Death's Apprentice

5

Paradise wasn't what I expected it to be; I assumed it would be a beautiful garden, filled with flowers and fruit and all sorts of animals. When we showed up outside of it, I saw none of that. Instead, we stood on the cracked sidewalk in front of a whitewashed building. A few cars were parked on the street, and a man stumbled out the door. He was so close to me, I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Uh, is this a bar?" I asked, staring up at the sign. Wooden and cracked with green paint peeling off, it looked ancient. A flaming sword and the name of the bar looked like they had recently been repainted.

"Yep, come on. We want to get a good seat." Death pulled me inside. The smell of beer assaulted my nose, and I sneezed. I tugged at the leash.

"Can you take this stupid harness off of me?"

Death ignored me. His boots clicked against the hard tiled floor as he walked to the bar. He rested an arm on the counter with not quite a full-smile on his lips. "Hey, Eve, mind handing me the mic?"

The barista, Eve, turned and slapped a wet rag down on the counter. She had her hair tied into a messy bun like she was a character in a One Direction fanfiction. Her eyes shone like pools of copper, and they crinkled as she laughed. "Cutting right to the chase, are we? Are you going to introduce your friend, or am I supposed to ask my father?"

"Her name's Ardia. Now, give me that." Death leaned across the counter. He was tall enough that his feet barely lifted from the floor as he reached for something behind the bar.

"Any song?" Eve placed a microphone on the countertop in front of me. "Or do you want me to pick again?"

"You can pick. Thanks," Death said. He looked at me before gesturing at a door that said Employees Only. "Go wait over there."

I nodded, though I couldn't walk more than four feet from him in any direction. My feet stayed planted where they were while I stared at him.

"Go on, no one's going to-"

"The harness," I said, crossing my arms. I had no plan to move, not as long as I was wearing the harness. Not even if I had to stand in place for the rest of my afterlife. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait that long. With a simple snap of Death's fingers, it disappeared.

"Go wait."

I walked over to the door and leaned against the rough brick wall. I watched as Death walked onto a small stage. He switched on the microphone, and speakers crackled into life. They spilled out the karaoke version to a Fall Out Boy song. As he sang, I found myself unable to move, unable to look away. His voice was stunning.

Harsh light broke me out of the trance. I turned and stared at the door beside me. It dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the frame which began to writhe. Insanely cool to watch, I couldn't help but feel terror seep into me, squeezing my throat. The wood shifted, warped, and rippled until an arch made of rough-hewn stone stood where the door once was. A dark, endless void laid beyond it.

"What are you waiting for, kid? It's not going to kill you."

"Well, yeah, cause I'm dead," I smiled, looking back at Death. I tried to play it off like he hadn't startled me. "And what was that about?"

"Kid, I think you can figure out why I'm a good singer."

"Let me guess, is it because you're a divine being?"

"Ding-ding-ding, correct. Give the lady her prize. Though you'll probably pick it up soon enough."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

"It doesn't matter." Death waved a hand. "Now come on before this closes." He walked forward and disappeared into the darkness. I didn't follow after him right away. Something I came to immediately regret. Almost as soon as Death passed through the arch, it began to twist back into a door. My eyes widened, and I dove through.