Not Me Anymore

Reason

"Gwen Hartley" I call out. A small girl turning to looks at me.

"Who are you?" she asks and I flip through my note pad.

"You're on the list Death gave to me" I say looking down at her name and picture. "Slated to die in a few minutes" I state reading off the paper.

"To die?" she asks and I nod.

"I don't really understand but he sent me out here to study your reaction, so I could learn how to be alive" I explain and she smiles.

"I'm sure you'll be a great human" she calls out before turning and running off to play, not understanding what it was I just told her. I stand there my hands falling to my sides. Humans are frail, but live life to the fullest.

The sound car brakes squealing breaks my train of thought. I look up to a crosswalk my eyes landing on that of a puddle of blood, I look at my hand and then back at the scene that has befallen me. Life is so cruel though, and humans must put up with her. I walk up to the vehicle the man outside to shocked to fully realize what just happened. He killed a small innocent girl, with so much ease, her bloody figure sprawled out on the ground.

"There was nothing you could do, Jasper" a voice calls out, and a hand landing on my shoulder.

"Hazarmaveth, I could've stopped what was going to happen" I say facing to look at him "I could've saved her" I look into the eyes of the small child, lifeless and cold.

"Even if you did she'd dye later on anyway" he explains and I nod. The man who had been driving already called for an ambulance, and was now checking the child for life signs.

"Why hasn't he noticed us?" I ask and Death shakes his head.

"We are only seen by those who we want to be scene by" I turn away from the crash sight Hazarmaveth following behind me, studying my reaction to all of this. I am his greatest creation, a being who is neither dead nor alive. I am almost on par with even him.

"Erin" my mother calls out my eyes wide tears running down my cheeks.

"I could do nothing?" I ask my voice barely audible. My mother dabs my forehead with a wet cloth. It's been a week since Maveth has last visited, and to be honest it all just feels like a long and life like delusion. Aside from my sickness it's almost as if none of it never happened.

"Erin , how do you feel now?" she asks and I give her a weak smile.

"Mom, I'm sorry" I say reaching my hand out for her "you yourself only have a few more years" I say cursing myself deep down.

"A few years?" she asks gripping my hand "for what?" I close my eyes thinking of what to say next.

"Go on that trip you've always wanted to go on, I'll be waiting for you to co--" I start but I can feel time grind to a halt my mother vanishing. He's back. I sit up slowly gripping my chest.

"Your ability to see expiration dates is immaculate" he says holding an IV unite.

"Please enough of this, death" I say bitter with the sleepiness. Only two weeks before college, I knew it was too good to be true. "I may have been your creation, but I now I am my own person" I say as he shakes his head no the smile still on his face.

"She did this, you didn't want it, she was jealous I had found 'happiness' and took it" he says walking closer. "She much rather see me suffer and gave me what was left of you" he explains setting the IV post up beside me.

"I see, but still why not wait until I am slated to die?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"You were never meant to be alive, hence you have no expiration date" he explains placing a pack of blood on the hook. "It's how I found you, you would've just rotted away no death just an end" he says placing a needle on the end of the tube. "Arm?" he asks as I move my arm into his hand.