Chapter 2 - History

“A…Shinigami? Like a Death God?...” Zach’s expression slowly shifted from fear to a grin. “So if you really exist…then that notebook is for real too. It’s yours, isn’t it?”

“Nah. It’s yours.”

“Mine? But…but why me?...why not someone else?”

“Trust me, it wasn’t my choice. Truth is, that notebook used to belong to another Shinigami, but she died, so now it belongs to you.”

“Wait, what? How’d she die? Why does that make it mine?...”

“Ugh.” The Shinigami clearly had hoped to avoid telling the story. “Alright listen up then, ‘cause I hate having to repeat myself. For years, centuries even, the Shinigami previously owning that Death Note, Sorin, wrote down 5 names a day in her notebook. She was finicky like that, never knew why. Anyway, when a Shinigami writes a human’s name in their Death Note, that person’s remaining lifespan is added to that Shinigami’s. That’s how we keep from dying. You can stab us and shoot us all you like, but we won’t die. Anyway, about 5 years ago, she made a mistake. Probably the biggest mistake a Shinigami can make. She fell in love…with a human.”

“So why’s that such a problem?” Zach asked.

“Shut up and I’ll tell you. Anyway, that human’s life fell into jeopardy when some crook robbed a store.”

“Robbed a…you don’t mean…”

“I said zip it. And, yea, that’s right. That guy was supposed to shoot you. Yesterday was meant to be your last day of life, but Sorin couldn’t bear to see that happen. Don’t ask me why, but for some reason she loved you enough to save your life, and she killed the robber. Problem is, Shinigami are only supposed to take life, not extend it. She instantly turned to dust, or something. Anyway, she died to save you, so that makes her notebook yours.”

“Hmm…Rek, right? What happens if I choose to use the Death Note? I mean, that kind of power has to have a pretty high price, right?”

“Well, there won’t be any immediate consequences, but any human who uses a Death Note can neither go to Heaven nor Hell. And,” he continued, holding up a long, bony finger as if to emphasize this next point, “You will experience the torment that only humans who have used the Death Note will know,” he finished with the slightest trace of a grin.

“Interesting…hey!” Zach suddenly snapped to attention; he had just realized something. “Rek, the criminals that have all been dying of heart attacks…there’s another notebook in the human world isn’t there?! That’s how Kira kills!”

“Zach, who are you talking to in here?” Zach’s mother asked, cracking open the door and stepping in.

“No one mom,” he replied, scratching the back of his head, “just thinking out loud.”

“Alright,” she said with a smile, “well I just wanted to let you know dinner’s ready.”

“Okay.” He followed his mother downstairs, glancing behind him to see if Rek was still following him. He was. “Why can’t they see him? Is it because they haven’t seen the Death Note? No, it was sitting right next to me; Mom would’ve seen it, even if she wasn’t trying to. That means you have to touch it to see Rek, or else he can control who sees him.”

“It’s ‘cause you own the notebook,” Rek said, as if reading Zach’s mind. “But don’t be fooled, anyone who so much as touches it will be able to see and hear me.”

“Damn it! I left the thing just sitting on my desk; I have to be sure I get to it first.”

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“Alright,” Zach sighed, “That takes care of that…for now anyway.”

“Huh?” Rek shifted his attention from the ceiling to Zach. “You found a place to hide it already?”

“Yeah. It’ll stay beneath this floorboard. Of course, that’ll only protect it so much. So I’ve set it up so that if anyone tries to forcefully remove it from that case, an electric current will run through the metal and shock whoever’s touching it. Though I doubt anyone would even look under there. I’ve also put a hidden pocket on the inside of the back of my jacket, so I can travel with the notebook without looking suspicious.”

“Not bad, most humans go mad trying to keep the notebook hidden.”

“Well, like I said, it’ll do for now. Now Rek…you never answered my question. Do you know if another notebook has been dropped into the human world?” There was a long pause during which neither of them spoke. Zach was beginning to think Rek was going to keep silent until he changed the subject. “Then how abo—“

“Yeah, there’s another one,” Rek responded without so much as changing his expression.

“So that’s how that Kira guy has been killing, isn’t it?”

“Not sure. But it definitely sounds like the work of a Death Note. Why so interested in this Kira anyway?”

“Hm…that announcement on the news yesterday said Kira was known to be in Kanto…Rek,” he said with a look of satisfaction, “we’re going to be taking a bit of a vacation.”

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