The Grim’s Bride

Once upon a time, in a small village, lived a young little girl. With dark hair and a pale skin she looked fragile, like a porcelain doll. She lived alone with her father in a small house, with sheep and a few other animals.
That little girl never had any friends and always played by herself. One day, playing in the backyard, she decided she was going to make a friend. A sheep friend that is. She got close to the father’s sheep and chose one. That way she would have someone, or something, to play with. She picked the biggest sheep in the flock, jumped over the fence and talked to it.
- I’m chosing you, beatifull sheep, to be my best friend. – she said pointing at the it.
She kept walking and getting closer and closer, slowly so she wouldn’t scare the animal. When she got close enough to kiss it, she looked at it in the eyes and reached her hand to pet it. The sheep was calm and stood still, waiting to be peted. The minute she touched the sheep, the poor animal droped to the floor, dead. Eyes rolled up and with the tongue between the teeth.
The little girl couldn’t believe it. She stared at the dead sheep and screamed for her father.
- Father, father! Come quickly! One of your sheep has died.
He came running and couldn’t believe his own eyes. How could a perfectly healthy sheep die from one second to the other?
- What have you done child? – he asked in anger.
- Nothing father. I just tried to pet it. It felt to the floor the moment I touched it. – she replied.
The father took her inside the house and went back to the corral to bury the sheep. The little girl stayed inside, looking through the window with her little, deep, dark brown eyes, filled with tears. She couldn’t believe what had happened.
Days passed and the girl kept playing alone in the yard. She wouldn’t dare to get close to the sheep, in fear of killing another one. That was when a stray dog arrived at the village and went to her house, looking for food. Pity of the dog she asked her father to keep it, and, since he needed a sheep dog, he allowed. She gave it water and bread, the only things they had in the house.
When the poor stray finished eating, it looked so happy it rushed to the girl, licking her, thanking the food. She giggled loudly and reached to pet it. When she toucehd it, the dog petrified and felt to the side. It was happening again. She closed her eyes and saw the sheep dying. It wasn’t possible. It was not happening. She couldn’t believe it. Everything she touched died.
That day she made a promise to herself. She would never, ever touch another living being.
Days, months and years went away really fast and the little girl is no longer that little. She grown up to become the most beautiful and misterious woman in the whole village. She made friends through the years, helped her father in the house shores, went to church and kept faithful to her promise. She never touched no one, or nothing that was alive.
But, at that age, new interests come to life, and that village had a lot of handsome boys. One in particular made the girl blush whenever he passed and greeted her. He made her feel butterflies in her stomach. And she new, through her friends, that he felt the same way.
One sunny day he approached her.
- Hi! Would you like to come with me to church tomorrow? – he asked.
She got really nervous, but made an effort to answer.
- Yes, of course. I would love to. – she mumbled.
The next day, he went to her house to pick her up and they went to church. At the end of the mass he invited her to a walk in the forest later that day and she accepted.
They were walking, side by side, hearing the birds and the river, talking about everything and nothing and suddenly he decides to kiss her. Gave her a little kiss on the lips. Nothing happened. She stared at him amazed. She could touch another human being. She just couldn’t touch animals. Human beings wouldn’t die if she touched them. Excited, she jumped on him and kissed him passionately. Hugged him and grabed his hair with stregth. She was happy. For once she was happy. But something was wrong. She opened her eyes and saw that he was turning from red to blue, his arms were stiff and his eyes rolled up in a second. She let him go and he felt on the floor, lifeless.
The next day a funeral took place. Nobody could believe it. A strong, healthy, handsome boy died with no explanation. The girl was there too, right next to the casket, drowning in tears. It looked like she could kill human beings after all, and she didn’t understand it. What had she possibly done to deserve such a curse? She had to walk among the living although she could never touch one of them.
After the body was buried, every one left but the girl. She stood there just staring at the tomb stone. “Here lies James.” – it said.
- What have I done? How is this possible? How can I kill someone by only touching him? I don’t understand. Tell me God. – she said to herself.
At that moment, a man approaches. He was very tall. wearing a long black cloak, with a hood covering is face. In his hands he had spiked leather gloves.
- So, you want to know why you have this ability? Well God doesn’t have the answer. – he said.
- Do I know you? – asked the girl.
- No, you don’t know me. Yet. – he said.
- But you know why I’m cursed. – she asked
- I wouldn’t call it a curse, but i know why you have the power to decide who lives or dies. – answered the creepy man – Come with me. Lets walk.
They walked into the forest as he started to tell her the story.
- Twenty years ago, the day you were born, your father made a deal with my master.
- Your master? – asked the girl a little scaried.
- We’ll get there. – he answered – When you were born, there were a few complications and your parents thought they were goingo to lose you. So your father made a promise. He promised my master anything he wanted in exchange for your eternal life.
- My eternal life? – asked the girl even more scaried.
- Can you wait for me to tell the story, impatient little child? – said the man and kept talking. – You were very sick and no one in the village knew what you had or how to treat it. My master made a contract and your father signed it. He cured your sickness and kept you alive. But, you know, every contract has a price. And so did the one your father signed. If he had read it he would know the price he was paying.
- What was the price? – asked her.
- By now, you must have already figured out that my master is the one you call the Devil, Lucifer himself. And, knowing I have too much work in hands, he thought I could use a little hand. So he gave you that magnificent ability, which you used for the first time on your own mother when you were only one. You made me and him so proud. And besides that, he made you my bride. Once you turn twenty five we will marry and be together for all eternity. Deciding on people’s fates. – said the creepy man.
- Who… who… who are you? – asked the fritened girl already taking a few steps back.
The man took the hood off and a skull showed. He looked at her with flashy eyes and said:
- I’m the reaper, baby!
She left running, towards home.
- No need to run. Your immortal and I will always know where to find you. – yelled the man.
She ran and ran, until she got home. Safe and sound.
Looking at her so scared the father asked:
- What’s wrong child?
Her sadness and fear turned to anger.
- What’s wrong? What’s wrong you ask? I just found out that I killed my own mother with one year of age and that you made a deal with the Devil making me not only immortal but also the bride of the Grim. Did you know that? – she yelled.
- Calm down, I can explain. I didn’t want you to get hurt. Me and your mother were affraid for your life and no one else helped us. I didn’t know that there was a price until the day you… touched your mother. – said the father.
- Do you know the curse I have to live with? I can not touch another human being or living animal. I saw my pets dying and I killed the man I loved. How hurted do you think I am right now? – she yelled.
Worried, the father rushed to hug her but she pushed him away. Instantly, the father turned white, his eyes rolled up and he felt to the ground. She had killed her mother and her father too.
She stared at his body lying on the ground and just stood there. She didn’t move an inch. The tears in her eyes suddenly dried. She should be crying but she wasn’t, she thought. She wiped her face with a sleeve, turned around and left, living the father’s lifeless, soulless body in the kitchen floor for someone else to find him.
Until this day, no one has ever seen that girl again. And with five years passed she must have by now married the Grim Reaper and she should be stealling souls all around the world.