The Rebounds

         Lucius, Lucius Poe could only stand there and wait. He had already done it twice before for his client, Isabel Redgrove. She was a major rebound. His mentor, Spectre, had escorted her to the afterlife three days ago.

         Lucius had been recruited and trained by Spectre not so long ago, maybe a couple hundred years ago now. During that training the subject of Rebounds had been discussed. Spectre had told hem that they were a rare occurrence at that time, but with the advancement of medical technology he felt that it might become a common occurrence.

         Lucius shook his head in disbelief. Funny...his tutor's Rebound should show up in his schedule. It was a true testament that crap does always follow gravity and traverse the landscape sloping to the lowest point. Lucius found himself standing at the lowest point of the surrounding vista. It was truly, an issue of the lowest man on the totem getting the dirtiest work.

         At this point, He gave Mrs. Redgrove his utmost respect. She had beaten Death time and time again. She had, well not corporally, but spiritually, literally dragged herself out of her grave to reunite with her child she had recently birthed during a major volcanic eruption. He had been warned that he might gain some affinity for his clients during their rebounds. He knew he had to keep his emotions in check. These thoughts led him to wonder why Spectre had not seen this client off until the end.

To Lucius astonishment, he had witnessed this woman revive and regain consciousness just to hold her child a few times now. The child had seemed to gain strength by being in close proximity of her mothers mummified remains. With Isabel's bandages, there could be no true physical contact

         Regardless, Isabel, Mrs. Redgrove will meet her end. With third degree burns to 85% of her body, organ failure will be continual, despite her doctors best intentions. These Rebounds will and do come to an end. Death doesn't mark time so much as task completion, which is the true value that carries the most weight in this vocation. He would eventually get the job done. But, while he waited, he would continually curse Spectre for not completing this job himself.