Prologue

In which we meet the narrator.

Darkness. Isn't it how life begins? How ironic. Darkness brings about life and then delivers life to me. Some say there is no hope, no color, no feeling in this world. I can tell you differently �" there is much color in the world. Saying there is no hope, color, or feeling on this mass of rock is like saying the sun doesn't move �" which of course is false. Without hope, nothing would get done; nothing would be created. Without color, there would be no light. Without color, there is only nothingness, and this nothingness we call death. Without feeling, there would be no color, which would mean there would be no life either. The people who say there is an absence of hope, color, and feeling are very mistaken, and probably blind to everything around them.

However, as always with darkness, there must be light. Light is short lived to me �" it comes and goes without saying hello or goodbye. It breathes happiness and contentment into living creatures, which is in the instant between birth and death. Light is what humans call hope, color, and feeling.

Sadly, I do not know these. I am a “creature of the shadows”. I loom ahead of people, like a jaguar preparing to have its dinner. Actually, no, that is false. I do not particularly like my job, but if I didn't do it, who would? Who would become immortal only to collect the souls of dead people and deliver them to their proper places? Exactly. It is a curse.

Oh, I see I have begun to ramble again. Pardon my manners. I have not been able to talk to intelligent beings, finger to eye, in a great deal of time; so long ago in fact that I have not had contact with my former species since I was in fact human. I have no name any longer, a part of my job, but many call me Death or the Grim Reaper. I have heard a variation that I particularly like however: “Almighty Ruler of the Souls of All and Supreme Hand of Justice and Karma”. You may call me what you wish, but do so knowing that I am not evil or horrible. I was once a person too. I was one of those unfortunate beings that was cursed with horrible service. I am fair.

Come, now. I have a story to share. Or, rather, a large amount of stories. Let us begin.