Becoming Grim
By Ashley Tomlinson
Genre: NA Urban Fantasy
Piper is running away from a cheating boyfriend and New York City when something terrible happens, her plane crashes. Instead of going to Heaven or even to Hell she goes to a whole other plane of existence. Now not only is she dead but she is a reaper learning the ropes to collecting souls from the handsome, Zeke.
Everything is going great until Piper sees something that she's not supposed to see. Now she is torn between keeping it to herself or putting her and everyone she's come to care for in danger.
About the Author
Ashley Tomlinson was born in a very small town in South Carolina and now she lives in a slightly larger city in South Carolina with her husband. Most days you can find her writing in her home office that is filled to the brim with books and candles. When she isn’t writing she’s spending time with her plethora of animals, curled up reading on her couch, painting, or crocheting a blanket that she will probably never finish. She also loves being apart of the bookstagram world, especially taking photos of books.
She knew she wanted to be a writer in high school but didn’t pursue it fully until she was in her twenties. Now not a day goes by when she isn’t in front of her laptop typing away. Her head is always in the clouds thinking up new scenes or coming up with a new book idea.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hyper_Ashley
Website: http://www.hyperashley.com/
On Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TyoSA9
Brief excerpt:
“I’m sorry but they won’t be able to hear you.” He says, now more in control of the situation.
“That’s okay, I just want to see them one more time and then I’ll go with you.” She says holding her hands in a praying gesture. “Please.”
It’s obvious something like this has never happened before. Liv also said something about only children being able to speak because of their innocence or something like that. Did that mean this woman was innocent? If not then what does it mean?
“Do you think that would be okay?” Zeke whispers to me.
“Um, you’re the one that is supposed to be teaching me, remember,” I whisper back. He nods his head trying to keep his calm composure.
“I think that will be okay just keep it quick.” He responds gesturing for her to go down the stairs in front of us. Sarah glides down the stairs almost like she’s floating. The staircase is clearly visible through her translucent body but she doesn’t seem to notice anything. Her sights are set on her mourning family.
I can tell she wants to reach out to them, to console them but that won’t be possible. I feel for her. I look to Zeke and catch him watching me. He doesn’t look away from me like he is trying to figure something out. Does he think I’m the cause of this? Am I? “Are you okay?” I ask raising an eyebrow.
“I’m fine,” he says trying to put on a smile but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
Sarah is standing in front of her family. She reaches a ghostly hand out to them but is unable to touch her daughters crying face. I start to go forward to try to pull Sarah away because this is too painful to watch when Zeke grabs my arm stopping me. “Look.” He whispers nodding towards Sarah’s daughter.
The girl's tear-streaked face is looking directly at Sarah as if she can see her. “Mom?” She whispers to the air making her father and the detective look her way. “Oh Abby, I know you can’t hear me but I’m so sorry for leaving you like this. There’s a lot you don’t understand and probably won’t for a long time but know that I love you very much. I’ll be watching you from above thinking how beautiful and smart you have become. I just know it.” Then Sarah reaches her hand towards her husband but he doesn’t respond the way his daughter does.
“Ed, you are a great man and an even better father. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more children. I’m sorry I’m leaving you to raise a teenage girl alone but you’ll get through it. You both will. Goodbye, my sweet family.”
Abby closes her eyes for a few seconds as Sarah makes her way back to us. Zeke releases my arm that I didn’t realize he was still holding onto. “Bye Mom,” Abby says making us all look at her. What is going on? Sarah turns to go back to her daughter but Zeke reaches towards her.
“I’m sorry Sarah but its time to go.”
She starts to fight free but then Zeke places his tattoo on her arm and she begins to change form into the shining light that I have come to like seeing. Though, this one doesn’t feel as peaceful as the first one I saw. It takes Zeke some time to get Sarah to move on because she kept trying to fight free of him. After a few minutes, he sent her on her way to whatever afterlife she was headed for. Zeke is panting when it’s over and his forehead has beads of sweat running down. That fight took a lot out of him that much is obvious and there is nothing I can do to help. At least, I hope there wasn’t or else I just sat there staring at that whole thing like a jerk.
“What the hell was that?” I ask.
“I have no idea.” He says wiping the sweat off his forehead and gesturing for us to leave. I look around one more time at the house surrounding us. At its beauty and it’s sadness. Even though this didn’t go as planned it is still something that I think will stay with me for the rest of my life, er death.
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