Our tale begins on the night of the Friday the 13th in an desolate brickstone apartment in an old, poor suburb of L.A. Ginger May, a 25 year old SoCal pre-med student is sitting out front of her flat smoking a cigarette, ruefully looking up at the mid-October sky thinking to herself.
"It doesn't matter to me. It never has before...why should I even care?
{(set: $anniversary to false)
(set: $birthday to false)}
[[No One Remembered Ginger's Birthday]]
-or-
[[Anniversary of Ginger's Sister Dying]]The moon and stars stare blankly at Ginger as she continues to speak up at the sky.
"It's just a dumb birthday anyways. It's not like anyone's even around to remember it. And if they were, it would just be another day to them."
Seven years ago Ginger moved out to California immedietely after graduating high school to escape her abusive parents. To the rest of the world, they had seemed like the perfect happy family - but there was nothing further from the truth. Remembering the years of pain she endured was almost too much for her.
Ginger shivered and sighed loudly - "Enough of that Ginger, things are different now. Better Now."
Putting her cigarette out in a terricatta pot filled with lava stones, Ginger proceeds to walk back up to her 5th floor apartment, opening her giant red door to be greeted by a rather portly grey cat, fittingly named Gus-Gus. He intwines his body through Ginger's legs, meowing loudly and vibrating with every deep, rumbly purr.
[[Pick up Gus-Gus]]
-or-
[[Don't Pick up Gus-Gus]]
(set: $birthday to true)
<img src="cat.jpg">The moon and stars stare blankly at Ginger as she continues to speak up at the sky, mourning her sister still.
"It's been ten years Ginger. Get over it - being upset isn't going to bring Melody back; just like every year before this. You know this. It's why you came out here in the first place!"
Seven years ago Ginger moved out to California after graduating high school to escape the memory of her sister's. The three years of high school she had to go through without her sister by her side were excrutiatingly painful. Remembering the years of hurt and confusion she endured was almost too much for her.
Ginger shivered and sighed loudly - "Enough of that Ginger, things are different now. Better Now."
Putting her cigarette out in a terricatta pot filled with lava stones, Ginger walks up to her 5th floor apartment, opening her giant red door to be greeted by a rather portly grey cat, fittingly named Gus-Gus. He rubs his body along her shins, meowing loudly and vibrating with every deep, rumbly purr.
[[Pick up Gus-Gus]]
-or-
[[Don't Pick up Gus-Gus]]
(set: $anniversary to true)
<img src="cat.jpg">{(set: $gusGus to true)}
Ginger picks up Gus-Gus, smiling despite everything. Gus-Gus was a sickly kitten Ginger rescued from the local shelter when she first moved to town. Without the constant need to take care of him, Ginger assumed life could have gone very differently for her.
"You're such a good boy Gus-Gus!" Ginger said as she scratches Gus-Gus's belly and gives him several forehead kisses as she continues walking into her apartment.
Gus-Gus gives a rumbly meow in reply, nuzzling deeper into Ginger's arms and purring even louder.
Ginger lets Gus-Gus down on a nearby over-stuffed futon, looking around her small studio apartment. It's your typical 20-something's apartment: white brick walls, industrial fittings everywhere, black and rose gold accents adorning the bed and walls. And there were plants taking up literally EVERY open space available. Even her 5th floor patio was filled with at least a dozen different plants.
Making her way towards the kitchen, Ginger grabs her last chocolate |test1a>[(link-reveal:" cookie")[(replace: ?test1b)[]]] |test1b>[(link-reveal:" muffin")[(replace: ?test1a)[]]] from her barren cupboard. "I really need to go shopping soon." But she knows she doesn't have the money to afford food right now.
Leaving Gus-Gus lounging on the futon, Ginger walks out the small door to her balcony and sits down amongst all her plants. Ginger begins to munch mindlessly on her snack, thinking deeply to herself as the moon beams down on her.
[[Until...]]
