Death Dancer

Chapter Nine

I squinted as the bright sunshine flooded my bedroom. One beer last night had led to five, and though five beers hadn't seemed to affect me that much, they certainly didn't do anything to Death. It was as if we had drunk water, not alcohol. At least that is what it had felt like last night. Right now, my head was pounding as I shielded my eyes from the glaring morning sun.

Pouring myself a strong cup of coffee, I smiled as I looked over the dirty pots and pans. Not a usual reaction to washing up, but I was happy. He was opening up to me, and dare I say, we were becoming friends. I laughed out loud at the thought of throwing him a birthday party. A whole party may be to much for this year, but I would definitely make sure he had one next year. This year I could make him a cake and we could share a beer or ten.

I opened up my laptop, searching for ideas. I wanted to make him laugh. He didn't smile enough. My first search made me laugh, though I wasn't sure if it was a bit too close to home. A chocolate cake with a graveyard on top. I wanted to distract him from his day, not bring his work home with him.

My second idea made me chuckle too. I thought better of it when I realised his relationship with God, Jesus, whoever, may not be that great. I didn't want to upset him. Perhaps it was a conversation for another day, before I baked him a cake in the shape of the Holy Bible.

I set my sights on a cake that required little decorating skill on my part. Death by chocolate cake sounded fitting, funny and delicious.

I wrote down the ingredients, so I could go out shopping once I actually got changed out of my pyjamas

I flopped down on the sofa an hour later, showered, my hair freshly blow dried and straightened. I was feeling good today, fresh and renewed. I added a birthday card for both Death and little Carrie to my shopping list.

Grabbing my jacket and purse I switched the TV on, flicking to the news channel as I got ready to go out.

The news section switched to a new segment, making me stop dead in my tracks.

-And its wonderful news for the Rodgers family, over at central hospital today, as young Carrie, only four years old, received the test results she has been waiting for since she was only one and a half years old. Doctors were previously unable to properly diagnose little Carrie up to now, meaning that treatment has been unsuccessful. Doctors are hopeful that they can now treat and cure Carrie, so her and her father can move on with their lives and live together at home for the first time since she fell ill. From News at 11, we all wish her a huge get well soon!

My breath caught in my throat. My heart stuttering as I fixed my gaze on the TV, a bubble of a laugh escaping my lips that were graced in a smile.

It couldn't be a coincidence that I had told Death about her only last evening and now, here she was on the news, because a cure had been miraculously found.

My heart swelled as I switched off the TV once it switched to another news segment.

Grabbing my keys, I patted the pocket with my shopping list and headed out the door, a renewed energy in my step as I vowed to make him the best cake ever in the world to say thank you.

Three hours later I found myself in a cloud of flour as I laughed with Liv down the phone, her at my spluttering and me at the prospect of being able to lay down on the floor and make a flour angel with the amount that had disappeared from the bowl.

"I still have the ice-cream in my freezer! I need to see you so I can eat it! No way am I letting myself eat it alone, it's just a pity party in the making!" I wined, giggling as I knew I would more than happily finish off the lot.

Liv laughed again, sighing happily. "I will be back tomorrow morning, a day of unpacking, washing, sorting and cleaning definitely means I deserve some Ice cream." She replied.

"How's everything going?" I asked tentatively, even throughout all our laughs and jokes, her mental health was still a tough subject to broach.

She sighed, my heart sinking wishing I had never brought it up, yet knowing i had to talk things through with her.

"It's ok. Dad's been super about it all, everyone has really. Just now it's not such a new and exciting thing for them all the worry about its slipping back into me not doing enough, you know? I'm glad I'm coming back tomorrow. It was great seeing them, and opening up to them, I'm just getting tired of them!" She replied, sighing again.

"But you got your appointment to see the psych doctor, though right?" I asked, knowing how important professional support was going to be for her.

"Yep! I have my first session at the weekend!" Liv replied, her voice positive and chipper again.

I smiled, even though I knew she couldn't see me through the phone.

"I'm so proud of you and everything you have done so far to help yourself. You are the bravest person I know." I replied.

The phone line went silent for a moment, dusting down my hands I clicked on the screen to see if it had in fact cut us off. But no, the seconds ticked away as I waited for her to answer me.

Liv snuffled, the phone line crackling. "Thank you for everything." She started before pausing. "I wouldn't be here without you. You saved my life and I've not even thanked you properly yet."

"Your friendship and the licence it gives me to eat as much junk as I want and watch bad TV is all the thanks I need." I replied, touched that she felt that way.

"We have a lot to catch up on, I'll give you a call when I land!"

The hours seemed to fly by after the phone-call ended before coming to a screeching halt. The cake had been baked, decorated, and decorated again after the temptation of all the chocolate on top had got the better of me.

I had set it on a plate on top of the counter, candles and sparklers sticking out of it ready to be lit, in full view of the front door for when he walked in- invited or not.

Now however the seconds seemed to last an eternity, as I sat curled up on the couch, watching the cake and the door, barely even paying attention to what was on the TV.

I didn't even check to see if he was going to come over tonight. I had just expected him to turn up. And I had baked him a cake. The mound of unlit candles on top was a clue to my overzealous decorating skills. I didn't know how old he was, so just decided to fit as many as I could on top without needing a fire extinguisher to blow them out. But they were still unlit, and Death had yet to turn up this evening. Even If he did, I was beginning to doubt myself. How would he take it?

After bringing myself to the brink of a nervous episode I reached for my phone, the only other otherworldly being I knew with a line to Death being Dagon. Next time I saw Death I needed to make sure to get his phone number. That is, if Death even had need for a phone number.

Before I could press send on my weird text asking if Death was available to pop in to see me, the door to my apartment flew open, wind gushing through as though there had been a tornado in the hallway outside.

Death stood in the doorway, his figure looming as his black cloak billowed, shadowing his face in darkness. His fists clenched at his side, back rigid, feet set apart.

I sat stunned for a second before unceremoniously snorting with laughter.

"Now that was a dramatic entrance."

What do you think has made death so 'dramatic'? A bit of a fun chapter this time, whats the best birthday cake you've ever had?