Page 61 of Finders Reapers

“Do you remember anything about that night?” Fletcher scooted up until his back was against the headboard, and he sat by my side.

“Everyone keeps asking me that,” I groaned. “I don’t. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism?”

Fletcher's frown deepened. “Maybe.”

My fist bunched in the fabric of the comforter as my stomach began to sink. “Maybe the memories will come back with time?”

“Maybe.” Fletcher echoed but didn’t say anything to alleviate my unease. “I had cancer. When I was alive.”

“Pardon?” I blinked.

“It was bad. I remember every second of it. I was about ten when I first went into the hospital, and I missed a lot of school. It felt like they were finding new tumors every month, and I was given more treatments. I don’t even want to think about how much medical debt my parents were in when I finally died.”

“Damn,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”

Fletcher shrugged. “It’s done. It sucks. I made it to adulthood when I didn’t think I would. I’m just saying sometimes memories make us a better person. Sometimes they just suck.”

“What year did you die?” I asked as I eyed his tie-dye trousers.

“Jealous of my sick fashion sense?” He flicked his hair and shot me a grin. “I died in 2008. I was a bit into MySpace and was jealous of the whole Scene Kid thing. I couldn’t afford Hot Topic. I’m reliving my youth.”

I took a second to digest that information.

“I have an important question.” He said gravely.

My brow creased. “Yeah?”

“Team Edward or Team Jacob?”

I snorted a laugh. “Sorry, Team Charlie all the way.”

“Damn, Loca.” Fletcher shook his head, chuckling. “You’re breaking my heart.”

“It’s always the guys that prefer the wolves,” I said knowingly.

His eyes shifted to the television, but I got the feeling that he wasn’t really looking at the screen. “Did you have fun at the pool today?”

“Yeah.” My lips curled up into a smile. “I was on the swim team all through high school and college. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t swim.”

Fletcher appeared deep in thought and didn’t reply.

“Jamal and I talked; he explained about the whole Grim connection slash bond thing,” I waved a hand between us.

“Did he?” Fletcher tilted his head to the side.

I nodded. “I do have a question, though.”

“Shoot.”

“What happened when you were chosen to be a Reaper?” I asked. “Jamal told me what happened to him, and I wanted to see if our experiences lined up.”

“Same as you, I’d expect.” Fletcher shrugged. “I was stuffed in a body and told that if I worked my ass off for a thousand years, I’d be a shoo-in for the pearly gates.”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “Same.”

No one had mentioned heaven to me.

I had the feeling that something fishy was going on.

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