Death's Lullaby

Chapter 8

It was precisely six thirty in morning when Joe woke Death up for school. He groaned and buried his face in the pillow more.

"Come on Cain. It's time to wake up. You need to take a shower before you go to school," Joe stated. Death groaned even more at the mention of that.

"I took one last night," Death muttered.

"Oh yea. Never mind about the shower then. You do need to wake up though. Breakfast is in the kitchen," Joe replied. Death heard him walking out of the room. He looked up from his pillow and looked around. Wolfie was still sleeping on the bed. He put his face back to the pillow and fell back asleep. Cold water made him jolt out of bed and shriek. Joe was holding a empty bucket in his hand.

"I knew you weren't going to wake up. I had to do this to my son almost every morning when he was in school," Joe said. Death looked down at himself. His clothes were sopping wet, and he was cold.

"Get dressed and come to the kitchen when you're done," Joe exited the room, bucket in hand. Wolfie was looking at Death curiously.

"You could've warned me he was coming back," Death hissed at the dog. Wolfie simply wagged his tail when Death talked to him. Death sighed and pinched his nose. He walked over to the dresser and looked through what clothes were in there. He decided to wear plain blue jeans, a light blue shirt, and a gray hoodie. Death slipped on a pair of black boots and then headed out to the kitchen. Joe was already seated at the table eating his breakfast with two of the three dogs begging for his food.

"Bacon and eggs this morning Cain. If you don't want some of it the dogs will take it," Joe laughed. Death grabbed the plate that had his food on it and joined Joe at the table. The two ate and watched the news that was playing on the small television in the living room.

"Before I forget, I found this with some leftover school supplies in the back closet. Figured you could use it for school," Joe said grabbing a backpack that was seated on the couch.

"Thanks," Death said. He finished his breakfast and gave Wolfie his plate to lick the crumbs off of. Wolfie licked his chops and stepped back from the plate. Death picked it up and put it in the sink.

"Ready to go Cain?" Joe asked him from the threshold leading outside. Death nodded his head. He grabbed the backpack and put it on his shoulders. The two walked out to Joe's small truck. They climbed inside and headed off to the high school that was in town. Joe turned on the radio and it was blaring country music.

"You can change the station if you want. Just move the dial until you find a song you like," Joe stated. Death looked at the dial Joe had pointed to. Hesitantly, Death turned it and the stations whizzed past. Death turned it slower in an attempt to find a good song. He finally stopped when he found a good song. He read the information from the small screen on the truck. The screen said that the song was called Death of a Bachelor by Panic at the Disco. Death smiled upon seeing his name on the screen. He leaned back and listened to the song playing from the speakers.

The drive to the school was actually very short. It only took them ten minutes to get to the school. Death looked out the window and the tan building.

"Indy Ville High School. Home of the Indians," Joe said. They parked the truck near the front of the school. Death suddenly became very nervous when they started walking to the school. Joe must've noticed he was nervous. The old man put a hand on his shoulder. Death looked at him.

"Don't be nervous. I'm sure you'll be fine," Joe smiled. Death attempted a smile back but it didn't really work. His facial muscles wouldn't respond back so his smile looked like a toothy frown. Joe just laughed though. The two walked into the office and went to a desk that concealed a woman sitting behind it tapping away.