<img src="balcony.jpg">{
(set: $window to "Grab the Window Ledge")
(set: $door to "Grab the Door Ledge")
}
Until Ginger begins to hear a metalic creaking and is violently pulled out of her thoughts.
As the sound grows louder, Ginger begins to frantically look around her as she feels the balcony begin to shift and plants begin to fall over. It all happens so fast - she barely has enough time to make a decision.
The floor gives way under her as she leaps forward, desperately trying to grab onto something.
|links>[\
(link: "$window")[
(replace: ?links)[\
(transition: "pulse")[Just in time, Ginger latches her hands onto the window's thin ledge, screaming in fear as the balcony tumbles through the other balconys below. Ginger can see the mass destruction left behind by the balcony's decent to the ground.
As she looks towards her apartment's doorway, she can see Gus-Gus eyeing the open air curiously.
"Oh no, don't you dare do it Gus-Gus. Don't you even freakin dare."
Not heeding Ginger's advice, Gus-Gus confidently steps out into the open air, fully expecting there to be ground. Which, much to his dismay, is nonexistant.
{(if: $gusGus is true)["Nooooo!!! Gus-Gus!!!!"]
(else-if: $gusGus is false)["You stupid cat!!"]}
[[Try to save the cat? ->Lunge towards Gus-Gus]]
-or-
[[Let the cat fall, it was his choice. ->Don't Lunge towards Gus-Gus]]]\
]
]
(link: "$door")[
(replace: ?links)[\
(transition: "pulse")[Just in time, Ginger latches her hands onto the door's thin ledge, screaming in fear as the balcony tumbles through the other balconys below. Ginger can see the mass destruction left behind by the balcony's decent to the ground.
As she looks towards her apartment's open window, which used to be directly above the balcony, she can see Gus-Gus eyeing the open air curiously.
"Oh no, don't you dare do it Gus-Gus. Don't you even freakin dare."
Not heeding Ginger's advice, Gus-Gus confidently steps out into the open air, fully expecting there to be ground. Which, much to his dismay, is nonexistant.
{(if: $gusGus is true)["Nooooo!!! Gus-Gus!!!!"]
(else-if: $gusGus is false)["You stupid cat!!"]}
[[Try to save the cat? ->Lunge towards Gus-Gus]]
-or-
[[Let the cat fall, it was his choice. ->Don't Lunge towards Gus-Gus]]]\
]
]\
]
{(set: $lunge to true)
(set: $holding to true)}
Without thinking, Ginger lunges at Gus-Gus, catching him mid-air.
Then the realization washes over Ginger and she clutches Gus-Gus to her chest as they fall.
[[Ginger squezes her eyes shut, bracing for the worst.->Ginger Wakes Up]]{(if: $lunge is true) [Before Ginger and Gus-Gus could hit the ground, the air around them changes and the late night city noises are replaced by the quiet scratching of a pen on paper.
Ginger opens her eyes slowly, squinting into a dimly lit waiting room with a single florecent light illuminating the chairs around her. She looked down and saw she was still tightly clutching Gus-Gus, who look rather miffed at the ordeal.
Relief fills her heart - but this feeling is soon replaced with confusion. They were just falling...how did they end up in a waiting room? Where in the world were they?]
(if: $lunge is false) [Before Ginger hits the ground, the air around her changes and the late night city noises are replaced by the quiet scratching of a pen on paper.
Ginger opens her eyes slowly, squinting into a dimly lit waiting room with a single florecent light illuminating the chairs around her. She looks around and sees Gus-Gus cleaning himself in the chair beside her, rather unmoved by the whole ordeal.
Relief fills her heart - but this feeling is soon replaced with confusion. They were just falling...how did they end up in a waiting room? Where in the world were they?]
}
"Number 1013!" A large, rather pale woman calls out. Ginger looks around empty waiting for someone to stand up as she continues trying to understand what's happened.
Suddenly an abnormally pale, handsome young man, who looks to be in his late 20s, appears in front of her. With disheveled jet-black hair and green eyes that were practically glowing in the dim light - he gave off a sense of other-worldliness.
