled up at the guard.

“Thank you; I didn’t hear the bell!”

“Go!” The guard barked.

*

Upon entering her room, the girl looked down at the sandwich, nervously glancing towards the door, then back at her sandwich. As she opened her mouth, she heard a knock and quickly stuffed the sandwich in her gown, panicked.

However, she heard the door of the room next to hers open instead and sighed in relief.

She suddenly remembered what 247 had said earlier about there being a new doctor in their unit as she took a bite.

I hope he isn’t scared of us this time. She thought.

*

“Almost done…” The man looked at the boy, who had his eyes tightly shut as his blood was being drawn.

“There we go.” The man tapped his arm to let him know it was over.

“Usually, it hurts, but it didn’t hurt just now!” The boy opening his eyes smiled.

“Ah.” The man gave a nodding smile as he labeled the tubes.

“What’s your name?” The boy questioned as he swung his legs.

“Hm?” The man looked up after pasting on the last label.

“Your name?” The boy asked again, curiously.

“Ah, my name.” The man smiled.

“You can just call me Reaper, I guess.”

The boy looked at him in confusion.

“That’s your real name?”

“Well,” the man began.

“Sorry, Mr. Reaper, I hope that wasn’t rude.” The boy said quickly.

“You’re fine.” The man chuckled.

“Also…” The boy started again.

“Why are you wearing that mask?” He questioned.

“Oh, the mask,” the man frowned.

“I like to think it looks cool, I guess.” He chuckled to himself.

“Oh, ok!” The boy was satisfied with the answer.

“I’ll be right back…I have to go test these.” The man picking up the tray of tubes began to walk towards the door.

“Ok!” The boy said as he waved.

*

“Damn.” The man sighed, turning onto his back.

“These beds are uncomfortable as hell.” He frowned at the ceiling.

Suddenly, he thought about earlier that day with his assignment. He then let out a sigh.

That kid isn’t going to make it. He rolled onto his side, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

*

“Oh! Good morning, Mr. Reaper!”

The man turned around and met eyes with his assignment.

“Ah.” The man smiled.

“Good morning, 245,” he said, turning away towards the employee’s table.

“245!” A voice cried out.

The boy turned face to face with his friend.

“Oh, 247!” He smiled.

“Is that him?” She asked, looking in The Reapers' direction.

“Hm?” The boy cocked his head.

He then realized that she meant their new doctor.

“Oh, yeah, that’s him!” He smiled.

“He said his name is Reaper!” He laughed. “Reaper-“

The girl was suddenly interrupted, towered by a figure.

“Sit down; this isn’t story-time!” The guard barked. The two quickly sped walked back to their table.

“Where’s 246?” The boy looked up after chewing a spoonful of his cereal.

“Maybe she’s getting blood work?” The girl shrugged.

*

“Do you think we’re stupid?” There was silence.

“Oi, brat!” He angrily shouted.

“Well,” he said with a frustrated sigh.

“I hope that sandwich was good because, as punishment, we will be taking away your lunch hours,” he grinned.

“That’ll teach you.” The man snarled as he walked out.

The girl, too shocked to process the scolding or worry much for the punishment, just looked helplessly towards the window.

*

“Your boy is on the ‘to die’ list.” A co-worker said, turning to The Reaper.

“The injections don’t seem to be doing much of anything; therefore, he has been deemed useless.”

“Ah.” The Reaper responded while looking at the bulletin squinting.

“Any ideas on how you’ll tell a child such a thing?” The man asked The Reaper, letting out a sigh.

“This place pities not even the innocence of a child.” He continued.

The Reaper turned his attention towards the man.

“It sure is a shame,” he smiled quietly.

“Man…” He whispered.

“How could I break the news to such a puppy-eyed boy?”

The man sighed.

“Well, that would be up to you, I suppose.”

“Yeah, but…“ The Reaper protested.

“A killer questioning how to kill his prey?” The man chuckled as he walked away.

The Reaper glared, then let out a long sigh.

*

“Wow, not even a flinch.” The Reaper chuckled.

“I told you I’m not scared anymore, Mr. Reaper!” The boy smiled up at him.

That warm smile. Those innocent eyes, so full of life. None of the assignments he’s ever had have involved the duty of having to kill a child.

He had to let him know. He couldn’t let the boy go with no idea what was happening.

“Have you-” the Reaper paused.

“Hm?” The boy turned his attention towards the man.

“Humans, we can’t live forever, you know.” The room suddenly filled with a dreadful silence.

“I know.” The boy quietly answered.

“Some deserve to live longer lives, and yet, inevitably, some die young, cruel deaths.” The Reaper said as he looked out the window.

The boy gave a silent nod.

“245,” The Reaper began.

“I’ve been told I was too weak for my medicine.” The boy muttered quietly.

“Am I-” he looked up at the Reaper, who still had his attention focused on the window.

“Am I... dying?”

The Reaper turned slowly to face the boy.

“Sometimes, life just sucks.” He gave a try-hard smile. The boy nodded slowly.

“Mr. Reaper?”

“Mm?”

“Can you be the one to kill me?”

The room once more fell quiet.

“Ah, I meant, please.” The boy gave a slight smile.

The Reaper looked around the room for answers.

A boy like this doesn’t deserve to die at the blood-stained hands of a cold, calculated killer such as himself.

However, the boy had requested this. The boy needed some sort of closure that only he, The Reaper knew how to provide.

The man smiled softly as he weakly walked towards the drawer containing the needle.

This boy doesn’t deserve to die. He told himself repeatedly in his head like a broken record.

He flicked the needle a couple of times.

The Reaper studied himself in the mirror for a moment.

The last thing the boy deserved to see was a crow dirtied by the sins he’s carried with that mask.

He gently placed the needle down as he began to remove his mask.

The Reaper looked at himself once more and gave himself a slight nod of reassurance as he gently picked the needle back up.

The boy facing the door of the room next to him turned back around.

“Oh!” He said, amazed.

“You took your mask off!” He laughed.

The man couldn’t help but stare for a good second as this boy laughed in the presence of death.

A death they both knew he didn’t deserve.

“It was getting in the way.” The Reaper chuckled.

“By the way,” the boy began quietly.

“Mr. Reaper, can you keep a promise?”

The Reaper once more became stunned by the boy and his pure innocence.

A promise? He thought.

“Well, they certainly shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

“But, can you keep one?” The boy repeated himself.

The Reaper hesitantly opened his mouth.

“Well, it really depends-”

“There’s a girl next door.” The boy pointed towards the door he’d been facing.

“Her name,” he paused.

“Her name is 246.” The boy looked up to make sure the Reaper was still following along.

“246.” The Reaper repeated back.

“She’s very quiet; nobody, not even the doctors, know about her past.” He paused.

“She’s my best friend,” he said as he began to tear up.

The Reaper quickly grabbed a tissue and began dabbing the boy’s face, almost instinctively.

“Can you...will you protect her?”

The Reaper met eyes with the boy.

The boy staring hopefully into the eyes of death.

The Reaper reached for the needle. He gave a smile and raised his pinky towards the boy.

“I promise.” He smiled as he injected the needle into the boy’s arm.

He laid the limp boy softly down onto the table, resting his arm.

You didn’t even flinch. The Reaper thought to himself. Tears streamed down his face.