A Short Story Collection

✮The Road✮

Gracie remembered dying
Whether that was usual or not was the question, as the girl had never died before.
But now, as she stood on the middle of a long looking road, Gracie got the feeling that the road to heaven or hell; wherever she was going in the afterlife- wouldnt be an easy one.
Shadows seemed to seep around her, trying to entangle her. The dry wind blew her hair across her face, and as the girl turned to move her hair away, she saw a huge pitch black being sauntering towards her.
She couldnt die again... right?
Fear coursed throughc Gracie's veins, as the monstrous being came closer.
Its eyes-- if you could call them that swirled endlessly, vortex like.
Fangs sharp as knives gleamed brightly through the darkness enveloping the being, and its posture was hunched as it moved forwards, making Gracie's knees tremble.
She needed to move. To get away from this creature
But she couldnt.
The creature approached quickly now, perhaps sensing her fear.
Another few steps and it would be upon her.
Another few steps, and Gracie might be dead... again.
Before it could come any closer, a swish of metal was heard and the being floated away on the wind as a fine black dust, the cloud of it parting to reveal a humanoid figure holding a scythe, a hood covering its face.
Skin pale and clammy, Gracie stuttered out a "Thank you" her hands moving to wipe off her forehead, where sweat had started to bead.
That was close... too close... Gracie thought
The figure motioned outwards with a hand, almost as if it was telling her to continue.
Gracie gave a nod. she needed to keep going. To whatever awaited her after death.

as she continued down the strange path that for some reason existed, gracie thought about what had happened. what could only be told as her death.
Gracie remembered the scene clearly, Maybe a little too well.
She had been Ice Skating with her sister...
Gracie now felt a pang of heartache for her. Sure, Amelia could be annoying most times, but Amelia must've been horrified to find out that her sister had died.
When suddenly, the ice gave way underneath Gracie, plunging her down into the middle of the lake.
She remembered laughing and having fun, shortly followed by being surrounded by ice cold water, and she couldnt tell what way was up. it was disorienting, and Gracie remembered slowly losing senses, until she came to the conclusion that she was going to die.
Then the female had woken up in this almost dream-like landscape and whatever the being was tried to attack her.
Gracie noticed something.
The air seemed fresher now, and the shadows had left. The sides of the road was now teeming with fresh greenery, and everything seemed so much more alive.
She let out a sigh as a breeze blew a few strands of silvery blonde hair across her face.
Everything had been peaceful for a while now. And Gracie had yet to be able to shake the feeling of some sort of inhuman eyes watching her.
It'll be okay. everything is fine. Gracie consoled herself.
But no matter how many times she told herself that, Gracie couldnt quite shake the feeling off.
Everything seemed okay at the moment, but what escaped conciousness was the greenery was slithering along the ground hungrily towards Gracie, as if wishing to consume her.
Gracie let out a yelp as one of her feet was snatched from under her, finally noticing that the vegetation had extended towards her.
This was bad.
Gracie frantically looked around for something-- anything to save herself when a cloud of black and silver whizzed past, the foliage being cut in two, giving Gracie enough time to scramble up and away. But not before realizing who- or what, had yet again saved her.
"So, even if it seems safe, it probably isn't" she grumbled as she continued her journey, wiping the remaining bit of dust off her clothing. which was now peculiarly a cute yellow sundress.
Gracie didn't quite know how she had missed this fact, but it had somehow evaded her.

After having to be pulled out of a pit of quicksand, saved from some sort of shadow monkey, and now swept out of the path of a mini darkness tornado, Gracie turned to the figure that kept saving her, and then urging her to contine on her way.
"Who exactly are you?"
It was stupid to have assumed that this-- person? thing? would actually speak to her
"Some know me as the grim reaper, others as Thanatos*, but I'm more commonly known as Death" a voice echoed in her head
This was just getting weirder by the second.
She hadn't actually expected them to answer.
What should she call her- him- it-? Questions echoed around in her mind, but one stood out more prominetly.
"But havent hundreds of other people all also died today? I shouldn't be receiving special treatment"
There was no way death could've taken a liking to her... was there?
The figure gave a chuckle... or thats what it sounded like... Gracie wasn't too sure if it was possible to laugh inside someone's head.
"I exist in many forms child... mortals don't tend to understand etheral happenings"
The last part went straight over Gracie's head. But she didn't question it.
"So, you're the personification of death, correct?" Gracie paused. "Then why do you keep saving me when I manage to anger one of the shadow monkeys, or get snared in the plants?"
She glanced at the apparation in front of her, which consisted of a few layers of black and grey cloth, holding a gleaming silver scythe.

Guess she knew what that scythe was for now.

1.) Thanatos: one of the children of Nyx, The god of death in greek mythology

Hello. Skippy here. again. I just started another book I know. The ending is also a litlle weird to this, but I like it. It probably wont be changed. Either way, I had free time (a lot of it) and didn't feel like working on the new series.
If anyone has an idea, dont be afraid to say something! I dont bite (unless you bite me first... then youre in for it) and I love to find new scenarios to do!
~Skippy