"Miss, I believe that's your number." He says timidly, trying not to make direct eye contact and pointing towards her hand.
Dread begins to fill Ginger as she glances down to her hand; securely held within her grasp is a pitch black ticket with white letters and numbers neatly printed across it.
Ginger looks closer at the ticket:
<img src="ticket.jpg">
The sudden realization tightly grips Ginger's heart as she slowly looks back up at the handsome young man in front of her.
(text-style: "shudder")["I'm DEAD?!?!"]
[[The Waiting Room]]Ginger couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it. She's dead?! But then again, Ginger thought, there was no other explaination on how {(if: $lunge is true) [they could have been falling one second and then sitting in this waiting room the next.] (if: $lunge is false) [she could have been falling one second and then sitting next to her freakin cat the next in the weirdest waiting room on the planet the next.]}
Ginger continues to stare blankly at the ticket in her hand as she experiences her first existential crisis. {(if: $holding is true) [As Ginger tries to process everything that has happened in the last ten minutes, in utter disbelief, Gus-Gus wriggles out of her arms and stands firmly in Ginger's lap facing towards the young man.]
(if: $holding is false) [As Ginger wrestles with processing everything that has happened in the last ten minutes, Gus-Gus finally stands up and stretches dramatically (as only cats can do). Suddenly Gus-Gus jumps into her lap, defiantly facing the young man.]}
Gus-Gus lets out a low growl (of sorts) towards the handsome young man, who seems to be turning paler by the second. "Miss, I believe you need to go up to the woman and show her your ticket." He says, this time actually looking directly at her with those intense green eyes.
[[Uh, yeah sure. Just give me a second here. ->Show Ticket]]
-or-
[[What?! I just found out I'm dead?! Why should I do that?! ->Don't Show Ticket]]{(set: $gusGus to false)}
Ginger looks down at Gus-Gus, smiling despite everything. Gus-Gus was a neglected kitten Ginger found on the street when she first moved to town. Without constantly being busy taking care of him and keeping him out of trouble, Ginger assumed life could have gone very differently for her.
"You're such a good boy Gus-Gus!" Ginger said as she scratches Gus-Gus's head and continues walking into her apartment.
Gus-Gus gives a rumbly meow in reply, jumping up to a nearby over-stuffed futon.
Ginger walks in, looking around her small studio apartment. It's your typical 20-something's apartment: white brick walls, industrial fittings everywhere, black and rose gold accents adorning the bed and walls. And there were plants taking up literally EVERY open space available. Even her 5th floor patio was filled with at least a dozen different plants.
Making her way towards the kitchen, Ginger grabs her last chocolate |test1a>[(link-reveal:" cookie")[(replace: ?test1b)[]]] |test1b>[(link-reveal:" muffin")[(replace: ?test1a)[]]] from her barren cupboard. "I really need to go shopping soon." But she knows she doesn't have the money to afford food right now.
Leaving Gus-Gus lounging on the futon, Ginger walks out the small door to her balcony and sits down amongst all her plants. Ginger begins to munch mindlessly on her snack, thinking deeply to herself as the moon beams down on her.
[[Until...]]
<img src="balcony.jpg">{(set: $lunge to false)
(set: $holding to false)}
For a single moment, Ginger considered lunging towards the ill-fated cat - but she had better brains than that.
Unfortantely all her muscles were in her brains as she struggled to hold onto the ledge. Ginger attempted to pull herself up, but the moment she shifted her weight, she lost her grip and began to fall towards the sidewalk strewn with broken pots, dirt, plants and pieces of her metal balcony.
[[Ginger squezes her eyes shut, bracing for the worst.->Ginger Wakes Up]]Ginger grabs ahold of Gus-Gus, still clutching her ticket, and walks up to the woman at the counter, still reeling.
Not even glancing up, the woman reaches out her hand expectantly, while furiously writing away on a notepad with the other. "Number 1013?"
