For Us All

“Come on, don’t look suspicious,” Myles thought, “They will know I'm wearing a wire the second I walk up.” He pulled his coat tighter around himself. The setting sun barely peeked over the top of the buildings as cars zipped past him on his left. He hesitated.

“Is that just my heart pounding or did I hear footsteps behind me?” Myles thought, “If I look back they will know I'm onto them. Then I'm done for.” He glanced at the nearest store fighting the desire to dash inside where warmth and friendly faces went about their business. A gust of wind nearly blew off his hat. When he reached for it he peeked behind and saw someone watching him from a street light a block back.

“I was right. I wasn't crazy. There was someone following me,” he thought, “Crap! Was that really someone following me or just some random person!? Surely it was just someone going about their normal business. Being this skittish probably makes me look weird to anyone watching.” He took a deep breath.

“Don’t speed up. Don’t look back,” he thought. Myles could not hear the footsteps anymore.

“See it wasn't anything," he thought, "Then again the noise of passing cars could drown out the sound of footsteps. But how could anyone have known!? I was so careful!” 

He looked back.

Death loomed in the doorway watching the timid human walk quickly then slow himself down and continue.

“I hate getting here while they're still alive,” Death thought. He stepped into a small supermarket and the bell jingled. He paused, surprised.

“Oh. Not me,” Death chuckled to himself as an older woman walked through him. Death continued to watch the man walking nervously down the street through the store windows painted with advertisements for buy three get one free. Humans always spend more money to “save” money these days. 

“I wonder how this one will go,” Death mumbled to himself, “Judging by how nervous he is, maybe a mugging or an arrest gone wrong or a drive-by shooting. Ever since humans invented those things, guns they called them, I never knew what was gonna happen. One minute they are perfectly healthy, the next I’m greeting them and leading them on to where they need to go.” 

Death heard a gasp behind him. He turned. The old woman who had passed through him earlier was staring, eyes wide.

“Yo-you…who are you!?” she found her resolve and glared at him as best as a frail old woman can. 

He chuckled, “It's okay ma’am. It's not your time...” He jumped backward through the window and out onto the street again.

“...yet,” Death whispered and shook his head. Most humans could not see him but every now and then he encountered those who were close to death and so were able to see him. Like, for example, he turned back toward the man he had been following just as the man glanced back at him.

Myles had told himself he would NOT look back. Now, not only had he done just that, he did a double take and turned fully around. The figure in the dark cloak seemed to suck all the energy from the air around him. He could hear the footsteps again but they were different this time. They echod. And Myles was certain, though he didn't know how, that he was the only one who could hear them. It's face was distorted and looked like every face and no face all at once. He could see what looked like a skull behind each transparent face as it shifted to another.

“What is that thing!” Myles thought. He recoiled in horror. The gravel on the side of the road shifted under his feet as he stepped back, almost slipping. A particularly large semi truck  thundered past blocking the sunlight and his last rays of hope that he might get out of this alive.

“Get away!” Myles yelled, “I don't know what you are, but I don't have anything for you!” His hand went to the gun he had hidden on his hip in case things went south. He had completely forgotten his mission now. What did it matter in the face of-of that thing?

Death smiled at him. 

“It's rather amusing to watch their shock and confusion sometimes,” Death thought, “although this human is rather riled up.”

“I'm here for you,” Death said, hoping to comfort and help ease the strain of this transition.

“What the f*ck,” Myles thought, “Did they send a hitman after me! I knew I shouldn't have trusted Jake. He was always a little sketchy. Shit what do I do.” His hand gripped the weapon tighter.

“It's ok. I'm here to take you after you die,” said Death.

“You got some balls announcing you're going to kill me right here in front of all these people on a busy road!” Myles hollered at him trying to sound far more macho than he felt and maybe attract the attention of passersby to witness his murder. 

“Oh no. You got it all wrong. I'm not going to kill you. I'm here for after you die.”

“What the-” Myles muttered under his breath. 

    “Is there someone else nearby waiting to kill me?” Myles thought. He looked around frantically while still keeping that thing in his field of view. It kept getting closer.

Death approached slowly. “No sense in spooking the man,” he thought. 

“Get back!” Myles yelled again. The thing was so close now he could almost reach out and touch it. Even though Myles stood all of six foot two the thing towered over him. A truck down the road backfired. Myles jumped and darted away from the thing.

The human turned and started to run away from him. Death just watched. The man started to run into the road while looking back at him. The pickup truck driver didn't have time to stop when Myles darted in front of the hood. Smack. There was a loud thud as he went down hard and brakes squealed. Death watched as the man's bewildered soul looked around.

“What happened?” Myles said to himself as he looked around. He felt so free, not weighed down by anything. He looked down and dry heaved. 

“Is that my body?” he thought.

“Yup, it is,” Death said matter of factly, “Come on. Let's get you home.” He put an arm around Myles shoulder and turned him away. 

The pickup driver jumped out of his cab as other drivers who had seen what happened also came to offer help. 

“Someone call 911!” the driver yelled. He started CPR on Myles body, but it was too late.

At the edge of the crowd an older woman walked up. Seeing the scene and Death's retreating figure, she chuckled softly, “Death comes for us all.”