Death Dancer

Chapter Eleven

We had fallen asleep on the chair at the other side of the room, that much I was aware of. Death must have moved me during the night as I was laid on the plush king size bed in the corner of the room with a blanket wrapped snuggly around me.

Death was nowhere to be seen.

Lips pursing, I slipped out of bed, pulling on my cardigan that had been discarded at some point during my sleep. Wrapping it around myself, I padded to the chairs we had shared a slice of cake on.

I was hoping he would have been here to talk to about the night before, to make sure he was OK after so many emotional confessions. But, he was busy and had places to be. As much as she was sure he wanted to take a break, he had made it clear he was overworked.

I stood up and walked around the room. Without all the fires and torches lit, and without Deaths presence, his home was bland and dark. The furniture looked like it had last been updated in the 1400's. The only source of heat and light was the fire that still roared in the grand stone fireplace opposite the bed, its flames tinted purple. It hadn't died down since I first laid my eyes on it.

A small table sat in the corner of the room, a single chair tucked underneath. It was a sad reminder that Death was alone. I wanted nothing more to put another chair under it and sit with him.

I smiled as what was on top of the table caught my eye.

It was a slice of cake, from the one I had baked him, sat on a plate with a note-card propped up against it.

I sat down and started to pick at the cake, happy that It tasted good after a night left out. It was the first one I had baked since I had died.

The note was neatly folded in half, my name scrawled across the front.

I hope you enjoy the last of your cake, I couldn't resist having a slice before I left. I will return this evening to take you back to the mortal realm. Dagon is beyond the door if you need anything. He will hear you if you call his name. Do not leave on your own, or you will end up jumping to the spirit version of the mortal world. I will teach you how to jump directly to this room if it's something you would like to do.

Thank you for yesterday evening. I don't deserve a friend like you.

Death.

He considers me a friend. I thought, smiling.

I finished the cake and decided to make the most of the time I had left alone here. The room was vast but sectioned by bulky furniture and wall screens. I left the bedroom area, exploring the book shelves Death had shown me, the light from the fire in the trough at the back now just embers, casting a dim glow. The shelves were filled with objects and books from every language and culture I could think of and many I could not.

There were first editions of many books, artefacts thought to be lost to time. I was in awe but realised that he had collected so many of these things to fill the hole that he felt in his heart. Objects could never truly replace people.

I lost myself in the history and beauty of Deaths own little museum for a while, before being called over by Dagon. I hadn't even heard him enter the room.

"Welcome to the underworld." He smiled, watching me closely. "What do you think?"

"I think, that if this is it, no wonder he is lonely." I replied sadly, tracing my finger along the back of the single chair next to the table.

"The underworld is home to many of Deaths spirits. Humans have called us many names, Spirits, underlings, and my personal favourite, Demons. We are not the socialising type. He was created for this role, there should be no reason for him to start faltering now." He replied stiffly, clasping his hands behind his back. The topic visibly making him uncomfortable.

"Perhaps not, but you have lived your life. You have made your choices. Death was created. No choice. No one to talk to. That must be difficult, to have bottled it all up since the beginning."

"There is nothing to bottle up. People die. It happens." Dagon shrugged nonchalantly. "To become sentimental about it is pointless."

"That's such an awful thing to say!" I gasped, frowning at him.

"Demons are the souls of those who were not so good in their lives. You know that, right?" I got with a scoff in reply.

The door to the room swung open, before I could answer him. Though I'm not sure what I would have said.

Death walked in, glancing between the two of us. With a nod, Dagon retreated backwards, shutting the door behind him.

"Don't mind him. He is brash and speaks his mind." Death said, removing his hood and placing his scythe by the door.

I cracked a small smile at the casual way he made this space his home.

"I have come to see that."

We sat down together, him in his comfortable chair, me on the dining chair. I waited for him to say something, to break the silence in the room.

"My behaviour yesterday was inexcusable. I'm sorry." He said eventually. "What you did, coming here, it means a lot to me. More than I think I would care to admit. No one has ever come after me to see If I was Ok, especially after I was the one to cause it all. You are my only friend. At least, you were. I very much hope that you will be again."

I chuckled, moving over to sit next to him. "Friends can argue and fall out. They are allowed to not want to speak to each other for a while, and they are allowed to find each other irritating every now and then. That is what it means to be human. We never stopped being friends, and we never will."

"Human." He smiled sadly. "I guess being around you all for so long, you've started to rub off on me."

"We aren't so bad. There are times we feel alone, scared, hopeless. But there is also love, joy and peace. You can get there, we can work out how to get you there. I promise, it doesn't have to be like this for you. You can be who you want to be." I grasped his hand in mine. "Friends are also there for each other, to talk to, to guide you. You don't always have to heed my advice, just know that it comes from a place of wanting you to be the best version of you. Happier and content with your life."

"Friend?" He said, tentatively looking at me.

"Best friends." I grinned as he rolled his eyes at my over excitement, but I didn't care, a little glint in his eyes, no matter how fleeting, told me that I had broken the first set of chains that shackled him to his darkness.

Tag your Wattpad friend and tell them why they mean so much to you! <3 I'm tagging Loafyy because she is the first random person I have met who loves Wattpad, she is super supportive of my work and in real life is the most happy, friendly, weirdly wonderful person who I am glad to call my friend!

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