"Yes ma'am..." Ginger barely manages to squeak out, still shaking from head to toe.
The woman glances over her horn-rimmed glasses at Ginger's shaking hand in annoyance. "I see," she dramatically sighs with a single eyebrow raised. "Ticket please."
Ginger hands over the crinkled ticket, just barely brushing the older woman's hand; it's ice cold.
The woman flips the ticket over, stamping the blank side with "Intake" and affixes the ticket to a hefty looking manila folder with a big blue paper clip. Adjusting her glasses slightly, she hands over the folder to Ginger. "You're going to take this and walk through those doors right over there for the intake process. This young gentleman can accompany you, if you wish." Ginger nods.
Suddenly the pale young man appeared once again smiling faintly. "Right this way miss." He gestures towards a lone doorway down a long, narrow hallway to the right of the desk. There are no windows and there are no lights, save for a single light above the door at the end of the hall, just a long hallway ahead.
Clutching Gus-Gus as close as possible to her (despite his obvious displeasure) Ginger begins walking forward, following the handsome young man toward the door.
[[Ask about what's happening. ->Small Talk]]
-or-
[[Ask about what's about to happen. ->Small Talk]]
-or-
[[March along in silence into the unknown. ->Intake]]
(set: $death to false)The young man looked thoughtfully at Ginger as he considered her question. "Well, for starters, if you don't - you could be locked in this waiting room for an eternity. Literally." He said with almost a smirk.
Ginger finally looked up into his intense stare, meeting it with her wide eyes in wonder. "I...I could?" He nodded in affirmation.
"But if you show her your ticket now, you won't have to stay here," he said softer now, head tilted to one side thoughtfully. "There's a lot more to see and do here - you're just getting started."
Despite herself, Ginger was intrigued by the thought of death having 'things to do.' Still slightly shaking from shock, Ginger nodded at the young man, gripping her ticket tightly.
[["Alright, I think I get it now." ->Show Ticket]]Trying to muster the courage to ask, Ginger watches the young man walking in front of her, realizing for the first time just how tall he really was. At least six-four, she thought to herself as she compared her petite height of five-three.
The young man notices Ginger watching him and smirks slightly. "What are you thinking about? I'm sure you have at least a million questions!" Ginger nodded, not quite sure how to ask without sounding silly.
He paused for a moment. "Well, you've died, for one reason or another, and now you're here - in purgatory - which is basically like the glorified waiting room for people who have died and are waiting to be assessed for their next assignment."
Ginger gulped. "You mean like if we go to heaven or hell?"
The young man shook his head laughing. "Not quite, but that's what a lot of people assume. I guess it all depends on what job your given. Some love their jobs and may consider it heaven - others hate their jobs and may consider it their personal hell. It all depends on perspective I guess."
Ginger once again looked at him in awe - wide-eyed and curious. "So which is it for you?"
The young man began walking towards the door once again. "Today, it feels pretty much like heaven."
As he opened the door he looked thoughtfully over at Ginger, still smirking. "By the way, I'm Thanatos...but most just call me Death."
[[Intake]]
(set: $death to true){(if: $death is true)[Ginger stopped in her tracks. "You're Death?!" She cried incredulously. He nodded, still walking through the doorway. She ran forward, trying to catch up to him.
As they walked through the doorway, Ginger looked around. It was a simple office room with a computer at a desk and chairs on either side. There was a window behind the desk, but it there was just blackness on the otherside. Maybe it was just night still?
Death sat down behind the computer and gestured for Ginger to sit in the chair in front of him, on the other side of the desk. "Please, won't you sit a moment while I prepare your files for intake?"
Ginger sat down immediately, still clutching Gus-Gus. Death looked at the wriggling cat with an eyebrow raise. "Yeah...So I don't know how to break this to you, but you died because of your cat."
"What do you mean?" Ginger asked, looking down at her cat.
"Well you see, he had already used up all nine of his lives, but he tried to use another. That other being the closest living thing to him - which would be you. Still didn't work out for him though - ungrateful little thing."]
