Be the Death of Me Read Free

it.”
    “I’m hurt, Cap.”
    “This is not a joke.”
    “It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
    “Foster.”
    “I’m sorry, but that’s who I am.”
    “And that is why every last one of your assignments has ended in failure!” His face has gone the color of an overripe tomato. Odd, considering that like the rest of us, he has no blood circulating through him. He calms himself by slicking his hair along the sides and smoothing his copper mustache.
    “Which is why,” he jumps back in as soon as he’s composed enough to refrain from launching over the desk and strangling me, “the Elders and I have come to the decision that from now on you will work with a partner.”
    A full and abrupt silence fills the room.
    “Excuse me?” My eyebrows rise practically to my hairline. “I must not have heard you correctly. I could have sworn you said . . .  partner .”
    The Captain’s lined face breaks into a genuine smile. “I did. Did I not mention that before?”
    I fold my arms across my chest and glower. “You seemed to have skipped over that tiny jewel of information.” I set my jaw in an attempt to look fierce, a kitten trying to pass as a lion. “Sorry to burst you bubble, Cap, but I can’t work with a partner. I won’t.”
    “You can and you will,” he states as if the conversation is no more than a giant waste of his time. “It’s one or the other, Foster. Work with someone, or don’t work at all.”
    “But . . . I . . . you . . . you can’t do this to me!” I stammer. “You just . . . can’t!”
    “It’s already done.”
    I know the subject is no longer open for debate. I may as well be arguing with his sky–painted wall. “Well, who is it then?” I pout. I can’t help it. My childhood instincts emerge before I can stop them, leaving me dangerously close to puffing out my cheeks and throwing a tantrum on the floor.
    The Captain chuckles, no doubt amused by the immense amount of restraint I’m showing. “They’re bringing in someone from the sacrifice division. Someone we feel is deserving of a promotion. Not a terrible idea, if you ask me.”
    “ Sacrifice?!? ” I explode.“Are you kidding me, Cap? Those guys are such martyrs! And why do they get special treatment, huh? What’s up with that? Why do they get rewarded just because they died? Hello? We’re all dead!”
    “Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Foster.”
    “If you want my opinion—”
    “I don’t.”
    “—I can do this job on my own. I don’t need someone from downstairs watching my every move.”
    “Oh, now that hardly seems fair,” he smirks. “Better downstairs than upstairs,” he points a malicious finger to the ceiling and I know he’s speaking of the Elders. “Am I right? Or should I ask them to look in on you personally?”
    My mouth gapes open. “No . . .  I didn’t mean . . . . I’m sorry . . .”
    “Easy, Foster,” he croons. “Everything will be alright so long as you keep your head down and play nice with your new teammate.” He smiles. “Or should I say, schoolmate?”
    “Schoolmate? What are you talking about, Cap?”
    “You did attend West Rosemont High four years ago, did you not?”
    I nod.
    “As did he. Small afterlife, isn’t it?” He flips through several pages, bending them back over the clipboard. “Ah, yes. Here we have it. Mr. Tucker Reid.”
    The name doesn’t ring a bell. “I don’t know who that is,” I mumble through stunned lips.
    “Then it sounds like you two will have plenty to catch up on.” The Captain pushes a small, black button on his boxed intercom system. “Abby, please send Mr. Reid to my office right away.”
    Mr. Reid? I’ve been here four years and he’s never once called me anything other than “Foster”.
    Steady footsteps resound from the hallway a moment later, coming to a sudden halt just outside the room. The Captain straightens his collar and turns expectantly to the door.
    “Foster,” he says, proving my