Temp Title #1344

I always would just, kinda sit here and stare at the ceiling. Then you came along, and gave me the best years of my life. I used to never think I would amount to anything, but now…now I feel like my life was perfect. Yet, even you ended up leaving. It was like I was being tested. You were my lover, my friend…you were just, perfect in every way. Now I write this one last note, after a lifelong career of being a writer. Wiping the tears away from my eyes, a few dripping onto the note, I carefully finish it, doing my best to not smudge the writing. Now, with nothing left inside, you happily with someone else…I bid this world, adieu. Placing it on the fireplace, I climb onto the step stool, wrapping the noose tightly around my throat. Looking at your picture, I smile, tears now flowing freely. Leaning forward, somewhat eager for the short drop that would end in a quick stop, I whisper one last time “Goodbye”.

I feel a splash of water, and something nudging my side, opening my eyes I see sunbeams glancing down, blinding me slightly. Didn’t I just… shading my eyes from the sun, hoping that they’ll adjust I hear a strange, almost melodic sound coming from near me. Struggling to sit up, rope no longer around my neck I look for the sound, not noticing the small animal in my sweater pocket, having burrowed its way in. I start to crawl towards the source, it seeming to draw me towards it.

“Ah hello, I see you are awake.” Is the first thing I hear as I enter the clearing where the sound was coming from “I came over here as to not wake you, mother always told me not to wake the dead.”

Blinking at her, more than just a little confused she smiles. “Ah, confused as to why you are technically still alive?” I nod, my throat suddenly closed, as if I hadn’t had a drink for weeks. “You killed yourself, correct?” Nodding again, she goes on. “Well, when you die in your world, several things can happen. You can go to heaven, or hell, or in your case, little one, you end up in another world. Given a second chance at a life you never finished.” Smiling softly she reaches out to me, taking hold of my hand, not even realizing I had ended up next to her as she explained things. “I, Erik, am Death, but you may call me Iris, if you ever need me, or feel that you must visit my realm again, you may contact me with this.” Placing a coin in my hand, closing my fingers around it she slowly fades away, the faint scent of something sweet being left behind.

“Over here Mum, I swear to the Emperor a body was in the river we use!” A soft voice cries out, followed by a slightly more ragged voice, which I can only assume, was the mother the first voice was yelling about. I quickly scramble into the bush, almost on instinct, still mulling over what Death, well, Iris, told me.

“Huh, I swear mum, there was a body…” Glancing through the leaves, I see two figures before me. One clearly a youth, I’d take a guess at maybe 16, 17 tops, the other seemed to be not much older than she is, but who knows, maybe they just aged better. As I go to settle in for what might end up being a long break, I hear a growl. Loud and fierce, as if it was right next to me, jumping up and dashing forward, startled I run head first into the duo.

Bowling the younger one over, I fall with her, ending up in a tangled mess. “Oof, get off me you oaf! I’ll have you strung up by your heels!” She yells, shoving me away. I crouch, ready to run, instinct taking over. Wait, instinct? I have never instinctively done anything… Taking a moment, I stand up, trying my best to play it off, but still unable to speak, looking around for what made the loud growl before. “Uh Mum…this is the body I spoke of…”

That caught my attention. Turning to glance at them, taking them all in I notice one is an elf, while the other is human. “Are you…alive?” The younger one asks, peering at me quizzically. “Can…can you… talk?”

I open my mouth, not sure what to say. “Um..sorry?” Wait, that’s my voice? It’s so smooth… Started, I reel back away from her. “Oops…sorry I guess it just has been a while.” With a sheepish smile I look at her. “And…who are you, may I ask?”

She just stares at me with a confused expression. Then as if understanding dawns on her she starts to laugh. “Oh I’m sorry, your accent just caught me so off guard. Your words sound so thick and clumsy, not from around here? Names Anne, so…mind telling me why you were sleeping like the dead in our river?” She steps closer to me, close enough to catch a whiff of her and my mind goes blank, and the sweet scent wafting off of her eliminating everything that tried to enter my mind. “Hello? Did I talk too fast?”

Shaking my head I look at the coin in my hand, having clutched it tighter until it dug into my skin. “Am I…even human?” I mutter under my breath, not realizing Anne said anything. Looking up, our eyes locking, my heart racing, "I...I have to go." I start to run, on and on I go, not looking back at Anne. All the while, I hear the cries around me, the pleading for help, the silence that follows deafening. "Why am I hearing these things!?" I cry out, and a soft laughter envelopes me. "Because you're a God. An unlucky one at that, being given the role of Death." Looking around I see a misty figure in the trees, having run deeper into the forest. "What happens now, what you choose, will dictate the course of not only your redemption,but the lives of billions. " the voice seeming to switch Willy nilly between male and female. "How shall our mighty Erik dictate our future?" Laughing with my ex-girlfriend's voice I freeze. "Maybe this time, Iris won't get your soul before me..."

Shaking my head, everything spinning, I collapse, bashing my head against something hard. What must have been hours later, I wake. Struggling to sit up, I look around, my eyes slowly adjusting. “Well, this isn’t a forest.” Snorting, I listen, faintly picking up sounds of people moving about, things being picked up and set down. Standing up slowly, leaning against the wall as my head spins. “I must get outta here…”

“Well, i wouldn’t be too rash Erik.” A familiar voice whispers in my ear. “There are plans for you set in motion already, and you’re not allowed to die as long as I hold onto you.” The feeling of teeth running down my ear, and a slight trickle of blood starts to flow. “These people will take care of you until your time comes. Accept it.”

Collapsing, knocking things over and people come rushing in. “Are you okay? Oh my, you’re bleeding!” Anne yells something in an unrecognizable language, and the older women comes into the room, carrying medical supplies. Everything still a daze, rushing and rolling over me, I close my eyes, and let myself sink back into the blackness.