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job title: grief

job description: you will attend to those who have lost a loved one. you will cause them pain so that they know they are not a cold, uncaring monster.
you will be the reality check. because someone must be the reality check.
you are grief. wherever you go, you will cause immense pain and sadness.

job requirements: (prior experience unnecessary)
~you will be required to be ready at all times of the day.
~you will be called for when anybody is brought in by death.
~you must have experienced grief at some point in your life.
~you must understand that it will be painful for everyone you touch. you are pain. but you must also understand that you will be necessary.
~it is imperative that you do not leave someone alone out of the kindness of your heart. you must banish all feelings from yourself.
~you must not give in to the pain that comes with dealing this much suffering to everyone around you. it is crucial that you understand that without grief, one could be molded into anything. without you, a psychopath may be released in the form of a vengeful sibling. a serial killer may be born from the death of a loved one. grief will keep them in check. you must keep them in check.
~this job will be demanding and taxing. you must research the dead without missing anything.
~be aware that you will be working closely with death. you may not ask her for anything. she will never owe you favors. she is nothing but the deliverer of your clients. do not make personal connections with her.
~this will be a difficult undertaking. there is no denying it. but if you are certain that you meet all of the above requirements, you will be asked to meet with death and sadness on the corner of main street and mortem. you will soon be very familiar with this place. this is the mortuary.

any and all breaches of contract will result in your swift demise.

salary: you payment for your lifelong service as grief will be an extended life. you will live as long as death lives. for now, you are forever.
(understand that this extension of life does not make you immortal in any way. if you are caught in a deadly situation, your body is still mortal. and you will face death.)

application: we have already received you application. when you saw this flyer, you met opportunity. they have brought us your application. if you have read this far, you know that you have been hired.

it is vital that you understand: this is not a job offer. this is your notification of hiring. tomorrow will be your first day.
if you do not wish to accept this prestigious job as grief, you will still go to the corner of main and mortem tomorrow. death will meet you there.

idk, bro, this was really fun to write,,,

Peer Review

What about this piece delighted, surprised, or moved you?

the title definitely drew me in, but the overall style this was written in kept me engaged. this is really creative, the categories of 'job title', 'job description' etc. allows readers to better understand what you're trying to bring across here. grief is a common topic but you've written it in such a unique and thought-provoking manner, this was a pleasure to read!

What else would you like to know? Where might the writer deepen an idea or question? Would additional details invite you further into the writing?

other than those mentioned in the highlights, i think more can be said in the job description! you could make grief sound more menacing, overwhelming, all-consuming etc., as we often hear about how people are impacted by grief but not what grief actually does. this piece is a great opportunity to delve into that perspective!. it could also really help us understand the point in the job requirements about how 'without grief, one could be molded into anything.' from my understanding, it is quite the opposite, that grief can change people and make them do things they wouldn't otherwise do. from what i can tell, you may be referring to empathy instead, but of course, this is 100% debatable and up to your own interpretation!

Reviewer Comments

i always love when writers personify difficult emotions and this is no exception! creative, well-structured, and honest; overall, a really well-done piece. glad you had a lot of fun writing this!