Skip to main content

My Name is Death


I am tall and slim. I am pale and I am quiet. I have a stooped posture and abnormally long fingers. My name is death.

Many of you do not like me. I have taken many people from you. Loved ones, friends, family. Elderly relatives, young children. Pets, acquaintances. I do not discriminate – I merely do my job.

Many of you do not like me precisely because of the job that I must do, but you do not understand that it must be done. You do not understand what happens if it is not done.

If I do not do my job, people suffer much, much more than is necessary. They sit and they rot – they decompose, alive yet not living. They sit in the armchairs of their retirement homes, slowly wasting away. The babies lie in their cradles, the light gone from their eyes, their souls decaying. The decay of a soul is much, much worse than the death of one.

This is why I must do the job that I do.

This is why I slink around, usually at night but sometimes in the daytime, watching and waiting until it is time. When I decide that it is someone’s time, as deciding is part of my job, I wait until the person is alone. Until the dog is playing in the backyard; until the nurse leaves their patient and checks into the nursing station; until the baby is left alone and unguarded in its crib, babbling softly. Then I creep up to them, the ones whose time, I have decided, has arrived. And I do my job.

I do my job, because I have to do my job. Because it is necessary. After, I slink away, into the shadows, out the door, back into hiding, before the blood of my victims is spotted, before my deed is noticed, before the screams of the friends and families can be heard, or the wailing of the police siren audible.

I do not like the names that they give me in the paper. The names that they give me are wrong. I have but one name.

My name is death.


---
by reddit user fingersforhooves via source: reddit.com/r/ShortScaryStories

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Wish Come True (A Short Story)

I woke up with a start when I found myself in a very unfamiliar place. The bed I was lying on was grand—an English-quilting blanket and 2 soft pillows with flowery laces. The whole place was fit for a king! Suddenly the door opened and there stood my dream prince: Katsuya Kimura! I gasped in astonishment for he was actually a cartoon character. I did not know that he really exist. “Wake up, dear,” he said and pulled off the blanket and handed it to a woman who looked like the maid. “You will be late for work.” “Work?” I asked. “Yes! Work! Have you forgotten your own comic workhouse, baby dear?” Comic workhouse?! I…I have became a cartoonist? That was my wildest dreams! Being a cartoonist! I undressed and changed into my beige T-shirt and black trousers at once and hurriedly finished my breakfast. Katsuya drove me to the workhouse. My, my, was it big! I’ve never seen a bigger place than this! Katsuya kissed me and said, “See you at four, OK, baby?” I blushed scarlet. I always wan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hans and Hilda

Once upon a time there was an old miller who had two children who were twins. The boy-twin was named Hans, and he was very greedy. The girl-twin was named Hilda, and she was very lazy. Hans and Hilda had no mother, because she died whilst giving birth to their third sibling, named Engel, who had been sent away to live wtih the gypsies. Hans and Hilda were never allowed out of the mill, even when the miller went away to the market. One day, Hans was especially greedy and Hilda was especially lazy, and the old miller wept with anger as he locked them in the cellar, to teach them to be good. "Let us try to escape and live with the gypsies," said Hans, and Hilda agreed. While they were looking for a way out, a Big Brown Rat came out from behind the log pile. "I will help you escape and show you the way to the gypsies' campl," said the Big Brown Rat, "if you bring me all your father's grain." So Hans and Hilda waited until their father let them out, ...
2 comments
Read more

I've Learned...

Written by Andy Rooney, a man who had the gift of saying so much with so few words. Rooney used to be on 60 Minutes TV show. I've learned.... That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person. I've learned.... That when you're in love, it shows. I've learned .... That just one person saying to me, 'You've made my day!' makes my day. I've learned.... That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world. I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right. I've learned.... That you should never say no to a gift from a child. I've learned.... That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in any other way. I've learned.... That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with. I've learned.... That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand. I...
Post a Comment
Read more