When Death Knocks on my Door

Cain is Death

Chapter 3: Cain is Death

"I'm sorry, what?" Kendell asked, standing abruptly.

"You're here to take my soul?" She asked, narrowing her eyes in disbelief. Cain did not look at her directly but instead into the distance. His face stretched into an elvish grin.

"Yes, that's correct." He replied.

"No, that's not correct. Obviously you are crazy and there is something wrong up there." Kendell turned away from the man and began to walk towards the kicthen which was a few paces away from the sitting area.

"I assure you, that I'm not crazy." Cain insisted casting an amused look at Kendell who was now reaching for the cordless phone on the kitchen counter.

"You are crazy. But that's O.K. I'm calling for help. So just stay here." Kendell said the last words slowly accentuating each syllable so as to make sure the man understood. He scoffed at her then stood slowly, almost lazily.

"Put the phone down." He said as if her actions were unnecessary. Kendell shook her head.

"It's ok sir, I'll get you help. Don't worry." She assured. Cain was growing impatient. The girl was too stubborn and would not hear him out. It wasn't this difficult before. Usually his victims would listen and then answer fearfully after he explained. Then they would beg, beg for one more day, one more chance. But not this girl, she was different. She was adamant. Cain always enjoyed challenges and he even remembered once one of his victims tried to run, but to no avail. Besides, you can never run from death. Cain sighed, he would have to show her.

"Kendell, please turn the phone off." He almost warned. She put a finger up as if to stop him.

"Yes, this is Kendell Reeves, number 1682-"

"Kendell." Cain tried but she continued her conversation. He shook his head and took a step forward.

There was a sudden, ice cold draft. So cold in fact, that Kendell dropped the phone, her teeth chattering. The phone fell to the marble floor with a clatter as the back broke away, taking the battery of the phone with it. Kendell looked up to see an empty room before her. Cain was nowhere in sight. She looked around in disbelief. He was gone.

One second she was talking on the phone to the operator and the next second he had disappeared. Kendell blinked, once, twice. And where had that draft come from? It was far too warm outside and none of her windows were opened.  She walked over carefully to where Cain had been standing seconds before. He couldn't have gone into her room, she would've seen him. She grabbed at the air and then scolded herself for doing such an inane action. Of course he wasn't invisible, that would be berserk. Then where could he have gone? It wasn't humanly possible for someone to disappear into thin air like he had. Maybe she was crazy herself. Maybe it was all a dream. Yes, that had to be the most reasonable explanation. It was a dream, none of this was real. He wasn't real.

Kendell pinched herself hard and then regretted the decision. She was still there, standing in the middle of the room, dumbfounded in her pyjamas and Cain was still gone. Kendell looked to her arm where a small, angry, red patch was forming in place of where she'd pinched herself. That was going to leave a bruise.

Kendell  suddenly became  tired. She was again aware of the fact that it was still very early indeed, the sunlight just flooding into the room weakly. And judging by what had just happened, the morning made her a little senile. She shook her head. She had imagined the whole thing. Kendell sighed. She decided that sleep was the answer to her problems. She would worry about her mental health later. Kendell turned back to the kitchen and nearly screamed in alarm.

There he was, sitting atop her counter, grinning that stupid grin. He held something in his hand and Kendell recognized it to be her cordless phone, the one she had dropped moments ago.

"What-how did you-" Kendell stammered.

" I told you to hang up the phone." He told her. He slid off the counter and walked towards her. Kendell shuffled backwards until her foot met the solid back of the sofa behind her. She stopped, but he didnt. He advanced on her, twirling the phone in his hand. When he had finally closed the space between them, he leaned forward, placing his hands past either sides of Kendell's body and onto the top of the sofa. His nose was an inch away from hers, his blue eyes bored into her green ones.

"You didn't listen to me." Kendell swallowed a look of fear and bemusement distorting her features. She tried to hide it, her expressions faltering.

"Who are you?" She whispered.

"I already told you who I am. I'm Cain, and I need your soul." Something flashed in Kendell's eyes, maybe anger.

"Well, I'm not giving it to you." She said. Suddenly, Cain's jaw was met with a sharp, stinging pain. He staggered backwards and held the side of his face. He looked up to see Kendell, in a fight stance both of her hands raised, balled into tight fists. She had punched him. He stretched his jaw, making sure it wasn't displaced before turning to her, yet again.

"Come that close to me again, and I'll do much more than a right hook." She threatened. Cain wanted to laugh, she was funny. But he didn't, for he knew it would provoke her.

"Look, I told you why I'm here and who I am. Now will you just consider what I'm asking?" He said casually. She stared at him with utter disbelief.

"You're asking for my soul, which basically means you want to KILL me." Kendell replied exasperated.

"Oh no, I don't want to kill you. I just want you to die. They're two very different things." Cain said in all seriousness. Kendell's hands dropped to her side.

"Are you kidding me?" She yelled. Cain shook his head. Kendell put her index and thumb finger to the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I can't GIVE you my soul. I don't want to give you my soul. Whatever you are." She finished. Cain straightened himself.

"I am death." He said simply. At this, Kendell opened her eyes.

"Of course you are." She swallowed.

"Is that why you could disappear and fix things really quickly and stuff?" Her voice had gotten shaky. Cain nodded.

"And stuff." He repeated. Kendell drew a sharp intake of breath and began to rock forward and backward on the balls of her feet. She was thinking.

"So, you're death." She said, biting her lip. Cain didn't answer, he was tired of repeating himself.

"You want to take my soul, but you can't have it unless I die or give it to you." She said more to herself than to him. She looked at him suddenly, her face lit up.

"Then I won't give it to you." She told him. Cain frowned.

"Now let's not make life harder." He said.

"What do you mean 'make life harder'? If I give you my soul, I'll have no life!" Kendell pointed out.

"This is true." Cain agreed. So they stood there, the two of them, each in their own predicament. The silence grew longer as they both thought. Cain was worried, he needed her life to end soon and fast. But in order for him to acquire her soul, she had to agree, she had to fear him.

Kendell thought about the absurdity of the situation she was in. If she told anybody of this they would surely refer her to a doctor. She would just have to let him be for now and find a way to shake him off soon.

"So, what are you going to do now? Looks I'm going to be here for a while." His voiced trailed off. Kendell looked around the room, as if it would hold an answer for her. Her eyes scanned the foyer table, where it stopped on her keys. Next to her keys was an I.D. Her work I.D. Kendell glanced at the large clock above the foyer table and a sudden, sly smile broke accross her face.

"I'm going to work."