Submerged

A Story by Janesy

13.4.2009

Life and death had a conversation. Life and death had a compromise.
Life and death, the grand ending and the hopeful start.

Death found a yellow post-it note stucked on his apartment door. "Wine at my place. Tonight? - Life"

Sure, why not, thought death. I have nothing but time.

Ring the door bell and knock the 3 impatient knocks. It is 7pm in the evening and the laughters have longed stopped. Just the way death likes it. Silent. Dark and gloomy.

The door creaks open. Life peeks out from behind. "Welcome in, death, make yourself comfortable. Don't be shy."

Red wine. Bitter and sweet. Awkward silence. Careful and discreet. What have we here? An atmosphere. Life and death animosity, the light of two sides of the story.

The pin drops. The silence rots. Life speaks.

Life: "what are you? why are you taking my people away from me?"
Death: "And what are you? To lay claim on all these people?"
Life: "I am life. I bring light into people's life."
Death: "I am death. I take them away."
Life: "You are being selfish."
Death: "Bullshit! You are! You give life unto others knowing that they will sooner or later experience death. You call that graciousness?"

Life remains speechless. Death's win is changeless.

Death: "I take them away from their business of misery. Life's uncertainties and pain, how is that being selfish? I am just one to help do the finish."

Life reached out for it's conscious. Bitterness.

Death: "Why live to die?"

Long pause.

Death: "why?"

Absence. Of. Faith.

Life: "Take me away."
Death: "No."

Death: "Wine at my place tomorrow, 7pm. I'll tell you why you deserve to live, life. My dear life..."

Life: "This sip of wine, I shall decline."

Knife to throat. A different note.