(if: $death is false) [Ginger and the handsome young man walked toward the door in tense silence as Ginger went through every possibility that could be behind that door - a pit of lava, a million lost souls, LA traffic on a Monday morning.
As they walked through the doorway, Ginger looks around. It was just a simple office room with a computer on a desk, chairs on either side and a lone cactus beside the computer, very much in need of some water and probably some sun. There was a window behind the desk, but it there was just blackness on the otherside. Maybe it was just night still?
The young man sat down behind the computer and gestured for Ginger to sit in the chair in front of him, on the other side of the desk. "Please, won't you sit a moment while I prepare your files for intake?"
Ginger sat down immediately, still clutching Gus-Gus.
Sensing the tension, the young man cleared his throat. "I believe proper introductions are in order, my name is Thanatos...others prefer to simply call me Death though. Much too hard to pronounce Thanantos these days."
Ginger looked at him in suprise. "Death?! But how is that possible?!"
Death looked at her incredulously, with an eyebrow raised and slight smirk just barely touching his lips. "Well, I'd say about as likely as dying because of a cat."
Ginger looked at the wriggling cat in her lap with confusion. "What do you mean?"
Death sighed. "Yeah...So I don't know how to break this to you, but you died because of your cat.You see, he had already used up all nine of his lives, but he tried to use another. That other being the closest living thing to him - which would be you. Still didn't work out for him though - ungrateful little thing."
]}
Ginger looked back at Gus-Gus in anger and disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me." Death shook his head. "Afraid not Ginger, he's just one extremely selfish cat - but I mean, what cat isn't honestly?"
Death takes Ginger's file and briefly looks through the documents and photos within it, occationally nodding or shaking his head. Ginger gets the intense feeling of being in a job interview, and the awkwardness washes over her. Death looks back up at her with a very serious look on his face, thinking deeply to himself before beginning to speak.
"So Ginger, it looks like you still had a lot left to do, if it weren't for this stupid cat, so I'm going to give you a once in a death-time special offer. I'd like to offer you employment as my personal assistant, seeing as you still have a spark of life in you." Death smirked at her once again, waiting for her to consider his offer.
[["Uh, no I'm sorry. You want me to do what exactly?!" ->Don't take the offer]]
-or-
[["Well, that does sound like a good offer. I guess there could be worse things to do." ->Take the Offer]]Death shook his head laughing. "Indeed, there are much worse jobs. I mean, you could be a lady at the front desk - you saw how depressed she was."
Ginger shuddered at the thought of having that particular job all day.
"Alright, I'll take it." Ginger said. "Although, what all will I need to do if I'm your assitant?"
[["I'm glad you asked Ginger." ->Introductions to Job]]Ginger looked at him surprised. An assistant to Death?! What kind of crazy person was this? Was he even a person?!
Death shook his head laughing. "I will warn you, there are much worse jobs. I mean, you could be a lady at the front desk - you saw how depressed she was."
Ginger shuddered at the thought of having that particular job all day - but could there be other jobs? Then again...being an assitant to death might have perks.
[["Well, I guess I will take it after all. What will I be doing?" ->Introductions to Job]]
-or-
[["Yeah, I'm going to have to pass, but thank you for the offer!" ->Introductions to Different Job]]
(set: $job to false)Death paused a moment considering the question. "Well, mostly what a living assistant would do. Schedule my meetings, ensure I keep to the schedule, answer calls, take notes at meetings, run errands for me - things of that nature."
Ginger fidgeted in her seat - is death just one giant office heiarchy? "Alright, I think I can manage that. I mean, I worked as an assitant back in high school...so I wouldn't need much training."
Death gave Ginger a gleeful smile. "Wonderful, so which office would you prefer? You get an entire room just to yourself, so really you can chose anywhere you'd like in this building."
[["Next to your office would probably be the best choice, wouldn't it?" ->Death's Office]]
[["Whichever office has the best view, honestly." ->Best View]]
(set: $job to true)"Well." Death said thoughtfully. "I really think we could have had some fun together. But alas..."
