Death's Lullaby

Chapter 18

Death rolled the List back up and put it in his jacket. There, out of sight and out of mind. He sat on the end of his bed and clenched and unclenched his fist. The once familiar sound of leather was now foreign to him. He took off the gloves and threw them across the room in anger. Death stared at his hands. They were still pure black. He groaned and retrieved his gloves. He put them on and glared at his hands. Death never thought he would say it, but he hated his Powers now. Killing strangers on the job was never an issue for Death. The job was programmed into him, but now the names weren't strange and new. They were filled with memories and Death didn't know how he was going to kill them all. He wouldn't have an issue with killing a few names on the list, like Clayton and his friends, but he couldn't kill Dante, Adrian, Fred, Arabella, or Joe. There was just no way. Death laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He knew he didn't belong on Earth. He was a stranger. A tapping sound caught Death's attention. He shifted his head and looked at the window. He saw two figures standing at his window. He cocked his head in confusion and walked to the window. Death opened it and the two figures slipped in. He spun around and now saw it was Love and Life. Both of them were staring at him with different facial expressions. Love had a look of sadness while Life had a smug face that barely had any emotion.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked them.

"Wishing we weren't here. I can't believe you took the List! I told you it was foolish but do you listen to me? No!" Life yelled.

"I can back out if I want to"

"Death, your Powers already came back. You can't take back the decision you made," Love said softly.

"Sure I can. I'm Death. The List listens to me, and if I don't finish it then they don't die. Simple,"

Love and Life looked at one another and then turned their attention back to Death.

"Death, if you don't kill them you won't get your throne back," Life stated.

"Well maybe I don't want my throne back. Maybe I want to stay here,"

"And do what? Watch the people you care for die? Death, think about this. You don't belong on Earth," Love stated.

"I can't do it okay! There, I said it. I can't kill them. These people are my friends, my family. You guys can't really expect me to do this?" Death cried.

"Death-," Love said.

"No! I won't do it! Don't you dare try to talk me into it!"

"I told you he's changed," Life whispered to Love. Death directed his attention to Life.

So what if I've changed,"

Life looked down on his watch and then looked back up at Death.

"We have to go. Just try not to work yourself up anymore than you already have. If you can't do the List fine, but remember if you don't then there will be consequences Death," Life stated. Death snorted and turned away from the two Powers. Life and Love went to leave but Love was slower than Life.

"Death, I'm sorry about all you've been put through. I wish I would've stopped you that night you went down to Earth,"

"Like you could've,"

"I hope you come back Death,"

Love crossed the room and placed a kiss on Death's cheek. She backed away from him and climbed out the window. Death wiped off Love's kiss and shut his window. He glanced back at his jacket and then turned away from it. No, he wouldn't look at it again. He didn't need to though. The List was drilled into his head. Death laid on his bed and closed his eyes.