Tisis

Stars (S)

So this is it, huh?
This is how I'm going to die...

I continue to fight against the drowsiness, to drive the tip of my broken spear deeper into the soil in front of me, clinging to the silly hope that the next thrust will make it through.

But no matter how much I punch, no matter how much earth crumbles my way, there's always more earth taking its place.

Nym has already collapsed next to me, sleeping peacefully and waiting for Death to come find us down here.

I thrust my spear into the hard soil, my fingers no more than a bloody mess at this point, all feeling long since gone, but nothing.

No ray of sunshine, no draft of fresh air...

I look down at the sleeping Nym and shake my head, dropping the bone I had used for digging.

I'm spent...completely spent...I...can't even raise my arms any more.

All the battles, all the terrors, all the things we did...and for what?
Only to die in here...in a metal coffin...I guess this was my fate from the get go...to die in a coffin made of metal.

I slide back into the cockpit, every breath more difficult than the one before.

Sleep sounds really good right now...my eyes are so heavy...

I weakly pull at Nym, see if there's any movement, but nothing...her skin is cold and smooth, just like it's always been.

Shouldn't have told her that I loved her...that jinxed it, I'm sure.
Ev'rything was...fine...before...

I shake my head again, desperate to keep awake just a little longer.

"If...we're going to die...at least...we'll die...together...right?" I wheeze.

And with that, I pull Nym over to me, to rest on my lap, just like that day when Rose so rudely interrupted us...more or less at least.

I put my hand on her hair and rest my head against the back rest and close my eyes.

A story I heard way back pops into my head...about a man, who went to the market, where he got bumped into...and when he turned around, he saw that it was Death who had jostled him.

Frightened, that Death had come for him, the man returned to his home, where he begged his master to be let go...he needed to go far away, where Death would not find him...I...I think the master borrowed him a horse, so he would make it to the distant town before nightfall...surely he would be safe there.

But as it so happened, a heavy rain fell that day...the horse, which was going way too fast for the weather, slipped and the man fell to the ground, crippled and unable to get up again, while the horse got back up and ran away.

And as he laid there, he saw that someone walked up to him...he sought to call for help, but his voice failed him...as he saw who it was who had come for him.

As he then looked Death into the eye, he croaked, "Why...did you jostle me back in town?"
And Death would reply, "My apologies, I was there for someone else...but can you imagine my surprise of seeing you there...even though I knew exactly, that I would come for you right here and now?"

Funny how the brain works...I had all but forgotten that story...but I guess it's true...Death comes equally to all...and there's no escaping once you're on his list...try as you might.

Before my mind's eye, my life starts playing back in fast-forward...seriously how cliche can you get?

My mom once told me, that if you can look back on your life at any given time and honestly tell yourself, that you regret nothing, then you'll have lived a good life.