Quarantine Story

Chapter 3

Gabriela woke up in her bare room in the middle of the night. Something unusual was happening. She felt very weird; the environment in the room made her feel awkward; the night was too dark, and quiet sounds with unusual frequencies filled it. She was under the impression that something dark and mysterious was happening. She didn't feel as usual anyway! Her head ached, she felt heaviness in her chest and she had a fever. She probably had a high temperature, and she breathed heavily. Sometimes she lost her breath and her whole condition was critical.

Something rustled from the side where the balcony was, which door was little opened. Gabriela pointed her eyes there and what she saw made her cover her mouth with her hand, with a soft moaning.

On the balcony stood a tall full blown male figure in a cloak, with a scythe in his hand. Suddenly, Gabriela remembered him. They exchanged gazes and she thought he was a mask of Death, participant of the carnival. Now she was sure he wasn't. It was not doubt he wasn't a human, because everything about him suggested it. The aura of mystery and secret surrounding him, her feeling something different is happening, the magic, sounds, everything pointed to him as a supernatural being. Gabriela was thinking if she should get afraid and call for help. Was that really Death on her balcony at that time of the night? What did he want from her?

She stood a little in her bed and straightened, trying to take a better look of him. He returned her gaze and she returned unusually meekly on her pillow, because the eyes of the Death were burning with unnatural passion. Slowly, without even wanting it, she felt better from that gaze. Headache was gone, the fever was gone, and she felt as good as new.

He was horrible, but she couldn't deny the effect he had on her. She laughed in herself at the situation she found herself in. On her balcony was a monster, and she had every right to be afraid from him and call for help. But he made her feel better; she remembered how ill she was a few moments ago. Whoever this creature was, he healed and once in her life she decided to show gratitude.

He waited a little and watched her carefully. When he saw she wasn't afraid, he lifted his hand and pushed the balcony door, which slowly opened. Gabriela stood in bed, greeted him with a smile and showed him with her hand to come in.

Death entered the room. He looked relaxed. Gabriela had to notice that his face, smiling like this, didn't look very unpleasant. He was not as pretty as Stefano, but he didn't inspire fear in her from which it couldn't be escaped. He looked, in fact, quite ordinary.

"What is bellissima, why are you in bed on such a lovely night?" he said full of himself. " Why are you not somewhere having fun?"

Gabriela wanted to answer pretty emphatically, but she remembered her decision to show gratitude.

"Corona," she answered depressed. "I got sick."

"They call me Death." he introduced himself gloomily. "I will be near you during the whole course of the illness. Do not be afraid, I will not make you feel worse. My duty is, if you lose the battle, to escort you to the underworld."

Gabriela understood. She nodded.

"Such a lovely night" he continued. "This can last, and I am bored. Let's talk! Tell me something about yourself. What is your name? How old are you? What do you do in life?"

"My name is Gabriela, I am 23 years old. I am a philosophy student. Before this happened, before I got sick, I was thinking of taking advantage of the time spent in quarantine to learn to live alone. I like to think. It would be nice if you join me. "

"Think about what?"

"Myself", had to admit Gabriela.

"If you are interesting as a person, I do not have anything against" said Death "Because you are very pretty, and sex interests me. I like to have fun, and if you are interested we can make a deal..."

Gabriela got a little angry.

"If you are interested about sex, you must at least be a little appropriate for me! What are you like anyway? Are you smart? After all - I don't know whether I would have sex for fun to anyone!"

"Well, if you think whether I am smart for philosophy, well, it's a nice thing." smiled Death confused. Oh, it didn't go easy at all, but he decided not to give up. He will throw her a challenge. "And are you smart, Gabriela, as you are pretty?"

"On an intelligence test I scored superior results" she answered proudly.

Death frowned a bit like he didn't like the answer. He hated smart women.

"Then, let's be friends, because we are both smart. Do you like me, bellissima? Would you have a one night stand with me?"

"If I... lose the battle?"

"I am asking you how you feel toward me. Am I someone you would sleep with, no matter what the outcome of your sickness is?"

"I do not say no," said Gabriella carefully.

"But you do not say yes, either".

"It's not time to think about sex" said Gabriela " I am worried. I am sick and I can die. If I was healthy, perhaps it would be different."

Death was thinking. This was better. She didn't say yes nor no. Vicinity of the girl, her beauty and foxy eyes boldly looking at him filled him with passion. She wasn't an ordinary girl, he had to admit, there was something in her that attracted him and didn't leave him indifferent. He would succeed, he had to have her at every cost.

"I can make you feel well" he said " I can heal you. I have power. The outcome of the sickness, in a way, depends on me."

"No, it doesn't" she said sadly "It depends on me only. This is my fight and no one else is responsible but myself".

It was already dawning and in the room shone the first morning sun rays. Death with a swift movement found himself on the little balcony.

"I'm not going anywhere" he said " I'll be here. Maybe we'll talk again." and he exited the room.

Gabriela stayed alone and regretfully found that crisis had returned. She felt awful again.