Friends with Death

The Mysterious Neighbour

Today, like any others, walking up what seem like s hill to me. I decided to do something different by turning and took the long way home. For real, you never know what you might find.

Oh, I almost forgot. My name is Kahoko Hino. I am the only child of the richest family in town...well I am now - I mean I certainly didn't ask for it. I used to have people close to me, but now? I only have myself. Oh no, I love my friends and all, and no I'm not an orphan. I understand fully well, mother and father was always busy, but I don't mind, as long as they are alive and health, I really don't...it's just...I don't want to be alone. Sometimes I get so lonely that I start talking to myself; making up stories inside my head, no one ever judges me there and I could be anything I wanted to. My friends and I run a small roleplay group actually, we pretend to be people of different races, I have five or six OCs alone. I'm not even sure if that makes me seemingly creative...or just plain sad.

The Hino residential mansion sits in the middle of nowhere; there are no other houses on that street, our garden, park, jungle and the mansion stood in the way. What's on the other side? I don't know. Father's imagination got the better of him. He said it might be surrounded by ghosts and stuff...that side is a lot darker too. But really, father's just over protective, he's scared...scared of losing me too.

Like I said, the long way home is actually the back of the town, through some busy streets and market place.

"Good day, Miss Hino!" they would all say, I would smile at them and walk on. Hino, Hino! Who is that anyway? After mother and father got married, she changed every shop, ever place...to HINO! As much as I love them, I'm sick of being treated differently. I know most people are only being nice to us for the money. No kidding, everyone that works for us...even the maid gets paid thousands. But to me, it meant nothing. What is the point of life, if everything you see is fake. I would do anything to have my old life back. Right now it's just me, the emptniess of the mansion without any warmth, and the fake smiles of my servants.

As I walked, I notice people cowering in fear. "Miss Hino, you really shouldn't be here, he's back and it's save no longer."

I blink, "who is?"

"That monster, Death! He's back!"

Just the name made me shiver. True, no one knows if he's really death or not, personally I've never met him, "I'll be careful, promise." I assured them.

As I reached my house, I noticed a mansion that was never seen before on the side. Someone walked to it, the person wore a black cloak with its hood up, their face, hidden.

"Umm hello?" I asked, surprised. Maybe, I'll finally make friends around this house. The stranger turned, face unseen, seemed slightly taken back by the fact I spoke, the person stared at me, head crocked to the side, before turning back and walked into the mansion.

"Wait! I thought that maybe we could be..." the door slammed shut, "friends...or maybe not..." I sighed, walking up to my house. "I'm home..." silence. It was always like this; don't know what else I was expecting. Putting my bag on the table, climbing up the stairs and threw myself onto the bed. "This is so boring. I wonder how my parents are...whatever." I rolled onto my sides and fell asleep.

Waking up to something hit the window, startled, I walked to it, seeing the same cloaked person earlier, crouching in the garden. Grabbing a coat, I decided to go and greet the stranger.

"Hello, can I help you?" I asked moving closer. The figure looked up. That's when I saw more clearly, a dead bird in hand, carrying a large scythe...Death. "Death..."

"Well noticed child." He's voice was smooth and deep...my eyes widened slightly. Wow...

"Umm hi?" damn I just made a fool out of myself.

He chuckled slightly and made a swift swish with the scythe.

The bird vanished.

I fainted.