Aveline and the Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse

Part 19 - Tales of the Unexpected

James Dean stands a few feet away, watching me and Fluff with an amused expression. He's tossing a token in his right hand. I think he's ready to talk to me. I feel my face flush and have butterflies in my stomach. I think this must be love at first sight. The attraction I feel is so strong it's almost painful.

That was before I discovered my love interest was actually Death, with a capital 'D'.

"Hello Aveline. I'm glad to finally make your acquaintance. I am Death, but you can call me ... Jim."

Uh oh ... be careful, Aveline. This dude's bad news.

Really? I sent to Fluff. Death's 'bad news'? I could have worked that out myself. Oh fate, why does he have to be the one?

Er, the one what?

...Nevermind.

"So, not James Dean then. Death. Aren't you a little late?" I can't help but sound a little disappointed. I hope it doesn't show. Death is gazing straight into my eyes and I gaze right back.

"I was there, when you died, Aveline. But you were a special case. I did not show myself to you, as you were not truly leaving this world."

I'm not sure what to say. I merely continue to stare into Death's eyes, conscious that my conversational skills seem to have abandoned me while my brain wraps itself around the fact that the one boy I've ever met who I have an immediate crush on happens to be an ancient being whose purpose is to ensure the no-longer living move over to the afterlife. Oh, good grief!

A slight frown forms on Death's face, his eyes leaving mine to stare at the ground between us. "I've been watching you, though. I find you somewhat fascinating."

Awkward. I share a brief, mutually questioning look at Fluff.

Is that normal?

I've known this cat a long time, Aveline, and I can tell you I've never seen him act so ... odd. No, I don't think his watching someone like that is normal.

"Why have you been watching me?"

Death looks into my eyes once more. There - that spark of excitement flows through me again. It may be my imagination, but Death seemed to shudder slightly when our eyes meet.

"Why?" The frown reappears once more. Death really does look confused this time. "I can't explain it. Whether you succeed or not shouldn't bother me. Either way, my purpose will be fulfilled. Perhaps it is because you are so unique and unusual. In many ways, you are like me, not alive in the truest sense, but also not wholly a being of another astral plane. You are rooted strongly in this one universe, just like I am."

As usual, I'm struggling to follow what all this ethereal stuff means. I'm still trying to form a response that sounds like I have a good idea what I'm talking about when Death comes out with a truly jaw dropping statement:

"I have decided to assume a human form, like you, to try and understand. This is not something I've felt the need to do before. Tell me, is it normal for a human male to experience such sensations when one meets a member of the opposite sex?"

Oh. My. Life. Death is gesturing to his own nether regions. This has taken a truly bizarre and embarrassing turn of events. The power of speech leaves me again.

"Er, oh. Umm. Well ... I think ... I think you might want to speak to...," oh god oh god, "Er, I'm probably not the best person to talk about this. Surely you must know? All this time you've been around?"

"Time is irrelevant to me, Aveline. I have existed for all time and no time."

"Right ... but you've never ... wondered how it all works?"