Ginger nearly asked what he meant by that, but held her tongue.
"So, other options we have available for you are nightly spectre or intake interviewer, ladies choice." Death smiled gleefully.
[[Nightly Spectre ->Nightly Spectre]]
-or-
[[Intake Interviewer ->Intake Interviewer]]"A perfect choice Ginger." Death said turning towards the computer. "Let me just enter all of your infomormation in our system." He then began typing faster than any person Ginger had ever seen type - but it made her excited.
"So when do I start?" Ginger asked with renewed energy, no longer scared or in shock.
"Soon enough." Death answered filing away the folder in the desk and turning off the monitor to the computer.
[["But before you get settled in to your new death, let us adventure to the living world for a moment." ->Going to World]]"An interesting choice Ginger." Death said turning towards the computer. "Let me just enter all of your infomormation in our system." He then began typing faster than any person Ginger had ever seen type - but it made her excited.
"So when do I start?" Ginger asked with renewed energy, no longer scared or in shock.
"Soon enough." Death answered filing away the folder in the desk and turning off the monitor to the computer.
[["But before you get settled in to your new death, let us adventure to the living world for a moment." ->Going to World]]"I'd like to try out being a nightly spectre." Ginger said timidly. "I think it could be a lot of fun honestly."
"An interesting choice Ginger." Death said writing down her choice on the folder. He then turned towards the computer and began typing faster than any person Ginger had ever seen type.
"So when do I start?" Ginger asked.
"Soon enough." Death answered filing away the folder in the desk.
[["But before you get settled in to your new death, let us adventure to the living world for a moment." ->Going to World]]"I'd like to try out being an intake interviewer." Ginger said timidly. "I think it could be a lot of fun honestly - I'd get to hear people's stories every day."
"An interesting choice Ginger." Death said writing down her choice on the folder. He then turned towards the computer and began typing faster than any person Ginger had ever seen type.
"So when do I start?" Ginger asked.
"Soon enough." Death answered filing away the folder in the desk.
[["But before you get settled in to your new death, let us adventure to the living world for a moment." ->Going to World]]"You left rather abruptly, mind you." Death said thoughtfully. "Although, you may want to change into some more suitable clothing...I don't think pajamas are suitable attire." Letting out a slight laugh as he looks her over.
Suddenly she looks down at herself, not remembering what she was wearing. Instantly she tries to cover herself, entirely embarassed. Wearing only a thin lace camisol, short-shorts and bunny slippers, Ginger was definitely not dressed for public - let alone Death himself.
"I ummmm....I'm so sorry. I totally forgot what I was wearing." Ginger stammers out.
Death tried to stifle another chuckle, unsuccessfully. "Oh, I don't mind Ginger...not at all. But you may want to change into something more appropriate. Here's a black dress which I believe should fit you just fine."
Ginger graciously takes the dress and looks around for somewhere to change. "Ummm, where might I be able to change into it?"
Death gives Ginger another one of his smirks. "It's all right, I'll just step outside a moment to let you change." And with that he walks out the door.
Ginger quickly changes into the dress, noting how form fitted to her it is. "He wasn't kidding, this thing really does fit!" She says to Gus-Gus who is laying in Death's chair, once again grooming himself nonchalantly.
Ginger gathers up her old clothes in one arm and Gus-Gus in the other and steps out the door.
Death is leaning against a wall in the hallway, changed into a respectable looking black suit and tie. "You clean up nice." They both say at once, both letting out a chuckle.
He takes her bundle of old clothes and tosses them into a nearby trash bin.
[["Well Ginger, let us be off then. Don't want to be late to your own funeral." Death says with a smirk. ->Funeral]]Death leads Ginger to an open door, which Ginger doesn't remember there being on in the hallway before? Actually, as Ginger looks around she realizes the whole inside of the building looks different. There are windows everywhere, the waiting room down the hall is entirely lit up.
