Lost Death

Yeah, I’m Death. I know how that sounds, and trust me, this isn’t some emo crap, I really am Death itself. You may be wondering why I’m driving a rental sedan in the middle of nowhere, and yes, it’s just as embarrassing as you think. Apparently, a new soul is ready for pickup, but the problem is I can’t just magically pop up at someone’s deathbed and off them. I mean, come on, which would you rather see before you die: a cloaked skeleton with a sharp weapon standing over you, or an unsuspecting human? Sure, it’s a little extra work, but it’s just better for everyone this way. 

Anyway, this is one of those times where I need to be incognito, so I decided to just rent a car. Honestly, I’m surprised that I was able to convert Underworld currency with whatever humans have up here. Except now, I have a new problem: I have no idea where I am. 

I know that the poor sap is somewhere in South Dakota, and I even got directions from the guy at the dealership counter, but it looks like I’m in the middle of nowhere. Oh, and the best part? Thick clouds of fog everywhere! I know what you’re thinking, and yes, this is a bit cliché with the Grim Reaper in a foggy place, but it’s really not funny.

Alright, I can’t keep talking to myself. It’s distracting and I need to pull over, because all this driving is getting old real quick. The GPS that came with the car is pretty much useless, ‘cause it can’t get so much as one bar of reception. Good grief, you’d think human tech would’ve evolved by now, why couldn’t someone be ready to die in Japan? 

Luckily, the car also came with some old paper map, which I’m also surprised humans still make these antiques. Well, it looks like I’m in the right place, but I really can’t tell with all this stupid fog. If I’m right, though, there should be a mile marker up ahead, so I’m just gonna climb out and see if it’s there. 

Stepping outside the car, I don’t know why, but the fog seems a bit more creepy than annoying. I literally can’t even see my bony hands, much less the road. I can only make out a bit of it, a few tree branches, but that’s about all. Thank goodness the crickets and animals were active right now, otherwise I might lose my mind. Wow, imagine if anyone actually heard that Death was scared of something, talk about a ruined reputation. 

I walk for a few minutes, and honestly, I’m starting to doubt I’m on the right road after all. I still haven’t found that stupid mile marker, or maybe I walked past it, ‘not sure if it really matters at this point. A stick snaps just to the right of me, and I whip around but can’t see anything, but then a rabbit hops over to my foot. 

Why do I feel so relieved? So a stick breaks, what’s the big deal? I’ve heard way worse than that. Nothing could top what I’ve witnessed over the years. 

Forget it, never mind, I can’t focus on that right now. Ugh! Where is that marker! 

Wait a minute, why is it so quiet? I literally can’t hear any crickets, no animals, nothing. I quickly turn around and find that the rabbit is gone, but I didn’t even hear it leave. It could be because I’m here, but why didn’t they all shut up the minute I pulled over? Why would that rabbit even come near me if it knew what I was? 

“Ahhhhhhh, the pain!”

I spin around, trying to peer through all this fog to find where that scream came from. Ugh, I can’t see a thing! 

“Why . . .” 

Another voice just groaned behind me! Still can’t see!

“Why did you take me away?”

I take it back, the fog is nowhere near as scary as that childlike voice in the distance. No, I can’t let a few voices rattle me. I am Death. Sure, a couple things might make me nervous every now and then, but Death never scares easily. 

“Who’s there?” I demand. “I’m actually a bit lost, so if you’re not gonna be helpful, then scram!”

“You . . .” A raspy voice echoes from the fog. 

“I swear, this better not be some sick joke. You have no idea who you’re messing with,” I call out.

No way I’m gonna say that without backing it up, so I slide my scythe out from my shirt sleeve blade and all (don’t ask me how it works). I hoist it up ready to show the prankster who’s boss, but I hear nothing. Not even a whisper. I can’t be going crazy, right? Then again, maybe all these years are finally catching up to me. I snap myself out of it, though. I can’t afford to stay distracted anymore, better to not keep the old sap waiting. He’s probably suffered long enough. 

Ow! Geez, bumped right into it. I . . . think it’s the right one on the map. Well, it’s good enough for me, ‘sooner I’m outta here the better. 

“Found where you need to go?” A man’s voice asks. 

I seriously couldn’t turn around fast enough if I tried, but even if I did, I bet I still wouldn’t see anyone. 

“Are you going to take someone else away?” The childish voice rings out again. 

What . . . was that actually a child? I gotta get outta here, I gotta get back to that stupid car and hightail it off this road. Just need to get that soul and go home. 

I keep repeating these things to myself, quickening my pace and desperately searching for the headlights of the rental. I just need to focus, I don’t know what those voices are, but I don’t care. 

Oh my gosh, finally found the car! I don’t know why my hands are trembling, but somehow I manage to open the door, slip my scythe back up my sleeve, and thrust myself inside. 

Just breathe, Death, breathe. It’s just been a long day, that’s all. 

“Problem?”

I snap my head towards the passenger seat and look into the cold, empty eyes of a man sitting in it. The flesh on this person was peeling off in multiple places, exposing multiple areas of muscle, tissue, and even bone. His clothes looked old and torn, his hair unkempt, and those eyes . . . were glazed over. The scariest thing, though, is that I can see right through the guy, like an actual ghost. 

You’d think I’d be used to seeing that all the time, but usually I see spirits like this in the Underworld, never above. 

