The Girl who Knew Death

Death meets a girl.

I heard her laughing before I saw her. I was not used to hearing people laugh, they cried, they wailed, and they begged for me to release my hold on their loved ones, but they never ever laughed. 

I came to collect the soul, the only one that sometimes laughed, they often were joyful, sometimes confused, sometimes worried about those they left behind. This soul was an older woman she knew it was her time and she smiled at me as I enter the room, “Guess it’s time,” She said, it a sighing voice. “ Guess now’s as good as any time.” 

I nodded and held out my hand. That’s when I heard the laugh, I rarely pay attention to the others it the room, there are so many, it’s never ending, I’ll see them soon enough, it’s my job to take the one who’s time it is then, the others don’t matter.

Turning and lowering my hand I saw her, her hair was dark, not quite black, not quite brown. But her skin was so light that I could hardly believe she was there, her eyes were light gray, and she smiled. “ I’m glad auntie, “ she said, to the empty sack on the bed, that humans put so much value in. “ I’m glad your better.”  

The soul of the woman smiled at me, “ my great-niece, she not right in the head some say, we were taking care each other, now I guess she’ll go into some state home.” 

She paused for a moment as the girl opened the shades and seemed to be preparing for a new day. 

“Can you do me a favor? Look in on her every now and then would you?”  I looked at her for a moment. “ Yeah, alright I know that’s not how this works, let’s go then.” She said reaching out her hand, I reached to take it but as I did so I pause to look back at the girl for as weak as her mortal husk was, her soul shone so brightly out It was a wonder that the room wasn’t aglow.     

The next time I saw her again I had come for another soul, it was a cold building, both in temperature and in feeling. Two men in clean clothes rolled the body away. The soul looked at me “You’re here.” He said staring at me in shock. 

I nodded and held out my hand, something, I don’t know what made me look behind him for a second and I saw her again. She wasn’t crying or any of the normal reactions she just sat staring the empty bed, I lowered my hand not quite ready to take the soul, for the first time it was me who wanted to stay longer. 

I watched her as she made the bed, taking off all the sheets and putting on new ones, “Ah,” the soul behind me said, “ Aren’t you here for me ?”   

I nodded and turned back holding out my hand for him to take, He looked at my hand and all around the room one last time, then reached out to take my hand, but through all of this, my eyes had never left the girl.

I don’t keep track of time the way humans do, so I can’t say how much I thought of her or how long it was before I went back. I had a job to do and so I did it, but sometimes as I collected a soul I thought of her and would look around the room in a vain hope she would be there. 

Finally, I went back to the cold building, but there was no soul for me to collect, I was just in the mortal plain although they could not see me. Humans have a habit of only see what is in front of their eyes and even then they the miss a lot. 

She had a pencil and paper and was drawing a picture of the sun setting on a grassy plain. 

I watched her for a minute, wishing to touch her but unable to do so without claiming her, and it was not yet her time. Once she lifted her head and looked around the room “Hello.” She said but returned to her picture when no one answered. I wanted to answer but hadn’t. Finally, I did “Hello” I whispered  

The girl didn’t look up just smiled “Hello.” She whispered back “Come for me now?”

“No,” I whispered unable to believe that she had heard me. 

“Then why are you here?”

“I don’t know,” I whispered realizing I had no reason to be here. Except I wanted to be here, wanted someone who knew I was there, wanted someone who didn’t only see me as someone who took their loved ones away. I was here because I was lonely.

“That’s not good, when someone doesn’t know why they do something. It usually means their helpless.”

“I’m alone,” I whispered, perhaps too quietly for her to hear. At least I hoped. 

“Ah,” The girl said and smiled “then I can help you.”

Finally the day I had been dreading came and finally I understood why the humans cried not for the ones who leaving but for themselves who stayed behind, after all, no one likes a goodbye.        

For the first time, she looked at me, finally able to see me. And although unwilling I reached out my hand to her, for it was her time and I could touch her now. She didn’t take it though she looked at me, her smile wide as she looked at me she reached forwards and touched my cheek, then so quickly I could have imaged it she kissed my lips. “Goodbye.” she whispered as she put her hand in mine. “Good-bye,” I whispered as she left me. I could almost hear her laugh telling me everything would be fine.  

Reviews

[Icarus Ascendant]

Loved it. absolutely loved it. the other ones where good but of the work you have so far its my favorite. really really good. and it makes you wonder about the definition of crazy. Great short story.