Death winks at her as he realizes her confusion. "It's all about perspective." Ginger smiles over at him. "I guess you're right."
They both walk through the door into the open air of the world of the living.
(if: $anniversary is true)[The scene in front of them is a dreary one. In the dense fog of a mid-october rain, all of Ginger's family crowd in front of the tombstone crying and saying kind words - all family members except her sister that is. How is it that Ginger managed to die on the same fateful day, of all days? Ginger shakes her head ruefully, feeling the pain of the loss of her sister again.
"What are you thinking about Ginger?" Death asks concerned. Ginger looks up at his green eyes. "I died on the anniversary of my sister, and it hurts a little remembering losing her and knowing what my family is going through all over again." Death nods his head. "Yes, it's never easy for those we leave behind. But I can at least remedy one of those issues."
Death closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, concentrating on something. So focused on what Death is doing, Ginger doesn't realize her sister is now standing beside her.
"Well, hello there stranger." Melody says. Ginger jumps - taken entirely off guard. "What?! How are you here!?" Melody laughs looking over at Death. "Well, he is really a bossy boss, let me tell you. But there was also no way in death I was going to miss my baby sister's funeral!"
Death smiled down at the two reunited, pleased with how the events were unfolding before him. For the first time in years, despite it all, Ginger was actually happy. "Thank you." Ginger mouthed to Death as he steped backwards through the door, leaving the two sisters to catch up during the remainder of the funeral. Death nodded just before disappearing back into the door.
Eventually, the funeral was over and the sun broke through the clouds, giving way to a shimmering rainbow. The sisters had caught up on almost everything they could think of and shared snuggles with Gus-Gus, despite everything.]
(if: $birthday is true)[The scene in front of them is a dreary one. In the dense fog of a mid-october rain, there was none of Ginger's family crowding around a tombstone, no one was crying, or saying kind words - it was just her parents standing there silently, looking down at the forlorn tombstone. How is it that even in death, they could still hurt her? Ginger shakes her head ruefully, feeling the pain of her parents dissapointment and anger all over again.
"What are you thinking about Ginger?" Death asks concerned. Ginger looks up at his green eyes. "I died on my birthday, and there was no one to celebrate it with other than myself and Gus-Gus. I mean, sure I could have gone to my parents or something, but they wouldn't have care. It just hurts knowing that even in death, they still don't really care." Death nods his head. "Yes, I can see how they are. Though in time, I think they'll realize what a mistake they've made - just give it time."
Death closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, facing the sky as rain begins pouring down. So focused on what Death is doing, Ginger doesn't realize the scene around them is changing. It's almost like time has passed by, there are flowers adorning the tombstone now and her parents looking toward it with sorrow in their eyes, but smiling and holding eachother's hands.
Death smiled down at the Ginger, pleased with how the events were unfolding before him. For the first time in years, despite it all, Ginger was actually happy. "Thank you." Ginger mouthed to Death as he steped backwards through the door, leaving Ginger to sit down beside her tombstone holding Gus-Gus, listening to what her parents had to say. Death nodded just before disappearing back into the door.
Eventually, Ginger's parents left, holding each other's hands. Feeling an immense sense of joy from the words they shared with her and seeing themactually happy was almost too much for her, as she squeezed Gus-Gus to her chest, despite everything he caused.
She would miss them now that they had changed, but she knew there was more to be done.]
[[It was finally time to go back to the door. ->Final Thoughts]]With anticipation and excitement, Ginger walks back up to the doorway with Gus-Gus in tow, still trying to wriggle free from her grasp. Ginger vowed never to let Gus-Gus out of her sight ever again - a punishment for an eternity together. (if: $anniversary is true)[Ginger's sister smiled over at her, as they both walked through the doorway.]
Ginger smiled at Death as they appeared back in the office building. Death tilted his head back, smirking in reply. "Ready to get started then?"
"As ready as I can be, I guess." Ginger laughed a little. "I have my whole death ahead of me, remember?"
---------------Fin----------------