Stories For A Rainy Day

"Are You Happy?"

A young blonde child in a pale pink dress awoke in the darkness afraid and unsure of where she was. The last thing she remembered was lying in a hospital bed, old and nearing the end of her days and falling asleep with her family surrounding her. The young child whimpered and held a bear tightly in her arms, tears slipping freely down her cheeks from her jade green eyes. She held the bear tighter and shivered from a cold breeze that seemingly came from nowhere, jumping slightly when she felt a skeletal hand wipe away her tears. She looked up and immediately realized where she was. The realm between worlds. She looked up at the male before her then lowered her gaze to the outstretched hand. "There's no need for tears Emily, I promise you're safe now," the male said, his voice soothing and calm instead of the grating pained sound she had always been told that he would have. The child took the offer and stood, looking up at Death himself and held his hand lightly as they began their journey through the foggy moonlit night. 

After a bit of silence, the child stopped and looked up at Death. "Can I ask you a question?" she asked shyly.

Death stopped and sighed in slight irritation turning his hollow gaze towards the child. "Of course you can, but before you do, if it's going to be the usual 'what comes after' I can't answer that. I'm not allowed to pass through the light."

Emily shook her head no and lowered her gaze. "No, I want to ask something else. Are you happy?"

The reaper looked at her in shock then averted his gaze, shaking his head no as he led her further down the path. "No, I'm not."

"Were you ever happy?"

"At one time, yes I was," came the simple reply.

The child frowned and sat on a near by bench, patting the place beside her. "Sit and talk with me. Tell me why you're not happy. You have time, right?"

Death watched the child for a moment before taking a seat beside her with a faint sigh, setting his scythe to the side and fixed the tattered robes as the fog rolled in and danced along their feet, a slight smile touching the remains of his lips as he watched the child's feet sway back and forth, being too small to touch the ground. "I had been happy at one point, my dear, but it was all taken from me."

The girl tipped her head and looked up at the reaper, watching as his features changed, tendons and muscle then pale white flesh covering the bones of his face and neck, the hollow empty sockets replaced with lavender eyes, and watched as he pushed the hood of his midnight black robes back which allowed his waist length raven hair to fall free. "Is this what you really look like?" she asked as she moved closer to the male.

The reaper nodded and turned his pale gaze towards the child with a light smile. "Yeah it is," he replied. "To answer your question, I knew what love was at an early age but I had it ripped from me not long after I found its meaning," he looked away so the child wouldn't see the pain that crossed his features. "After I lost that, my family was taken from me."

Emily frowned and looked down at the fog. "So you're all alone?"

"Not exactly. I have my children and other family, but I don't have my husband anymore."

"That's so sad... I couldn't imagine what it's like to go through that," the child sighed and rubbed her bear's ear. "Tell me about them? Your family and your love. If you don't mind and if we have time."

"We have time if you truly want to hear darling. We have all the time in this world and the next." 

"Do you have a real name?"

The reaper nodded keeping his gaze averted. "Yes, it's Jay."

The girl smiled and offered him a hand. "It's nice to meet you."

The male chuckled softly and gently shook the child's hand. "It's nice to meet you too, dear Emily."

The child's eyes widened in curiosity and surprise. "You know my name? You meet so many people I didn't think someone like me would matter."

Jay smiled and turned to face the young girl, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Sweetheart, I may meet many people but everyone is important enough to know. It's my job to know how everyone is and how their lives were," he replied almost sure she had forgotten her original question and jumped slightly when he felt her hand brush against his when she moved. He looked down with a confused look as he picked up the tattered teddy bear with a missing eye and looked over at the child.

Emily smiled as she met the raven's gaze. "That way you won't be alone anymore. Teddy always loved making new friends and where I'm going I won't need him anymore. I want you to take care of him for me."

"Sweetheart, I can't do that. He's yours."

"Please?" she said softly giving the male a pleading look. "I don't want you to be alone anymore. Everyone needs a friend."

Jay sighed softly and looked down at the bear with a light smile before looking back over at the child. "Alright, I won't argue with you."

Emily smiled happily and hugged the male tightly before sitting back in her spot. "So, you were supposed to tell me about your family."

The raven flinched slightly and looked down with a sad smile. "My family was amazing. My mom and dad were so sweet. Where you're going you may actually see them," he replied as he looked up at the never fading full moon. "We had a lot of fun together whether I was working in the garden with my mom or in the kitchen or I was training with my dad, even playing in the field with my friend and my brother."

The child smiled softly as he continued to listen to his story of when he was growing up. From when he moved to meeting who would become his boyfriend, to losing the male and then the rest of his family and how things had changed over the years. Her smile faded as she reached up and wiped his tears away. "Don't cry, it's gonna be okay. When you get sad just hug Mister Teddy extra tight and you'll feel better. I used to do that all the time when I was sad or afraid."

Jay smiled softly and leaned into the child's touch before shifting back to his skeletal form and stood pulling the hood back up. He picked up his scythe and tucked the bear under his arm, offering his free hand to the child. "Come now Emily, we have to go."

Emily stood and took the male's hand staying close to his side as he led her closer to the light at the end of the moonlit path, only to stop once more when they reached the edge. She turned her green gaze up towards Death and hugged him tightly before stepping back with a smile. 

The male nodded as he leaned down and hugged the girl gently. "Thank you for listening to me, my dear. It's been a long time since I've had the pleasure of talking to someone."

Emily returned the hug and nodded then looked at the light.

"Are you afraid?"

The girl smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm not," she replied as she looked up at the male once more. "You'll be happy again one day," she said as she stepped over the threshold. As she stepped into the light, her features changed quickly, progressing her age through her teens then adult years until she reached the age in which she had passed on. "I promise," she smiled and waved to the reaper before fading into the light, leaving Death to make his journey back alone.

Death smiled and felt a tear slip down his cheek as the light vanished. He looked back down at the bear in his hands and held it close as he made his way back home.