Death's Apprentice | Tristan's Tale

II

Tristan landed on the ground with a thud. He looked down at himself to find his clothes had changed. He looked at Death and saw he looked different too.

Both figures wore strange clothing. There was a tie, jacket, and shiny shoes. Death wore a hat and his usual glasses. Death dusted himself off and began to grab their belongings. Tristan stood and grabbed his belongings.

The air was chilly and blew in their faces. Tristan felt his nose and ears grow cold. He had never felt severe cold like this before. Death led the way up a path. Around them was a grassy plain and a single dirt road leading them to an unknown destination.

The walk on the road lasted for a while. There was no sun in sight, the sky contained nothing but clouds. Tristan couldn't tell what time of day it was. They had reached a small hill and walked to the top. Tristan walked behind Death. A small town came into focus below them.

Death handed his apprentice their luggage as they entered the town. Tristan found it eerily quiet. They approached a building with a sign reading Hotel out front. Death was greeted warmly by a few people. A few men shook his hand saying how they had been waiting for his arrival. Tristan was still confused by all this.

A woman led them to the back of the old hotel. She turned to the outsiders saying they could set up their office here and she had rooms upstairs ready for them. She left the room quietly.

Death sighed and looked around the room. He adjusted his glasses and asked Tristan to take a seat. Tristan followed. He noted the smell of dust and the peeling wallpaper on the walls.

"I brought us here because we have work to do. You have work to do. This will be our office where we will see patients in this town. I told them we were coming. They haven't had a doctor here for a few months. They come and go frequently," Death explained.

Tristan nodded.

"Tomorrow, we are going to make a house call for a family. They have a sick daughter, and it will be our job to care for her."

"What does this have to do with my apprenticeship?" Tristan asked finally. He thought had been in his mind for a while.

"This experience will help you learn more about what it is I do. You see, I don't always come to the world in this form, but it is crucial you know what it is like so you can do the job," Death paused, "Since you are still my apprentice in this world, I will allow you to take charge in her case, but there are some rules I should explain first."

Tristan's attention was piqued. Death's face became serious.

"You must not tell anyone who you are or where you come from. You must assume your false identity. People will either become fearful or they will laugh at you if you tell them to truth. There are no attachments to be made in this world. Death makes no attachments because Death cannot be a mortal. You must do as I tell you in this world. This isn't like the afterlife. To complete this part of your apprenticeship you must do as I say."

Tristan nodded, a little fearful now. Death sat down in a chair behind the desk. Tristan wanted to ask more questions but decided against it. The two sat in silence instead.