A Grim Tale of Job Searching, Part 1

I sat at the computer laid back in my leather wheelie chair, applying for graphic design jobs. There weren't a lot them going. I had finished Tafe two or three years ago, the time had kind of all converged into one, melding together. In that time I've had no luck, being told "we're not looking at the moment," or the rather snarky, "not interested." There was some hope, but it never went anywhere, mainly due to me not having been to uni. The house was quiet with my girlfriend at work and little boy at daycare.

There was never much to do this time of the day, watch the news while I drank my morning tea, applied to a tonne of jobs that looked appealing and then clean up the house. I'd scroll through millions of job applications on the job site, Seek. I saw an ad for what I thought was a joke job.

"Looking for a soul to be a reaper of souls." It made me laugh and out of curiosity I clicked on it. Mr. Grimm CEO of Reaper Industries. In my mind I thought applying couldn't harm anyone, I'd get a good laugh out of it. My day went on normally from there, cooked dinner, fed the little one, put him to sleep. The next morning I awoke sleepy-eyed, put the kettle on and grabbed my favourite cup, a nice big coffee bowl-looking mug from the cup rack.

I threw in an earthy-scented triangle tea bag then poured the hot water into the coffee bowl. A voice that sounded malevolently deep said something, but I was too busy trying to keep my hand out of the way of the hot water. It spoke again, this time louder or clearer or… in my head. "Excuse me, is that how you treat a future employer?"

My eyes finally opened, what I wanted to say was "What the fuck are you doing in my house?" Instead I let out a little scream, the kind that comes out from being startled. The voice spoke, "Um, sir, are you feeling well?"

Without thinking I turned around. I didn't realise I was about to pour the kettle water over my hand. Tears began to well in my eyes, I let out a cry of pain. Refocusing my line of sight on the source of the mysterious voice, this robed skeletal figure… Wait, no, it was a suit. "I'm sorry, no I'm fine." The shock had worn off. "Who are you?"