Stranger Stories 3

Oh Death

Sammy was the first to see Eve.

She was in a cleared-out spot in the woods, the dead trees in the dark giving the impression that she was taking the light, stealing it for herself.

Or someone else was. Sammy could faintly see someone standing on the opposite side of Eve, something concealed by a tree and thick black smoke clutched in their hand.

"I know you're here." Eve said quietly. Arya stiffened next to Sammy. The white-haired woman turned away from them, towards the figure shrouded with smoke. "I'm glad you did end up here. I've wanted to try out a spell. Da imperium tuum!"

The figure backed up, tumbling to the ground. The smoke dissipated, a flash of dark hair and skin catching Sammy's eyes as they gave a shout and thrust a scythe out of their grasp.

Eve caught it, giving a slight smile and slammed it to the ground, the majority of the figure's smoke enveloping her and vanishing along with her.

Arya relaxed, getting up first and peering at the figure collapsed on the ground.

The figure coughed, the smoke that had previously shrouded him appearing to harm more than help now that Eve stripped him of his power. Sammy had long since guessed that he was a death angel. The figure stood up, taking a moment to regain his balance. He brushed the dirt off of his suit, sighing. "I've had this for over 90 years, never got it dirty. Damn. Hello. You." He pointed to Arya. "I recognize you. Arya Ambrogio. You were supposed to die three hundred years ago."

Arya backed up into a tree. "You still don't want to um... you still don't want me to be dead, right? 'Cause I've still got things to do."

"No. I can't, anyway..." he looked back at his suit and the smoke that was slowly sinking into the ground. "Ah, crap. Management's going to kill me." His eyes darted back to Sammy and Arya. "Oh. Who are you?"

"My name's Samuel Blaze Villareal. I go by shortened versions of it, too. I'm assuming you have a name. What is it?"

The angel looked down and shrugged. "I honestly don't remember my first one, but a lot of people call me Hastur."

"Weird name," Cody said under his breath.

"I'm an angel."

Cody looked up. "I didn't know they existed."

"You've read about them." Arya stated, faint disappointment evident on her face.

"I didn't believe it."

"You should have. Who was that white-haired witch?" Hastur asked, glancing around for any sign of Eve. "she has my scythe."

"She's where I'm going. Hastur, you're staying with those two ratbags." Arya said, turning to leave.

Sammy tried not to laugh at Arya's bizarre insults, trying to keep in mind that they were probably as old as her. "Okay first off, why does he have to stay with us? And second, what?"

"She's right. If I remember what I read about them correctly, it'll be a whole lot less weird if he doesn't go far." Cody said, pointing his flashlight that only Sammy needed at Hastur. A good chunk of the light went straight through him. "People are going to think they're seeing ghosts."

"Great. Now that that's sorted out, I need to leave. Eve's going to go back to the house on the top of the hill, and she'll want to talk to me." Arya said, turning to leave for the second time.

"Don't say anything stupid," Cody warned. Arya turned her head to face him, smiling in front of Sammy for the first time.

"More likely you than me."

She turned away and disappeared into the woods.

There was silence for a while, neither Cody nor Sammy knowing what to do.

"Who's Eve? Aside from the obvious." Hastur asked, looking at Sammy.

"My cousin. This isn't the first time she's tried something like this." Sammy said. "If we're supposed to... keep you, I'm going home."

"I... guess I'll... follow." Hastur replied, doing as he said. Cody followed like some ginger shadow, eyes constantly darting back to the last place he had seen Arya. Sammy knew he cared about her. He would have to find Arya before Cody did anything stupid.