Life and Death

Chapter 2: First Encounter

"Marah! Cover me!"

"I've got you Kalex!"

Kalex and Marah stand back to back, each holding a small handgun. They are surrounded. Everything looks hopeless. The enemies get closer, thirsty for blood. Then they stop and laugh.

"Come on guys! I know you're rookies, but you've gotta try harder." The oldest smiles as he disciplines the two younger ones.

"It won't happen again Commander." Kalex responds.

"No need to be so stiff. I like to have a good relationship with the recruits. I will say though, you two are like a well oiled machine. You work really well together."

"Thank you sir! We try sir!" Marah says excitedly.

Suddenly a thin private comes running in, "Sir! The camp is being attacked on the north side!"

"Crap! How many troops do we have available?"

"Fourteen, including you and me."

"Make it sixteen. We have Kalex and Marah."

"Yes sir I will gather the troops!"

Kalex and Marah follow Commander out and go to the north side. A few people are already there, struggling to keep the enemies at bay. The four grab their guns from the supply tent and rush to the front. Bullets come flying in narrowly missing the small group. Marah and Kalex hide behind an overturned barrel. They occasionally peak above and shoot out at the oncoming onslaught. Marah rolls out from behind and starts shooting rounds off her semi-automatic machine gun. A bullet slips past her wall of bullets and flies towards her chest. Without thinking, Kalex jumps in front of the bullet. Marah tries to protest, but he ignores her. Then, as the bullet is about to hit him, it stops. Smoke fills the space around him. When the smoke clears, he sees a tall African woman. Her short curly hair frames her small face.

"Well, was that really a good decision?" Her accent is very thick.

"I have to save her!" Kalex replies.

"What if it is her time?"

"I won't let it!"

"Well then..." She plucks the bullet from the air and flings it away.

"Did you just stop time?"

"Yeah."

"How and why?"

"How? Magic. Why? Well like you have to protect Marah, I have to protect you."

"Why?"

"I just told you!"

"No I mean why do you have to protect me?"

"Well when you were born, Life created me. She told me that my entire purpose was to stand off to the side and protect you."

"Why me?"

"Well Life created you special. She made you practically perfect, as a gift for Death, her lover."

"Okay... So why show yourself now?"

"Well in most cases, I could just do a little something that you wouldn't notice, but with this if I did a little something people would notice."

"I get it. Well what now?"

"I have to stay by your side. I've seen your future, people will want to steal you, and make sure Death never gets you."

"Well that sounds pretty great."

"No! Death is a person, and when Life makes things like you, she tells Death and if Death doesn't get the gift, he gets angry and makes bad things happen. That has never happened, but it might and that's why I have to stay by your side."