Daddy is an Undertaker: A Poker Boy story. Read online

  “Five seconds,” Laverne said.

  Dan reached out both hands and placed them over Lisa’s head. Then as the clock ticked midnight, Lisa seemed to slump slightly, then something bright and shining and very yellow filled the air around her.

  After a moment the yellow light all went inside of her, like she was a giant sponge soaking up water.

  After a long pause, she opened her eyes and smiled.

  Everyone cheered.

  I didn’t know what to think. I don’t think I could feel so relieved in all my life.

  “May I introduce you to the newest god?” Dan said, extending an arm to his daughter to help her off her knees. “My daughter Lisa. An Undertaker.”

  The entire room cheered, then calmed as Lisa looked around, smiling, nodding at many people she now clearly knew somehow.

  Then she looked at us and said simply, “Thank you, Poker Boy, Screamer, Stan, and Patty. And most of all Laverne, who loaned my father such a wonderful team to help me through this transition. I will be forever grateful to you all.”

  Everyone cheered.

  And I did as well, and just kept smiling.

  Somehow we had managed to save yet another person. And that always felt great.

  But it felt even better to have Death herself grateful to you.

  It just didn’t get any better than that.

  About the Author

  Bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith has written more than one hundred popular novels and well over 100 published short stories. His novels include the science fiction novel Laying the Music to Rest and the thriller The Hunted as D.W. Smith. With Kristine Kathryn Rusch, he is the coauthor of The Tenth Planet trilogy and The 10th Kingdom. He writes under many pen names and has also ghosted for a number of top bestselling writers.

  Dean has also written books and comics for all three major comic book companies, Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse, and has done scripts for Hollywood. One movie was actually made.

  Over his career he has also been an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books.

  Currently, he is writing thrillers and mystery novels under another name.