The stories of Life and Death have remained throughout history, all the way back to the beginning of time. Over that time, they have seen monsters, witches, children, foxes, and so much more.
The End of the World.
Death stared at the small dot in the horizon. Rain poured down heavily around him, dousing the girl that sat beside him. Death didn’t get wet.
The girl stared up at Death, fear in her eyes. “Death?”
“Yes?”
She looked down. “Why did I have to die?”
Death let out a sigh. The same question. Every time Death came to collect a soul, they asked Why did I have to die?
“Because it was simply your time.”
“But there is so many more thing to do. So many things to see. Why can’t I live to do those things?”
Death still stared at the horizon. “I can explain it to you, I still have time before more join you. Time passes slow here.” Death was tired, but despite his exhaustion he began to try and explain it to the young soul.
A girl lived in a village. She laughed with friends, ran with her sisters, stood alongside her parents. She played with the children in the village, sang with the women, was protected by the men. One day, she was walking in the village when an old woman pricked herself with a needle. The woman saw the girl and screamed out, “Witch!” The girl looked around, terrified of the supposed witch. It was only when a man grabbed her arm in a harsh grip did, she realize that the old woman was talking about her. The village launched into an outrage, terrified of the girl who used dark magic to make the old woman prick herself. The girl tried to protest, she screamed that she wasn’t a witch, but it was too late. Death arrived at the village, and he watched as the girl was tied to a log. He watched as the villagers threw her into the water. He stepped forward, waiting for the girl to drown. She did.
Her soul rose from the water and stared in horror at the villagers cheering on her death. She reached out. To the village children, who she had played with. They didn’t see her. She reached for the women she had once sang with. They didn’t morn her. The men who had once protected her celebrated her death. Finally, she saw Death.
The soul Death sat with frowned. “Why did she have to die?”
“You’re asking the wrong question, young one. The real question is, why did she die.”
“Because the old woman called her a witch.”
Death gesture for the girl to continue.
“Because the woman was unwilling to admit she herself made the mistake. Because of the woman’s pride.”
“Human pride. That is why the girl died. Because the old woman was unwilling to admit that her hand had slipped.”
The soul frowned, “Still doesn’t answer my question, why do people die?”
Death smiled. “Do you wonder why the sun shines, or why you can think? These things just are.”
“But death doesn’t need to come.”
“Trust me, young one. It does.”
A prince ruled over a kingdom. His father had stepped down and now the prince was king. He ruled the kingdom with kindness, and he ruled it justly.
The new king, unbeknownst to him, was a part of a bargain made by Life and Death. Death claimed that the boy would rule with kindness forever, Life claimed that the boy would be tear apart his own people.
So, not for the first time, mind you, Death and Life granted a man immortality. The King could never die. He lived life to the fullest, much to Death’s joy. He married a young woman and together they had 3 sons and 3 daughters. The man still did not die.
The man looked at the world, and he realized that he could have it all. War waged across the land, killing thousands and injuring more. The king killed his population and when finally, the wars stop the world was a barren wasteland. The people tried to dethrone the king, but how do you convince a man who was so overcome by greed to step down. They couldn’t kill him, and dozens died a day.
The population was gone. The king was the only one left.
Death had lost the bargain. And so, he came for the king. And the man came screaming and kicking.
The girl grimaced, “Why didn’t you end the people’s suffering?”
“So, you think the man needed to die?”
“Of old age. I’m fifteen.”
“People have to die.”
“No, they don’t.”
“Yes. They do. Somethings are just there.”
The soul scowled, “I don’t think you believe that people should die.”
“Somethings can’t be stood by men.”
Death came to collect a soul. The young man looked around and let out a strangled cry of fear when he saw Death. The young man’s body hung next to them.
Death reached out a hand, “Let’s go from here.”
“Are you God?”
“I’m a god.”
“Am I dead?”
“Yes.”
The boy nodded.
“You sought me out. Why?”
The boy paused. “I just couldn’t take being alone anymore. I was just in so much pain. The pandemic just took my life away.”
“What about your brothers, your sister? Your best friend? What about them?”
“They didn’t care about me, I was alone.”
Death nodded and gesture to the horizon. “Go, then, and be healed young one.”
The girl shook her head, “I don’t care about your stories, you haven’t answered my question.”
“Life, ends, Death is simply the next chapter.”
The girl shook her head, “That’s not how that works.”