“What’s the matter?” The man croaks. Gosh, it sounds like he really needs a cough drop. 

“Y-Y-You’re not real,” I manage to force out. “You can’t be.”

“Why? Are you afraid?”

“I. Am. Death! I’m not scared of anything! Especially of some judgmental windbag!”

“But you are scared,” a raspy voice speaks from the back seat. 

Looking behind me, I now see a much older looking spirit. Looks like the poor guy had it worse than the other one, most of his flesh is actually gone. I can’t tell if I’m scared or more surprised that he’s still being held together. 

“Scared . . . of . . . us . . . and . . . yourself,” the old man says. 

“Enough of this!” I yell. 

Thrusting the shifter into drive, I slam my foot onto the gas and straight down to the floor. The engine roars as I rocket down the road, I don’t even think about what I might hit or whatever. I don’t check to see if the ghosts are still in the car, I can’t even bear to try. Why, though? I’ve seen a million souls just like that in the Underworld, watched God judge each one after I handed them off to Him, and every one of them looked like this or even worse. So, why am I so stressed about this? 

Wait . . . no!

I slam just as hard on the brakes as the headlights illuminate a small child in the fog, the car screeching and even starting to spin as it struggles to stop. I grip the steering wheel so tight it would make any knuckle turn pale, as if that would help in any way. Yet, somehow, the car did end up stopping. Not that it would’ve really mattered, I can’t die anyway. But, then again, I can’t do my job without this relic. 

I take a few breaths and look up, ready to yell this kid out something fierce, but I can only see fog. I look around in the car, but the ghosts are gone now. I collapse into the seat, but I don’t know if I’m more relieved or scared more than ever. What on Earth . . . what on Earth . . .

“Are you going to take someone else away?”

I thrust back towards the backseat, only to find a small boy sitting there. Thankfully, the boy didn’t have any rotting flesh, but he was still very pale. Those eyes, though. They weren’t completely black, but they still looked just as cold and dead as the other specters. But something else stands out about this kid . . . wait, no, it can’t be. 

“I remember you,” the child says. “You were right next to me in the hospital. You killed me.”

“What . . . no . . . that . . . that wasn’t what happened! I . . . your time just . . .” I can barely even get a word out, I . . . can’t find the strength to utter a single word. 

“His time came, right?” The man reappears in the passenger seat. 

“Just like us,” the old man croaks as he reappeared next to the child. 

“Why did you take me away from my mommy?” Asked the boy. 

“I had so much left to live for,” the younger man whines. 

“My poor wife is all alone, now, because of you,” the old man’s raspy voice rings. 

“We never even saw you coming, are you going to sneak up on someone else, too?” Asks the younger man. 

“Did you enjoy doing that?” Asks the child. 

“You don’t care, why else would you deceive us and countless others? All that matters is our souls!” Says the old man. 

I cover my ears and lowering my head, begging in my head that the ghosts would just leave. Just . . . please leave!

“We’re nothing to you,” says the child. 

I can’t take it anymore. 

“Look!” I scream. “You think I ever enjoyed this? Any of this? You think I just had a ball all this time? I never asked to be made! I never asked for this job! I never asked to watch person after person die for a thousand years! I hated it! I’ve always hated it! I beg God every night to take this burden away from me, and yet here I am in this rust bucket on my way to do it all over again!” 

I can’t take it! I just can’t! I break down and cry my eyes out, because what else can I do? Why am I even being tortured like this? Why did God create me if I would just bring suffering to myself and others? Make them stop! Somebody just make them stop!

“Calm yourself.”

A new voice, but I don’t care, I don’t want any more visitors! But, why does it sound so soothing? Come to think of it, why is it so bright all of a sudden? I try to open my eyes, but there’s so much light that I have to close them again. 

“Don’t listen to those spirits,” the voice said. “My heart aches just as much for the deaths of these people as yours does, but please be assured that many of the souls you’ve delivered are at peace now. They walk in eternal paradise.”

“What about the Earth?” I spit. “The mourners are left alone, in pain, and for what?”

“A better future. Those who know of me are reassured that their loved ones are safe here with me. It will never take away the pain, but unfortunately, it’s a necessary part of life for now. There will come a day when your role will be fulfilled, but your work is still important.”

“Important? Heh, yeah, right,” I chuckle dryly.

“You think I gave you this job to torture you? I gave it to you because you’re the one who helps inspire the value of time, of loved ones, of life. Without death, what is the point of life if you can’t truly cherish it?”

How could God just say all this and expect me to believe it? I can still feel the pain of every life that was lost to my scythe, so why did I feel slightly at peace? I feel more conflicted, but I had to admit, God did have a point. How can I argue with that? Yet, it still doesn’t make things easier but at least I understand more now.

I find that everything has gone dark again, so I cautiously open my eyes to find myself still on the road. Only, this time, the fog was all gone. I could finally see the road, the nature, and hear the abundance of life around me. I look in the car once more, but none of the ghosts are there anymore. 

I sink back into my seat, sighing with great relief as I let the chirps of the crickets ring through my ears. Maybe God was onto something after all: if there wasn’t any death, the sound of these crickets would get old fast. Obviously, I still hate my job, but I guess it’s not as bad as it used to be. 

But that’s enough of that, I need to get going. I just hope that man’s said his final goodbyes by now.