November 20XX
I saw Death.
No, seriously, I saw Death.
And he is not exactly as bad as people often imagine him to be.
Let me just start from the beginning…
It’s November, and the cold weather is giving me a bout of flu. Runny nose, high temperature, mild cough, the usual. I can’t remember the last time I got sick, but being sick really bites. I heard from my fellow bums that there is a volunteer hospice that allows bums to get free medical treatment, so I decided to try my luck there.
Once I was there, I saw there were tons of bums waiting to seek medical care. I thought I was going to wait a long time for their services but they were quick, efficient and prompt. The volunteer nurses and doctor took really good care of me, checking me and issuing me some medicine. Because of my fever, they required me to stay in the hospice for a while just until I regain normal temperature. It’s been a while since I had lain on a decent bed, so I took their advice and stayed.
It was then I saw Death.
I was feeling thirsty one late midnight and as I got myself a glass of water from the hospice canteen, I saw him sitting on a bench reading MAD magazines and grinning at the corny jokes and comic strips on every page. He was a teen no older than 15, had wild, jet-black hair and very fair skin. He had odd eyes, one red and one green, and was dressed in all black, from his turtleneck long-sleeved shirt to his long pants to his leather boots. I thought he was one of the young volunteers who worked in the hospice, so I just flashed him a nice smile, drank my water and went back to bed. I noticed him giving me a rather surprised look, but I didn’t pay much attention to it.
I had a steady diet of witnessing spirits walking around in the hospice, but seeing that they were just looming around minding their own business and not harming anybody, and since Frederick didn’t seem give me any warning looks, I slowly got used to it and left them to their own devices. I also had my share of witnessing people dying in the hospice, especially those who are too old or terminally ill. I was sad to see their lives ended without their loved ones around them to say goodbye, but at the same time, I was glad that they have finally come to end of their misery.
Soon I realized that there was a connection between the spirits that wandered around and the deaths in the hospice. Every time I see a spirit wandering, the next few days someone would die. One day, I saw a spirit hanging about at the backyard of the hospice staring at space, and two days later, one of the bums at the terminally ill ward dies, and he looked exactly like the spirit I saw at the backyard. I didn’t know what the connection was exactly.
Until now.
I saw him again one late midnight, munching on a sandwich, looking as if he was contemplating things. I couldn’t sleep after that incident with the spirit in the backyard and that bum’s death, so I sat beside him quietly and sipped my glass of water, pretending to mind my own business and ignoring him.
“Rough night?”
I turned to him, surprised that he would actually strike a conversation with a total stranger. Nevertheless, I decided to humour him, “Yeah. There’s been another death. It bothered me a little.”
“You’ll get used to it in time. Just to let you know, they’re in good hands. I never lose a soul.”
“What do you mean?” I wrinkled my nose, feeling a little weird out by his sudden mysterious attitude.
“You can see me, right? Just as easily as you see the ‘others’?”
I was dumbfounded. How does he know I have the gift of sight? Is he a spirit as well…?
“The name’s Father Death a.k.a. Grim Reaper a.k.a. Angel of Death. Pleased to meet you,” he said, holding out his hand for me to shake. “I never get many friends these days. In fact, it’s been centuries since a living person last saw me. It’s nice to finally have someone to talk to.”
I stared at the boy in disbelief. Him? A little kid like him being the Grim Reaper? He’s kidding, right?
“Yeah right,” I snorted. “Pull another one.”
He gave me a sideways look, sighed and suddenly, before my eyes, changed into the Grim Reaper that was ever familiar to everyone: a tall skeleton draped in a huge black cloak and hood and holding a huge big-ass scythe. He turned to me and flashed me that skeletal grin and asked,
“Well? Do you believe me now?”
I nodded. He nodded in response and changed back to the young boy I first saw him in.
“I prefer this look. People seem to warm up better to youngsters’ look than my creepy old original self.”
“I think your original look is fine,” I said, which was the truth. I’d prefer people to be true to themselves instead of running around pretending to be something they’re not.
“Thank you. I see that you’ve been seeing ‘things’ around here.”
I nodded in reply.
“It’s sort of a gift I give them before I take them away. Let them have their last look on the world before taking the long journey towards the light. The spirits you saw are supposed to be dead on that particular day, but since I’m Father Death and all and since I have the power to lengthen or shorten their lives, I allow them to spend 3 days at most to dwell around earth and complete their unfinished business. And they all do it during their deep sleep where the spirit is most free to roam outside the body, that’s the reason why you see them around.”
I nodded in understanding. Finally, the question that had been itching in my mind began to creep out of my mouth.
“Grim, I mean, can I call you Grim?” I asked, and continued when he nodded, “What exactly am I?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can see ‘things’ as easily as I can see you. I’ve been having this power since I was a small kid, and everyone thinks I’ve got problems.
Even when others have seen the same thing as I did, they refused to acknowledge or believe, accusing me of making up wild stories and influencing others to join in my madness. Creating trouble, mass hysteria, stuff like that. Some even think I’m crazy and suicidal. So what exactly am I?”
Grim looked at me for a moment and replied quietly, “I cannot fully answer that, for every attribute you have belongs to another ‘department’. My job is just to claim your soul and send it to that ‘department’. You will have your answers there.”
I pouted, disappointed. And I thought I would finally understand the purpose of my life and myself.
“But,” Grim pointed out, “I can say one thing about you though: you are special, and meant to do great things. Unfortunately it is not in this lifetime.”
“Wh…What does that suppose to mean?”
“I know it’s going to sound harsh, but I am obliged to reveal the coming death of special people like you. Normally, I would only appear to people on the day of their death, but special people like you usually do not live long, so I have to warn you beforehand the moment you are able to see me.”
“But…But if I were to do great things in my next life, wouldn’t that still make me special? Wouldn’t that make me having short life span as well?”
“True, but the things you will do in your next life will be earth-bound, mortal and humanly-possible. Not the way you are right now. That’s all I can say.”
“When will I die?” I asked after letting everything Grim said sink in my head.
“That, unfortunately, I cannot tell. All I can say is soon.”
“What becomes of Frederick?”
“Unless your ghostly lover is willing to give up his earthly binds and join you, he will disappear into nothingness.”
“Earthly binds?”
“His unresolved matters with his parents.”
“Then I guess I should better get started.”
I finished my drink and got up. I whistled for Frederick to appear before me and he was rather shocked to see Grim beside me. He hid behind me and shivered. I calmed him down and said, “Don’t worry, Freddy. You’re not going to go with him just yet. We’ve got unfinished business to attend to.”
“Where will you go next?” Grim asked.
“I think you can pretty much guess where,” I replied as I held Frederick’s hand.
“True,” Grim nodded, then flashed me a smile and said, “I’ll see you soon, aye?”
“Aye,” I replied as I made my way towards the exit. I was about to wave goodbye to him but he was no longer at his seat. Guess he had other souls to attend to.
Somehow, surprisingly, I feel a certain warmth in the depths of my heart after my heart-to-heart talk.
And honestly, I look forward to see him again.
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