End

Dear Old Friends

One more and then it is done.

Death knew it was time. Time for this universe to fade away into nothingness. For the lights of creation to dim and the memory of all that had been to fade.

And thank god too, he thought wryly. He supposed that in the grand scheme of things time had always been abstract. He'd lost count of how long he'd been around. Years had lost meaning. Days, night, hours. All of it had always meant very little to him. His life after all had been longer. Longer than his own memory could take him. But after so much time, so many souls, Death was tired.

It sounded odd even to his own ears. After all he'd done his duty and done it faithfully since time out of mind. He'd never faltered and until now he'd never been tired. In a way he was grateful that he could watch the beauty and darkness that was life and creation for as long as he had. But the time had come for it all to end and fade. And suddenly he was weary to his bones.

He was grateful for it to end. He understood everything had an expiration date after all. He was death and even death had to die. Nothing was infinite. After all it was the finite that made life so gloriously beautiful. It made each moment precious and breathtaking. Or at least for the souls he escorted to the threshold. For him it was merely a matter of duty. He existed to bring end.

At least we know I've done my job right, he thought sardonically. Yes, he was death. He brought an end to all things and now, after so much time, he'd be the final end.

It was time. He could feel it in the very marrow of his bones. Time to take that final soul to the threshold and for all this to disappear. One more life and then it would all be over.

Death paused in his duty, wondering. Who was the last soul? And what a terribly lonely fate to die last. But die last they would and there wasn't much comfort he could offer to them, whoever they were. He was death and to him death was inevitable as it was beautiful.

He was surprised to find the last soul on earth, waiting for him in a graveyard. In all his long existence he'd met very few who waited for him and waited for him without fear.

He shouldn't have been so surprised by who stood before him. Maybe it was wishful thinking that he wouldn't have to escort her. Or maybe it was that out of all the souls he had ever encountered she'd been the one constant and he couldn't bare to lose her. But here they were. Right before the end of everything.

It's fitting that she should die too. It was a bitter thought. The truth was he loved her desperately. She was the brightest light he'd ever seen and had always been the most beautiful thing he'd ever encountered.

Her hair was golden. A pure gold of such vibrancy it shone even in the faintest light and her skin, sun kissed and unblemished had a dim glow to it. Her mouth was pure red and always curled in that slight smile. She raised her head and her eyes swallowed him, a mix of bronze and white gold that swirled and danced. Her smile widened and she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Hello death" she spoke clearly and her voice had a musical lilt to it that tugged at him. There was a sardonic amusement burning in her eyes and he could tell she was silently laughing at him.

Little imp. His own mouth curved involuntarily.

He shouldn't have been surprised she'd be the last. It's why she was laughing at him. They'd been together since the beginning of time. And if he was to cease to exist so to would she have too.

She was his polar opposite. His greatest lover and his constant companion. No he shouldn't have been surprised at all it was her.

For death to die so to did life have too. And she was life itself.