The very first day that they picked her up for work, she hardly could hide her excitement. When she left the beautiful car they had sent to pick her up, she walked very firmly towards her new job.

The nearer she came, the more she felt the peace irradiating from the place. They opened the door for her and inside she learnt that her task would be surveying the graves. It was really not bad at all because they had that wonderful classical music which was very relaxing. Socially she felt very well because nobody was bothering her.

Miriam expected that the girl would quit the job after a week or so but, to her surprise, Axi was behaving very nicely and Miriam offered to accompany her now and again to the park or the beach. They even tried to play chess together. For the first time since she was under custody, Axi started to feel comfortable with Miriam and the woman sighed with relief.

She never skipped her homework because she was ambitious and liked to be one of the best students.

Now and again she invited one of her classmates after school.

That was not really a success because Axi had a strange kind of humor. Once was enough for most of her schoolmates because they never repeated.

You could not really say that she was happy or joyful. She was satisfied being the best student of her class and with the prompt promotion she got at her job.
The woman and the girl bought some new clothes together and went to the hairdresser. Having breakfast together, Axi told Miriam that she really should learn to make a good meal because even her salad was nothing special.

“Well“ Miriam said, “I‘ve never learnt it and besides that, it was always you who prepared lunch or dinner“.
“Why don‘t you read some books to get more skilled? I don‘t know what will be of you once you have to live on your own… and you‘re already an adult woman! Never mind *sigh* I suppose my mother was the same.”

Later that day Miriam said: “Tell me about your parents.”

“No, forget it… and I don‘t like that haircut of yours” and she retired again into her own shell.

Time went by. Axi had received already 2 promotions and at school she still was amongst the best students.
At the cemetery Axi often saw some stones and things like that so she picked them up and had already a good collection.

The situation at home was much more relaxed now and Miriam took her out on Saturdays or Sundays.

Axi was really feeling good doing her job. She got a good salary, considering that is was only a part-time job. She loved the catacomb.

It was a very beautiful building.

One day after finishing work, she heard a shout… and she went to see what it was all about. Then she saw a young man who was looking horrified to the statue of the Reaper.

She asked him what had happened and the man told her that he thought that the Reaper had pointed at him with his reaping hook.

Then Axi told him that it must have been in his imagination. He just said it all looked so horrifying during the evening hours.
She said that the whole set-up of a cemetery is just like a stage. It‘s part of the show.

*Beep-beep*, the car was waiting for Axi but she didn‘t hear it.

The man said: “…and that music…! oh it‘s giving me the creeps!”

Axi: “That music is classical music and they just embellish it with some creepy noises, to make a better atmosphere“.
The man: “My God… I don‘t know how you can be as cold as ice, considering something as important as life or death. I wouldn‘t be able to work here.”

She laughed and said: “Well, I wouldn‘t mind sleeping here on a bench“ and then she noticed the car had left without her. She said good-bye to the man and thought: Now I have to take a taxi because I cannot stay much longer and I surely don‘t want the Police to come for me.

Then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. She entered the cemetery again.

To be continued…