10 Minute Tales, Part 2

Sep 26 - Reaper's Game

He only knew his time had come when the air grew cold and still. Everything seemed to slow down, grow grey. He paused the game and looked towards the door. A large, cloaked figure stood in it, a skull where his head should be. The cloak, ragged as it was, billowed slightly in a nonexistent breeze.

"... about time." he turned back to the game, pressing pause again. "I've been sat here doin' this for years."

I AM NOT HERE BECAUSE OF YOUR DIET. The avatar of death moved closer, taking a seat beside him. NOR YOUR POOR HEALTH.

"Then what?"

THE CEILING OF THIS APARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. IN TWO MINUTES, IT SHALL COLLAPSE, TAKING YOUR LIFE.

"Well, that sucks." he frowns, playing on. "I'm about four minutes into this level, it's gonna be a while." The avatar of death spun its skull to stare at him, the gaze enough to give him goosebumps.

YOU DO NOT SEEM PARTICULARLY FUSSED. MOST MORTALS WOULD ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THEIR FATE.

"I mean, you're the reaper, right? Guider of souls and all that?"

INDEED.

"So what's the point? If I get away from this, you'll just get me sooner or later. May as well get it over with."

FOR YOUR SEEMING LAZINESS, YOU ARE NOT THE MOST FOOLISH OF HUMANS.

"Well, there's somethin' else."

AND THAT WOULD BE?

"I want to play a game."

-----

YOU ARE ALREADY PLAYING A GAME, ARE YOU NOT?

"I meant for my soul."

AH. The avatar would smile if it had lips. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE SOMEONE WAS CALM ENOUGH TO OFFER IT. WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE?

"When I'm done here, I want to challenge you to Mario Kart. Best point total out of four races."

THE WAGER BEING YOUR SURVIVAL OF- The ceiling creaked as the avatar pointed up. THIS ACCIDENT?

"Yup." he paused the game, quitting it.

I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WISHED TO FINISH THAT LEVEL?

"If I lose, I ain't gonna be able to. If I win, I've got more time, right?"

VERY WISE. SO BE IT, I ACCEPT YOUR PROPOSAL.

"Great. Know the rules?"

I HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY ALL OF MORTALKIND'S TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING THAT WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INVENTED. I AM AWARE OF HOW TO PLAY MARIO KART.

"Alright. Sounds like you've had plenty of practice, I'll take this seriously."

BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WILL NEED TO DO THIS.

"Huh?" he glanced up, to see the avatar's skeletal hand grasping at his head. He shuddered as his soul was pulled from his body. "Hey, come on! We haven't even-"

OBSERVE. The ceiling groaned and suddenly gave way, burying his body and the television. As a soul, the man was unharmed.

"... fair enough." he nodded, setting the now-ghostly console up. The avatar leaned back, almost relaxing. "You seem happy?"

AS IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS AS MY POSITION IN THE COSMOS IS, I HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH HUMANS. HOWEVER, THE GAMES THEY OFFERED WERE... INVOLVED. DIFFICULT.

"So, what, you're grateful for the change of pace?"

AS GRATEFUL AS AN AVATAR OF THE END OF EXISTENCE CAN BE. It looked over once more. He could swear it was... smiling. Not grinning a skull's morbid grin, but genuinely smiling.