Of Life and Death

six

Two weeks later all my stuff is packed and I've found a new house. The Council set up a bank account for me so I'd never have to work. I enjoy having something to do so I usually work but I dipped into​ the account to buy the new house.

I'm leaving all the furniture and such. I'm only taking my clothes, books, and other personal things. I rent a car and shove all the boxes in best I can. I get in the driver's seat and start the long drive to Texas.

I make two stops at a motel to sleep. I get there and drive around the unfamiliar streets looking for the house. When I find it, it's beside a house with two little kids playing in the front yard. I get out and stretch. The kids' mom waves at me from the porch.

" Are you the one who bought the house?" She asks while getting up." Yes." I reply. She comes over to me and shakes my hand." Nice to meet ya. I'm your neighbor, Nicole."

" Hi, I'm Gwen." I introduce myself." It was nice meeting you Gwen. Let me know if you need any help." She says and goes back to her kids. I go to the door and open it. I look through the house before getting the boxes from my car.

I bring them to the master bedroom and sit. The house is unfurnished so I don't even have a bed. I've done this before though so I don't care. I go back out to the car after locking the door. I head to the nearest furniture store. I only get there because of GPS.

I get the necessities and go back to my house. Everything is set to be delivered. I go into my room and start unpacking my clothes.

A month later my house is mostly furnished and I'm settled in. I still don't have a job but I'm using the money from the Council. My neighbors are nice but I don't know how long I can stay here with the fear I'll have to reap one of them.

I grab my book and head out onto my porch. I bought a rocking chair so I could sit out there and relax. Nicole's kids are playing tag in her front yard.

I put on some sunglasses and check my list before I start reading. I start down the list as I begin my book. I'm still out there a few hours later when the sun starts going down. I reluctantly close my book and head back inside.

I go into the kitchen to get a drink. Life is leaning against my counter.

" What are you doing here?" I ask tiredly." Just checking to see if you were getting tired of the emotions." He shrugs." No but I'm tired of you." I complain." Oh you don't mean that." He says.

" Seriously, what are you doing here?" I ask again. Life looks at me." You are just the complete opposite of every reaper before you. You want to suffer. You want to feel. And you're not as stupid." He says.

" Thanks?" I say uncertainly." I'm here because I happen to get lonely. And I'm not as brave or into suffering as you." He admits." You get lonely and you thought I would be your friend?" I ask in disbelief.

" I know it's stupid." He agrees." Life, we might not have to be enemies, but we can't be friends. I can't be friends with someone who makes me a murderer." I tell him. He looks down.

" I know. It's just been thousands of years since I had a friend. The other reapers never even spoke to me." He says. I instantly feel bad for him, which I know was his goal." No, don't you try to play those tricks on me. It won't work." I declare.

He grins." It was worth a shot." I can't help but smile too. The smile on his face gets bigger." I've never seen you smile before." He says. I shrug." Anyway I guess I should go. And I really am sorry that this job is so hard on you." He apologizes and turns to go.

I try my hardest but I can't stop myself from calling," wait." He turns around with a hopeful look in his eyes." Stay and let me cook dinner. I bet it's also been thousands of years since you've had food."

" You'd be right." He agrees." But really I should go. You don't want me here." He insists." Sit." I order. He sits in a stool at the counter. I start getting ingredients together for dinner.

An hour later the food is ready and Life and I are awkwardly sitting across from each other. He looks at his plate like it's going to bite him." Don't be a baby. Eat." I tell him.

He glares at me but doesn't eat until I take a bite. He awkwardly stabs a piece of steamed broccoli with his fork and eats it. I can't help but laugh." What?" He demands angrily.

" You look like a newborn calf trying to walk. All awkward and failing." I snicker." Shut up!" He complains." You'd be bad at this too if you hadn't eaten in four thousand years." He defends.

" Your right, I'm sorry." I apologize while choking back laughter. The rest of the meal is silent and filled with his strange eating style. By the end of the night he seems to be a different person.

I start taking plates to the sink and rinsing them." I should go now. But thank you for the best meal I've had in thousands of years." He tells me." It's the only meal you've had in thousands of years." I point out." Well it sounded nicer if you ignored that little fact." He argues back.

" I guess so." I agree. When I turn around he's gone. I put the dishes in the dishwasher and try to ignore the twinge of sadness at his departure. After I'm done I head up to my room to watch TV. For the rest of the night I can't get him out of my head. Maybe he's​ more human than I thought.